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.
The Ulysses spacecraft, which was launched way back in 1990, has been visiting the planets of the solar system for some 17-years, but now the Ulysses looks like it is doomed. A critical error has occurred in the mechanism that prevents the fuel from freezing, and that means the Ulysses is soon to be heading to spacecraft heaven.
The rumour is official. Onkyo was notable for being one of the few hardware makers outside of Toshiba that planned HD DVD players. Also, I apologise for so many of these posts. It’ll be over shortly. [Onkyo]
Paramount’s PR department is slower than the rest of the industry. They’re officially Blu-ray as of today. So now it’s totally and completely finished: All of the major studios, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Best Buy and Netflix are full steam ahead on Blu-ray. If you haven’t digested the fact that HD DVD is gone by now, maybe it’s time for some Tums. And counselling. [Reuters]
We have been saying it for ages, but now it’s official. HD DVD has been pronounced dead on Tuesday, February 19, 2008, even before the press conference has started, according to our Ichiroo, from Gizmodo Japan. Toshiba’s press release is out in the wild. The Format War is over. Full release after the jump. AU: Toshiba are holding local press conference at 11am today – I’ll see if I can gain any juicy info for you guys.
Polaroid is closing its last remaining film plants in Mass. so the oh so fun instant Polaroids will soon become a thing of the past. Well it’s already a thing of the past, but this time it’s serious since no more instant film will be produced.
We received half a dozen tips earlier today from our Svenska readers talking about “Gizmondo coming back.” The story went from a vague November 2007 quote by ex-convict Carl Freer into a morning Internet craze, all fuelled by a flash animation in a domain registered through an anonymous service. A bit of fact checking, with the help of a few Swedish journalist friends and whois, reveals that the rumours of a Gizmondo reappearance may have been greatly exaggerated. Actually, there’s probably enough material to completely smash them.
I just received the official press release about Hitachi’s decision to close up shop in Australia. The consumer business side of things will close on the 31st March 2008, while they will stop selling their products to retailers on 29th February.
In total, 40 people will be heading to Centrelink made redundant from the decision, although a new department will be opened in April to provide spare parts, technical and warranty support to Hitachi’s current customers.
It’s a sad day for the Australian Consumer Electronics industry, with Hitachi deciding to close its doors on the consumer tech arm of its Australian business as part of a global restructure.
Apparently the move is a part of a global restructure, and not the result of the Australian market’s performance financially. However there are mixed reports on whether there will be a swinging of the layoff hammer or simply repurposing the current staff across Hitachi’s other areas of business in Australia.
Losing a big player like this can’t be a good thing, and not just because it means we’ll miss out on their shiny new TVs. Competition makes the consumer tech world go round. Plus, every time a consumer tech company closes its doors, a baby angel dies.
There’s a media briefing happening tonight, so we’ll keep you posted with all the official news tomorrow.
