Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

I, just like many others of you, may remember back to the day when Netscape Navigator was the easiest and most simple way to surf the net. This was before Mozilla or Safari or even the humble IE were used by the masses. The ‘internet’ experience would have been: fire up the modem, listen to the screeching as it connects, then click on the familiar Netscape icon.

Of course, these are also the days when Netscape dominated 90% of browser use. Recently, it has plummeted to 0.6%. AOL bought over the company that started in the mid-90s, but now the company have stated that there will be no support for their products as of March 1st 2008 and instead are suggested current Netscape users make the move over to Firefox or Flock. Thanks for the good times, Netscape!

Read [BBC]

Netscape first announced that they were ending support for the Netscape browser as of February 1, 2008. With that date almost upon us, it has been given a slight reprieve, the browser will live on for one more month. The official support will now remain until March 1, 2008 and Netscape has also plans to release an update for Navigator 9 that will help users with the switch over. In the meantime Netscape is also recommending the Flock browser in addition to Firefox. 

Read [CNET]

AOL has decided to end support for Netscape Navigator as of February 1, 2008. A once popular browser back in the 90’s seems to have fallen far behind. Netscape was purchased by AOL back in 1999 and was quickly updated to Netscape 6 which was the first Netscape-branded Mozilla based browser. Since then AOL has not had its luck with Netscape and although its reported that they have “invested a great deal of time and energy” they have just not been able to compete with Internet Explorer.

AOL’s current business focus and the success the Mozilla Foundation has had in developing critically-acclaimed products, we feel it’s the right time to end development of Netscape branded browsers, hand the reigns fully to Mozilla and encourage Netscape users to adopt Firefox.

While I have not used Netscape in a long time, it was once a favorite browser of mine and it almost seems sad to see it go. Netscape (the name) will live on as a “general use Internet portal,” which to me seems to be an excuse to gain revenue from a once popular name, which is where AOL has gone with their business.

Read [Netscape Blog]

This week lots of news hit the stand such as AOL’s response to digg with the new Netscape.com, our interview with Michael Smith of Perplex City, some pictures hit the net of the new Motorola Canary (RAZR 2), and of course, the Motorola Q arrived in stores.  If you missed anything, here’s a list to get you caught back up.

Podcast

• Gadgetell Podcast 11: The Q Arrives 6/13/2006

• Gadgetell First Look: Google Spreadsheets Beta
• How To Tuesday: Mount your LCD/Plasma TV
• Gadgetell Interview: Michael Smith CEO of Mind Candy (creators of Perplex City)

• Circuit City confused over difference between 700p and 700w
• “You Choose Software” for free
• Clone Wars on iTunes
• iPod directions let you jam as you go
• Free 512MB Pro Duo Memory Stick courtesy SanDisk
• Energizer keeps your iPod/cellphone/PSP going and going and…
• INHD gets their MOJO on for technophiles
• Bluetooth’s abilities becomes easier to identify for the average Joe
• Superman Returns in 3D
• Mark Cuban has a T-Mobile Sidekick III, where’s mine?
• RCA’s Small Wonder captures the wonders of life
• Samsung BD-P1000 shipped (but not to my Best Buy)
• Crackberry detox hotel
• Nike + iPod kit available for preorder
• The world’s largest bookstore grocery
• Pimpin’ is easy
• Firefox 3.0 will not support Windows 98 or ME
• Google’s GBuy takes on PayPal
• AskMeNow, nah ask your cellphone
• Samsung Blu-ray player NOT DELAYED
• Digg upgrades to V3
• Who killed the electric car?
• Preface your life with PortalPlayer
• Samsung zips DVD writing along
• Carbonite offers unlimited storage for $5 per month
• How big are the folders in my directory?
• Map24.com on-line mapping and directions
• Motorola V195 available for T-Mobile
• Mobile phones of the future
• T-Mobile helps control you kid’s cellphone bill
• TVersity gets content onto your PSP
• 867-5309 hits phones
• David Beckham says, “Hello Moto”
• 3 more reasons to “Get a Mac”
• HDMI 1.3 specs support higher bandwidth
• Sirius wears Stilettos
• Neodigits World Cup contest
• Try toread…to read later

• Microsoft readying music player and store to compete with Apple
• Shots of the Motorola Canary (RAZR 2)
• Apple ‘ultra-portable’ expected in January
• Bluetooth 3.0?