Axia has discontinued all Minidisc

[ILoveMinidisc]

I was going to post this in News but It wont let me

(if anyone believe this is best suited in News section please move it there):

AXIA is the Japanesee Media division of Fuji for Japanesee marked.

They was famous for cool Mds like the Lego looking "Paki , "Dolphin md",

Judy & Mary ,and the "Hello kitty Mds"

Last update on Axia Md blanks was in 2004 and Last update on Axia web in May 2006

so i contacted FUJIFILM IMAGING Japan (before called Axia)by email.

asking if there was any plans to New Md blanks and this is the email i got back:

(i removed name of Fuji contact person and their email

for security reason):

From: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.co.jp

To: xxxxxx@xxxxxx.com

Dear Mr.xxxx

Thank you for your patronage of FUJIFILM products.

We would like to reply to your enquiry.

In recent years, rapid growth of the portable audiovisual apparatus

which uses a hard disk and semiconductor memory took over the market and

demand of current audiovisual media have dramatically reduced.

We are very sorry to say that the current audiovisual media sales

(the mini disc sales) was terminated from September 30, 2006 in Japan.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this matter.

We look forward to your continued patronage to

our company record media product.

Best Regards,

xxxxxxx

----End of email------

Upon cheking Axia webiste the Axia minidisc

seem (as of today) to still be avaible

AXIA WEBSITE

so i sent another Email Asking Fuji If Fuji stopped selling Axia minidisc

why Axia minidisc still are avaible on Their web.

I got this Email back:

From: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.co.jp

To: xxxxxx@xxxxxx.com

Dear Mr.xxxx

All Axia minidisc was discontinued from September 30, 2006 in Japan.

Nevertheless the information on Website has not been updated as your indication

Because Axia minidisk products are still being sold in several markets.

This is the reason why our home page is not revised yet.

We will intend to revise our home page information in accordance with the

market situation soon.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this matter.

We look forward to your continued patronage to our company record media product.

Best Regards,

xxxxxxx

---- End of email-------

This sad news confirm the following:

1. Fuji Japan stopped all sales of Minidisc in Japan in September

2. Axia Website will be updated in near future Removing Axia minidisc

3. There is still Axia minidisc avaible in shops around Japan

So fuji Keep the Axia Minidisc on their web a bit longer because of this,

But no New updates will be made and no New axia minidisc will be released.

4. I have no Confirmation yet what happens to standard "Fuji" branded minidisc

like those in Europe.

My guess is they be around a bit longer before discontinued.

Im not sure if Fuji Minidisc is still sold in Fuji Usa.

5. I still think Axia products are labeled axia

but this may change soon and Axia media products will be called Fuji again

(Except of minidisc that be discontinued)

I still dont realy believe it that Axia Minidisc is discontinued

but i guess i get through it after some months.

Axia was one of my favorite Minidisc blanks brand.

They even Made blank minidisc for kenwood

and was together with Xeus and Tdk the coolest Minidisc blanks maker.

The last Minidisc Axia made was:

- Happy color 2004

- Happy color 2004-2005 slim update

Even if it hurt that Axia Minidisc is no more

AXIA will always be remembered in our hearts for the special minidisc they made.

and AXIA certainly deserve this Memorial thread.

I made this photo bellow it just show some of all the cool

Minidiscs Axia has made in Japan.

[ozpeter]

Maybe if they had lowered their costs by sticking to one or two designs, they might still be in the market...

[UMWOOFWOOFF]

Fuji minidiscs are also discontinued in the USA. They were only sold by Best Buy, and they have recently been discontinued. Fuji has been packaging left-over stock in improper packaging just to get rid of them. For instance, the 15 pack color "cracked glass" discs are lastly being packaged in the 10 pack transparent black packaging just to get rid of the stock they have left.

