I Don't Want to Feed the Rumour Mills, But...

[Brad Adrian]

<a href="http://www.firstloox.org/October_2002.htm">http://www.firstloox.org/October_2002.htm</a><br /><br />The <a href="http://www.firstloox.org/">firstloox.com</a> site recently posted some news provided by one of its readers mentioning a delay in the U.S. launch of the Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox. There's been no hard corroboration from other sources, so I guess this has to still be considered a rumour.<br /><br />"I regret to inform you that one of the [Fujitsu] VPs called me yesterday and left a voice mail on my phone. He clearly stated that 'Fujitsu has changed its strategy' and that LOOX 'will be delayed by around 6-8 months and is definetly not coming to the US market in the near future.' I called him back for information and when i aksed why, he said 'well, partly technical and part other' he also mentioned that the loox had 'some problems with its speakers' and that they also intend to 'improve the wireless features' on the LOOX. He hesitated on providing more specifics, but bottom line: NO LOOX IN AMERICA FOR A LONG TIME."<br /><br />If this is true, it's a real shame. I was hoping that a Pocket PC Phone Edition device with the loox's expanded capabilities would be here before long. I guess the HTC-built version of the XDA may enjoy a U.S. monopoly for a bit longer...

[ThomasC22]

I have to say, if there was ever an example of a device squandering a great deal of enthusiasm through confusion...it's the Loox

'Nuff said.

[Jonathan1]

:rofl: This device has pissed me off so much since it's original announcement. :evil: I mean first we hear about this slick *** device called the Loox. Then we get these cool screenshots and specs. Finally we are told the America's can go screw off in terms of availability, oops sorry that isn't correct there will be availability to "global accounts" still don't know what the heck that is. Then we hear it’s going to be available in the US under the Fujitsu branding. All the while the release date gets pushed back for the US. And now this. The next message I'm expecting these guys to give is the big middle finger to everyone since they obviously don't have a freaking clue as to what they want to do with this device. :roll:

Meanwhile Dell is mustering their forces and had one big *** steal toed boot on to kick the crap out of FS if they ever decide to make a REAL appearance here in the US. :twisted: 6-8 months from now Dell, Toshiba, and HP will have a firm hold on the market and there will be little if any market share left for the Loox. (The remaining market share being those so totally Loyal to the Loox that they would be willing to wait that long.) Heck 6-8 months is almost the turn around time for a new device so is FS thinking about scrapping the current Loox and going with something new in the US? :shocked!: At this point don’t know….don’t care. :? Hmm is this what happens when you don't have a clear plan for your international markets? :?:

[Gerard]

Here's 2¢ of mine, if anyone wants it. I've seen many bug-infested devices come to market over the past three years. I've read in disbelief (in Pocket IE on my Casio EG-800, all I had at the time) the thousands of forum posts about all the dozens of mechanical and OS implementation glitches in the iPAQ series, one model after another, always presenting new and fun ways to really ¶¡$$ off the hapless owners. I had more than my fair share of EG-800 disasters, but the 5th unit (thank a man named Scott Nelson of Casio USA for brilliant warranty service!) is the charm, working great after more than a year with everyday use. I wondered how people could put up with this, but even more, I wondered and wonder still how consumers fall for it in such numbers. Now we have the Toshiba E740 fiasco, the shameful crippling of the Casio BE-300, the prevailing non-SDIO sham, and non-replaceable batteries even! But people buy and buy. Companies sell and sell and sell.... foisting garbage devices on the unwary because they can't be bothered to properly test large numbers in real-world use. You wanna find the bugs in your new Pocket PC? Really? Maybe you could save yourself a few million bucks in wasted production and marketing by sending out 100 units to qualified field testers, diverse people in business, software development, and just ordinary heavy users (like me!).
So, that brings me to where I think Fujitsu-Seimens is going. I think they realize that great, long-lived devices don't happen overnight. I think some early testing has shown that these devices are not quite reliable enough and perhaps not even full-featured enough to stick around for a year or more in the global market. I suspect that they are playing it slow and easy to be sure that when they do release it for everyone it will truly be ready, a classic computing device to last more than a few months in the market. Just guessing.

[Janak Parekh]

Gerard,

The speed of the PDA (and PC markets) don't really allow that. If they spend another six months or so, you'll have the wireless iPaq's, Tungsten T, etc. out in the market, crowding that arena, and new tech is just around the corner.

Second - why did they release it in Europe then? It's much more likely it's a business strategy, maybe they aren't justifying the marketing and distribution costs in North America, although why that's the case is beyond me.

Third - it's not as if the Pocket PC units are the only ones that have been plagued with trouble. Look at all the Palm problems, from the cracks on the IIIc to the dim and inconsistent screens on the m505, to the shielding issues on the Visors. Hardware, especially if subcontracted, is not easy to do right.

--bdj

[Ce]

Just be glad that FSC doesn't release the current stock of the Loox on the US market. The device has just too much flaws. I owned one for a few days but returned it. Why.....? horrible "speed", screenflickering, bad implementation of bluetooth.
Besides this, I think they just don't want to compete with Dell, viewsonic, Asus, Toshiba and so on...because 700 Euro (thats appr. 700 USD!!) for a device like this is way too much. Therefore they will concentrate on the european market.

[Duncan]

Ce,

The new ROM update has been reported by a number of people to fix every problem you have listed - and more...

btw - €700 = less than $600 once VAT (tax) is removed!

[st63z]

NEC P300 anyone...

[toshtoshtosh]

I heard the GPRS module of the Loox will be cancelled?

[Jason Dunn]

I've heard bits and pieces of this: there were apparently issues with the battery, so this news about the delay isn't surprising.

[Ce]

Ce,

The new ROM update has been reported by a number of people to fix every problem you have listed - and more...

btw - €700 = less than $600 once VAT (tax) is removed!

...you're right about the VAT. If all those improvements have been made by this new ROM update it's perhaps a good idea to ask the people at firstloox.org for a new review?

[farnold]

I heard the GPRS module of the Loox will be cancelled?

Yep, it appears to be. A number of internal emails have been leaked to members at firstloox all stating that the GPRS module is not to be released. Yet, there is not official comment from FSC regarding it.

[Duncan]

Yet, there is not official comment from FSC regarding it.

Sadly there is now... www.firstloox.org

Ce,

I've got some benchmarks (both mine and from other people) that show better VOB results for the Loox, in every aspect, than those for the e740 and iPAQ 3970. I haven't published them yet because FSC have taken down the flash update and I want to see what happens with the revised one. FWIW - when I say 'every aspect' I'm not exagerating - at the moment my Loox is showing as faster than any benchmark I've seen for any Xscale Pocket PC!

So

- either MS were fibbing about not putting XScale enhancements in the EUU3 update; or

- every Pocket PC is going to have increased zip in it with EUU3 now; or

- FSC have really made some impressive speed improvements in the Loox ROM!

I don't know which!

Also - taking an average of feedback to date - Loox users who have updated have shown a 30 to 50% increase in average battery life. My rough tests have shown a similar result - depending on use. Again - I want to wait before publishing figures...

[farnold]

Sadly there is now... www.firstloox.org

Yep, I received it as well now... :cry: