An Israeli company, dubbed Lumus-Optical, is looking to change all that by offering up a relatively normal looking set of spectacles with twin microdisplays and mini projectors.

ENGADGET: Lumus-Optical unveils microdisplay-packin' designer glasses

Just as the PC usurped the mainframe and set off explosive change in computers, new optical technologies may someday overtake electronics and topple the established telecom order.

FORBES: Hooked on photonics

But Philips and Sony were only willing to rejoin if the forum used more of their technology possibly even Sony's magneto-optical recording method instead of Matsushita's phase-change design.

ECONOMIST: Digital video discs