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Vodafone reportedly ditching the HD2 as iPhone launch looms (update: nope!)
Here's an interesting one. Vodafone, which is one of the few carriers in the world right now with access to HTC's HD2, is reportedly not going to stock the handset any longer once its current supply evaporates. The reason? Why, that's a fantastic question! According to a company spokesperson, there has been a "massive amount of interest" in the big-screen mobile, with initial stock "selling out quickly and subsequent deliveries used to fulfill backorders." Call us crazy, but it seems a wee bit foolish to can a product that's selling well -- unless, of course, Voda has a certain amount of iPhones that it'll be required to sell just a few months from now (or else buy 'em itself). Whatever the case, we're told that the operator "will not [be] re-stocking the HTC HD2 for general consumer sales once current stock runs out," so if you're jonesing for one, ten minutes ago would've been a great time to buy. Update: Here's the latest from Vodafone: "We haven't recalled or stopped selling it, at the moment we have simply ran out of stock. When our next batch of stock arrives, this will be used to fulfill our outstanding back orders but we won't be taking any additional orders via Telesales." Update 2: HTC pinged us directly and apologized for being unclear. Here's the bottom line: "[The] HD2 will continue to be available on Vodafone, even after the iPhone launches." Update 3: Wow, this is a train wreck. Now we're hearing that it'll only be available for "business users," making both Vodafone and HTC correct thanks to tricky wording. Sheesh.
Beastly HDX 18 no longer available from HP, dv8 to blame?
We fully understand that the market for 18.4-inch gaming laptops is a niche one, so we suppose this all makes sense from a business perspective, but still -- we can't help but shed a tear. HP's beastly, benchmark-smashing HDX 18 (and HDX 18t) has been forcibly removed from the outfit's website, with even cached links leading to a customization page turning up "Sorry!" portals. The marginally smaller HDX 16 remains alive and well, but it seems as if the 18-inch dv8 is your only option now when selecting a larger-than-life lappie from the folks at HP. Gotta keep keepin' on, we guess. [Thanks, pyro92005]
ZFS open source project abruptly shuts down, Snow Leopard weeps icy tears
The on-again / off-again love affair between Apple and ZFS seems to be all but over, with a brief but potent message on the Mac OS Forge project site stating the following: "The ZFS project has been discontinued. The mailing list and repository will also be removed shortly." If you'll recall, the implementation of the ZFS file system within Snow Leopard server was so close to happening that Apple actually published it as a feature of the forthcoming OS back in June of 2008. Now, however, all hope has presumably been lost. We'd bother explaining the rumors behind why all of this has suddenly crumbled, but honestly, will knowing the reasons really help the pain? No, no it won't. [Via TUAW]
Did Dell quietly kill the XPS 730 gaming rig?
We're not claiming that the suits in Round Rock really have a 187 on their hands just yet, but the evidence is mounting. For quite some time, Dell's XPS 730 gaming PC was the outfit's flagship unit, throwing down insane benchmarks and garnering boatloads of cash from those willing to pay the premium for cutting-edge hardware. Now, however, it seems that the lesser XPS 720 is the only classmate remaining, with all links to the 730 leading to soul-crushing "We're Sorry..." pages. To make matters worse, Dell CSRs have apparently been telling inquisitive consumers that they have phased out the 730 and are pushing folks to select an Alienware machine instead. So, do any of you folks know of some backdoor way to keep ordering this here beast, or should we really break out the new Brand New CD and paint our eyelids black in memoriam?[Thanks, Garry]Update: Seems it's still around in some corners of the globe (we're lookin' at you, Canada), so maybe it's just the whiny Americans getting the shaft. Typical.
