Rumour: Handheld PC Maker OQO Not Long for This World
Despite their high prices and high return rates, we’ve always had a soft spot for OQO. But the recent resignation of a CEO, retailer problems, and messageboard rumblings don’t bode well for their future.
The next OQO, the Model 2+, had us drooling when it was announced… four months ago. It’s still yet to see a release, which means the years-old 02 is the most current model OQO has on the market.
OQO’s best-connected messageboard has reported that OQO is facing serious financial difficulty and that we’re unlikely to ever see the 2+ go into production. In addition, Dennis Moore, former CEO of OQO, resigned back in September 2008, so we’ve been hearing these warning bells for awhile.
Worse, European retail giant Expansys has cancelled pre-orders of the 2+, giving some vague excuse about “uncertainties” over the handheld PC as a response to customers.
It’s looking more and more like OQO is having some serious issues, which is a bad thing for us: Even if we couldn’t afford their toys, they always trod their own path, which sometimes feels like a rarity these days. [JK on the Run]
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
“Toys” is exactly right, the OQO is more like an expensive toy. The problem is that a full PC with that power is just not very useful when they only give you two fingered input. If it was a clamshell shape it might have survived.
I think they are near bankruptcy as their customer service is turned to voice mail, I’ve heard they even sent customers OQO computers back un-repaired, and heard rumors employees are on part time schedules.
I do not feel any drool about their new 2+ model as it looks the same as it always has been. I feel they need a fresh radical new look. I too agree that they need a real keyboard in a future model if they are ever to succeed and make money.
I am very disappointed with this POC. Not necessarily for its technicalities but for its awful customer service. It is true what I read above: I got my OQO Model-2 after three months of waiting for a solution to a main board problem with a note saying that they cannot repair my OQO due to economical issues and “a solution would available shortly”…. WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!!!!!!! You pay BIG BUCKS for this crap assuming it would be productive and “handy”, then you wait three months for a solution, and finally they returned the item in the same useless condition!!!. The OQO company is not honoring its warranty and to end this short, the have practically stolen my money.