Much like with living things, a life cycle also happens to technology. Every year, there are services and gadgets that are discontinued to make way for better tech and devices. In 2017, we lost a number of once-renowned services and gizmos that have lost their “mojo” some time ago.
Here’s a list of the noteworthy tech and gadgets that expired last year.
Windows Vista
After a decade since its launch, Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows Vista. On April 11, the giant software company discontinued what is arguably the most disparaged version of One Microsoft, and for good reasons. Before its death, the system hasn’t been updated for the longest time, which means there are also no security updates.
iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle
After making the iPod Classic obsolete three years ago, Apple terminated two more iPods from its product lineup last July. The iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle are now considered archaic. The last remaining iPod device is the Touch version, which is more than just a standalone media player.
AOL Instant Messenger
One of the most prominent fixtures during the start of the Internet era is AOL Instant Messenger. After a hard-fought battle to stay afloat, AOL Instant Messenger permanently logged off in 2017. With its demise is the termination of its buddy lists, fun blooping noises, and away messages.
Some blamed the death of AOL Instant Messenger on the cultural shift that happened when social networks began popping up here and there. With social platforms like Facebook and modern messaging apps like WhatsApp, AOL had a hard time coping with the change they bring.
Also, on the same day that their instant messenger expired, AOL deactivated their forums on CompuServe.
Amazon Underground
Just after a couple of years of offering freebies like in-game materials and apps compatible with Android, Amazon threw in the towel on its Underground software. Though Amazon continues to run its own app store for Android programs, the company has deemphasized it as merely an alternative to Google Play. And without the appeal of freebies, users have little to no more need for a third-party app source.
Google Talk
After a 12-year run, GChat is out. The messenger service of Gmail, formally referred to as Google Talk, bade goodbye last June. Discontinuing GChat is a step forward for the giant tech company in streamlining its extensive messenger app lineup.
Delicious
Delicious, better known as del.icio.us, is a Web 2.0 icon. It enabled users to save and share website bookmarks online. In 2005, Yahoo acquired the site and planned to officially close it in 2010 as part of the company’s purging of mediocre products. But Delicious was passed around more than once. With each new operator comes the intent to remodel the site. Alas, no one did know how to do it. As a final push, its rival, Pinboard, bought the site for next to nothing. The company promptly set the once popular website to read-only mode.
Which of these obsolete services and gadgets will you miss the most?