OQO Touchscreen

[Guest]

[areyes]

Looks like the OQO will hava touchscreen in the future, got this from jkkmobile

Thanks for the video JKKmobile

http://jkkmobile.blogspot.com/2008/01/touch-screen-oqo-02-coming-soon.html

[keanders21]

Man that sounds like the OQO 02+ with those changes.

[Over Achiever]

Whoa I'm surprised they mentioned that ... need to save up for a 64 GB SSD Touchscreen OQO that's sleeker and have more battery life! Sounds like a Model 02+ to me!

[devGOD]

DAMNIT! and i just bought my OQO 02... oh well in a few months i'll get the new version. I hope its not like $3000 but i'm pretty sure it'll be close to that price for a SSD + Touch screen.

[tnkgrl]

Hmmm, interesting... It's unlike OQO to talk about future products like that! Where was this video recorded?

[navmaxlp]

Hmmm, interesting... It's unlike OQO to talk about future products like that! Where was this video recorded?

I'm pretty sure I read CES 2008 but, as we're just hearing about it, it may have been a slip of the tongue. Seems like if they meant to release the info more people would have known about it sooner.

[JCC]

The video dates from the CES. It's been at TkArena since then.

The only real news is the touchscreen model coming next quarter. I hope this will appeal to those who will only consider devices with a touchscreen. (I hope they run only programs with a touch optimized interface, and never fall back to the operating system user interface.) If, after this, those whose sole complaint about the OQO was that it didn't a touchscreen still complain about it, I think OQO should just write off those people.

(I hope they're not moving to touch exclusively. i.e., either it's an option, a dual mode screen, or some other way of maintain a great, vector-free inking experience while still offering the benefits of touch.)

Everything else is vague with no specific date attached to them. He didn't tell us anything we didn't already know. Given what gets suggested the most, of course, they're working on making it thinner, lighter and longer battery lived. If the past few months shows anything, it's that OQO is always working on incremental improvements. Note that he didn't say that they'd introduce lighter, thinner, or longer battery lived at the same time as the touchscreen. (He didn't say that they wouldn't either, of course.)  Specifically, "sleeker" was in reference to a possible, still undefined product 12 to 18 months out. So if you want the "sleeker" OQO, be prepared to wait.

I'm sure this guy didn't expect anyone to parse his words so closely. However, other than the touchscreen, I don't think he gave away anything.

(Also, the 64 GB SSD is what sets the price of that model, not the active digitizer. So, until SSD prices drop, why wouldn't OQO sell a new 64 GB SSD model for about the same price as the current one? BTW, OQO's extra charge is apparently market rate. Apple charges about $1000 extra for its 64GB SSD upgrade. About the same with Dell and Alienware.)

It's the same as always. If what they have now meets your needs, go buy it. Otherwise, wait. There will always be something better coming out.

I suspect it's possible for them to have a thinner device if they gave up on HDDs, and used SSDs exclusively. But until SSD prices drop a lot, that would cede their low end, such as it is. I keep trying to figure out why OQO can't come up with something as thin, and long battery lived as the Nokia N810. The OQO has more storage, more memory, a beefier processor, and a better thumbboard. Unfortunately, those are all good things that I wouldn't want OQO to give up. Fortunately, I don't think it needs to be as thin or long battery lived as the N810, just thinner and longer battery lived than it is now. e.g., if it were it's current thickness, but with the extended battery, rather than the standard battery, that would be wonderful.

[navmaxlp]

If, after this, those whose sole complaint about the OQO was that it didn't a touchscreen still complain about it, I think OQO should just write off those people.

Why? My main complaint about the OQO was the lack of a touchscreen because I have a specific purpose for the device in mind. So, now that it has one, I'm expected to keep quiet if I have other problems or concerns? That just doesn't make sense. I'm sure that people looking at the model 01 had more than one problem with it (dim screen, bad keyboard, heat issues) If they had fixed only one of those issues with the model 02, should those people who still had concerns about the remaining problems have been written off? Hopefully OQO and Dennis Moore will continue to consider concerns from everyone and not just those from people who haven't had issues with the product in the past.

