“This is my last column for The Wall Street Journal, after 22 years of reviewing consumer technology products here.”

So begins Walt Mossberg’s Personal Technology column in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal.

An era in publishing about high tech came to an end. He promises to return at a “new online site,” and WSJ is moving ahead with its own plans. Bloomberg News has reported that Mossberg and Kara Swisher, his co-editor at All Things Digital, are joining NBCUniversal. Meanwhile, the Journal has already named a new team and pledges to continue its devotion to technology coverage. The AllThingsD conference put on by Mossberg and Swisher also is expected to continue.

Mossberg certainly ranks among the titans when it comes to journalists who focus on technology. His “secret sauce” as a reporter is his ability to make tech understandable to the world at large, not just the geeks, nerds and technologists. He also thoroughly tested products, and his popularity led to tech companies seeking his “blessing.”

“I’m a reviewer,” he told The Skinny during a visit to the Triangle last January. “I test products. I ask zillions of questions from the point of view of the normal person.”

True to his history, Mossberg offered a “best of” list featuring the 12 technology products – from software to hardware – that he views as the “most influential.”

You can read the full column online.

As for what’s next, Mossberg is a fan of cross-platform devices coming someday to handle the Internet of things.

“This,” he said, putting his right hand on top of a red iPad mini and a smartphone during our conversation, “is the future.”

Mossberg enjoyed a special relationship with readers. Mossberg talked with The Skinny about his respect for their support, input and suggestions. He saluted his “fans” as the WSJ column closed – and he also showed some class in thanking the paper even though reports persist that his departure from the Journal:

“As I sign off from this column, I want to thank The Wall Street Journal for giving me the freedom to write these reviews all these years. And I especially owe great thanks to the readers who have followed my work. I am not retiring—I will still be doing reviews on a new online site. And the Journal will continue to offer tech reviews, penned by talented successors, which will continue to guide readers as consumer technology evolves.”

But they won’t be Walt Mossberg.

Good luck, and best wishes, Walt.