vaporware
Latest
Life after death: Phantom game console remembered in design mockups
Man, talk about a blast from the past. The Phantom game console aimed to change the video game landscape as we knew it back in the wild days of 2004, but for one reason or another, the box never actually materialized. Of course, just because you never saw one on a Walmart shelf doesn't mean that no mockups ever existed, and core77 managed to dig up the industrial design firm who was responsible for engineering the admittedly handsome box. Robrady won't ever get the credit it deserves for piecing together a shell that never went anywhere, but you can visit the links below to hand over your own tribute.
Emblaze's First Else in danger of becoming a smoldering slab of vaporware?
We have word from an industry insider that the First Else handset running the ALP OS is in trouble. Not a surprise since Emblaze, the company behind the handset, has been dead quiet about Else ever since CES where it promised a March beta and Q2 launch. From what we hear, the software simply isn't ready and Emblaze has been unable to sign on any major carriers as the components continue to age inside a cellphone first demonstrated in November of 2009. We've also been told that Emblaze has instructed its employees not to speak to the press about First Else. And indeed, when we called the number that formerly belonged to the Emblaze Mobile marketing manager we were greeted with a very casual "hello" without any mention of the company or the person with whom we were speaking. After confirming that we were indeed speaking with Emblaze Mobile, we related the news about First Else and were promptly transferred to the voicemail of Emblaze's legal representation. Curious don't you think? Your move Emblaze.
Intel kills Larrabee discrete GPU, will focus on integrated graphics
Intel's been promising to blow up the graphics market with its Larrabee GPU for over three years now with virtually nothing to show for it, and it looks like the company has finally decided to can the entire project after downsizing it to a "software platform" last year. A new Intel blog post on the matter says the company won't bring a discrete graphics chip to market, and will instead focus on integrated graphics for everyday computing and highly-parallel multicore processors for high-performance computing. Now, Intel's obviously still in the graphics game, and it's already made a strong move towards integrated graphics by building GPUs right into the Atom N470 and much of the Core 2010 line, but on a much broader level the decision to drop Larrabee means that Intel is now essentially pursuing the same strategies as its competitors: AMD is famously behind schedule with its Fusion project but plans to ship ATI-powered hybrid CPU / GPUs next year, and NVIDIA has been pushing its multicore GPU-based Tesla high-performance computing platform for a while now. We're also curious about how Intel intends to address the gaming market in the future -- its own integrated graphics obviously aren't up to the task, and it's still fighting with NVIDIA over a Core 2010 chipset license, so that's a big question mark going forward as more and more focus is placed on low-power and integrated solutions. We'll see what happens -- it's not too often the death of a vaporware product has the potential to shake up the entire industry.
No, we didn't get an Enso zenPad
Hey folks, it's just come to our attention that Enso -- a French Italian startup that received notoriety for selling vaporware tablets -- has been using Engadget's good name to convince irate customers that its product actually exists. We gave Enso the benefit of the doubt at first, but let's put things in perspective: we have not received an zenPad tablet, and in fact, we no longer expect to. Enso has now promised us a review unit on five separate occasions beginning in early April, and missed each deadline it set for itself. We do not endorse the supposed product, and we'd appreciate it if you pay no attention when company founders tell you otherwise -- or set up fake review websites, for that matter. That's just not cool. Update: Wonder of wonders, we received a package from Hong Kong... and inside was a bona fide Enso zenPad. Guess the sixth time's the charm! We'll have impressions for you soon.
Composer says Wii's 'Sadness' was cancelled, releases soundtrack
Finally, resolution to a story we've been following for several years -- though it's a bit disappointing. Nibris's Wii horror title Sadness (what did you think we were talking about?) has been canceled, after years of disappearing websites, slipping release dates, nonexistent demos and a generally game-free history. The news comes from a Polish-language blog post from April, announcing the release of composer Arkadiusz Reikowski's soundtrack for the game. The post notes that, according to Reikowski, the game was cancelled before work on the music was complete. So that soundtrack is basically the closest part of the game to "finished" -- and it's still in a preliminary state itself. [Via Original Sound Version; thanks, Aquacharger!]
