Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on November 10, 2006 04:25 AM
I think this sounds like an incredibly useful little gadget, so I really can't wait to get my hands on one (or more).
This is the approach more hardware vendors should be taking, ie. making hardware. It seems really obvious to most people, but for some reason the executives of many device manufacturing companies want to control everything from the software and files on their customers' devices to the services that can be accessed. By not only letting, but actively encouraging, the world to improve the device's functionality it can only result in a better product and a more loyal customer base, and by allowing Flickr et al to be used it appeals to a large audience already in existance, rather than alienating customers by bundling some rushed-job photo sharing service of their own.
I wish every success to this project and hope it encourages others to at least be more receptive of customer input, even if they don't go all-out like these guys.
As a final note I would like to make a request that nobody trolls about "this company just wants to freeload off the open source developers" and stuff, like happened with some Neuros announcements, because that is a sure-fire way to disillusion any would-be open device manufacturers and be stuck with hacked-on freedom on unknown hardware (see the recent story on "iPod Liberation" to see what I mean, although those projects are admittedly very good quality)
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Great idea
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on November 10, 2006 04:25 AMThis is the approach more hardware vendors should be taking, ie. making hardware. It seems really obvious to most people, but for some reason the executives of many device manufacturing companies want to control everything from the software and files on their customers' devices to the services that can be accessed. By not only letting, but actively encouraging, the world to improve the device's functionality it can only result in a better product and a more loyal customer base, and by allowing Flickr et al to be used it appeals to a large audience already in existance, rather than alienating customers by bundling some rushed-job photo sharing service of their own.
I wish every success to this project and hope it encourages others to at least be more receptive of customer input, even if they don't go all-out like these guys.
As a final note I would like to make a request that nobody trolls about "this company just wants to freeload off the open source developers" and stuff, like happened with some Neuros announcements, because that is a sure-fire way to disillusion any would-be open device manufacturers and be stuck with hacked-on freedom on unknown hardware (see the recent story on "iPod Liberation" to see what I mean, although those projects are admittedly very good quality)
Good going guys!
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