The circle of life applies as much to technology as it does to living things, and so every year brings a wave of old products and failed ideas that make way for newer and better ones.
This year, we lost some once-iconic products that lost their utility long ago, along with some that probably shouldn’t have existed in the first place. Here’s a rundown of the most notable technology that died in 2017.
#1: AOL Instant Messenger
Once a fixture of early-aughts dorm rooms, AOL Instant Messenger logged off this month, taking with it a rich history of away messages, buddy lists, and cheery blooping noises. Executives blamed AIM’s demise on a “cultural shift” toward social networks like Facebook, and modern messaging services like WhatsApp, but one could also argue that AOL blew its own opportunity to be part of that revolution. In any case, AIM’s fate was sealed years ago. At least now we can properly mourn.
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