Each year, the tech tree of life refreshes. While new gadgets bloom into life, others depart for silicon heaven. 2015 was no different. Much-loved and universally-despised products alike met their makers, so to speak. May they forever rest in peace (Mailbox) or rot in hell (Adobe Flash): here were the five terminal patients of the last 12 months...
1. IPHONE 5C - Gearing up for a comeback?
The redheaded stepchild of the iPhone family (literally, and figuratively) was the least-loved of the entire clan. And yet you still see them around, blinding innocent bystanders with their gaudy neon shells.
One of the most un-Apple products ever, the firm ditched its premium-only edict to launch this plastic handset back in 2013... probably so everyone would stop pestering it to release a 'budget iPhone'.
Essentially an iPhone 5 dressed as Boy George, the iPhone 5C was a great way for Apple to get rid of all of those leftover displays and processors from the previous generation, while it hawked the new-and-improved iPhone 5S.
The 5C was finally dropped from the line-up in September 2015 with no replacement. Although we hear the iPhone 6C could be on the way early in 2016. Oh joy.
2. ADOBE FLASH - Struck down by its master
When Adobe finally advised web designers to transition away from its merciless scourge of the World Wide Web in December 2015, the news quickly reverberated around the Galaxy.
There were fireworks and wild parties on every planet, races and species came together and, as Abobe burned Flash's body, cute little teddy bears danced in the forest.
OK, that was the ending of Return of the Jedi… but you get the idea.
Adobe's desire to return balance to the web is the most positive step yet. But beware: it may still be a while before this device-slowing, data-draining Sith-like evil is completely banished from the internet all together.
3. AMAZON FIRE PHONE - We don't need no water, let the MFer burn…
Remember when they dug up all of those 30-year-old E.T. game cartridges Atari buried in the New Mexico desert? In 30 years' time, they'll probably be excavating millions of Amazon Fire Phone handsets from some godforsaken hole in the ground too.
One of the biggest flops in mobile history, the Fire Phone arrived in 2014 as an Amazon store front with the ability to make the odd phone call. With an ugly angular design, unintuitive software and a flagship price, it was doomed from day one.
After a fire sale, Amazon announced it was all out of stock and wouldn't be making anymore. However, we've got a feeling Amazon is already burying its dirty little secret, like Billy Batts in Goodfellas.
4. MAILBOX - Thanks for nothing, Dropbox
You know when you come home from the pub a little worse for wear and crack open the eBay app? Then, a week later a full Prince Purple Rain-era costume, a Darth Vader cookie jar and an Elvis alarm clock randomly show up at your door?
We have a feeling this is what happened with Dropbox and the excellent Mailbox email client. Mailbox was doing perfectly well, with millions on a waiting list, until Dropbox stumbled in hammered one night and splurged $100m on the most innovative and useful email app on the market.
Dropbox practically forgot about Mailbox for two years, failing to update the app and build on its cult following, before sobering up and announcing it'll be folding the app in February. Sort your life out, Drunkbox.
5. SONY BETAMAX - wait, you were still here?
One of the saddest stories - and most salutary lessons - in technology: that sometimes the best product doesn't become the biggest product. And so it came to pass with Sony, who decided in November that it was finally time to let go of Betamax... only 30 years after it lost the format war to VHS.
Despite halting production of players in 2002, Sony has been dutifully fulfilling the wishes of Japanese Betamax loyalists by continuing to make the tapes, but now it's stopped making those too. And with that, the fuzzy-screened coffin lid was finally shut for good.
Still: God help those loyalists if someone ever shows them a little thing called "YouTube", eh?
