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What's your favourite bit of tech that flopped?

Posted by Ford James in Tech

Unfortunately, as much as we may love certain pieces of technology, whether they're physical products or software, everything is at risk of failing to live up to hype and being discontinued. That is known as having 'flopped'.

We want you to tell us what your favourite tech was that ultimately flopped and is no longer being produced or supported. There are plenty of examples to choose from, so whichever you pick, explain your experience with the product, why you loved it so much, and if it's something particularly niche, make sure to explain how or why it flopped too. Seven of the best entries with the most detail can win $2!

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This reward closed to entries at 3:49pm on June 17, 2024 but you can still reply, react, and join the conversation below! If you’d like to enter other rewards which are still open, click here.

Created at 4:16pm, 10th June, 2024. Page last updated at 6:24am, 18th June, 2024.
Deadline at 11:00pm, 16th June, 2024.

TheGreatestBanana12 6/16/2024, 10:44:00 PM

PS Vita

I was so looking forward to the PSVita and got one pretty much when it was first released I loved playing the Uncharted game on Vita and a few others but the problem was it never really took off for several reasons the first being that the consoles had a bit of an identity crisis and it didnt have the same style of handheld gaming that the Nintendo DS gave, The rise of mobile gaming also made the costly Vita less desirable and one of the big factors was the fact that third party developers lost interest in making the games for the Vita as it was just to costly. Sony didn't put everything into keeping the Vita going releasing only half interesting games and crappy ports of gaming classics it was almost like they gave up on the console before it got any where. There was just so much that went wrong with the Vita that Sony didn't even want to acknowledge it properly in the end it was discontinued after only being in the market for a few years.

Damo 6/15/2024, 9:11:22 PM

For me it’s the Gizmondo. At a time when handheld gaming was the Gameboy (or my runner up in this very category the Nokia Ngage), the Gizmondo promised graphics well ahead of anything on the market - 3D graphics, mobile online multiplayer, GPS location based gaming…

I eagerly purchased one at launch for about £500, despite there being no real games available. There were promises of exciting by options including a Jenson Button branded racing game, and a 3D turf war game that uses your actual real world location to create boundaries and areas you control.

It was more than just a gaming device though, offering the ability to send and receive SMS, although no phone calling, and it could even be used as a sat nav device long before smart phones and apps were a thing.

Sadly the project was one of the biggest flops in technology history, with the founder being investigated for criminal activity, and the company going bust a few months after launch. There are some great YouTube videos about the whole saga here, from glitzy celebrity studded launch parties to burned out supercars, so instead of doing an inferior job of explaining the whole story I will share a link below so you can give these folks the well deserved views.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/19WogS1nbwk?feature=oembed

Despite the fact its potential was never realised, the Gizmondo has a fondness in my heart, and a permanent placement in my gallery of gadgets alongside my Barcode Battler and Nokia N-gage QD (the non-taco version).

Gizmondo handheld device sitting in a glass display cabinet.

Edit: Added photo of the relic sitting on display

Lanah Tyra 6/15/2024, 2:21:29 PM

Asus EEE PC aka the Netbook

Originally they came with a Linux-based OS, but then released with Windows 7 on it, though there was an XP version as well. Very tiny, about the size of anm A5 notebook, very light, but with the full functionality of a PC, could run MS Office, Skype, had Ethernet and USB ports, even an SD card slot. I had one at uni and used it instead of paper notebooks as it was a lot easier to carry just this around, make notes more organised than I could on paper and have the PDF textbooks available at class (I studied Oriental Languages and Cultures, and lots of our books were not available in paper format) I could also have my Japanese dictionary stuff on it as well.

Asus tried to push these a few years later as well, but they were never really successful as they came with like 4 GB SSD which wasn't really enough to run Win7 sufficiently and for some reason the XP versions were very rare.

They got discontinued due to people opting more for tablets. I preferred these as with tablets you couldn't really have a decent Office suit and all the external keyboards you could get for them were dodgy. The only competitor for this size is now the MS SurfacePro which is stupidly overprized, compared to the EEE PC which was actually affordable.

I wonder how these would have done if they were released later, when SSD came with way bigger capacity, actually being able to run an OS properly. Or if Linux was more widely used and people were not scared of it and insisting on Windows PCs.

Horror and Cats 6/12/2024, 7:30:28 AM

It was a long, painful time, but the Windows phone flopped pretty painfully.

I remember having one slightly before the iPhone came out. It had a stylus and touch screen, slide-out full QWERTY keyboard; it was pretty cool. The problem with Windows phones was that they didn't integrate with the PC platform. Like, at ALL.

Then a few generations later when it was still holding on, around the Windows 8 tablet OS obsession, we got some phones which genuinely had great hardware. A 41 megapixel camera (better than a lot of DSLR cameras) with optical stabilizers. Absolutely crippled by the **** OS. Seriously, even Windows 8 on a desktop PC was bad and they tried to make a phone with it.

It's a shame Microsoft tried to get into the game when they did. The "Windows phone" has a massively negative connotation when it could actually do quite well now.