80GB PlayStation 3 on the outs in Japan, PS3 Slim looking all the more likely
We know the whole "where there's smoke, there's hotness" argument is played out, but it sure feels like the pieces are coming together here. With Sony's 20GB, 40GB and 60GB PlayStation 3 already a part of history, it's just the 80GB and 160GB models holding down the fort. After August 9th, however, it seems that just the latter will be representin' in Japan. The notice above essentially informs retailer 7-Eleven (don't hate) that no more orders for the black, white and silver 80GB PS3 will be accepted after Sunday due to a request from "the manufacturer." The note also instructs store owners to take down the in-story displays for the 80GB model, giving us all the reason we need to believe that a slimmed down version of the console is within reach. Of course, that's just whimsical speculation, but we just can't talk our hearts into listening to our heads on this one.[Via VG247, thanks Hawk]
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]
Linksys discontinues Media Center Extenders, hardly anyone notices
Media Center Extenders -- remember those? Yeah, those things were all the rage at CEDIA 2008, and right around four hours after the show closed up, you and the whole world forgot about 'em. Honestly, the concept and execution was flawed from the start. These standalone boxes provided exactly what media loving consumers didn't want: yet another set-top-box crowding their space. Furthermore, most were priced at or above the cost of an Xbox 360, which -- lo and behold -- could be used as an MCE as well as a darn good gaming console. See the holes in this plan yet? Furthermore, most of 'em, particularly those that relied on WiFi, were utterly unreliable and offered disappointing streams. High prices plus lackluster results yields low demand, who woulda thunk it?Essentially, manufacturers were hoping that those with loads of media on Windows-based PCs would jump at the chance to get all of that material on their HDTV with the addition of one little box. And in theory, at least, that does sound somewhat attractive. Unfortunately, only a few of these were announced in Denver, and almost all of them suffered from inexcusable delays. By the time they hit the market, all of the buzz generated at the trade show was extinguished, and early reviews were less than positive. It didn't take long to see prices begin to plummet, all while fence sitting companies realized that avoiding this niche would likely be most beneficial to their longevity.Today, we're seeing Linksys' DMA2100 and DMA2200 listed as "Discontinued" at a number of legitimate e-tailers, and while D-Link's DSM-750 and HP's MediaSmart Connect seem to be hanging around at near-full price, we can't say the same for Samsung's discounted MediaLive Digital Media Adapter. Heck, Niveus Media doesn't even list its Media Center Extender - EDGE as a product on its website anymore. It shouldn't be any real shock that hardly any other companies have jumped in since these first few, and we're having serious doubts about the future of the dedicated MCE. Are you getting the same vibes? Do you think these things could thrive at the right price? Let us know in the poll and comments below![Via GeekTonic]Update: Turns out HP is axing its MediaSmart HDTV / Connect lines as well. It's full statement sent to us is after the break. %Poll-30216%
SGI name lives on after $42.5 million sale to Rackable Systems
As you know, Rackable Systems was originally hoping to acquire the one-time king of the 3D set for $25 million (with some speculating that even that was a bit much), but it looks like the bankruptcy judges had other plans. Now that the dust has settled (and a check has been cut for almost twice the original asking price) it looks like the two companies will finally merge, forming an outfit called... SGI. The newly minted Silicon Graphics International hopes to combine the strong server business of Rackable with the original Silicon Graphics Inc. name (and overseas service contracts), inspiring the same sort of technological alchemy that once brought the iconic brand to the silver screen by way of such fine cinematic fare as First Kid. In addition, SGI plans continued development and support for the existing Silicon Graphics and Rackable product lines. Quite frankly, we really don't care what they do, as long as they bring back the Indigo -- back in the day we would have killed for one of those bad boys.
Canadian killed by unsecured laptop during car wreck
Here's a tip folks: don't get in car wrecks. If you someday find such a situation unavoidable, however, here's another: keep that laptop of yours in the trunk, or at least in a case tucked down behind the driver's seat. Mounties in British Columbia are reporting that a Canadian woman who perished in a car accident last month was actually killed by the laptop within her vehicle. As the story goes, the 25 year old's vehicle was struck by a tow truck, flinging her laptop into the rear of her head. A coroner pegged the cause of death as a "blunt force trauma," and investigators believe that the whole thing was survivable had the machine not been in the back seat. Not surprisingly, officials are using the incident to encourage others to secure their belongings whilst traveling.[Via Switched]
Blockbuster voices "substantial doubt" about ability to survive
As depressing as it is to see an American icon come this close to collapse, is it really any surprise? While the world kept turning, Netflix kept reinventing itself and movies found their way onto the internets (legally), Blockbuster sat still... and that's putting things nicely. Sure, it tried the whole movie set-top-box thing, but no on will argue that it went about things the wrong way. In a recent SEC filing, the company made perfectly clear that there was serious risk that it wouldn't be able to refinance its crushing debt load in order to stay afloat for a wee bit longer; in fact, it noted that said quandary raised "substantial doubt" about its "ability to continue." 'Course, hampering its Total Access rental plan and promising less stock in-store doesn't exactly sound like a brilliant plan to be successful, but maybe yesterday would be the best time to completely revolutionize its business and go online only. Just an idea, is all.
SGI to sell itself for just $25m, throw huge sadness party
Man, the difference a few years decades makes. In the 90s, Silicon Graphics helped create silver screen mega-hits like Jurassic Park and Terminator 2, and in 1997, its fiscal year sales totaled $3.66 billion. Today, the company's mired in its second bankruptcy, which has occurred just three years after the first. In order to just terminate the dream before it gets any more nightmarish, SGI has announced plans to sell itself to Fremont-based Rackable Systems for a mere $25 million -- and some analysts are even concerned that the suitor here could be sinking its teeth into a sour deal. The agreement still has to be approved by a bankruptcy judge, and of course, there's still a few more inches of red tape to cut through, but we'll be sure to let you know when the fantasy ends and the wake begins.
Sony's mylo 2 only available in refurbished form -- is the end near?
