Out with old, in with the new -- Intel is planning to discontinue the following CPU's, according to tech site Fudzilla:

Quads:

• Core 2 Quad Q9450
• Core 2 Quad Q9750
• Core 2 Extreme QX9770
• Core 2 Quad Q6600
• Core 2 Quad Q6700

Dualies:

• Core 2 Duo E8300
• Core 2 Duo E8200
• Core 2 Duo E8190
• Core 2 Duo E6850
• Core 2 Duo E6750
• Core 2 Duo E6550
• Core 2 Duo E6540
• Core 2 Duo E4600

Intel is now accelerating the production of the new 45nm CPUs set to replace these gray-haired old fogies above. All of these listed CPUs will receive a Product Discontinuance Notice in the first quarter of 2009. Although they'll be cancelled, stock may still sit on store shelves, and be available for purchase later into 2009. 

This isn't much of a shocker -- for many of these CPUs, their time has come. The new i7 line will be replacing the top end Q9450, Q9750, and QX9770 quad cores. 

Probably the most beloved CPU in the retiring bunch would be the Q6600. For many enthusiasts, the entry-level quad-core Q6600 was a reasonable price entry into the world of 4 cores. It wasn't that bad of an overclocker either; often people ran it around the 2.7 GHz mark (or higher), without much difficulty. The Q6600 is, at the moment, the best selling quad core chip made by either Intel or AMD.