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Facebook Shuts Down Creative Labs (cnet.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the end-of-the-line dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Facebook has shut down Creative Labs and has pulled several apps developed there, namely Slingshot, Riff, and Rooms, from the app store. Creative labs was launched two years ago but few of the apps produced caught on with consumers. CNET reports: "Facebook is famous for its mantra 'Move fast and break things.' The company decided some of these initiatives had, in fact, failed to gain traction and is shutting them down. The move marks a turning point for Facebook's app ambitions as it focuses on other areas of innovation. It's still building artificial-intelligence technology, drones to beam Internet signals to far-flung parts of the world and virtual-reality goggles. The company has also been steadily adding features to its primary social-networking service, such as live streaming and 360-degree videos."

62 comments

  1. I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by tepples · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yet the other Creative Labs is still up.

    For a moment, I thought "I knew they bought Oculus, but I didn't know about Sound Blaster." Then I read the article.

    1. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by mi · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You are old. So am I... Because I thought the same thing... That Samzenpus is such a youngster, that it did not even occur to him to mention the other Creative Labs, was a surprise...

      --
      In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
    2. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by sconeu · · Score: 3, Funny

      <AOL> Me too! </AOL>

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    3. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thank you sir, for representing us all.

      and get off our collective lawn, children.

      (captcha: flattery)

    4. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by TWX · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yet the other Creative Labs is still up.

      For a moment, I thought "I knew they bought Oculus, but I didn't know about Sound Blaster." Then I read the article.

      Makes you wonder if they closed it in part as a response to a legal challenge over trademark...

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    5. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by MMC+Monster · · Score: 2

      It's been a while since I had to buy a dedicated SB audio card, but I'm happy that they still exist, even if only for high end systems.

      How far has /. fallen that the 'editor' didn't think to at least clarify what is being discussed.

      --
      Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
    6. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by dos1 · · Score: 1

      Obligatory "I'm just in my early twenties and I also thought about Sound Blaster" post:

      I'm just in my early twenties and I also thought about Sound Blaster!

    7. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      hehe yeah, Creative is alive and well. But with integrated sound chips on board they hardly break thru the indifference. Last I heard about them when they bought Roland.

    8. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

      And yet they had no problem ripping off from Ad Lib. Remember the Creative Music System, a.k.a. Game Blaster? What a sorry excuse of a soundcard that was.

    9. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by vel-ex-tech · · Score: 1

      How far has /. fallen that the 'editor' didn't think to at least clarify what is being discussed.

      Lol. Same way things have always been, unless a 5 or 4 digit UID wants to show me how much of a whippersnapper I'm being?

    10. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by dottrap · · Score: 2

      They didn't buy Roland. They did buy E-mu.

    11. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by damn_registrars · · Score: 1

      How far has /. fallen that the 'editor' didn't think to at least clarify what is being discussed.

      Slashdot editors haven't edited anything short of the most egregious of offenses in many years now. They most certainly don't deserve the title, and likely spend more time hunting for new potential employment than they do any "editing".

      --
      Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
    12. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      I thought it was about time. R.I.P., SoundBlaster.

    13. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by David_Hart · · Score: 1

      It's been a while since I had to buy a dedicated SB audio card, but I'm happy that they still exist, even if only for high end systems.

      How far has /. fallen that the 'editor' didn't think to at least clarify what is being discussed.

      I still have my Audigy 2 ZS Platinum thanks to DanielK and his efforts to keep the drivers working on the latest versions of Windows. Still sounds better than the built-in audio chipsets in my opinion...

      I'll probably have to say goodbye to it I go to Skylake. Most Skylake motherboards have dropped the PCI slot, though there are some that still include it.

    14. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Jon+Abbott · · Score: 2

      Lol. Same way things have always been, unless a 5 or 4 digit UID wants to show me how much of a whippersnapper I'm being?

      Get off my lawn!

      --
      Slashdot's first reaction to VMware
    15. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      The Soundblaster was the first audio card I ever bought, and it was amazing for its time. I think it was about $100, and that was in 1990 or thereabouts if I recall correctly.

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    16. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by antdude · · Score: 1

      Me too. How can Facebook use that copyrighted name? :/

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    17. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's been a while since I had to buy a dedicated SB audio card, but I'm happy that they still exist, even if only for high end systems.

      How far has /. fallen that the 'editor' didn't think to at least clarify what is being discussed.

      Why happy? There are other companies making audio PC audio products also.

