Loox is not coming to the USA. Not!

[marlof]

<a href="http://forums.pdabuzz.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41229">http://forums.pdabuzz.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41229</a><br /><br />Today, things got confusing at the site formerly run by Wes Salmon. First they posted that the FujitsuSiemens Pocket Loox was not coming to the USA. Then, after the readers protested and said they had other info from Fujitsu USA, they contacted Fujitsu USA again, and suddenly the Pocket Loox was coming to the USA, but only in a limited way. "The LOOX will be sold in the USA, but only to select global accounts. Fujitsu PC Corporation isn't going to market the product in stores or on its web site, as its sister companies in Europe and Asia will."

[jdhill]

It would be nice if Fujitsu-Siemens would get their act together on the USA availability of the Loox !!!

[Paragon]

Expansys USA is saying they will have it for North American shipping next week :?: The whole Loox thing has come down to I'll believe it when I see it. With all the on again off again I find it hard to believe that the GPRS module will ever make here.

Dave

[van_mierlo]

This really loox like the e570 strategy from toshiba to market it to buisnesses only. However the e570 was released as the audiovox maestro with less rom.

[JonnoB]

This really loox like the e570 strategy from toshiba to market it to buisnesses only. However the e570 was released as the audiovox maestro with less rom.

Less ROM... whoah, missing some components like the Today screen - or missing less RAM like 32mb vs 64mb :D

[Ed Hansberry]

Pocket Loox was coming to the USA, but only in a limited way. "The LOOX will be sold in the USA, but only to select global accounts. Fujitsu PC Corporation isn't going to market the product in stores or on its web site, as its sister companies in Europe and Asia will."
Well darn. I guess we'll just have to wait a bit longer. It is clear if the LOOX is a successful product, more will get it. Toshiba did their 570 this way and Audiovox co-branded it. Now Toshiba is the fastest growing Pocket PC maker there is!

[ThomasC22]

"the site formerly run by Wes Salmon" oh marlof, I'm totally stealing that.

Anyway, I don't think this means anything. It seems to me that everyone is reading "corporate customers" into this when they actually probably just mean distributors like Ingram Micro.

As for selling PDAs to corporate america, I'm sorry but until one of these companies decides to build a PocketPC with an integrated screen cover (ala the Jornada) these things are all a no-go as far as I'm concerned.

[Master O'Mayhem]

" I'm sorry but until one of these companies decides to build a PocketPC with an integrated screen cover (ala the Jornada) these things are all a no-go as far as I'm concerned.

what comes with the 3800 3900 series ipaqs? isnt there a sleve with a cover offered with the device?

[Marc Zimmermann]

what comes with the 3800 3900 series ipaqs? isnt there a sleve with a cover offered with the device?

It's not nearly as good as the flip-up cover. The cover dangling around on the left side gets a bit in the way.

[Jonathon Watkins]

It's nice to see that the story on the site formerly run by Wes Salmon is wrong - on SO many levels. :)

Still, I should get my LOOX in a few days in the UK - all being well.

[farnold]

I'm not around the PocketPCs for a long time and therefore I didn't understand the complaints, when Wes Salmon was not with PDAbuzz anymore. But I start to get an idea... is it, that serious information had to make room for pomposity? From all I read around the net, DannyA from PDAbuzz is the only one to have this story. And it even changed once... and I wouldn't be surprised if it changes again...

So, what's the story that I should learn about PDAbuzz?

[Jonathon Watkins]

So, what's the story that I should learn about PDABuzz?
It's a long story, but basically Wes was 'let go' by the people who bough over PDABuzz and who had promised to keep him on. Therefore a lot of us left PDABuzz because we did not want any part of a site run by people who broke their word and who obviously did not care about the users of that site. The fact that they had messed other PDA sites around and were seriously biased towards Palm did not help either. The moderators of PDABuzz resigned in support of Wes and most of the main users of PDABuzz (i.e. the ones that posted a lot and who actually posted useful and constructive information) then left.

See the thread “Welcome to all PDABuzz Refugees” on this site at: http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2009&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 for more information.

Some Ex Buzzers came here, some went to www.pdaavenue.com and some went to Brighthand and other places. Basically there is no point in going to PDABuzz as the main reason that most of us went there was Wes and the Community. Both are gone. Therefore, we don’t go back to PDABuzz.

As you can tell from the accuracy of their ‘stories’ there is not much point in anyone else going there either.

[farnold]

Thanx for the information and the link, PDAgerbil. Hm, it must be that I'm a bit naive... Being a writer myself I still believe too much in what others write... Hm, but fiction and journalism have always been two different worlds for me...

[JonnoB]

The problem with most journalism is that the public takes it as fact... perception is reality. All of these sites are rumor mills and although exciting to read about this stuff, you have to take all that is said speculatively with a grain of salt.

[Dave Conger]

So as I see it, the Loox still isn't coming to the US marketplace. It isn't like the general consumer can easily get their hands on one at a local store or even online. The Loox isn't really coming to the US like it is coming (or available) in other countries. Special accounts with Fujitsu can get it, or if you buy it from an international company like Expansys, but it isn't going to be release locally.

[farnold]

From the information I read at www.firstloox.org it is at least been sold through Expansys - as they say on their web page they are "Europe and North America's largest specialist retailer of wireless technology". They sell to both UK and USA directly. And on the right part of their web page under new for August 6th, you can read:

We met with Fujitsu yesterday and they confirmed that the first shipment of the fantastic new Fujitsu Siemens Pocket LOOX will be here next week.

So, I don't see why you couldn't get one through them...

[mcsouth]

Well, this raises two thoughts in my mind.....first is the sorry state, IMO, that PDABuzz has become since Wes was summarily dismissed. At this point, I take anything I see there with a large grain of salt, and considering how many DAYS it took before any other site was willing to even acknowledge the PDABuzz story, plus their later update, just proves to me that that site is no longer worth my stopping by for news......

Second, I had the Loox pegged as my replacement for my iPaq3630 (w/PPC2002) and my M505 - it looked as close to my desired unit as there is right now. I hope that this doesn't mean that US-spec units won't be available fairly quickly. I'm not sure what the target market is for the unit going to Expansys (possibly UK-spec units?), but often, a manufacturer will not honor warranty on units sold out of market - to me, that would the biggest risk at this point.

Not to get off-topic, but what has happened to the PPC market lately? First, the HP units are discontinued, then Casio apparently backs up - seems like the only players of consequence right now are the iPaqs and Toshibas. I had high hopes for quick availability of the Loox....guess I need to sit and wait some more....... :(

[Jonathon Watkins]

Not to get off-topic, but what has happened to the PPC market lately?
Yes it is all rather odd isn't it. It is a shame that people are departing the field. I still hold out high hopes for the LOOX, but then again I am in the UK.

[Paragon]

I emailed Expansys to check on the status of the Loox I had on order with them, and if they still planned on shipping in North America.

Here is the response


Dear Sir

What we heard from our suppliers is that our UK branch should have some of this stock in about 10 or so days.
Our US branch should have them then say about a week after we have ours.

They will ship it out to you as soon as they arrive.

Regards.

Also for any Canadians out there interested in the Toshiba e550g at CompUSA...They cannot ship it to Canada.

Dave