End of an era for Encyclopedia Britannica
It's Wednesday, March 14th 2012.
I'm Bridget Carrie in cnet.com and it's time to get loaded.
After 244 years of printing volumes of books, Encylopaedia Brittanica will now only be accessed by computer.
The publisher announced they will focus on its online encyclopedias and educational curriculum for schools.
The 2010 edition is the last print edition of the encyclopedia and has more than 4,000 contributors.
The set costs about $1400 and sold about 8 thousand copies.
The encyclopedia saw its best sales just before the internet boom back in 1990 but now the online database is much larger than what can be fitted into print.
It's also available through an Apple on the iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch and if you like to check it out, Britannica Online will be entirely free for the next several days.
Another information database is getting a digital twist.
Known by the industry as the music bible, the Billboard Hot 100 songs now calculates the popularity of a song based on data from streaming and subscription music services like Spotify, Rap City and RDO.
The streaming data supplements the ratings already being collected for radio airplay and digital downloads.
Pinterest is getting a few updates.
The site which is a virtual pin board of interesting finds and ideas from around the web will redesign user profiles and users will be able to pin videos from sites like Vimeo, Hulu and Netflix.
The Pinterest CEO also announced the company is working on creating an iPad app.
Walmart introduced a new service that let's customers purchase a digital copy of their DVD movie and then view it on any internet connected device.
A customer brings in the DVD they already own to a local Walmart and then they can get streaming access to that movie on Walmart's cloud service for $2.
To get that movie in high definition though, it'll cost $5.
Walmart is the first big box retailer to use this platform called Ultraviolet.
It's aiming to solve the problem of wanting a digital copy of a movie even though you already own the physical disc.
And don't expect any software updates to AOL Instant Messenger anytime soon.
The New York Times reports that AOL has laid off 40 employees and it only left some support staff left to look over the instant message service.
Next on the chopping block is the company's patch.com news unit which might lose 100 employees.
And if you're planning on standing in line for the new iPad this Friday, Apple announced that its retail store doors will open at 8:00 AM to sell the tablet.
In the US, the new iPad will also be in sale at Best Buy, Radio Shack, Sam's Club, Target and Walmart.
Those are your headlines for today.
I'm Bridget Carrie for cnet.com and you've just been loaded.
Up Next
Wikipedia to join Web blackout to protest SOPA
Up Next
Wikipedia to join Web blackout to protest SOPA
Watch CNET Update!
Watch CNET Update!
Get touchy with BlackBerry 10
Get touchy with BlackBerry 10
Microsoft's got the hots for Nook
Microsoft's got the hots for Nook
CNET Update has launched!
CNET Update has launched!
One last time to get Loaded
One last time to get Loaded
The battle over e-book prices
The battle over e-book prices
Why Facebook snatched Instagram
Why Facebook snatched Instagram
The Flashback phenomenon
The Flashback phenomenon
Would you wear Google Glasses?
Would you wear Google Glasses?
Tech Shows
Latest News All latest news
Meta Expands Its Mixed Reality Beyond the Quest Headsets Explainer
Meta Expands Its Mixed Reality Beyond the Quest Headsets Explainer
What AirPods Rumors Tell Us About Apple's Health Ambitions
What AirPods Rumors Tell Us About Apple's Health Ambitions
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Apple May Give FineWoven Accessories One More Season
Apple May Give FineWoven Accessories One More Season
US vs. TikTok: What Happens Next
US vs. TikTok: What Happens Next
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
Most Popular All most popular
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Latest Products All latest products
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
2025 Audi Q6, SQ6 E-Tron: Audi's Newest EV Is Its Most Compelling
2025 Audi Q6, SQ6 E-Tron: Audi's Newest EV Is Its Most Compelling
Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter
Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter
Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar
Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
Latest How To All how to videos
Tips and Tricks for the AirPods Pro 2
Tips and Tricks for the AirPods Pro 2
How to Watch the Solar Eclipse Safely From Your Phone
How to Watch the Solar Eclipse Safely From Your Phone
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro