I had no idea when I started this thread that it would grow to five pages...
I guess I was trying to be funny with my topic starter but the more I think about it, the more the whole CodeBaby thing worries me. <What follows is only my opinion and assumptions> When I first found out about the Slimp3 on slashdot, I wanted one badly and couldn't afford it. It wasn't until the SB3 came out that I was finally able to take the plunge. Throughout that time, the image/perception I had in my head about the company and its founders was that of people who had an itch to scratch. They scratched it very well by creating a whole new class of product. You could tell they really put thought into how it was going to be used as you knew they used it themselves. You could tell that they had a sense of humor by some of their press releases. There was heart and soul imbued into their products. They might not have head the glitzy marketing campaigns or other companies, but the simple and easy to use website (how novel, useful photos and specs of the device on the main product page!) and the quality of the product sold me and helped me sell others as well. Over time I am sure Slim wanted to increase sales volumes. The purchase of Slim by Logitech seemed logical. I was slightly skeptical, but sense the original team was staying on, I was optimistic that the quality dedication would continue. Over time I have seen the Slimdevices.com website slowly acclimated in the whole Logitech website eco-system and watched its usability go downhill (again in my opinion). I have read how the original founders are moving on (again, very understandable). I am just afraid that the heart of soul of the original small group that formed Slim Devices has become absorbed by a larger company that just doesn't "get it", in terms of what made Slim so great from the beginning. The new Radio and Touch look great. I am assuming that these products are the last ones that started their life under the original developers before Logitech came in (I could be and probably am wrong :-) any one want to correct me?). I am worried as to what comes next...will that same impressive engineering skill and heart and dedication no longer show? I hope I am wrong. I really do. I am begging Slim/Logitech to prove me so. It all just reminds me of what happened with the original Palm Pilot. Jeff Hawkins founded Palm computing with a handful of people and produced an incredible device. They went on to be bought by U.S. Robotics, then 3com. Hawkins got tired of being part of the big machine and left to start Handspring, which again came out with radical new devices such as the first Treo. I remember watching one of the first interviews with him in the new Handspring office and it looked like Jeff and his team were sitting on a couch they picked out of the garbage. It seemed like he knew he wanted it small, and wanted his hands on the products to make sure they were great. Well, eventually 3com spun off Palm, and then Palm bought Handspring. Now, what was once a great and revolutionary product and company has become almost a joke (yes I had a Treo and used a Pre). I just hope the pattern I saw with Palm isn't what is happening to Slim Devices. But when I see something like CodeBaby trying to sell me something, my fears start to grow. <end soap box> Flames, comments, opinions welcome... -- boerner ------------------------------------------------------------------------ boerner's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3601 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=68531 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
