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T-Mobile G2 quietly discontinued, Z-Hinge's future remains unclear
We'd had some indication that the T-Mobile G2 was nearing end of life status, and it looks like that inevitable milestone has already come to pass. According to TmoNews, the HTC-built device was officially discontinued by T-Mobile on June 6th, no doubt in an effort to make a bit a bit of room in the carrier's QWERTY slider lineup for the likes of the MyTouch 4G Slide. Of course, existing G2 users do still have some good news to look forward to -- namely, a Gingerbread upgrade that should breath a bit of new life into their crazy-hinged handset.
Captain's Log: To boldly go where... Perfect World has never gone before?
Captain's Log, Stardate 64918.1... Hello, computer (and players)! Isn't it amazing how the MMO gaming world works? One week you might be ecstatic about the planned updates for your favorite game, and the next week you are wondering if that same game is even going to last another day. Like many other Star Trek Online players, I was in this boat just last week. When Atari announced that it was going to be divesting interest in Cryptic, many players initially went into panic mode. But as I stated in my entry last week, I strongly felt that things were going to turn out just fine, possibly for the better -- and they definitely have. Earlier this week, Perfect World Entertainment announced that it would acquire a 100% equity stake from Atari, with Cryptic Studios remaining as the sole shareholder. Made famous for its free-to-play games, including Perfect World International, Pocketpet Journey West, and Forsaken World, Perfect World has the potential to help STO continue to grow. While the new owners are very excited at the opportunity to utilize the engine Cryptic is famous for, they are also excited at the fact that Champions Online uses the free-to-play business model. Oh dear -- here we go again. Ensign, warp 10! Everything is going to be OK and here's why...
Captain's Log: The breakup
Captain's Log, Stardate 64903.4... Hello, computer (and players)! When most relationships come to an end, the dumpee can often feel a sense of abandonment. As Star Trek Online players, we are currently feeling something similar after the announcement that Atari is "parting" ways with Cryptic. As we noted last week, Atari announced during its May earnings report that Cryptic is a now "discontinued operation," which leaves us pondering what will become of the game we are so passionate about. In an attempt to counter the rumors flying on the internet, I spoke with Cryptic's PR team and can confirm that that there is no official press release yet and there are no comments that have been or can be made by Cryptic. So all the rumors out there about what is going on are currently just that... rumors. All we know right now is that Atari is planning on putting Cryptic Studios up for sale. With that said, and rumors aside, I would like to share some of my thoughts, explore the feelings of the playerbase, clear up some misconceptions, and explain why this could actually be the best thing to happen to STO. Ensign, warp 10! There is no looking back now...
DS Lite discontinued at GameStop
We caught wind of an internal GameStop memo this morning announcing the discontinuation of Nintendo's DS Lite. The memo (pictured above) asks employees to remove displays of Crimson, Black, and Metallic Rose models, once they've burned through their stock -- we've since confirmed the fact with an employee of the gaming chain. Not a huge shocker, of course, given the fact that the five-year-old system has since been eclipsed by 2009's DSi and, more recently, the company's glasses-free 3D portable, the 3DS. We have reached out to Nintendo for comment on the matter and will update this post with official word once received. Update: We heard back from Nintendo, receiving the usual "Nintendo doesn't comment on rumor and speculation."
PSP Go to America: I'm not dead (yet)
It looks like proclamations of the PSP Go's demise may have been a bit premature. While it does appear that Japan and Europe are giving up on the downloadable content-only device, Sony of America told our good friends at Joystiq that the UMD-less PSP is still a "go" in North America. Production and sales will continue, presumably until we can get our greasy paws on the NGP this holiday season.
Google shutting down most of Google Video, urges you to back up your greatest hits now
Google Video, the vestige of Google's in-house efforts at sharing moving pictures before the YouTube acquisition, is being closed down almost entirely. Everyone that isn't involved in the Google Video for Business and Education programs will see their videos terminated from Google's servers soon, with playback no longer available after May 13th. Options for downloading content you've uploaded or migrating it to YouTube have been made available, though they too won't last beyond the 27th of next month. We suppose this makes sense in light of all the riches that Google is pouring into YouTube and the fact that its more popular video site is shedding its time limits for vids, but still, we had a bit of a soft spot for Google Video and the obscure stuff we could find on there. Better get the most out of it while the thing's still around.
Confirmed: The PSP Go is no more
The Sony PSP Go is today being reported to have "completed" its production and shipment in Japan, seemingly foreshadowing a worldwide discontinuation of sales. Such is the word from Impress Watch, which cites an official statement from Sony Computer Entertainment that promises support, firmware updates, and repairs for the PSP Go, but no further stock of the handheld. We doubt it'll be missed too much, what with its high price and inability to play UMD games, but if you're afraid this signals a similar demise for the PSP-3000, worry not. Sony has said it'll focus on shifting as many units of that classic device as possible until the NGP strides in and revolutionizes everything.
