Playing with the next generation OGO
by Volker Weber
Today I had the chance to play with a next generation OGO device for about five minutes. Push email, instant messaging, SMS, those are the main funtions of the device, much like the old one. The design has improved a lot over the old one, the software looks much nicer, and the hardware has improved in many ways. Judging from the engineering sample I played with, the old device can take more of a beating than the new one. Where I would have no problem throwing an old OGO on the floor I would not dare to do it with the new device.
New screen, a microphone, external display, those are the most important enhancements. The new screen is mucho macho better than the old one, the microphone lets you use the device as a regular mobile phone, the external displays tells the time and what else is going on inside the clamshell.
There is an extension bay between the two hinges which will hold all kinds of "OgoClips" you will be able to buy. A camera, an MP3 streamer, a handset (right: a handset!), a bottle opener (!), a multicolored array of lights (!). I am too old to understand why you would want those gadgets.
Interesting data point: the devices are more or less used for instant messaging. 1&1 initially tried to sell them as email warriors, but the device mostly appeals to kids. And those could not care less for email. Email is for elderly people. Kids chat.
Here is an idea. Bring this thing into the pre-paid market (or pay-as-you go) and make a killing.
Tags: ogo
Comments
Exactly this is how Swisscom Mobile promotes the Ogo here in Switzerland (admittedly not pre-paid). Marketing uses slogans like "The ogo is wherever you are, be it on the bus, at skating, in the cable car (i.e. for the skiing kids) or at boarding." The entire campaign is totally geared to the teenagers and twens. However, I don't see too many of those things around and even though I don't have any figures, I doubt that it is an extremely successful product.
What IM Protocolls does it understand? If it would be multiprotocoll it would be very interresting.
Post a comment
Recent comments
Alex Wokurka
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 23:14
Ragnar Schierholz
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 23:02
Volker Weber
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 21:53
Ben Poole
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 21:07
Pieterjan Lansbergen
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 21:03
Jan Tietze
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 20:48
Ben Rose
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 15:14
Ben Rose
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 14:46
Philipp Sury
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 13:40
Sascha Reissner
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 13:28
Ben Rose
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 12:10
Colin Williams
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 09:43
Adalbert Duda
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 09:33
Volker Weber
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 09:28
Jan Tietze
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 08:53
Ben Rose
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 08:14
Volker Weber
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 04:50
Amy Blumenfield
on No surprises at the PhilNote at 01:36
Richard Schwartz
on Peter O'Kelly: I am now a Microsoft employee at 02:49
Hanno Zulla
on Ente Chop Sui at 22:32
Kristof Doffing
on Ich helfe gerne aus der Autokrise at 15:03
Bruce Lill
on IBM is not going to send out a press release at 00:31
Thomas Cloer
on Events of the last few days at 12:38
David M Taylor
on Two screens or one? at 03:27
Henrik Heigl
on Events of the last few days at 18:51
Click here to subscribe
