dodo
Software
RIP Microsoft Encarta, 1993-2009
1:30AM John Mahoney | Woe: Microsoft has officially pulled the plug on Encarta, a reference work that, for many of us, was probably more formative than anyone would like to admit. More »
Software
Palm OS Is Dead, Long Life Pre and Windows Mobile
5:25AM Jesus Diaz | The Palm OS is a dead duck. Palm’s CEO Ed Colligan has signed its death sentence today. But while there will be no more new Palm OS products, their Windows Mobile smarty-panty-phones will survive (!): Talking to investors today, Colligan said there was no point in keeping on with its development. • No more Palm OS devices to be released by Palm. Only third-parties will do them. • From now on, it’s only webOS (the operating system in the Pre, pronounced “huevos” in Spanish, which means “eggs” or “cojones”) and Windows Mobile devices. • He also talked Apple, saying they didn’t want to get into a patent fight because they also had a big portfolio and it may turn nasty for both. Originally developed by US Robotics in 1996, the Palm OS leaves a long list of children, grandchildren, some bastards here and there, and a lot of die-hard users behind. It will join the Amiga OS and Be OS in the land of the cool-stuff-that-is-gone-gone. [PreCentral] More »
Business
11:58AM Nick Broughall | I heard these rumours last week, and was flat-out told that it wasn’t happening, but Current is reporting that NEC will be announcing this afternoon that they are pulling out of the consumer retail market in Australia, as well as closing their Sydney office and cutting staff. However, they will be keeping their business systems division.
UPDATE: It’s official. Announcement is below the fold. More »
UPDATE: Another One Bites The Dust – NEC Pulling Out Of Australia
11:58AM Nick Broughall | I heard these rumours last week, and was flat-out told that it wasn’t happening, but Current is reporting that NEC will be announcing this afternoon that they are pulling out of the consumer retail market in Australia, as well as closing their Sydney office and cutting staff. However, they will be keeping their business systems division.
UPDATE: It’s official. Announcement is below the fold. More »
Gadgets
The Last Major VHS Retailer Abandons the Format
3:15AM Mark Wilson | While we know that media formats will come and go (be they physical or purely digital), the death of VHS is one of particular weight. Players have died, now tapes have, too. More »
Business
The Complete List of Dead Circuit City Stores
12:10AM Matt Buchanan | It’s official. Circuit City is closing 155 stores, as the Consumerist broke yesterday. They’re also “reducing future store openings,” but whatever, you wanna know if your local Circuit City is gone. Here’s the complete list of stores slotted for obliteration. More »
Business
Rumour: Circuit City On Death’s Door, Closing 155 Stores This Monday
2:52AM Jack Loftus | Today we can bring you early word that Circuit City is apparently on the verge of closing 155 stores and withdrawing from the consumer electronics business for good. Sister site the Consumerist broke the unverified news thanks to an insider tip, which has since been corroborated by a forum post over at Google Finance. Consumerist also reports that employees in certain departments, like car installation, will be unemployed within 48 hours (warranties will still be honoured). Most closings are expected to be wrapped up by December 31, 2008. It’s a sad day for everyone at Circuit City, but also an inevitable one, given the coverage we’ve seen over the past year. The Sony truck turnaround story from earlier this week was especially damning. [The Consumerist] More »
Screens
9:31AM Nick Broughall | It’s another sad day for consumer tech fans, with Philips announcing that they’re pulling out of the Australian TV market. That means that if you want to get some Ambilight action, you should probably head out to your local Harvey Norman sooner rather than later.
The move isn’t too much of a surprise, following the company’s decision to pull out of North America back in April, as well as Hitachi’s Australian AV death earlier in the year.
Current managed to have a chat with Matt Moran, Philips’ Lifestyle GM, and he told them that the decision was based upon “global direction”. I guess with prices dropping so substantially over the past few years, it’s becoming harder and harder for these “smaller” players to keep up.
All hope is not lost however – at this stage it looks like the move only effects TVs in Australia and New Zealand, so all your other Philips-related gadgetry should still be available when the company ceases TV distribution on December 31 this year.
[Current - Thanks Adam] More »
Another One Bites The Dust – Philips Pulls Out Of Australian TV Market
9:31AM Nick Broughall | It’s another sad day for consumer tech fans, with Philips announcing that they’re pulling out of the Australian TV market. That means that if you want to get some Ambilight action, you should probably head out to your local Harvey Norman sooner rather than later.
The move isn’t too much of a surprise, following the company’s decision to pull out of North America back in April, as well as Hitachi’s Australian AV death earlier in the year.
Current managed to have a chat with Matt Moran, Philips’ Lifestyle GM, and he told them that the decision was based upon “global direction”. I guess with prices dropping so substantially over the past few years, it’s becoming harder and harder for these “smaller” players to keep up.
All hope is not lost however – at this stage it looks like the move only effects TVs in Australia and New Zealand, so all your other Philips-related gadgetry should still be available when the company ceases TV distribution on December 31 this year.
[Current - Thanks Adam] More »
Home
Sony Trinitron Timeline Shows Why It Will Live Forever In Our Hearts
7:35AM Jesus Diaz | After 280 millions tubes sold, Trinitron will be officially dead this month. Few Sony inventions have had the same gravitational pull as their Trinitron display technology, perhaps only second to the Walkman. Trinitron became synonym of the best quality TV sets and computer monitors in the planet, despite the thin cables that secured in place its aperture grille. This timeline shows TV history since 1873, how colour TV became a reality in the 40s, and how Sony became the king of TV, with more than 100 million sets sold by 1994, to later fall under the weight of plasma and LCD technologies: More »
Games
Microsoft Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Officially Discontinued
11:33AM Jason Chen | It was only a matter of time before Microsoft officially discontinued manufacturing the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on, but it took them a few days longer than we expected. Their statement is finally out, and it signals Microsoft’s official withdraw from HD DVD on the console front. More »
Science