      They destroyed one of the more interesting companies, Aureal, in 2000, was a prolific source of BSODs in their horrible drivers in windows and had a rather strange relationship to the linux drivers - but they did occasionally manage to push information to the opensource developers. And their product naming was(/is?) worse than NVIDIA and ATI/AMD combined.

    18. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Alternatively, he isn't a youngster, but a senile geezer.

    19. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not the "other" Creative Labs, the real Creative Labs. This Facebook shit is a fake.

    20. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by KGIII · · Score: 1

      Heh... My first (now forgotten) UUID was not as low as yours but I do, distinctly, remember the thread in your signature. Those are some funny comments to read.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
    21. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Admiral_Grinder · · Score: 1

      Same here, I thought "Damn, no Windows 10 drivers for my X-Fi then"

    22. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Uhh, just FYI, AdLib ripped off Yamaha.

      In fact, both the AdLib and most SB cards of that era used the YM3812 synthesizer chip.

    23. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

      Ad Lib didn't "rip off" Yamaha, they bought their chips. Yamaha wasn't even making computer sound cards, they were only making keyboard synths.

      But Sound Blaster went ahead and copied Ad Lib's choice of chip and even used the same adresses for it, i.e. 388h and 389h. That's ripping off.

    24. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by quenda · · Score: 1

      But how would I connect my CDROM drive?

    25. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Miser · · Score: 1

      Not as low as Jon Abbott below, so ...

      "Get off my sidewalk!" :)

      I also thought Facebook had borg'ed Creative Labs (Sound Blaster) and was shutting them down, almost was going to google around for that and then I RTFA and breathed a sigh of relief.

    26. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by gstoddart · · Score: 1

      How far has /. fallen that the 'editor' didn't think to at least clarify what is being discussed.

      You're obviously not new here, but really?

      People have been lamenting the quality of the editors as long as there has been a Slashdot. At least that's how I remember it.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    27. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by spudnic · · Score: 1

      Move over, kid. Make room for Grandpa.

      --
      load "linux",8,1
    28. Re: I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by pci · · Score: 1

      I put off signing up for a user id for a couple weeks when they first launched, it is my biggest regret.
      lol

    29. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by TWX · · Score: 1

      Compaq was cleared of a similar accusation for a much more blatant "ripoff" when they used two teams to reverse-engineer the IBM PC BIOS, basically duplicating the functions of the IBM CMOS and BIOS while buying ALL of the other chips in the computer off-the-shelf to make a function-alike copy for hundreds of dollars less.

      Do you demonize Compaq and all of the other companies like American Megatrends, Phoenix, and Award for their clones and extensions derived from the original IBM PC BIOS?

      If Creative Labs bought off-the-shelf hardware that anyone could purchase, used both existing and documented means for that off-the-shelf hardware to work with existing software through using addresses known to reach that hardware (remember, no special software!), and also in time wrote their own improved software, is that a bad thing?

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    30. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're about as useless as JPEGs to Helen Keller.

    31. Re:I read the headline and thought Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, I had this exact reaction. Now I'm relieved that Creative is still around and irritated that OP didn't specify.

  2. Phew by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    That's one less thing I have to not give a shit about.
    Next up: Oculus Rift.

    1. Re: Phew by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd be pleased as punch if Facebook shut down entirely. I know, we aren't quite there yet.

  3. Or perhaps... by Mogster · · Score: 2

    ... they got fed up with people asking when the next Sound Blaster was coming out http://creative.com/

    When I read the head line my first thought was - when did Facebook get into computer audio components?

    --
    ACK NAK RST
    1. Re:Or perhaps... by mrchaotica · · Score: 2

      My first thought was "it's about time they were put out of their misery; I haven't needed a separate sound card in 15 years!" My second thought was "wait, WTF does Facebook have to do with it?"

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    2. Re:Or perhaps... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A separate sound card does have its benefits, especially if you're using multiple microphones in a studio setup or attempting to capture 3d audio.

    3. Re:Or perhaps... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or in case you're using MIDI, since the built-in Microsoft GS synth sucks balls.

      The SBLive 8MB GM Soundfont is still one of the best MIDI patches out there.

  4. FB by fluffernutter · · Score: 1

    I'm really surprised Facebook is so tapped out on growth for social networking that they have to make wild stabs at various other totally unrelated areas of technology.

    --
    Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
    1. Re:FB by hawguy · · Score: 1

      I'm really surprised Facebook is so tapped out on growth for social networking that they have to make wild stabs at various other totally unrelated areas of technology.

      They have 1.5B active monthly users -- pretty much all of the people that want to use Facebook *are* using Facebook, so they have to look elsewhere to expand.

