VCR, device for playing and recording video, dies at 30

(AP) - The VCR, unquestionably the world's first popular device that allowed people to record television in their homes, died today in a discount bin at Best Buy. It was exactly 30 years old at the time of its death. Long suffering from extreme price reductions that resulted in nonexistent profit margins, the VCR's parents finally pulled the plug on their progeny's life support, turning to newer alternatives in DVD and hard disk recorders. The videocassette recorder leaves behind a legacy of "Be kind, rewind" stickers, shelves sagging with once-watched tapes, frequent trips to the repair shop, and eventually, the dumpster; it will be remembered by its devotees as a source of endless rental movie enjoyment and occasional late fees. The VCR is survived by its four children: the TiVo DVR, age 6; the DVD recorder, age 6; the DVD-R/hard disk recorder, age 4; and the combo DVD-R/VCR, age 3. (Just kidding…this is from CNET.)
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