Sony's mylo 2 -- wait, you do remember what this thing is, right? -- could be headed for the grave... as if it wasn't already there in the minds of most. After Sony hacked a hundred bucks from the asking price during the run-up to Holiday Season 2008, we heard absolutely nothing further until now. Today, the very same order page shows that no new models are available to purchase, leaving prospective buyers with two clear-cut options: 1) walk away or 2) snag a refurb model in black or white for $149.99. So, is this the end for Sony's own Internet Device? Or is this just the calm before the sure-to-be-ferocious mylo 3 storm?[Thanks, Ali]
Pioneer outlines KURO plasma exit, insinuates that you should buy one now
Okay, so maybe that harshly translated version of Pioneer's recent KURO-related press release doesn't actually encourage prospective buyers to snag a unit while they still can, but it may as well have. Following up on the outfit's curious decision to abandon a product line that was universally adored, Pioneer has decided that just four of its PDPs will stay in production until April 11th. After 3,000 or so of the KRP-500A, KRP-500M, KRP-600A and KRP-600M units have been produced, the lines will be shut down and we'll all be invited to what will undoubtedly be a tear-filled memorial service. The company has also made clear that warranty service will still be provided for an undisclosed amount of time (at least in Japan), but there has yet to be a statement made specifically regarding the North American market.[Via Slashgear]
Apple iPhone Bluetooth Headset now discontinued
Would it be too cruel to say we're shocked it lasted this long? Apple's iPhone Bluetooth Headset never was too popular outside of the hardcore Apple faithful, with a litany of respectable (and let's face it, far superior) alternatives available for a fraction of the $99 MSRP. To that end, Cupertino has seen fit to discontinue the peripheral, though prospective customers can apparently still buy 'em until supply runs dry. Here's a tip, though -- wait for the fire sale.[Thanks, Richard]
Nokia set to shutter MOSH, direct thrashers to Ovi
Nokia never put an awful lot of marketing dollars behind its MOSH (MObile SHaring) initiative, but it still managed to reach millions. By and large, it was completely unchecked and unmoderated, enabling users to share all sorts of positive and negative content without Nokia poking around to see what was what. At long last, the mostly underground service is scheduled to be shut down, and it'll be a much more scrutinized Ovi taking over. As of now, there is no definite end date for MOSH, but there's no question that it'll be canned soon. So yeah, you should probably head on over and get one last fix while you still can -- who knows if Ovi will satisfy the same way.
All Circuit City stores closing permanently on March 8th
To an icon in the consumer electronics retail space, we wave goodbye. And for the hordes of employees already / soon to be looking for new uniforms elsewhere, we empathize. Circuit City has just announced that on March 8th, all of its stores will lock up for the last time. Granted, some locations have already shut their doors in permanent fashion due to stock depletion, but regardless of leftover wares, March 8th is the end of the line for the laggards. We'd say you might want to stop by your local outlet to catch any last-last-minute sales, but even at a penny, you're not going to want that open-box 4MB SD card.[Via HotHardware, image courtesy of wbeebe]
LG denies withdrawing from plasma market... in the UK, anyway
Take this as you will, but George Mead, the Marketing Manager for Digital Displays at LG Electronics UK, has informed T3 that LG Electronics UK has no intention to withdraw from the plasma TV market." To be perfectly clear here, this statement probably is in relation to UK market plans only; after all, those words from company VP Lee Gyu-hong were pretty strong. At any rate, Mead continued by noting that "we have recently implemented a bespoke strategy to promote and market plasma TVs here in the UK," but he failed to specifically touch on LG's worldwide plans (and understandably so). So yeah, it looks like LG PDPs are still safe for the moment across the pond, but we wouldn't be so sure about the rest of the developed world.
LG considering withdrawal from plasma market
Man, plasma's headed downhill -- and fast. Hot on the heels of both Pioneer and VIZIO tendering their resignation in the plasma market, LG's vice president Lee Gyu-hong has reportedly stated that his company is currently pondering its own future in the sector. Should LG pull out, just Panasonic and Hitachi will be left holding down the PDP fort. Purportedly, LG's plasma business is deteriorating in terms of profitability, and the VP stated that future cost savings were practically impossible. At this point (and after coming clean like this), it'd be sort of crazy for LG not to drop out, but what's even crazier is going from five major plasma makers to two within the course of two months. Yikes.[Via Whirlpool, thanks Stas]
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
TZero closes up shop, UWB all but dead
It's been a slow, painful death, but it's about time to just pull the white sheet over ultra-wideband and let the wireless standard rest in peace. After Intel pulled its support for UWB and proponent WiQuest shut down late last year, all that the format really had left was TZero. After successfully surviving some legal issues, we thought the company was good to go in fighting a hopeless battle against wireless HD upstart AMIMON. Now, it seems that WHDI (that's AMIMON's magic) is free to take the market by storm, but only time will tell if wireless HD is even remotely close to mainstream. In one sense, we're sad to see competition die, but on the other hand, it's always good to see fruitless format wars fade away. Don't be too down on yourself, TZero -- it's not like anyone really had high expectations for you or anything.
