You’ve probably noticed how rapidly current mediums of technology are changing. Traditional CDs & DVDs will be replaced by a new generation of digital media in a few years, and the progress of wireless technologies and internet enabled communication will make a number of communications technologies obsolete. The technology slope is accelerating at a record pace, and if a corporation is too specialized on a “ground-breaking” technology that can quickly become obsolete, that company will be left behind in the unforgiving market.

Here are some companies that may be left behind because of an obsolete technology:

1) XM Satellite Radio & Sirius Satellite Radio

The fundamental question is: Why do we need to go to outer space to access CD quality music? I think that the advent of internet radio will quickly make satellite radio obsolete. Neither major company expects to earn a profit until 2008 but by then I’d expect to access internet radio from my car. With the advent of broadband wireless technology that can span many miles and costs less than satellite, the usefulness of satelite transmitted data as used by these companies should decline greatly.

2) Netflix

CDs & DVDs are quickly being replaced by digital media that can be downloaded from a computer and by the new standard, Blu-Ray discs. iPods & mp3s are quickly replacing CDs and before long we will be able to download full length movies on your TV. With download speeds and bandwidth constantly increasing across the internet, the availability of full quality DVDs is within reach, and becoming moreso every day. Who wants to wait 2-3 days to watch a movie anyways? Netflix is in trouble unless they can change in a big way; distributing digital content through the mail is going the way of the dinosaur.

3) General Motors

Car manufacturing is a very expensive process, especially in the United States. Several automakers are taking big steps to increase the offshore presence to China, Vietnam, and Mexico. Meanwhile, General Motors continues to ramp up efforts in the United States. General Motors will continue to lose billions of dollars unless they can expand cost-cutting efforts to offshore manufacturing plants.

Keep in mind that you can profit in the stock market from shorting stocks, too. Selling a stock short is essentially betting that the particular stock falls in value. If the stock drops, you profit. I believe the three stocks above will fall drastically over the next decade unless they can turn things around in a big way.