And barring a breakthrough product or a major price cut from a competitor, the Laserjet 4 just may do the trick.

Nanosys says its technology could form the basis for breakthrough products in fields like energy, electronics and medicine.

In this instance, again, a company created a breakthrough product and envisioned a new untapped market.

Sony's last big breakthrough product was the PlayStation game machine, introduced in 1994.

Smarts' breakthrough product, In Charge, took more than three years to develop.

"When you are doing breakthrough products, the normal distribution doesn't pick it up all the way," he said.

"I couldn't be more proud of this great company, its incredible employees and its breakthrough products."

Another breakthrough product, the world's first solid-state amplifier, was released in 1957.

Projects for breakthrough products start out with a similar strategic vision, but are associated with technologies which require new discoveries.

In Silicon Valley, working long days on a breakthrough product is a source of immense pride.