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Sony killing MiniDisc in March, but will keep making proprietary formats


Japan media giant Sony is saying 'Sayonara' to the MiniDisc format, 21 years after introducing the proprietary format to the market.
 
A report on tech site Gizmodo cited an Asahi report that Sony announced it will ship its last MiniDisc player in March 2013.
 
"Launched all the way back in 1992, the optical format squeezed music into what was then a tiny—and secure—little package. A shame, then, that they were cripplingly expensive—and that barely anyone released music using the format," Gizmodo said.
 
Yet, Gizmodo said the MiniDisc managed to survive for several years despite competition from the now-dominant MP3 format and the iPod music player.
 
A separate report on Engadget similarly lauded the MiniDisc optical player for sticking around for 20 years - until devices like the iPod "severely cut away at sales around 2000."
 
However, the Engadget report said the Asahi report also indicated the likes of Onkyo will continue to make similar optical hardware.
 
On the other hand, it said Sony does not appear finished with making proprietary formats.
 
"At least frustration for Sony's proprietary media storage lives on in the PS Vita," it noted.  — ELR, GMA News
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