Historically, Americans have taken their time getting comfortable with new technology before forking over serious cash for it. When color TVs came out in the 1950s, consumers were entranced. But it took another 20 years for half of US households to ditch their B&W sets; two decades later, DVD players hit that benchmark in just six years. If you think those flatscreen HDTVs are pricey, consider this: They cost about the same, adjusted for inflation, as the first color TVs.