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Model 03: Lower the boom
handtops.com forums : OQO : talk about the OQO
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With Bob Groppo being named OQO VP of Engineering perhaps it is time to start influencing the feature set for Model 03.

I believe its integrated product development philosophy will still be relevant. Model 03 will have to compete more effectively to stay relevant though. OQO has been laying the foundation over the years to become a household name (worldwide distribution channels, new staff, different product tiers, etc), but when you say "ultraportable" most people do not think "OQO". Don't be surprised if people are generally thinking of sed smartphone in less than 5 years. In my opinion, this is more than a brading issue. It's a maturity thang. A tangible product has only been around a handful of years. So the company is poised to dominate, but does it want to?

When Model 01 hit the streets, I predicted that Model 03 will meet my requirements. I still have my fingers crossed. Here is what it will take:

CPU
Intel Menlow platform for obvious reasons. No one else will have 45nm chips for 12 months after Menlow. It makes sense to go with Intel since they are taking the UMPC market seriously and by storm. Meaning OQO's competitors will develop around Intel. Play defense and do the same thing.

Memory
2GB -Why is this still not the norm today?

Disk
32 & 64 GB flash. W/O "drop detection" tech, isn't the system now simpler?

Network
Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, 802.11n
EVDO, HSDPA -the rest of the world needs WAN. Get Telco's to subsidize the product. Hasn't RIM, HTC, and Apple made it is clear that Telco's crave general computing-like products??? Cut them off at the pass.

OS
Vista SP1

MISC
GPS -save me from the $2500 navigation packages that car dealers are racketeering.
Camera -field engineers, sales agents, doctors, etc will become addicted to this. Product addiction = more revenue.
VOIP -another subsidy opportunity (looking at u Vonage)?

PRICE
With subsidies: $1400

XFACTOR
OQO's secret software sauce that makes the minituration possible. I barely know what this is about, but as cellphones creeps into the UMPC territory, commoditization is inevitable. How will this keep your product from being a commodity? Product dimensions and Vista will not help you that much longer.

Sprinkle in some innovative marketing strategies, and this will go a long way to equating "UMPC" with "OQO". The company popularized the market. It's time to make everyone recognize. Lower the boom (and the price).
 
Replies

Exactly, there is no better way here at this size, the slider form factor is the best and most useful layout.

The only reason why I would like the screen to swivel so that it can clamshell is purely so that it can protect the screen and itself in my pocket.
 

I'd like a slightly less bulky u810 fuji style form factor- touchtype, tablet and thumbpad
 

I think the OQO has great technology being able to shrink a full desktop computer in your pocket. I think their problem is that they used the HP 200 LX which was also thumb based. They should have based it on the HP Jornada 720/728 because it was more popular than the 200 LX and it would have a true touch type keyboard. Running full windows programs is more tailored for touch type keyboard input and the mainstream is used to inputing via a keyboard using laptops.

While die hard OQO would disagree, their sales are fairly small and to me that demonstrates that their form factor is the real issue, not adding any other features, etc. If you look back at clamshell handhelds in 1998/99 they sold over 2.3 million each year and had strong growth until MS dropped the OS support. To me that proves that form factor is more appealing to mainstream users. Based on feedback from OQO they appear to be too limited in funds to add a new form factor. Thus the OQO is likely to remain a nich device as the only changes in future models will be minor changes not real changes that would improve mainstream adoption.

@primaz, so by your reasoning, HTC (also using the same form factor) sales should be fairly small

The reason OQO sales are fairly small is that they don't target the average consumer, or even the tech-savvy consumer (like me) - they target the enterprise!

Besides the average consumer wants low cost, good battery life, and ease-of-use- current handtops are just not there yet...

It's not a form factor issue.

OQO is like a cult. I had my 01+ and loved it, was eager for the future when everything would fit on my contact lense.

Then I had to write my thesis, so I sold the OQO and bought myself an X60 Tablet PC (I can type - no I mean actually really type). My eyes have been opened, I was living a lie, excusing so many inadequacies. Some day everything will fit in your pocket, that day is not now.

OQO knows that, so they don't cater to anyone really. They just work their magic and sell what they can. Then try to work some more magic. Is that so wrong? Leave them alone. If they marketed to this or that group and made more money this way or that, well then they would be Apple or HP, Dell or Asus. Let them be OQO, they are playing an important role!
 

tnkgrl said: "@primaz, so by your reasoning, HTC (also using the same form factor) sales should be fairly small

The reason OQO sales are fairly small is that they don't target the average consumer, or even the tech-savvy consumer (like me) - they target the enterprise!

"


70% of Oqo sales are to consumers. Source- their Europe sales guy on video on umpcportal.com
 

@scoobie, tech savvy consumers in Europe, sure

See this press release: link

“Savvy individuals and enterprise users around the world are demanding access to all their information and applications wherever they go,” said Dennis Moore, CEO, OQO.

Right from the horse's mouth.

what are enterprise users?
 
rr0123 said: "what are enterprise users?"


Corporate users!
 

primaz: I think you have to remember the whole history. The LX200 was the last in the line of LX95, LX100, LX200. The first two sold very well because they allowed people to run full MS-DOS 5.0 from their pocket. The thumb-typing wasn't an issue (at least based on what I remember from the Compuserve User Groups). The 200LX didn't sell as well because it was also a time when Windows was starting to come into it's own and laptops seemed the way to go for most folk. HP moved sideways with the 300LX, a WindowsCE machine and the precursor to the Jornada 720. The 300LX and 320LX didn't sell that well, but the Jornada 620 and especially the 720 did. One of the reasons was that WindowsCE (and specifically the Handheld PC platform) had improved quite a bit. The color screen didn't hurt either. It wasn't until Pocket PC was release (and more importantly, the iPAQ) that Jornada sales started declining. My point is that there were a lot of factors that went into the mix, not just the "chicklet" vs "actual keys" transition.

The same is true now. There are a lot of things people look at and try out when they look at a handtop.

Ok, corporate users, but really, which are these corporations that are buying the 02's for their employees?
 

There are some news stories about IT field workers using 02's. One comes to mind for CSX railroad inspectors. There's another about command and control for security. Dennis Moore's blog is pretty much filled with stories on how people (and to a lesser degree, corporations) use the 02:
link
 

Oh Nohs!

link

Maybe we don't want Intel Menlow chips in Model 03 after all. The CPU may not even be as powerful as Pentium M. That is why Intel has been touting Linux... Here I thought they were magicians. Here's hoping VIA can do something new. W/O an x86 license, they may be in trouble.
 

Looks like Via does have a dirty little secret... Isaiah!

link

Any prophets out there want to predict this is going in the Model 03?
 

I don't know... The digitimes source article mentions that power consumption will be increased with Isaiah.
 

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