Fully Charged: iPod Classic discontinued over scarce parts, major PS4 software update out, and NASA rocket explodes after takeoff

M.I.A. parts ended the iPod Classic

It was a sad day last month when the iPod Classic – the last vestige of the portable music player’s iconic original design – was quietly killed. Some assumed that people simply weren’t buying enough anymore, or that Apple had deemed it time to move on with various newer models on the market, but the real reason is actually a lot more practical.

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, who was asked about the discontinued model at the Wall Street Journal Digital conference on Monday evening, the company was no longer able to get all of the parts it needed to continue manufacturing the device as previously configured. Its suppliers had moved on, and Toshiba, for example, stopped making the tiny 1.8in hard drives some time ago.

Apple certainly could have invested in having those parts custom-made or perhaps even modifying the iPod’s design, but with most users turning to their smartphones and even iPod Touch models for their current music needs, the company couldn’t justify the expense. Meanwhile, music collectors of the world weep that the iPod Touch still tops out at 64GB of storage.

[Source: MacRumors]

READ MORE: iPod Classic obituary: thank you for the music

PlayStation 4 system software overhauled

Nearly a year after the console’s debut, Sony has launched the long-awaited 2.0 system software update, which is available now worldwide. The update, dubbed Masamune, adds an array of features – most notably Share Play, which lets you pull in another online player to your game, even if he or she doesn’t own the game.

Also new are themes and background colour customization options, a dedicated YouTube app, an enhanced What’s New section, and improved home screen navigation. Additionally, you can now plug in a USB stick or drive and play music directly off of it, as well as use Remote Play streaming with compatible Xperia devices.

[Source: PlayStation.Blog]

READ MORE: Long-term test: Sony PS4 review

NASA rocket explodes following launch

NASA’s attempts to employ commercial spacecraft companies to ferry supplies to astronauts in space hit a snag last night, due to the unexpected detonation of the Antares rocket and Cygnus craft mere seconds after launch in Virginia, United States.

Both were provided by Orbital Sciences Corp, and the Cygnus was carrying about 5,000lbs of supplies and items for experiments. The loss is expected to be more than US$200 million (£124 million), but no crew members were aboard the unmanned craft, nor were any ground employees injured in the process. NASA administrator Bill Gerstenmaier tells CNN that they’ll suss out the failure and “fix it.”

[Source: CNN]

READ MORE: Fully Charged: NASA’s deep space rocket enters production, Oculus Rift sales stopped in China, and the playable Tetris t-shirt

djay 2 finally hits Android

Algoriddim’s wonderful turntable app djay 2 is now available for Android devices via both Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. It’s the first appearance of the app on the platform, three years after the original hit iOS (and more than a year following djay 2’s App Store launch), but it should prove well worth the wait.

The Next Web says it’s widely compatible with a large number of devices, and that includes both tablets and phones, plus you can connect to Spotify Premium to tap into its vast library of tracks. Early Google Play reviewers seem sour that Google Play Music isn’t supported, however.

[Source: The Next Web]

READ MORE: Spotify support added to djay 2 for streaming mixes