Sony said to have stopped PSP Go production, curiously fails to deny it
Oh, what tangled webs of non-denials we all weave. A Japanese blogger working for an official Sony retail partner has reported intel from the PlayStation maker that production of its PSP Go handheld has been halted. Moreover, the Sony Style Japan online store no longer lists the portable and searching for it provides no results. You can only access its product page via a direct link (provided below), but even that shows it as out of stock. So, what has Sony got to say on the matter to allay fears that its troubled console lives on? Well, demand for "current generation PSPs" will continue to be met, apparently, and the NGP is going be really, really awesome when it launches at the end of the year. Hey, if there's zero demand for the PSP Go and you produce zero PSP Go units, then you are technically matching supply to demand. Well played, Sony, well played.
AT&T kills Video Share for the few who care
If a tree falls in the forest does anybody hear? That's what we asked ourselves upon seeing reports that some AT&T customers were being treated to the message on the right. We pinged AT&T for comment and received the following statement: AT&T is discontinuing our Video Share service. As we look ahead to the next generation of live, mobile video calling services, we're evaluating new platforms and other ways we can evolve our mobile video calling offers. We've already begun to notify subscribers directly and will work with them to adjust their monthly charges accordingly. The service will be retired later this year. Video Share was a technology launched by AT&T's in the summer of 2007 that allowed select 3G devices to stream live video while on a voice call, by taking advantage of simultaneous voice and data on AT&T's network. If you are one of the three people still using the service, please accept our condolences. [Thanks, Justin]
Sony kills A33 DSLR production, auctions off unused birthday cake
If you didn't jump on an Alpha A33 when you had the chance, you'll probably be disappointed when your eyes glaze over the next few words -- Sony has discontinued production of the translucent mirror-packed shooter. On its site, the company has noted that production has halted in Japan, without specific reasoning as to why -- though some might say that overheating sensor was just too much to bear. It's not often that a seven month-old DSLR gets canned, but if Sony's got a refined sensor waiting in a doubly refined successor... well, that'll put a plug in the waterworks real quick.
Sun.com, the twelfth oldest domain on the internet, will be decommissioned on June 1st
Sun Microsystems, one of the original gangsters responsible for supplying all the electronics and infrastructure we now know as the internet, ceased to be Sun Microsystems in January of last year. Assimilated into the Oracle juggernaut, its operations no longer carry that familiar logo and soon they'll no longer even be referenced in the same spot on the internet. Yes, after 25 years of answering the call of sun.com, the company that no longer is will be letting go of its former domain name as well. The site has already been redirecting users to Oracle for quite a while, but come June 1st, it'll be like the Sun we knew had never even risen. [Thanks, Jeroen]
Google ships last Cr-48 laptop 'for now,' partner Chrome OS devices still on track for summer
The very same gentleman that introduced us to Google's Cr-48 laptop, Product Management VP Sundar Pichai, has disclosed the unfortunate news that Google has shipped the last of them, at least "for now." The next opportunity to catch a ticket to ride the Chrome OS bandwagon will come in the middle of this year, as promised, with devices from Acer and Samsung coming to market. Rumor had it that Google received about 60,000 Cr-48s from ODM Inventec back in December, though whatever the number of manufactured units was, the fact is that it's now been fully depleted. We'd urge Google's partners not to stray too far away from the Cr-48 template in the summer -- we're huge fans of its minimalist good looks, even if the OS itself could do with a few more layers of spit, polish and features.
Panasonic abandons Jungle portable gaming project, probably scared off by the NGP
Panasonic has decided to discontinue development of its audacious Jungle portable gaming console, citing "changes in the market and in our own strategic direction" as the reasons. If we had to guess, we'd say those market changes mostly relate to Sony announcing the utterly spectacular NGP, whose release probably coincided too closely with what Panasonic had on its Jungle roadmap, and so the latter company decided to cut its losses and run home. Panasonic also engaged in some early testing with US consumers late last year, which now seems likely to have born unsatisfactory results. It's a shame, we were sincerely looking forward to another competitor in the portable gaming arena, but we suppose it's better for a bad product to never see the light of day than to depress us all with its woefulness.