    2. Re:FB by fluffernutter · · Score: 1

      Growing users is only one factor though. Add a feature that 1/4 of those users will pay $2 for and there's another $750 mil in the bank. Better yet, a feature worth paying $2 a month for.

      --
      Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
  5. What's up with Facebook? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nerds seem to hate them unless they work there.

  6. no, the other one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pity the other Creative Labs. Even in this day and age, they're still dealing with IRQ conflicts.

    1. Re:no, the other one by Z80a · · Score: 1

      They're too busy keeping the carmack reverse shadows and 3D audio out of the reach of consumers.

  7. You will pry my Sound Blaster by iamacat · · Score: 2

    From my cold, dead hands!

    1. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Nite_Hawk · · Score: 1

      From my cold, dead hands!

      Feel free to keep it, I'll hang on to my GUS. :P

    2. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My Sound Blaster Live! X-Gamer is still running fine coupled with Cambridge Soundworks FPS2000 Digital speakers. The combo has been running 24/7 in various computers, the computers have been upgraded/replaced but never had a need to update the sound.

      In dog years it has reached triple digits :D

    3. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Having to choose between SoundBlaster, GUS, Internal Speaker and Disney Audio or whatever it was called to run a game.... ...ahhh the memories.

    4. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 2

      PC Speaker
      Covox Speech Thing
      Disney Sound Source
      IBM PC Jr. / Tandy 1000
      Creative Music System / Game Blaster
      Ad Lib
      Ad Lib Gold
      Sound Blaster
      Sound Blaster Pro
      Sound Blaster 16
      Sound Blaster AWE64
      Roland LAPC-1 / MT-32 / CM-32L / CM-64
      Gravis Ultrasound

      Everything else was pretty much Sound Blaster copies.

    5. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Stele · · Score: 2

      Back in the era of the original IBM PC and its clones (I had a Sanyo MBC-550, which had upgraded graphics from the IBM and could do *8* colors at once, at 640x200, instead of just the usual 4), the PC speaker had to be pulsed directly by the CPU to make any noise. Pulse it at 440hz and you have middle A, etc. While it was making noise, the CPU couldn't do anything else. To make music or sound effects you kind of had to split up whatever sound you wanted so the CPU had a chance to "do stuff". There was a magazine for the Sanyo at the time where someone had written some assembler code (that you could call from BASIC) to make the CPU make any pitch for a specific duration. I wrote a sequencer based on that code that would call the function with .128s "pulses", leaving time to monitor for key-presses so you could change the pitch. Then I got an Amiga and everything changed!

    6. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the PC speaker had to be pulsed directly by the CPU to make any noise. Pulse it at 440hz and you have middle A, etc. While it was making noise, the CPU couldn't do anything else.

      That's really not true. While it was possible to pulse it directly, and you could get finer control that way, you could also just output the right number to the right I/O port of the 8253 timer chip and turn on the speaker to play that tone--independently of the CPU--until you stopped it.

    7. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You forgot the AWE32 and the Live! line.

      Live! was the first card with hardware-accelerated positional audio effects.
      It was amazing in its day (late 90s early 00s).

    8. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by iamacat · · Score: 1

      I am pretty sure games of the day managed to both make noise and do other stuff with CPU at the same time.

    9. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No one wants that garbage, thank you very much.

      -Loyal Aureal Vortex owners

    10. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Jay+Bratcher · · Score: 1

      And the Pro Audio Spectrum 16 - I think I still have mine in a box in the garage :P

    11. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Stele · · Score: 1

      They did - I mentioned that they intercut code to do sound with other processing, so sound effects had somewhat "tinny" sounds because it could only "play" a few ms of sound at a time, then let the CPU do other things, then played more sound, etc. There was no threading or specialized sound hardware to do both simultaneously.

    12. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by Stele · · Score: 1

      It's possible the Sanyo didn't have this chip - it couldn't do sound simultaneously with other things.

    13. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

      That's what I said. Everything else was pretty much Sound Blaster copies. Like it or not, the PAS-16 was a SB-16 clone, it didn't bring anything new to sound cards.

    14. Re:You will pry my Sound Blaster by SuiteSisterMary · · Score: 1

      Fine by me, I'll be over here with my Aureal A3D2.

      --
      Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
  8. The good news is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There's a big sale on used black clothes going on in San Francisco right now!

  9. Facebook failed? by LostMyBeaver · · Score: 1

    So they make a website with postings, pictures, links and advertisements. Do they honestly think they will ever be more than that?

  10. How? by Trogre · · Score: 1

    How can Facebook, a social media website, have any say in the future of a sound card company?

    --
    "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife