OQO For Sale

captainJam writes "After many delays, the OQO is available for sale, or pre-order actually. However, they will begin shipping in the middle of next month. Read the scoop for how much it'll set you back. Check this link if you're still not sure what the OQO is." Update: 10/13 13:49 GMT by H : I've got a Model 01 that was sent over for review; I'll be checking it out with both XP & Linux; it's definitely one of the cooler handhelds out there.

Underpowered?

[RichardThree3]

Yes I'd seen this over in mip's scan [typepad.com] that the OQO has finally [typepad.com] launched and is taking orders on their website. I'm not sure though - it seems pretty underpowered for the price. The Flipstart seems to be a more promising unit.

For sub-$2000

[Gothmolly]

I get basically the same thing as a newer, clamshell Zaurus, but without Linux? I get a used Apple iBook, but without OSX or Mac goodness? Where's the compelling reason to buy?

Re:Panurgism

[TAGmclaren]

The fact is that I am not interested anymore, I just do not believe what they kept repeating while postponing their product.

So true.

And the world has changed a fair bit since that product was announced by the OQO (ex-Apple) guys so long ago. Their former employer came back to trump them with a portable device that people actually want - the iPod.

The thing that Apple now gets(TM) is that there's no point putting forward a product so far ahead of its time that people don't want it yet (e.g. the Newton). I'll bet that the OQO is going to fall squarely into this category; a great idea that's overpriced, underpowered and breaks too easily.

-- james

Nice toy

[Silver Sloth]

For a few nano seconds it will look cool as you have the latest flashiest toy on the block. If that's worth $2,000 to you then fine but I won't be buying.

Re:From the OQO Website

[Anonymous Coward]

What they don't tell you is that the 1GHz processor is a Transmeta chip- sloooooow. Also the hard drive and RAM are NOT upgradable. USB is only version 1.1- slooooow. I know that this has been in development for several years, but c'mon, at least double the RAM and put USB 2.0 in before you release it. It's a goddamn $2000 dinosaur...

Re:What the hell is it?

[dpilot]

I can't rtfa, either. But a quick shot at google, and you'll find that, "The OQO computer is a full-featured pocketable Windows XP computer."

Since we're all talking about "it," it first made me wonder if it's a two-wheeled thingy to make walking obsolete. I actually saw someone using a Segway "in the wild" (as opposed to captivity - ie, demo) today on the way to work - outside on a sidewalk.

Re:The important lines...

[joefreshman]

Actually, no matter what vendor you purchase a PC from, you're paying M$ royalties. In order for the company to get the M$ discount, they just pay M$ $15 per "desktop" shipped (workstations and servers are usually excluded from these deals).

In other words, if you order a linux machine from HP, $15 is paid to M$ for that purchase.

How do I know? I just finished a complete survey of computer vendors to try and find one that wouldn't do this. The only ones are those that would charge you around $100 for Windows XP Home on your machine... in other words, vendors that don't have any agreement with M$.

Free clue: it's about size and convenience

[Moraelin]

Saying basically, 'but you can get a 12" laptop cheaper' is, no offense, completely missing the point.

It's like saying 'but a Walkman and carrying 100 cassettes around is much cheaper than an iPod'. That may well be, but the iPod fits in your pocket, while the cassettes would need a backpack. _That_ is why I'd rather pay extra than carry cassettes around.

Or it's like saying 'don't buy an iPod if you already have a laptop'. That stupid. Yes, you could pack your music on a laptop instead. But all things being equal I'd rather have a small MP3 player in a pocket, than be the idiot who lugs a freaking huge laptop bag around just for the music.

Same with the OQO. I don't want to freakin' lug a huge laptop around, when I can get the same thing in the size of a palmtop.

I'm very much willing to pay $2000 for something which fits in a pocket, _and_:

- has a proper keyboard

- lets me actually run normal PC programs, instead of some castrated Palm-speciffic idiocy.

- lets me actually pack Eclipse on it and do some coding on the road

- lets me actually play a modern PC game once in a while. Not Doom 3, of course. But Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings or several others would run perfectly on it.

Etc.

Again, yes, a laptop would do all that. But I still don't want to lug a laptop around if I have even half a choice.

Re:From the OQO Website

[Anonymous Coward]

I have a old laptop w/ a transmeta 1ghz processor and I can watch DVD full screen on it without ANY problem. On interactive applications, speed is a little "unstable" but it's 100% usable, every time. And it run pretty cool, even w/o fans.