Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Dead Technology, RIP: Windows Live Messenger, Google Reader, Winamp, Altavista, Facebook Home.
In 2013 several technological products were no longer active.
Each year tech companies look forward to conquer our hearts-and technology-pockets with promises of revolutionary products.
But occasionally are forced to recognize that not all products break hearts.
Sometimes they decide to shut down the production line, other surprise your audience retiring a product that still has fans.
And 2013 was no exception. Some products sparkled at launch and later became ghost towns. Others failed to become big stars despite having loyal users.
Here is a list of the five ghosts of past year and others who were close to becoming spirits.
Google Reader.
The aggregator of content has become one of the internet products with loyal users. The platform housed RSS ( summaries of website content ) allowing their users may have in one place the content that mattered most to them anywhere.
However , on July 1, 2013 , Google turned off the servers Reader click saying "we understand that may not agree with our decision." Weeks ago the company had said that : " Although the product has loyal followers , they have been reduced over the years."
But why not fight for your products? What's behind the decision ?
In September 2011, in a call with investors the company CEO , Larry Page , announced that it would begin to " clean house" . Since then, and in less than two years , the browser closed more than 70 of its products and services to focus on those who really care about and not overextend . " jack of all trades, master of none " , they say .
Facebook Home.
The excitement among the tech press was at its peak boiling the April 4, 2013 . Facebook was launching the world its own smartphone to compete with Google and Apple. The problem is that it did not happen .
Instead the world's largest social network Facebook introduced Home, a desk or welcome screen mounted on the Android operating system of Google .
The idea was that with this program Home users can access photos and content of the social network on their mobile screen permanently. Home was intended to " interact with people, not apps ."
The system could be downloaded on select phones , including some Samsung - or be acquired by purchasing the new HTC phone designed to Facebook First Home. Rumors indicate that the phone sold more than 20,000 units in the United States and its European launch was delayed to correct system errors . Critics have generally given bad reviews . The phone , after all, does not seem to have many friends .
WinAmp.
This Thursday, December 20th, Winamp will join the world of technological dead. Gone are his battles with RealPlayer and other media playback are born in the nineties they were able to not only play music, but also to transmit the internet! ... something that is now our daily bread.
He was one of the first products to be able to run a variety of music files besides mp3. But even more important was the first player to that one could "dress" because it had different skins in various colors to suit the user's visual appetite.
However, in the age of Spotify, iTunes, Google Play and friends desktop media players seem to have their days numbered.
Altavista
Another glory of the past who left us . Today we all talk about Google - even turn it into a verb - to refer to Internet search . But Page and Brin site was not always there. There was an era in Altavista network that dominated the skyline .
Born in 1995, this search engine became an instant success because it was able to search thousands of pages in a few seconds thanks to an efficient mechanism to read the codes of the pages and a powerful team of servers that were capable of performing the task with speed .
Two years after its creation was on top and was the most used search engine . He even threw a translation service online called Babel Fish - a tribute to the classic science fiction Hitchhiker 's Guide to the Galaxy or intergalactic traveler , which became very popular guide .
But the summit was the beginning of his downfall. Altavista started being acquired by companies that transformed it into a portal squandering its appeal. After several generations came at the hands of Yahoo in July this year closed the service.
Windows Live Messenger
Just when Messenger was placed as the champion defeating IM ICQ and others , things began to change. Social networking and smartphones imposed their Snapchats Whatsapp and took up arms .
Perhaps it is not surprising that Microsoft has decided to abandon its strategy to focus on Messenger and Skype.
The company has not officially closed Messenger. Indeed merged service with Skype and calls it an "improvement" . But in practical terms Messenger (born 1999) dug his own grave when April 30 arrived Skype integration with Brazil, the last country in the list.
The service will remain active in China and a few months in the world , but not over what came to be.
Other ghosts that were raised in 2013 were Windows RT (the operating system for tablets rumored to come out of production) iGoogle ( Google interactive portal , also a victim of the cleaning company and the redesign of Yahoo Mail ( which upset a lot of users) .
BBC
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