SED's dead, baby: Canon abandons development of new HDTVs, we take a look back
Oh, surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED). We still remember the halcyon days of 2005 when we first laid eyes upon your black as a CRT / thin as a plasma or LCD self, and equally recognize the pain of each false start and delay that followed, each leading up to today's announcement by Canon that it is abandoning SED HDTVs entirely. It had held out hope as late as last spring that the technology could have a future in professional displays, but Japan's The Nikkei reports it simply couldn't bring down costs enough. There's still the possibility for a future in "image diagnostic equipment" but all those prototypes will never see the light of mass production. Check after the break for some of the highlights along the way, or just to imagine what might have been if not for lawsuits and technical issues.
Mysterious StreamTV fails to arrive on schedule
A month ago the intriguing StreamTV family first showed up on Amazon promising 500GB HDD, "Super Blu-ray Player" and vaguely worded 3D capabilities. We have now reached their announced release date of May 7 and... nothing. The news of Mitsubishi's 2010 HDTVs with Stream TV (Vudu Apps by another name) seemed like a possible indication of what was to come, but since then we've heard nothing and honestly don't expect to. Anyone out there keeping $5,999 on deck just in case? [Thanks, William]
Enso's zenPad finds the funds to become reality
With only 500 units ordered and 30 scheduled to ship on May 8th, it's clear the Enso zenPad won't blow up the world, but it's nice to see a startup make good on its promises. We've yet to receive one of the cheap Android tablets ourselves, but we do finally have proof they're on the way: Enso CEO Alberto Armandi just sent us an official, signed receipt for the purchase of 500 MID-560A tablet computers from OEM SMiT, along with a bank document proving they have been bought and (mostly) paid for. What happens now is threefold: The 250 buyers who held out receive a rebranded SMiT tablet, the 250 who didn't get their money back (anecdotal reports indicate refunds are underway), and the whole mess hopefully fades into obscurity, letting the three young entrepreneurs who brought us this niche Chinese device get on with their lives. See the slightly redacted proof Enso actually purchased these things, right after the break.
Kogan announces $200 HD tablet, with networked TVs, Agora handset, and leprechauns to follow
Ah, Ruslan Kogan -- we can't help but want to see this starry-eyed dreamer succeed, even if we still haven't got our Android handset. According to Australia's APC, the man's gunning for the iPad market with an as yet unnamed tablet of his own. The goal? A full HD, ARM 600MHz-powered capacitive touchscreen device with 512MB RAM, 2GB storage, and an SDHC card for under $200 (presumably that's Australian dollars, meaning about $180 US). Apparently the above prototype runs Windows, Android and Ubuntu, although Windows won't be an option if -- and we do mean if -- this thing ever solidifies, due to production costs. As for that display, it's tipped to be 800 x 480, the sting of which is taken out by the unit's 1080p HDMI output. You say you're not in the market for a slate? Kogan's also said to be working on networked TVs ("probably by the end of the year") and a Blu-ray player with WiFi and YouTube widgets. As for the aforementioned Agora handset? "[S]oon," he says. "I can't give a time frame on that, though. It'll be as soon as we're allowed to." This is one mysterious man indeed. We can't help but wonder when he's going to get serious and tackle something big, like perpetual motion. Update: We just realized that this is none other than SmartQ 7 MID first handled, oh, back in May!
InPhase out of business, assets seized for back taxes
It's been something like five years that we've been eagerly waiting for InPhase to finally release that revolutionary holographic storage solution, and while there has been plenty of drama in the way of release dates promised and pushed back, and even some layoffs to keep things interesting, the company has been pretty, pretty quiet lately. As it turns out, this has been due to the fact that employees have been busy enough updating their resumes. "We were expecting it for a long time," said one employee, among the sixty or so who picked up their final paychecks last week. "So it wasn't a big surprise." To put a finer point on things, it's been announced that the Colorado Department of Revenue has seized the company's assets for non-payment of taxes. According to The Register, the state has changed the locks and announced that everything on the premises will be auctioned off, down to the fixtures and furniture. This is certainly an ignominious end to a once great idea, but as you know every cloud has a silver lining: If you're looking to get into the holographic storage business, drop us a line. We've heard that some equipment is becoming available soon -- and at a great price.