Sony NEX-3 discontinued, probably has NEX-5 to blame
A dark shadow has befallen the Sony NEX-3 interchangeable lens camera, the shadow of being described as "no longer in production" by its maker's official website. Coming out in June of last year alongside its more celebrated NEX-5 brother, the NEX-3 enjoyed some decent success with critics, mostly owing to its oversized 14.2 megapixel sensor, and showed no signs of struggling commercially, however Sony has seen fit to halt production within eight months of its introduction. Reasons haven't yet been given, though we imagine people were willing to spend the extra cash to upgrade to 1080p video recording and a magnesium alloy body on the NEX-5, which is what rendered the NEX-3 expendable. At least we know the NEX-5 and the NEX-VG10 will keep E-mount lenses going into the future, so current NEX-3 owners should have little to worry about. If anything, their camera just became that extra bit more exclusive. [Thanks, Gavin]
Dell XPS 14 discontinued, will be replaced with something thinner and lighter
Sure, it was only about four months ago that Dell released its XPS 14, but unfortunately, those looking to snatch up the Core i5, NVIDIA GeForce 400M-powered laptop today will have a mighty hard time. Some keen-eyed tipsters noticed that Dell's 14-inch mainstream system was out of stock, and a quick call to one of our friends at Dell confirmed that the smallest version of the series won't actually be making a comeback. However, that's not because the system didn't sell well -- Dell maintains that it actually exceeded sales expectations. Considering it was a very aggressively priced rig that doesn't really surprise us, but why not bring it back? That's where things get interesting, and we'll give you Dell's exact quote on this one... "With the transition to Sandy Bridge technology, we chose to re-focus our efforts on incorporating this feedback into future thin and light products launching later this year. Stay tuned!" Yep, it seems like Dell is gearing up to bring some Adamo qualities back in to the XPS brand, which is actually what were told last year when the company killed off the Adamo brand altogether. We're staying tuned alright! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
No more Adamo: Dell discontinues gorgeous but underpowered laptop
You had to know this day was coming. After aggressively discounting the Adamo 13 over the holidays and then again in the new year, Dell has finally given up on its eye-grabbing ultraportable and is instead focusing on getting you to buy its new gear. The Adamo's biggest hurdle to overcome has always been its wonky price-to-performance ratio, but we admit we're going to miss its ostentatiously thin design and high-minded aesthetics. You've got to hope Dell has something equally sharp-looking on its future roadmap, but don't despair if all you're after is an Adamo -- you should still be able to grab one for a bargain price at Dell's refurb outlet. [Thanks, Daniel]
Final Xserve orders won't reach customers for two months
With the Xserve's end of life arriving in just three days, the Apple Store is listing both the Quad-Core and 8-Core Xserves as shipping in April. So, if you've been wondering whether or not to pull the trigger on an Xserve purchase, now is the time to do so. 160 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB drive modules will still be available until the end of the year. All three of these modules are shipping within a 24-hour period. For more guidance, check out Apple's transition document. Potential customers are being urged to consider the Mac mini server or Mac Pro with Snow Leopard Server instead of Xserve. [Via AppleInsider]
Exclusive: Barnes & Noble phasing out the Nook 3G
Barnes & Noble may be selling millions of Nook products, but it's sounding like the 3G variant hasn't really done its part to help those figures. We've received hard evidence from within B&N that the Nook is being discontinued, with sales to seemingly continue until stock is exhausted. The outfit is encouraging retail partners to not send out any bulk orders for the Nook 3G, as there simply won't be sufficient quantities to fulfill those orders. Of course, we're told that the company never actually received a huge amount of Nook 3G bulk orders to begin with, so maybe WiFi really is everywhere these days. At any rate, grab yourself a Nook 3G post-haste if you've been thinking it over -- once they're gone, they're gone for good. Or, you could wait for a next-gen version with a Pearl display. Just sayin'. Update: We received clarification that the discontinuation isn't due to the lack of bulk sales, they're just the first casualty of a dwindling supply.
Clear iSpot discontinued already
Well, that certainly didn't last very long, did it? Looks like Clear is already sending its unusual iSpot product to the great WiMAX network in the sky less than five months after its introduction. As a refresher, the iSpot's claim to fame is that it was designed to work only with iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads -- and in exchange for the crazy restriction, Clear would charge you less than $100 for the hotspot itself and just $25 a month for unlimited 4G access capped at 6Mbps down. Of course, it's easy to understand why Clear would want to forget the iSpot ever existed: its MAC address filtering was easily defeated and plagued with reports that even approved devices were being denied access, suggesting that the concept probably wasn't a solid one in the first place. For what it's worth, Clear retail stores are still selling through remaining stock if you're interested -- and the company will maintain a supply of units for warranty replacements -- but otherwise, you're out of luck. [Thanks, rand]
Viewsonic G Tablet pulled from Staples stores, 'manufacturing defect' to blame
Oh boy, we've not been shy about our love for NVIDIA's Tegra 2, but the tablets that have opted to use it so far keep meeting the same miserable end: discontinuation from shop floor availability. First the Toshiba Folio 100 bit the British dust because of a bunch of quality control issues, and now Viewsonic's G Tablet is getting its marching orders from Staples, with only a "manufacturing defect" cited as the cause. If we weren't such charitable souls, we might suggest the defect was simply that this tablet wasn't very good yet someone still chose to manufacture it. Let's not be hasty, though -- it's a good idea to see what Office Depot does with its inventory before completely writing the G Tablet off. [Thanks, Rob]
