[lwhi]

I agree - noise will reach saturation point (no pun intended) .. and will eventually be forgotten about. When it's used properly, you don't notice it.

I sometimes wonder why we actually need trends. It's an interesting subject - in a way trends are a just part of the commodification of design. They provide a way to transfer values (through loose connotations) to an audience .. I think there's something quite cheap (throwaway) about the concept. Without trends, progress is less able to drive commercialisation and the need to update is less essential.