[Opus]

I think JCC was referirng to the its-not-a-umpc-if-it-does-not-have-touchscreen purists, I've had countless debates on the subject with people in the Origami Project forum, about as childish rational as the must-have-touchtype-keyboard-or-every-forum-gets-muti-spammed group. I don't think he meant to imply people can't complain about problems with a unit, only commenting on the it-must-have-this-feature critics. Really, this gets tiring. :

Every manufacturer & product stands on its own merits for a target consumer, so I'm open to all interpretaions of the UMPC as long as it is capable of running Windows & most compatible software decently.

I would be interested in a touchscreen OQO but only if it does not ruin the ink exerience (dual mode sounds the way to go), and it would have to be a major improvements in what I consider more important as in higher screen resolution, thinner/lighter, & improved cpu/graphics/battery/cooling.

I'm not as interested in touchscreen for the OQO since I can get an iPhone for around $500 that provides the touch functionality of an instant on wireless phone, music/media player, GPS, etc where I'm more interested in the mobile Windows PC aspect of spending $2,000 for the next major release of an OQO. But then that is my use case.

[navmaxlp]

Since I found OQOs, I have wanted a touchscreen. I have always thought the idea of being able to switch from the active digitizer to a soft touch option would be perfect.

Call me crazy but, I am not fond of the iPhone. I think it's ingenious and it looks fantastic but, I have a 30gb iPod video and the thought of losing so much HDD space, for me, is unbearable.

[3goldens]

Hate to say this but I told y'all this was coming down the pike.

No surprises here, I am totally stoked for it.

[JCC]

I think JCC was referirng to the its-not-a-umpc-if-it-does-not-have-touchscreen purists,

Yes, thank you for making that clear for me. I'm talking about the people who, for example, claim there is "no way" to use the OQO when the screen hides the keyboard. (What's odd is that they usually also write something that makes it clear that they know it has an active digitizer.)

[Opus]

how about the "what happens if you lose the pen?" or "you can only use the special pen", where, duh, use the keyboard or trackstick mouse if you have to.

[Dennis Moore]

Folks --

I was hoping not to have to reply to this or the other thread on the same topic.  Unfortunately, there is so much traffic on the two that I feel compelled.  I am thrilled that there is so much interest in our future products, and I hope you will find them to be exciting and desirable.

Here are some truths:

1. OQO would never disclose future product information in other than broad terms, but I can disclose that statements in the video are not true about when certain features will ship (if ever).  I assume I could face legal liabilities of some kind if this is a false statement, so I hope you can trust me that the claims about future product features in this video and other versions on the Web are just not true.  Certainly, we are always working to design and engineer improvements in our products, manufacturing, and services, including working on ways to optimize the hardware, software, and services we offer.

2. The person in the video is no longer an OQO employee as of the end of the week when the video was filmed, had resigned prior to filming this video, and was no longer with the company when I first saw the video on tkarena.

3. I am disappointed at the misinformation in the video.  These misstatements should not have been made.  Misstatements are a violation of our values as a company, and a violation of the trust of our customers (who may rely on these statements).  Obviously, the individual in this video was not authorized to say anything about future products, particularly statements that are not true (although I suppose it might have been worse if the statements were disclosing our future product plans, because a denial in those circumstances would not be possible).  As to my feelings when I saw the video initially -- well, how would you feel in the same circumstances?  I'm glad I was at home, so people at work did not see my reaction.

We are contacting each of the sites where this video is or was available, to let them know that the statements made in the video are untrue, and to ask each site to take down the video as such misstatements benefits no one.  In fact, when we do not ship products with the features mentioned in the video on the timelines mentioned in the video (and we won't!), we will probably face individuals claiming that we are failing to deliver on our product roadmap.

Obviously, I am asking our community to trust me.  You will be able to gauge, as time passes, whether I am telling the truth about our future products.  For those who have seen my interactions in the community, I hope I have earned your trust with my actions.

I'm very sorry that these misstatements were created and propagated.  I will do what I can to make sure these misstatements are removed from the web sites where they have been posted, as they can cause irreparable harm to our business (lost sales, harmed reputation).

I appreciate all the interest in the community regarding our future products, and I appreciate all the feedback in this forum about the features suggested -- this will help us craft our actual product roadmap.

Thanks so much for your trust, and for participating in this community!

-- Dennis Moore, OQO

[vting]

Thank You Dennis for point out, I for one am glad you clear it you for us.

I also am glad that a person in your position would take the time to talk to the consumer.

Keep up the good, no the great work.