GPS, Microsoft's MSN Direct service to shut down in 2012
By Donald Melanson 
posted October 28th 2009 4:51PM
posted October 28th 2009 4:51PM
Well, it's quite the day for any GPS-related announcement, but Microsoft has nonetheless made a fairly big one of its own, with it dropping word via a simple service announcement that it's killing off its MSN Direct live information service for navigation units (among other devices -- even the odd coffeemaker). Those relying on the FM-based service won't be left in the lurch just yet, however, as the shutdown won't occur until January 1st, 2012. Anyone looking to move on with their lives before that can also cancel their service at any point prior to the shutdown date and receive a pro-rated refund for the unused portion of their service, and you can of course rest assured that all MSN Direct-equipped GPS devices will continue to function as basic nav units after the shutdown. Hit up the link below for the complete FAQ.[Via Ars Technica, thanks Eric]
Awww. You will be missed?
No.
PWNED!!!
Glad I sold that garmin 885t on ebay with MSN traffic in bold :D
I used it a couple of days and didn't really need that.. I have way too much information at hand already :)
pal :)
Yeah, looking around it seems that this mostly affects Garmin units. A LOT of current Garmin units get their traffic data via MSN Direct (traffic.com data now owned by Navigon as I understand it). Other units generally get the Clear Channel feed over FM Radio (Inrix data).
Boy it would suck if you bought one of these, especially one installed in a car or truck you own, and know the traffic service was going to vanish in a few years.
I wonder if relying on the Clear Channel feed now is going to seem stupid in a few years? Those built-in car nav systems are starting to look a bit risky at $2000.00 for a device which might not get any more map updates after a while, might not have map data available for where you move to (Hawaii say), might not have working traffic in a few years, etc. Its certainly long past time to standardize the mounts in cars for swappable units...
How about we give Ford, Chysler and GM a bunch more money if they agree to do this...
2012 you don't say? Anyone smell a conspiracy damn Microsoft!
isn't the world going to end anyway.... what's the point ?
pal :)
The 2012 date coincides with the date that MS is shutting down
its WinDINOSAUR Mobile OS. Both of them will be shutdown
on the same day in 2012.
@pal
I'm not your pal, buddy!
The traffic service sucks anyway.
I feel sorry for the fully stocked ford owners that had this service as their NAV option...
@ ocean
Youre implying MSFT is shutting its doors because theyre discontinuing MSN direct service...MSFT's software is their bread and butter. Everything else is icing on top.
SP
They also shut there doors on MSN Music, PMC, and now MSN Direct.
Let see
Windows Mobile Shut Down (expected 2010), Flight Simulator Shut Down, Windows CE Shut Down, MSN Soap Shut Down, MSN Direct Shut Down, WMV DRM Shut Down etc,
whats next Microsoft to be shut down
Is the MSN Shampoo still available tho? I read somewhere MSN soap was good for your skin :(
@ ocean
The dumbest shit i heard today.
SP
No, THIS is the stupidest shit I've heard all day. From the lovely pages of Digg, below the threshold at a fun -17 diggs
http://digg.com/tech_news/The_game_has_changed_Pic
"-17 diggs Edgar4HOF
2 hr 2 min ago
dude sdkl;lsdk i ***** hate google they ***** dogsm god damn they r fukin my gf she has google c0ck upo her ass wtf i hope m$ rapes google up google's vag yeah fuk google"
Do a Barrel Roll!
Clack, You just revealed how little you know about tech. They shut down "MSN SOAP"? You do know that SOAP is a tech protocol, correct? You do know that many of MS' web properties still support SOAP (programmable Web Services), correct? You do know that WinMo runs on WindowsCE, and WindowsCE is still shipping on many, many devices (point of sale devices, Zune, WinMo, convertable devices, etc.), correct? You do know that Windows Media DRM is still shipping and supported, as Windows Media DRM is used in the Zune software, Windows Media Player, and many Plays For Sure devices, correct?
SHould we list some of the products and services made by your beloved Apple that have shut down over the years?
@ N900
Now that is some funny shit LOL LOL LOL
SP
@ Nohman
MSN Soap is MSN Soapbox microsofts failed video site similar to youtube
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSN_Soapbox
@ Nohman
Windows Media DRM
''the Microsoft Zune does not support the standard Windows Media DRM system, rendering protected WMV files unplayable''
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Media_Video
Windows CE/Mobile
''Windows Mobile's share of the smartphone market has been in decline year-on-year''
''Heading into 2010, the momentum (for Windows Mobile) has dissipated and there has been wide speculation that Microsoft might be ready to bail out on the mobile operating system market altogether''
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Mobile
ocean not only did you use wikipedia"speculation that they will bail out"
funny, windows mobile sells 18 million units per year, more than the iphone
and steve ballmer hired MORE people to work on it
talk about digging yourself a hole of lies
oh and your entire argument is based on the worst speculation ive ever seen
"zomg momentum lost= kill our entire phones division (that makes up a big part of our revenue) in 3 months!"
can you point to me a source that doesnt involve your edit in wikipedia?
@ Lightspeed
"funny, windows mobile sells 18 million units per year, more than the iphone"
iPhone outsold all Windows Mobile phones
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2009/08/21/canalys-iphone-outsold-all-windows-mobile-phones-in-q2-2009/
ChangeWave Research: iPhone reaches #2, at 30% market share
http://www.investorplace.com/changewave-alliance/articles/smart-phone-market-aapl-palm-rimm.html
Time to wake up and throw WinMo in the garbage.
