Sony's eMarker.com service to close permanently on 9/30/01

[Zyph]

I just got an e-mail from Sony letting me know that the emarker.com service is ending. At least I will be able to get a refund on the eMarker. I figured I would let everyone know in case anyone else was also using it but not registered to get updates through e-mail. The following is the info from the e-mail and from their website:

Dear ______,

This is to inform you that we will be permanently closing down the eMarker.com service on 9/30/01.

You will not be able to access your eMarker.com account after 9/30/01. If you have eMarks that you would like to save, simply print the screens from your eMarks pages. You will only be able to save hard copies of your eMarks information.

As an accommodation to our users, we are offering $25.00 for each eMarker device that was purchased. To take advantage of this offer, mail your eMarker* along with your name and address to:

eMarker Accommodation Offer
PO Box 2959
West Caldwell, NJ 07007-2959

* Postage prepaid, postmarked by 12/31/01. You only need to send back the eMarker itself (EMK-T01). You do not need to send the cradle. The cradle is a USB extension cable that can be used with any standard USB device.

If you include your email address we will send you confirmation that your request has been received. Please wait 6-8 weeks for your request to be processed.

This offer is only available by returning the eMarker to this address listed above. Please do not return your eMarker to the store where it was purchased.

For further questions regarding the eMarker accommodation offer, please email us at emarker@info.sel.sony.com.

Thank you,

eMarker.com LLC and SONY Electronics Inc.

Some questions you may have:

1Q: Does this mean that I will not be able to use the eMarker anymore?
1A: Yes. You will not be able to use the eMarker device and service after September 30, 2001.

2Q: Can I get my money back?
2A: Yes. Please follow the instructions provided on this page.

3Q: What happens to the songs and ads that are in my eMarker account?
3A: You will have to either take a print out of each page by selecting "PRINT" on your web browser, or you can select the text portion on our web page and copy/paste it to another application.

4Q: Can product be returned to the retailer where it was purchased?
4A: This Accommodation Offer is only available to individuals who return their eMarker directly to the address provided on this page. Some retailers may allow for a refund of the purchase price when accompanied by a receipt and within a specified time period. However, we can not comment on the policy of any particular retailer.

How do I remove the eMarker software on my computer?

Uninstalling the software for the PC -

1) Unplug the eMarker device.

2) Exit the eMarker program if running - right click on the emarker icon in the system tray (usually in the bottom right corner of the screen).

3) Select exit from the menu that pops up.

4) When asked if you want to exit eMarker, click the 'OK' button.

5) Uninstall the eMarker program - open the start menu - press 'Start' --> 'Programs' --> 'eMarker' --> 'Uninstall eMarker' - this will launch the eMarker uninstaller.

6) If asked if you are sure that you want to uninstall the eMarker software, click the 'Yes' button - or if asked "if you would like to remove the application and all of it's components?" Click the 'OK' button.

7*) Drag the installer program to the trash

* Optional step

There may be slight variations if you chose to change the location that eMarker was installed to or if you changed the program folder that eMarker would install to.

Uninstalling the software for the Mac -

1) Unplug the eMarker device

2) Find the eMarker unistaller - press the apple key and 'F' to launch the finder

3) Search for "eMarker" by clicking the "search" button

4) Double click on the 'Uninstall eMarker' application program

5) Click the uninstall button

6) Once it says the eMarker software is unistalled , click 'OK'

7*) Drag the uninstall eMarker application to the trash

8*) Drag the installer program to the trash

* Optional steps

[poop]

uh... what is an emarker, exactly?

[CaterpillarAssassin]

yeah....?

[Zyph]

As quoted from a news report about the closure (my extra input is in italics)

The eMarker is a small device <i>(about the size of a key-chain Mag Lite)</i> that consumers can use to bookmark songs on the radio. During any song, the user presses a button on the device, creating a "timestamp" for the song.

After the device is connected to a PC <i>(Via USB connection with the plug directly in the device ir using a USB extension "cradle" [the white round thing that the emarker is sitting in])</i>, the "eMarks" are uploaded to the user's eMarker online account, where the timestamp is matched against the playlists of user-defined preset stations. The company said it had playlist data for 1,250 stations nationwide.

Here is a couple pics of the actual emarker: