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FLO TV killing direct-to-consumer programming in spring 2011, will make necessary refunds
Don't say we never gave you a heads-up on anything. 24 hours (give or take a few minutes) after we punched the final nail into FLO TV's direct-to-consumer coffin, Qualcomm itself has issued a brief but pointed statement regarding the tragically doomed service. The major line is this: "We are suspending our direct to consumer sales of new devices." If you just so happen to already own one, you can look forward to service continuing through the Spring of 2011, after which you'll be up a certain creek without any sort of steering apparatus. In the event of a discontinuance of service, FLO TV will make appropriate refunds, but the details surrounding that won't be communicated until that fateful day draws nearer. We're also told that MediaFLO service (provided to handsets via carrier partnerships) will continue on unaffected, and it sounds as if the company has plans to attach its service to tablets in the future. The worst news of all? Qualcomm's working to redeploy impacted employees, but it does "anticipate that there will be some layoffs." The statement can be seen in its entirety after the break.
FLO TV killed by Qualcomm, its four users look shocked and saddened
We'd heard from a couple of internal sources on Friday that Qualcomm was pulling the plug on the ill-fated FLO TV direct-to-consumer service, and now we've reason to believe that the deed is in fact done. Despite the company's best attempts at playing up the idea of carrying around a mobile TV and paying yet another content subscription bill, it seems as if the public's wishes are finally being recognized. According to our sources, Qualcomm is informing partner retailers to stop selling FLO TV products immediately, and sure enough, a glance over at Best Buy's website reveals that only a couple of accessories remain in stock. We're guessing that Wally World is hoping to rid itself of as much stock as possible before the news goes mainstream, but in all likelihood, those units will too vanish into the night in short order. It's bruited that Qualcomm is still in discussions with AT&T and Verizon on the future of its wholesale MediaFLO service, and we've reached out for comment on the future of service for those who already sprung for a FLO TV Personal Television. We'll let you know what else we hear, but for now, be sure to stay away from a product you were never, ever interested in to begin with. It'll be a challenge, we know.
Plastic Logic kills QUE, 'shifts focus' to second-generation ProReader
And just like that, with the swing of a virtual axe, she's all dead and buried. Plastic Logic has been stuck in a world of perpetual delays ever since wowing the universe with its QUE ProReader at CES, and rather than delaying it again, the company is simply cutting its losses and moving on. To quote CEO Richard Archuleta: "We recognize the market has dramatically changed, and with the product delays we have experienced, it no longer make sense for us to move forward with our first generation electronic reading product." To that end, the company plans to "shift its focus to bring to market a second-generation ProReader plastic electronics-based product," but absolutely no details regarding form factor, pricing or an estimated ship date are given. Wilder still, those rumors about a company sale have coincidentally (or not?) flared up again, with the Financial Times stating this go 'round that Plastic Logic could sell a "significant stake" of itself to Rusnano, a Russian state-owned nanotechnology corporation. We're told that the two are currently "in discussions," and that if a deal is reached, Plastic Logic's production facility for this elusive next-gen product would have to be based in Russia. We can't say we're completely shocked at the outcome here, but we're man enough to shed a tear at our loss. Rest easy, QUE -- at least we had our times.
The end of Exteel
Set the flags to half-mast, put on your blackest mech armor, and raise a glass with us: As of September 1st, Exteel is shutting its doors and powering down its giant fighting 'bots. NCsoft announced the game's cancellation with a bittersweet consolation prize in the form of a late August event where all parts and mechs will be sold for one NCcoin apiece. Exteel has been around since December 2007, a mere month after Massively itself opened its doors. While it was never a title to garner a huge amount of attention, Exteel's combination of a mech-based setting, PvP-centric play and microtransaction funding made it unique to the MMO genre. NCsoft said that the game was no longer "financially viable," adding, "We know that we have many loyal players who love Exteel. Although this decision was a painful one, in the end it was a business decision that had to be made. We encourage everyone to play and have fun with the game that you love in the time you have left."
Plastic Logic delays QUE proReader 'a bit longer,' cancels pre-orders
Not good news for those looking for a different e-reader. Back in April, Plastic Logic told those who pre-ordered its QUE proReader that they'd have to wait until June 24 -- after already having been delayed to April. Now that device is being delayed again, and while the company has wizened up and not actually given a new estimated date this time, it also took the unfortunate and ominous move of canceling all pre-orders. In the e-mail sent to those affected (which is after the break) the company says it has "decided that delaying the device a bit longer will result in a better product for you." Hopefully it results in a cheaper product, too, as we're not sure how a $800 reader is going to fare in a world where both the Kindle and nook are available for less than $200. [Thanks, Don; spider photo courtesy of mrpbps]
Apple randomly canceling some iPhone pre-orders? Update: AT&T pre-orders too?
We haven't verified exactly what's going on here, but we've gotten several tips tonight from people who've received an iPhone 4 pre-order cancellation email from Apple saying that their order couldn't be authorized. That sounds like an AT&T authorization problem to us, and given the litany of problems that Apple and AT&T had all week dealing with the huge number of pre-orders, we can't say we're too surprised to hear that the chaos continues. Here's the email: Dear Customer, We were unable to complete the authorization process for your iPhone order. As a result, we had to cancel your iPhone order. To complete the purchase of your iPhone, please visit an Apple Retail Store or an AT&T company-owned retail store. We apologize for this inconvenience. Sincerely, Apple Online Store Team Uh, yeah. We're obviously looking into the situation, and we'll let you know what we find out. Update: We're hearing that some people are getting cancellations from AT&T, as well -- curiouser and curiouser. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Women in Games conference canceled due to 'low delegate numbers'
The Women in Games conference won't make it to its seventh consecutive year. Organizers apologize and cite "low delegate numbers" as the reason for the cancellation. The conference would have been held March 25-26 at Bradford College, UK -- which apparently does not have a Dr. Tony Hill on staff. What? Oh, Bradfield. Develop reports conference organizers will provide full refunds and that canceling wasn't an easy decision, but necessary because attendance would have been far below the break-even requirement. No word if the conference will make another attempt in 2011 or if that's all she wrote. [Via Develop]
Jagex cancels MechScape at significant cost, restarts anew
Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard has indeed confirmed the cancellation of MechScape, although you wouldn't quite know it from his comments, which seem excited to be working on a different title with a new direction. This isn't the first time an in-development MMO has been rebooted in favor of a completely new direction, although Tabula Rasa at least kept its original name. Why the sudden decision? According to Gerhard, MechScape wasn't able to avoid the same pitfalls of RuneScape. Of course, making such a move is going to cost Jagex millions, but their current financial success will be shouldering the weight. The new game -- known as Stellar Dawn -- should be coming in 2010 and will be based on the MechScape graphics engine. The big changes planned for Stellar Dawn are content and combat focused, although no specifics were given by Gerhard. It's a bold move, no doubt, and sometimes this industry favors such decisions -- other times it punishes them significantly. Whether you look at this as stalled (Tabula Rasa) or prolonged (everything Blizzard) development, you have to admit it creates a notable amount of interest in Jagex's 2010 game.
ASUS kills USB 3.0-laden P6X58 motherboard for reasons unknown
Such a shame, no? As has become all too common in the uncertain world known as ASUS' R&D lab, it looks as if yet another promising product has been canned before it ever had a chance to truly live. After the aforementioned company's P6X58 Premium motherboard set the world ablaze just over a week ago, primarily due to the USB 3.0 sockets shown there on the left, the mainboard has reportedly been canceled for reasons unknown. According to a report over at The Inquirer, an ASUS spokesperson claimed that the mobo had been shelved "not for any particularly interesting reasons," leaving us to wonder when we'll ever see a motherboard equipped with that so-called SuperSpeed magic. Our true emotions are captured nicely in the video just past the break.[Via HotHardware]
Belkin kills the FlyWire -- does wireless HD / HDMI even have a chance?
