Gizmodo: Dead

Sony Trinitron Timeline Shows Why It Will Live Forever In Our Hearts

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:35:03 EST

After 280 millions tubes sold, Trinitron will be officially dead this month. Few Sony inventions have had the same gravitational pull as their Trinitron display technology, perhaps only second to the Walkman. Trinitron became a synonym of the best quality TV sets and computer monitors on the planet, despite the thin cables that secured its aperture grille in place. This timeline shows TV history since 1873, how color TV became a reality in the '40s, and how Sony became the king of TV, with more than 100 million sets sold by 1994, to later fall under the weight of plasma and LCD technologies:

Click on the image above to see the full high resolution version

[Wikipedia and Sony Japan]

For other Gizmodo timelines, check:

• Requiem: the Analog Cellphone Timeline
• LEGO Brick Timeline: 50 Years of Building Frenzy and Curiosities
• 100 Years of Tech in the Times Square New Year's Ball

Polaroid Instant Film Killed By The 21st Century

Christopher Mascari — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:23:51 EST

Polaroid is closing its last remaining film plants in Mass. so the oh so fun instant Polaroids will soon become a thing of the past. Well it's already a thing of the past, but this time it's serious since no more instant film will be produced.

Over the last two years Polaroid has stopped production on the instant cameras and now it's the film, which will be available till around next year. It was only a matter of time till Polaroid killed off the film since it was obviously a declining / nonexistent profit. So for all those Polaroid users out there, were sorry, looks like you'll only have another year left to take random pictures at house parties. [Washington Post]

First Paramount Blu-ray Titles Spotted on Amazon

Jesus Diaz — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:40:21 EST

The first signs of HD DVD's ultimate demise may be coming from the UK on March 10. After the news on Universal and Paramount abandoning the exclusive HD DVD deal, it seems that Amazon UK is listing three Paramount Blu-ray titles with that definitive release date: Trading Places, Coming to America and Anchorman, the latter of which was never available on Blu-ray before (as far as we can see). Amazon UK doesn't list the HD DVD versions, and these are all new Zone 2 releases, not US imports. Could this be an error on Amazon's part or just a sign of things to come? [Format War Central]

Control a Dead Frog via the Web

Jason Chen — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:00:53 EDT

Art or science? That's the question you'll be asking yourself when you see this dead frog with a server embedded into its guts. Suspended in a clear glass of inert liquid, the frog has an Ethernet cable coming out of its insides, which in turn allows remote "visitors" to issue commands and make the frog twitch its muscles. It's definitely the most sadistic thing we've seen done to a frog since that Miss Piggy's S&M video. [Conceptlab via BoingBoing]

Robot Picks up the Dead or Dormant. Wait, Dormant??

Jason Chen — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 21:15:12 EDT

Among the robots Japan's been making to help their elderly population, this body remover is probably the scariest. Sure, the Gundam maid robot looks mean when serving you tea, but does it remove dead bodies? We don't think so.

And seriously, does is their population really dying at such a rate that Japan needs robots to clear dead bodies? And do they need them to pick up dormant bodies too?! Imagine the looks on those vagrants faces when they realize they're being shoved into a dark box with the recently and soon-to-be deceased.

It was first demonstrated about 13 years ago, so we hope it has the dead/not-quite-dead distinction nailed by now. – Jason Chen

Unmanned rescue robot [via Tokyo Times]

How To Fix Your Xbox 360's 3 Red Lights of Death

Jason Chen — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 13:45:31 EST

We wouldn't try this at home—since our 360s are working just fine—but if you've got one that's throwing up the 3 red lights, this may be a solution.

We don't want to spoil the ending, so just watch. And if this doesn't work for you, well, you got some s'plainin to do to Microsoft. – Jason Chen

YouTube [via Digg]

Russian Coffin Buries You with Panic Button

Louis Ramirez — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 10:06:40 EST

Ever since we saw The Serpent and the Rainbow as a little kid, we've had this unnatural fear of being buried alive. Well, a Russian inventor by the name of Vitaly Malyukov must have watched the same movie cause he's designed a casket with a built-in panic button that lets you contact the living in case your quack of a doctor accidentally pronounced you dead. Pushing the panic button (which glows in the dark) alerts the cemetery caretaker who can then dig you back up (after they return from their lunch break, of course). So in the end you'll wind up dead one way or another. No word on pricing or availability. – Louis Ramirez

Alarm Coffin [via Sci Fi Tech via New Launches]

UMD Movies Hitting the Skids

johnb — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 13:20:50 EST

We could have told you this would happen a year ago, but people are just getting it into their heads that UMD movies are failing. While they are fine for video games—who cares what the media looks like?—they're a horrible choice for movies. Movies, on the whole, are purchased once and played at home. Therefore, offering Spiderman on DVD and UMD is a silly idea. If I care that much about Spiderman, I'll rip my DVD and stick it onto my PSP in some other, non-legal manner. Otherwise, I suck it up and watch it while sitting quietly on my couch.

Walmart seems to be dumping the media entirely and shelf-space in other stores is getting considerably smaller. Then we discover that Universal and Paramount are stopping UMD production. Oh well.

UMD losing H'wood game [HollywoodReporter]
Universal, Paramount end UMD production [PSPWorld]

Aibo Rolls Over, Plays Dead

tgrumet — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 11:02:23 EST

It's a sad day in Sony-land. Though we don't have absolute confirmation, a gander at Sony's corporate website seems to say that the company has halted new product development of this lovable robot dog, and production was supposed to have stopped at the end of last year. This despite recent scientific research showing the health benefits of robotic pets.

So long my odd, robotic friend, I'll miss you. Luckily the existing breeds of Aibo age 1 year for every 7 human years, and will be alive after the nuclear holocaust to fight the cockroaches for control of the planet.

AIBO = Game Over. Sony ceases the production [Akihabara News]