Sadness website is gone ... don't even feign shock
With posts that go back to 2006, the public embarrassment that is Sadness is far more interesting than the game could have ever been. The epic tale of vaporware, which is comparable to Duke Nukem Forever, receives another notch in its timeline today. The latest is that the Sadness website is gone and the URL is up for grabs. Developer Nibris has yet to speak on the matter and, frankly, whatever they say doesn't really matter. Dare we say this is the end of Sadness? Heck no. Where there's a developer and a desperate fan base, there's a way. %Gallery-2910% [Via GoNintendo]
FED apparently not dead, baby, Field Emission Technologies sells out to AUO
Returning just in time to do battle with LPD for vaporware of 2010 award, Field Emission Display technology is still kicking. We'd heard that Field Emission Technologies was closing its doors, but here's the president of Field Emission Technologies Shohei Hasagawa (left) clasping hands with the CEO of display manufacturer AUO, Dr. L.J. Chen, and FET Japan prez Jun Yamazaki celebrating the sale the technology. Apparently AUO plans to develop the CRT-rivaling flat-screen displays for high end display applications. Can it pick up where Sony left off? We're doubtful, but the sale means at least a slim hope professionals could be looking into something even sweeter than plasma or LCD sometime soon.
Big Download awards 2009's vaporware
In response to Wired's own 2009 vaporware awards, our pals at BigDownload have complied their own list of software and hardware that woulda, coulda and shoulda seen the light of day this year. Topping the list is the streaming service OnLive, which was slated to release in "winter 2009," following a healthy dose of beta testing. While reception for the service has been mostly positive, OnLive's claims have yet to be tested on a global stage (during E3 2009, OnLive was previewed for select media via a cable modem connection to the service's California-based headquarters). Other nods go to Gearbox Software's oft-delayed -- we'll believe it when we see it -- Aliens: Colonial Marines, Obsidian's "oh, by the way, it's not coming out today" Alpha Protocol, and Midway's This Is Canceled Vegas. Sadly, Duke Nukem Forever failed to win an award for what would have been a record twelfth-straight year.
FusionGarage plans media event to tell its side of the CrunchPad story
Michael Arrington may have declared the CrunchPad dead, but that's not stopping his former partners at FusionGarage, who've scheduled a video conference with CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan so he can "share his side of the story." Chandra will also be demonstrating the 12-inch capacitive web tablet -- which, somewhat amazingly, will be the first time we've ever seen proof that the elusive device actually even exists and functions. We're definitely curious to hear what Chandra has to say and how he rebuts Arrington's grandiose and melodramatic tale of woe, but let's be honest -- we're also at least mildly suspicious that this whole mess is just a calculated PR stunt. Stay tuned.
The CrunchPad disappears in a puff of vapor
Michael Arrington's CrunchPad has never had a particularly firm basis in reality, and although we'd been promised that the inexpensive browser-based tablet would be launching soon, the sky's come crashing down: Mike says Fusion Garage, the company he hired to build the CrunchPad, has reneged on their deal, and that he's about to file "multiple lawsuits." What happened? Well, it's not exactly clear: according to Mike, the CrunchPad was ready to be launched on November 20, but on November 17 Fusion Garage decided to cut TechCrunch out of the deal and sell it directly. Oh, it's a sad tale, especially since Arrington claims a wide variety of industry heavyweights were lined up to support his tablet -- including development assistance from Intel complete with sweetheart pricing on Atom CPUs, a "major multi-billion dollar retailer" who offered to sell it at "zero margin," and even venture capital firms "waiting to invest in the company." Making matters worse, Mike's no longer buds with Fusion Garage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan, who he thought he'd be friends with "for the rest of our lives." Tear. Now, we're not sure we've heard the last of the CrunchPad -- if anything, Michael Arrington is irrepressible -- but we can't say we're surprised the first chapter has ended in such fantastic fashion. We're assuming several major Hollywood studios are already lining up to buy the rights, and we've heard unconfirmed reports that George Clooney has signed on to star for free because he believes in the project so deeply.