We sort of saw the writing on the wall, but now Belkin has went and made it official: the FlyWire is dead. Originally showcased at CES 2008 and at practically every AV-related trade show since, the wireless HD-enabling FlyWire was seen as the poster child for wireless HD / HDMI by many, and the death of this product certainly doesn't bode well for the technology as a whole. It's true that AMIMON -- the wireless startup responsible for the WHDI technology within the FlyWire and a few other devices -- just landed an extra $10 million in VC funding, but still, we've literally been waiting years for this so-called "promising technology" to get a foothold in the market. Or even make a wave, really.As has become customary these days, Belkin is also pinning the cancellation of the FlyWire on the economy, with a spokesperson telling us that the "retail price of $1,499 would be out of line given the current state of the economy." She continued by stating that the company has "opted to halt production of FlyWire" and "will no longer be introducing [it] to the market." Granted, the company does seem somewhat apologetic, concluding that "there will be some disappointed folks out there, but [Belkin's] end goal is to introduce products that are accessible and that make sense in the current environment." Frankly, we're not buying it. In April, Belkin affirmed to us that while AMIMON's WDHI technology was "solid," it was taking its sweet time in order to "pay very close attention to the user experience, such as the packaging, setup, and the quick install guide." We could be way off base here, but we'd say the economy was sucking quite a bit harder in April than it is today. And honestly, that's beside the point. A $1,500 device that enabled a Blu-ray player to communicate wirelessly with an HDTV is obviously a luxury item, and regardless of unemployment numbers, Belkin had to know that the FlyWire would only appeal to upscale consumers. You know, the same folks who also put in an order for a Ferrari California in 1H 2009 while their hedge fund dived. To us, the sudden death of the FlyWire is more of an industry signal than anything. For quite some while, we've been wondering when the industry at large would embrace wireless HD and HDMI technology, and now we're beginning to think that said embrace will never happen in any significant capacity. Even Wireless USB couldn't cut it, and we're guessing there are an awful lot more USB users out there than HDMI. If the price dropped dramatically and the sector consolidated a bit in order to agree on a single standard, we'd say wireless HD / HDMI has a fighting chance. 'Til that happens, you can pretty much bank on the FlyWire fiasco becoming a model for the rest. Belkin's statement in full is past the break.
Model 2+ production seen as "unlikely," says OQO exec
The chances of seeing Model 2+'s release seems dimmer and dimmer, as online retailer Build Your UMPC has joined eXpansys in canceling pre-orders for the Model 2+. OQO's senior VP Bob Rosin confirmed bad news, saying a firm shipping date was partly the reason behind the vendor's decision. Furthermore, he said that it was "unlikely" any more Model 2+ units would be produced, though not indicating how many were currently manufactured and ready to go. Worried about the company's future? Yeah, us, too.
Accessory to murder: Sony Ericsson cans the AB900 and MBS-900?
If you'd been saving the quid for an AB900 or MBS-900, well... we don't really know how to put this, but it looks like you're going to need to find some other way to spend the cash. SEMC Blog astutely notes that the pair of Bluetooth accessories have been unceremoniously scrubbed from Sony Ericsson's official site, an ominous sign that they may have been canceled. Clearly, they're not the only in-car handsfrees or stereo speakers on the market, but they were cool -- and we'd be lying if we said the thought of their cancellations didn't make us inexplicably want them just a bit more.
The Daily Grind: Leaving your last love behind
Let's face it - we invest a lot in our characters over time. Maybe you have that one devoted main that you come back to, no matter what happens. Perhaps you've spread your love over a series of alts. Whatever the case may be, the truth is that many of us tend to get emotionally invested in our characters as time passes. We've worked hard, gotten them nice gear, picked up a nice mount, gotten an in-game house, etc. (depending on game). So, when the shine has worn off your old favorite game, and you're at the point where it's time to move on, how do you say goodbye?The team here have done everything from visiting favorite zones one last time; logging out in a particularly pretty area; throwing a party with friends as a way to burn off back-stocked food/drink; or logging out in the place where we felt we had the most fun in the game. There again, others on the team just logged out and didn't really care, although it seemed like more often than not, that was the case in games we didn't really click with anyway. This morning we thought we'd ask you - when you've moved on from game to game, retiring your old adventuring 'friend' as it were, did you do anything special before you signed out and shut the account down? Or did you just sign out without a second thought? If you did something special, what did you do?
ASUS' P565 superphone canned due to Garmin partnership?