Lanah Tyra 6/15/2024, 2:06:22 PM

Horror and Cats

Oh I had one of those as well! They called it the "skype phone" as well and was advertised by oh you can just have skype on your phone and use that to call people instead of the high prices of international calls. I brought it back to the shop after a month as I didn't really know what to do with it, it was so slow and froze all the time.

Paul 6/10/2024, 8:45:08 PM

My pick is the Ouya.

This console was designed as a multi-media gaming platform using a modified Android jellybean OS.

It was also made to be easily modified and every system was also a developers kit so owners were encoraged to make their own games licence free.

Another great thing about this little console is that every game was required to have some kind of free to play element (before it was seen as a bad thing) weather that be a trial/demo, full free to play or the option for paid in game upgrades.

However even after a successful kickstarter campaign, sales were poor, developers didnt support the platform and promotion failed.

Razor ended up buying the softwhere and supporting it until 2015. You can still find modded controllers on amazon and ebay for switch use but thats about as much use as youl get.

I loved the idea behind it and it had potential to be a great casual console.

https://twitter.com/Gooch1359/status/1800267260574961960

Sturmer 6/10/2024, 9:39:19 PM

Paul

oh, when I was working in a game studio we had one dev kit!

Paul 6/11/2024, 8:08:07 AM

Sturmer

I came across it on GAMEs website before it was released but it just dissappeared for ages.

Retro Stu 6/10/2024, 5:53:26 PM

For me it's the Phillips CDi.

Was it good? No. Did it deserve to flop? Most definitely.

Why is it my favourite? Because that thing has some core memories locked up of mine and for that I hold it near and dear.

I remember it was the first real time seeing my parents play games and hearing them play them after we'd gone to bed as they tried to solve puzzles on the 7th Guest, or tried to take on the Wild West with Mad Dog McCree.

Yes it had the cursed Zelda games BUT it also had one of my favourite point and clicks ever, an Alice in Wonderland one complete with claymation cut scenes for dialogue with the characters you meet along the way - and a huge amount of gameplay to boot. If you're a fan of Alice and or point and clicks, do yourself a favour and try to find a way to play it because that is genuinely one of my favourite experiences in a game.

I also recall it having a pretty big section in Comet, a split of games and video discs which were mainly Whoopie Goldberg movies...

So yes, there you have it, a deserved flop but with it's charms.

CelestialFlea 6/10/2024, 4:40:48 PM

This one's an easy one for me.

It has to be 3D TV's, I'm sure everyone remembers going to the cinemas and wearing those goofy 3D glasses but not so long ago new consumer technology came to the market to bring 3D cinema into the comfort of your own home.

Not only did you not have to wear those paper glasses the technology was significantly improved upon and there were special glasses that looked and felt good to wear. But sadly because 3D Movies were very difficult and time-consuming to make and there wasn't enough demand, it ultimately didn't take off.

Watching Avatar on my 3DTV, was an experience I'll never forget even though I'd already seen it. It was a totally different experience. Pirates of The Caribbean at World's End was awesome too! Sadly there just wasn't enough availability of films on 3D BluRay.

Maybe one day it'll get a come-back since technology has improved even since then and it could easily be incorporated into existing tech like HoloLens, Meta and other VR headsets. Or maybe just full on VR movie experiences? And I'm not talking just fun, quirky tech demos. Wishful thinking maybe?

Ford JamesMod6/10/2024, 4:41:05 PM

Credit to Paul for this suggestion on our suggest-a-bounty bounty a few months ago!

Paul 6/10/2024, 5:06:18 PM

Ford James

Thanks! Now im going to have to think of one 😅

Limal 6/10/2024, 5:10:04 PM

For me, it's Google Stadia. When I first saw a prototype, it was a great idea to play AAA games on any weak devices like ultrabooks, designed for web surfing.

Gaming hardware is always expensive and, well, large. I had hopes of being able to play on slim and portable devices at a fraction of the cost.

The reason why I thought Google would succeed is because they had a key component - datacenters everywhere and CDNs, so they are able to deliver content at high speeds.

Paul 6/10/2024, 7:30:38 PM

Limal

I honestly didnt have much hope for Stadia but not because it isnt a great idea, Google just went in half arsed.

Xbox seems to be taking all the right steps, making the change gradual with a true subscription based game service.

Ford JamesMod6/11/2024, 12:32:33 PM

Limal

Hopefully the image used for this bounty didn't give this idea away 🤣

Sturmer 6/10/2024, 9:47:08 PM

Apple's Vision Pro: Another AR Setback

The Vision Pro by Apple represents the latest (failed) attempt to bring augmented reality (AR) to the mainstream. Over the years, we've seen ambitious AR projects from Google and Microsoft, such as Google Glass and HoloLens, which failed to capture significant market share. With Apple's entry into the AR space, there were high hopes for a game-changing product.