Oh for the love of God!
Dont feed the trolls anymore!
hence your name right? ehehe, no.
How do I banned troll?
I'm glad that I procrastinated. I was looking forward to getting one of the nav units and paying the $150 lifetime MSN direct service. I guess it's true, "hard work pays off in the future. Procrastination pays off now".
Wow, I wonder how Garmin will compensate people that spent $500 for a one-way connected GPS that will no longer be connected?
It was so famous I did not even know it existed... no wonder...
2012 sounds like a good time to switch to an Android phone.
Figures.
Zune HD is next. I've used it , it blows compared to iPhone.
@word
word.
What, it can't make phone calls? Owning an ipod touch, it isn't exactly great, the Zune looks to be a far superior bit of hardware. I can't actually make a firm judgment on it as MS don't sell it where I live.
The Zune HD allows me to use the Zune Pass, the iProduct does not.
Zune wins.
The hardware is awesome, but the Zune HD makes me watch Nissan commercials when I launch apps. Zune fails.
Really? That is surprising because I have an iTouch, and iPhone, a Nano, Zune 30, Zune 16, and a Zune HD, and my experience is very different than yours.
@ johnny5
Because they are free. A lot of free apps from the iTunes App Store have ads in them to and they are far more annoying. I'd rather have a short ad when I launch an app as opposed to one at the bottom of the screen the whole time the app is open. I see more and more of those on my friends iPod Touchs and iPhones.
@johnny5
On my Mac Mini, every time I open Safari I see ads all over the place. Right now I am looking at ads for the new iMac (many of them, actually), new MacBook, Mac Mini, Magic Mouse, iPod, MobileMe, iWork, iPhone, Logic Express an ad for "INVICTUS", ads for 5 different songs, 5 different movies, 5 different TV Shows, the "This Is It" movie, the "Ice Age" movie, The Great Pumpkin, Halloween Apps & Games, the and the Simpsons Treehouse Of Horror Collection 1.
Any explanation from you why some free apps on the Zune HD (looking over your post history, a device I assume you do not have) showing ads is a horrible offence against humanity, but nothing is said about Apple force feeding me all these ads when I first start their software that I paid for?
@ NohOne,
Saying that Safari has ads like that is not comparable. If Safari forced you to watch a 15-30 second commercial before even launching Safari, THEN it would be comparable.
You see ads, but you can still do stuff. Launch an app on a Zune, you are forced to wait. Nothing near the same. Your logic is flawed.
(Oh, and P.S...those ads are in Internet Explorer as well. Don't try blaming that shit on Apple.)
(P.S.S. Get FireFox and AdBlock Plus...I haven't seen an ad since I got my computer.)
@Jon - When I open Safari, I am taken to a page on Apple's web site that is nothing but an advertisement for their products. Don't try to make excuses for them, if you want to complain about one, you need to complain about all of them. I bought my Mac, paying for Safari. They should not be makiing me watch their commercials for something I paid for (at least that is the argument put forth for anything MS).
@NohOne
Umm...you do know you can change your homepage, right? I certainly hope so, seeing you managed to find Engadget...
cool, the msn direct watch i never used will no longer work in 3 years.
NOO! I use my MSN Direct watch everyday! I don't use the news feature often, and never the stock feature, but the weather forecast should be on every watch. It's very convenient.
I had no idea such a product existed. I would be really afraid of any service MS starts, it seems to always shutdown and leave users in the dust.
Remember that MS playforsure? but it wouldn't allow users who bought content through it, to connect it to zunes .
For sure, won't ever buy any "service" with the MS name attached
Windows For Gaming Live... probably the only service that will survive unfortunately. Some of us gamers are dumb.
Why should you be afraid? If Microsoft doesn't get enough users to make a service really operable, than it only makes sense for Microsoft to shut it down, even if it is a good service like MSN Direct. It's not an 'always' thing though.
I think the PlayForSure issue with not working on Zune had more to do with the content stores not allowing it. Yeah, it's a bummer it didn't support it (do you actually own a Zune?), but PlayForSure seemed to be on the verge of collapsing when the Zune was released. So maybe Zune not supporting PFS is a better decision.
Kinda ironic... google maps free app
Too bad, just bought a MSNDirect-enabled weather clock. Guess it'll be just a clock in a couple years. Oh well.
Worked pretty nice, too... them's the breaks.
Quite sad really. MSN Direct service is pretty good. The gas prices and local events apps are very useful.
If only Microsoft promoted it more.
Man i'm so glad i re-read the RSS i feed i thought it said Microsft to shut-down MSDN in 2012 lol.
It's time for Microsoft to start deciding who they want to be when they grow up while their name still carries some credibility. Dipping their toes into every pond they come across to see if the water's warm enough is no way to carry the company forward. Every niche they dabble in is likely to have serious players that require serious work to compete against. Frankly it's time Microsoft should consider ceding the role of content and information provider to the likes of Google, Amazon and Apple and put their efforts into products they're willing to back 110%. Just increasing their advertising and opening brand stores isn't going to keep Microsoft at the top of the game unless they develop a more focused product strategy (for example by making the excellent Zune HD hardware everything it deserves to be rather than letting it flounder after only a few months on the market.)