Pandora cases start arriving, production enters 'so close you can smell it' stage
The elusive Pandora handheld and the Phantom gaming system have a lot in common. Thankfully, there's one critical difference, and that's the fact that the dutiful souls behind what's sure to become the world's next favorite pocket gizmo actually have some proof that mass production is tantalizingly near. The latest update has quite a few images of the final mold, and we're also told that mass production has begun on the mainboards. All that's left to do is add a touch of paint, snap a few things together and yell "Hello World!" for all the world to hear. Hit the read link if you're badly in need of getting some drool out of your system. [Thanks, Andrew]
Cranberry DiamonDisc: the $35 DVD that'll last longer than your ghost
We've seen outfit after outfit trumpet their long-lasting optical storage wares before, but Cranberry seems different. Rather than promising that whatever miracle they've just unearthed will be available "in the very near future," this company is selling its wonder product right now. The so-called DiamonDisc -- which is reportedly constructed from "diamond-hard stone" -- is designed to store precious memories for 1,000 years or more, and it's even built to withstand "temperatures extending up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit as well as UV rays that would destroy conventional DVD discs." Unfortunately, each disc holds just 4.7GB of information, and each one will run you $34.95 if purchased individually. Oh, and it's only playable on "most" regular DVD drives, so across-the-board compatibility seems less than likely. The more we think about it, the more sense that whole "just carve it into stone for future generations to see" mantra makes. Kudos, cavemen.
Switched On: Developing a sense of rumor
We're proud to congratulate Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) on five years of Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Check out the first-ever Switched On right here -- we're looking forward to five more years! Good morning, students. My name is Dr. John Fleming and I welcome you all to MKTG 503: Fictional Technology Product Development. Hopefully, you've all fulfilled the prerequisites to this class, MTG 324: New Product Development and any accredited undergraduate Government class in plausible deniability. As your professor this semester, I'd like to provide a brief overview of the material we will be covering in the emerging field of developing and marketing products that generate incredible amounts of media attention and consumer interest but do not actually exist. Phase 1: Customer Requirements. Disciplined product development requires acute attention to addressing both stated and unstated customer needs and creating products that fulfill the promise of expectations while maximizing profitability for the organization. In our class, we will learn how to ignore these goals and create figments that have incredible gee-whiz factors that safely ignore considerations such as marketplace pricing and target demographics. Students will generate buzz for a three-paneled OLED ereader that is powered by solar energy while acting as a tanning bed for the burgeoning tween market.
WarDevil resurfaces in bizarre (original) Xbox demonstration
After five years in the making and hardly any time taken out for interviews or status updates, you'd imagine Digi-Guys' WarDevil would be just about wrapped up and ready to grab some GOTY awards, right? Not so much, as Edge discovered during a studio tour. Although Digi-Guys does have some very cool technology to show off, that may eventually result in a game. To prove the effectiveness of the developer's mysterious texture technology, Digi-Guys gave Edge a demonstration of the game engine as it was in 2005 -- running on an Xbox. The first one. "So what you'd expect to see even in modern games – textures that turn to porridge if you look too close – doesn't happen here," Edge notes. "Then there's motion blur, of the kind seen in Jurassic Park rather than the harsh, sometimes nauseating vector blur used in modern games. Add to that many of the light and particle effects you'd expect to see today, and a healthy layer of anti-aliasing." Another demo on more recent hardware is similarly impressive, showing high detail in skin and clothing as the camera zooms in. Evidently, this version of WarDevil was actually playable behind closed doors at Tokyo Game Show -- and not, like the Xbox demo, in a placeholder rail shooter mode. And that is progress.
Hell freezes over; Now X Client for Mac now shipping
In a surprise move after years of breathless anticipation by users of Now Up-To-Date and Contact, Now Software released Now X Client for Mac on Thursday, August 27, 2009. In case you're wondering, yes, this was the calendar and contact app formerly known as Nighthawk.Why the snarky tone? Well, Nighthawk Now X has been one of the biggest examples of vaporware in the Mac community for at least two or three years. Many users of Now Up-To-Date and Contact, which was a relatively powerful set of applications for managing calendars and contacts, have waited patiently for the promised app, only to have their hopes dashed year after year. All of my clients who used NUDC have moved on to other Mac / iPhone or cloud apps. Even this announcement is somewhat tainted. There's no Windows version of Now X for people in multi-platform offices, the much-touted server module isn't done, and the FAQ page states that "Now X runs on both Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard." Uh, guys, while you were developing this application, Apple came out with something called Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.Now Software also states that Now X syncs to iPhone, but there's no iPhone client -- it simply syncs Up-To-Date info to Calendar and Contact to Contacts. Most other apps of this type, including Marketcircle Daylite, have an accompanying iPhone app. The company says that the app "is being designed." From past experience, Now X users looking for an iPhone version may have a very long wait ahead of them.A TUAW First Look of the Now X Client for Mac will be posted soon.