Why it flopped?

there are many lengthy discussions about it, but generally:

High Price
Usability Problems
Lack of compelling use cases for the general consumer

This trend shows AR still has a long way to go before mainstream adoption. The Vision Pro's struggle highlights ongoing issues in the AR field, making significant new attempts unlikely in the near future.

Ford JamesMod6/11/2024, 12:34:31 PM

Sturmer

Could it be too soon to call the Apple Vision Pro a flop? I see what you're getting at, but it's only been available to the public for a few months, and it hasn't launched outside of the US yet!

Sturmer 6/11/2024, 12:47:32 PM

Ford James

Objectively, the sales pace of their core market is leaning towards a potential failure. I am not even certain it will perform well in a market like India, even if the price is set at $1,000.

From a personal perspective, there have been minimal to no notable advancements in augmented reality innovations since the Hololens era. they are hot to wear!

Philip 6/11/2024, 7:36:02 AM

Infinity Blade

A fight between a swordsman and a titan — Screenshot from mobile game - Infinity Blade

Infinity Blade was a game produced by Epic Games / Chair. It was really fun, had a great storyline and great replayability. I rarely pay for mobile games, but I did buy this game and it's sequel.

When I changed device from an iPhone to an android I was disappointed it was not available on android. I missed out on Infinity Blade III and my hopes of playing it again were dashed when I heard the game was no longer supported and it had been taken off the app store.

I loved slashing my finger across the screen to attack and timing my parries and dodges to deny my enemies their own hits.

I would be in if another gaming studio could come up with a similar game.

Makster 6/12/2024, 6:53:43 AM

Philip

Was this game a flop if it was succesful?

Sinclair 6/12/2024, 5:48:25 AM

Google Glass

like its looking futuristic and cool at the same time but as years passed they cancel the project, i think why it flopped because they marketed as luxury item with very high price, also maybe facing criticism about safety because i think its gonna block your eyes with text and so-on . yet i'm still believe its more good than Apple VR (its so big, i dont like it)

Makster 6/12/2024, 6:52:56 AM

Sinclair

Now would be a great time to bring it back!
I love that it looks like a Saiyan Scouter - now if only there was an app for it to tell power levels..

Sinclair 6/12/2024, 11:58:24 AM

Makster

TRUUUUU LMAOO
also, ITS OVER 9000!

Shovel 6/12/2024, 10:53:59 PM

The Snapchat glasses!!!

These were a lawsuit waiting to happy tbh! I’m surprised they even made it in to a thing. And it seemed like this would only appears to a certain demographic but on the other hand that demographic wouldn’t even be able to afford this piece of tech.

Laser-Bicep 6/13/2024, 9:16:43 AM

i wouldn't say it flopped massively but its potential as huge. The sega Dreamcast.

It has online playability before PlayStation. and it had so many awesome games. fantasy star online . SKIES OF ARCADIA. and the sonic adventure games. so many hidden gems that people would have missed by not having one.

Also the the mini screen in the controller was so cool.

lots of memories with that console and lots of split screen multiplayer options.

Foolish_Imp 6/13/2024, 9:59:23 PM

The PS Vita. I wanted one so bad when they came out and never managed to get one. I had a friend who got one and I would get to borrow it from time to time. At the time, I thought it was a really progressive leap from PlayStations other handhelds. If I could afford it, I would get myself one of the modded ones that people still sell. Honestly, I don't really get why it was dropped; I've read why, but I've always felt that PlayStation gives up too easy on certain products. The Vita was one that I had thought would go far, but it was ultimately abandoned.

avrona 6/14/2024, 10:29:20 PM

3D display tech. It seems like the obvious next-step in immersive experiences, especially as resolutions have plateaued at 4K/8K. But for many reasons combined it just hasn't gone anywhere. Granted, given more time and as hardware makers are looking for new ways to spice up their products I could see it making a comeback. Acer of all people actually showed me some early prototypes of their awesome new 3D displays and cameras that don't require any glasses, and instead just track your eyes to determine how to display the effect.

Toretto 70 6/15/2024, 5:50:38 PM

I would pick a Samsung Galaxy Beam. this phone have a projector in above the bezel it make your presentation easier. first time I have this phone I was very happy and show it off to friends.

it very usefull but why it discontinue ?

FirestormGamingTeam 6/16/2024, 12:15:51 PM

For me, it's the Sega Dreamcast.

I for one thought this console was really good, Whilst people hated the look of it and it's VERY chunky controllers, I honestly thought this console was one of the best things to come out of Sega in a long time.

For me, I loved the re-make of Echo The Dolphin, being a huge fan of the original, the game list from Sega for this console boasted other games such as Sonic The Hedgehog and Skies Of Arcadia, both games I thought were really good.

For some reason, however, it really didn't take off, after two-three years it just flopped hard and people really started to hate on it, I personally don't understand why, but the sales of this console from release really did not do well, the main complaint seems to be the controller. People complained that it was simply unusable. I disagree.

So yeh, the dreamcast for me.

Makster 6/16/2024, 4:22:55 PM

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8SGTPWPgkK

Does anyone else remember these?

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