Sad business if true, but the UnwiredView is reporting that ASUS' P565 Windows Mobile 6.1-toting, VGA, HSDPA, Blazing 800MHz (Marvell PXA930) monster has been quietly dumped. The reason? Nobody's talking and we've not heard reports from either Garmin or ASUS to verify it either way -- it has apparently launched in Germany and Poland, at least -- but according to GPSAndCo, its debut in France isn't happening and they point to the new partnership as the reason. In the end, it does seem as if the Garmin / ASUS team is going to deliver some pretty serious goods, so we'll not shed a tear unless something happens to them, too. Of course, this could all be fluff, so do tell us if you catch sight of one of these at your local shop.[Via UnwiredView]
T-Mobile branded Nokia 7376 resurfaces after cancellation
Not that canned phones are any rarity -- nor are there exhumations -- but it's always interesting to take a look at resurfaced handsets and ponder about what could have been. Pictured above is a T-Mobile branded Nokia 7376, which was reportedly known in some circles as the RM-220. It was bruited that said flip phone was headed for release in May of last year, but obviously it never materialized. Now, we're left with likely non-functional dummy units on eBay for under $10 a pop (shipped, at that), though the hardcore circuit-heads may find a way to get one up and running. Hit up the links below for lots more images, but grab yourself a tissue beforehand if you're a softy.Read - CellPhonesignalRead - eBay auction
DirecTV "suspends development" on HDPC-20 tuner
File this one in the category of "Oh, no they didn't!" Sadly, it seems they really have. DirecTV has sent out an email stating the following: "DirecTV has suspended the development of the HDPC-20 tuner project that was designed to integrate DirecTV service into Windows Media Center after assessing the impact of missing the August 2008 release of Windows Media Center update and considering timing of the next release." The note goes on to say that both the satcaster and Microsoft understand that folks are clamoring for an easy way to get DirecTV content on the PC, and that both companies are "continuing to explore ways to integrate DirecTV service with Windows-based PCs in the future." And to think, that hands-on we got late last month just might be the last you ever see of this promising little box. Why... just, why?[Via Gearlog, thanks to everyone who sent this in]
MOJO HD officially passes away: an unceremonious reminder
Well over 1.5 months after parent company iNDEMAND confirmed that MOJO HD was being canned, the day has finally come for it to expire. We know, you were crossing your fingers and summoning all sorts of good fortune in hopes of it magically staying active after the December 1st date with Dr. Death (sorry for the Dr. Danger reminder), but it just wasn't to be. Here's to you, MOJO HD, and all the outstanding (and lackluster) programming you've delivered over the years. Time for a "best MOJO moment" list in comments? We vote yes.[Thanks, Tom]Update: Another obituary is after the break -- feel free to send in your own and we'll post! Thanks, Eddie!
Motorola cancels RAZR3 / Ruby, era comes closer to an end
Earlier this month, the almighty RAZR fell from the top spot as America's best selling handset. Now, we're finding that the RAZR3 / Ruby has been canned. Granted, the move isn't all that surprising -- after all, Moto's known for awhile now that it simply can't keep tweaking the RAZR instead of, you know, innovating. But honestly, if this signals that the company is serious about moving forward and possibly adopting Android on the double, we won't shed a tear. Okay, maybe one, but only after all the lights are out.[Via UnwiredView]
iN DEMAND speaks about MOJO HD programming
We pinged MOJO HD's parent company, iN DEMAND, in an attempt to hear that some of our favorite high-def programming wouldn't be vanishing forever with the dissolution of the channel. Thankfully, we heard back, and while the news isn't fantastic, it at least gives us room to hope. When we asked what would happen to the programming currently on MOJO HD, we told that "individual producers would be working to find other homes for the series," and that "announcements would come from those networks." Additionally, the MOJO MIX HD video-on-demand service will continue to operate into 2009, giving users another venue to fetch most of the original MOJO programming. In all seriousness, we can't imagine a Travel Channel HD (for example) not picking up Three Sheets, but we suppose only time will tell.
iN DEMAND confirms MOJO HD cancellation
The writing was all over the wall, but now it's in stone. Parent company iNDEMAND has confirmed in a statement that MOJO HD is fixing to cease as we know it. More specifically, it states that MOJO HD was "originally conceived as a way to satisfy consumers' thirst for pure true high-definition programming," and while the channel "accomplished this goal, there is a wealth of HD programming now available and thus we have chosen to discontinue the service." To be frank, we're not exactly sure what to make of this comment. Is it saying it'd rather bow out than engineer new, unique programming to boost ratings now that HD content is more accessible? Or is this just some canned response used to appease the masses? Whatever the case, we'll miss you MOJO, and here's hoping Zane Lamprey and Three Sheets finds another television home (and fast).Update: iNDEMAND pinged us with an official response (and to reaffirm the dissolution of MOJO HD), most of which you already read above. For the full thing, head on past the break.Update 2: We've heard back from iN DEMAND about the future of MOJO's programming. Check it out here.