The only minidiscs for sale in the USA now are Sony (but dwindling fast; can't find them anywhere anymore in stores), Quantegy (mail order), old stock TDK (mail order, none found in stores for years, TDK still selling stock produced years ago and currently does not manufacture MD's) and old stock Memorex (Memorex recently stopped minidisc sales as well). Maxell, Emtec, and Denon died in the states years ago.

I've recently bought a few hundred discs since the plug has officially been pulled on minidisc.

[brian10161]

i never understood why there are so many different designs on the minidisc, they are all the same basic thing aren't they?

me? i prefer the basic md's, i find they look about the nicest.

i like the ones in the picture there under the Axia Memorial text (in the case) those look simple. i don't mind the ones at the very top center either. they look alright too.

too bad that they stopped production on them. it looks like the beginning of the end to me. i hope to round up as many MD's as i can soon for the future (i love this format!)

[ILoveMinidisc]

Axia has Now updated their site

and now All minidisc has a Red mark saying "Discontinued"

the photos and information about all latest Axia Mds

are still avaible (probaly some shops have stock left)

But now we have the 100% confirmation that Axia minidisc are discontinued.

Whats more Axia Cd-r audio, Axia cd-r data, Axia audiotapes .Dv video media, Hi8 video, Mo data is also discontinued

Meaning All products that is also called AXIA is discontinued.

FUJI japan has not discontinued:

Blue ray ,Dvd video Dvd data, Flash memory cards (like Xd) VHS and superVHS and some datastorage media.

all those are still in production.

but it Surprise me that Axia stopped with Cd-r

and didnt even leave one audiotape.

Anyway There is the news No more AXIA

whats reminds of Media is now just called FUJI.

You can check for yourself here:

http://fujifilm.jp/personal/recordingmedia/index.html

Goodbye Axia we will miss you

[UMWOOFWOOFF]

Very very sad, and no one cares....even here on this site, which makes it even MORE sad.

Can't believe that Fuji discontinued all audio tape too, but left super VHS??? That's odd, considering that JVC invented Super VHS ET which lets you record pure SVHS quality on standard VHS tapes. I thought this would have killed off true SVHS tapes 10 years ago but it DIDN'T...many companies still make actual SVHS tapes! Why? I never knew anyone but myself who had SVHS machines. I thought they were kinda rare, especially once SVHS-ET was available on regular tapes.

I guess SVHS tapes actually STILL outsell all audio tapes AND minidisc...strange, since I haven't seen a Fuji SVHS tape in YEARS in a store.

Discontinuing CD's doesn't surprise me; they are disposable, and thousands of companies it seems sell them. No one "cherishes" a CD-R...mainly because in a year or two, it most likely will not play. Recordable CD SUCKS.

[ILoveMinidisc]

As of today the legendary AXIA website is totaly gone

forwarding you to a message that Axia products and Axia name is discontinued.:

http://www.axia.jp

Axia website was in past known for its yellow color

and the latest year had changed to White with a big flash animation

Still, You can see the discontinued Minidisc and other Axia products

on the Fujifilm website here:

http://fujifilm.jp/personal/recordingmedia/index.html

Now it is clear the AXIA is no more

Axia 1997-2006 R.i.p

[Richard]

Now it is clear the AXIA is no more

Axia 1997-2006 R.i.p

Oh John, you are so melodramatic

[tekdroid]

i never understood why there are so many different designs on the minidisc, they are all the same basic thing aren't they?

Yep. But different designs appeal to different people. Hence different designs and colours being made available to the buying public. When all things are pretty much equal, there is no product differentiation - or choice. You must create product differentiation where there really is none, and try doing something different to your competitors. Just like some manufacturers rebrand some products made in the same factories (and sell for different prices).

I always looked at the Axia brand and thought "cheap" (was it the font of the logo, or just because I hadn't heard of them... or both?). I had no idea Fuji were behind it.

ILoveMiniDisc, you sure live up to your name!

Some nice designs there, but I'm one of those boring people that doesn't like transparent cases and shiny plastic.