On 11/04/2004 05:55 PM, Randy Heise wrote:
Matt
We've been playing with the same idea but have hesitated due to a perceived
problem with the cost of ownership of the handhelds.
It's not just a perception, but a reality :-). We bought off-the-shelf
Dell hardware with the full replacement warranty. So we're somewhat
protected, and based on conversations with SFMOMA and a couple other
places, we don't expect terrible trouble with people dropping them and
breaking them, etc. But we do intend to keep an eye on this, very
carefully, and if we decide to do this long-term we will have to replace
the handhelds eventually.
Currently, we're
constantly retrieving what's left of cameras and cell phones from our
various animal exhibits (amazing what an otter can do to a cell phone in 30
seconds!!)
Sounds really cute, actually! I hope it wasn't your phone.
and are afraid that the cost of PDA ownership/replacement would
be too great.
In most cases, I think content development is going to be more expensive
than the hardware. Not that the hardware cost is negligible or anything.
But these Dells, with WiFi built-in, lanyards, extra styluses, and the
warranty, came in around $350 each. We bought 20 to start so that's well
under $10,000. But we did all the content internally, and it was a ton
of work. Had we contracted for help (writing, project management,
editing), I could imagine spending many tens of thousands of dollars on
that. And I don't know if we can keep doing it all internally, it's very
time-consuming.
At this point we're approaching it from the standpoint of
wi-fi connection/content delivery to visitor owned PDAs/Phones to avoid the
cost of ownership of the device itself.
It will be only a matter of a couple years before most web browsing
takes place on phones, handhelds, etc. I think you have the right idea
here.
Look forward to hearing further developments with your pilot program.
I'll post again in a while, when we've gotten through the surveys, etc.
Thanks!
---
You are currently subscribed to mcn_mcn-l as: rlancefi...@mail.wesleyan.edu
To unsubscribe send a blank email to
leave-mcn_mcn-l-12800...@listserver.americaneagle.com
