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OQO is Done, But Tech/Team May Live On

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OQOTalk posted a note from OQO stating that the company is unable to offer support for its customers because of its financial problems. I happened to run into Bob Rosin, OQO’s SVP of sales and marketing, last night in front of my garage and he confirmed that OQO is finished.

“”We are sad to report that due to financial constraints, OQO is not able to offer repair and service support at this time. We are deeply sorry that despite our best intentions, we are unable to provide continued support for our faithful customers. Please accept our sincerest apologies”

He said that the technology and engineering team will live on if a deal they’re working on with another PC vendor pans out. As I wrote a few weeks ago, nobody’s answering the phone at OQO. The OQO stock is completely depleted, which means anyone hoping to score a final unit or two is out of luck. Bob said they did consider producing a final run of devices, but things didn’t work out.

20 Comments

20 Comments

  1. Scoobie

    05/21/2009 at 5:50 pm

    Wow sounds like a scoop, you met him in front of your garage?

  2. Xavier Lanier

    05/21/2009 at 6:38 pm

    Yeah, he takes Judo classes across the street from me. OQO’s offices are about a mile and a half from here.

  3. Mike

    05/21/2009 at 11:41 pm

    I sent my OQO in for repair in January from UK and despite repeated requests for it’s return have heard nothing (it’s basically still very useable). Did he say what is happening for people like me?

  4. Xavier Lanier

    05/22/2009 at 1:25 am

    No Mike, he didn’t mention anything about service repairs. I think your best bet is to join the conversation over at OQOTalk. They seem to have the best insight regarding repairs and there are a lot of people in similar situations.
    If/when I see him next I’ll ask about how you and others can get their units back.

  5. Mike

    05/22/2009 at 2:52 am

    Thanks Xavier. I do keep up with OQOTalk but there’s a lot of speculation. Being outside the US, it’s hard to know who to talk/complain to since OQO shut down.

  6. Primaz

    05/22/2009 at 12:16 pm

    Probably taking Judo classes for self-defense: he’s upset a lot of people.

    There’s nothing wrong with going out of business which, sadly, can happen to almost any company these days.

    But this guy is not only **really** bad at his job, he’s also dishonest.

    A lot of customers have been ripped off on machines that were sent in for repair and then disappeared together with the money they were asked to pay up front.

    You were lucky to talk to him, he certainly hasn’t talked to any customers for weeks now!!!

  7. the real Primaz

    05/22/2009 at 5:21 pm

    FYI, I did NOT post the previous response!

    To me it seems so obvious as it does not have a touch type keyboard. They copied the old HP 200lx design and should have changed it to be more like the HP Jornada 720 series shapes when it had such weak sales. They had cool technolog to make a full PC the smallest size but while we want computer ultra mobile they still have to be functional. Most would agree trying to type a report and do other full Windows work with your thumbs IS NOT very functional. They had weak sales from day one and never addressed this key flaw.

  8. Stuart Guthrie

    05/23/2009 at 12:28 am

    @Primaz – that’s absolute garbage!!! What on earth makes you say that Bob is dishonest!!! Bob has done all he can to ensure that OQO stays in business and to keep their customers happy. Bob has kept us up-to-date with the situation in interviews (remember the WSJ one). Just because we haven’t received as much information as we would have liked does not mean that they have in any way been dishonest. Also, regarding the claim that he’s really bad at his job, that is garbage too! Bob has been an essential part of the OQO team (probably more so than anyone else), and if it weren’t for him, OQO would not have come this far. The majority of the publicity that OQO has received is due to Bob’s efforts.

    I think your comments are completely unjustified.

    Stu :-)

  9. Mike

    05/23/2009 at 2:39 am

    Sorry Stu I don’t quite see it like this. I’ve had $3,500 worth of machine and accessories rendered useless, been strung along for months by OQO (including outright lies) in their ‘efforts’ to stay afloat! As far as I’m concerned anyone who helped perpetuate the myth that they were a going concern and that it was only a matter of time before repairs were made is at least not ethical. They even ignored requests to send my OQO back unrepaired!

    Mike:-(

  10. Stuart Guthrie

    05/23/2009 at 4:08 am

    Hey Mike,

    I understand that you’re very frustrated with the whole situation, but I think a lot of this has honestly been beyond OQOs control. OQO have always thrived to make their customers happy. This can be seen from the plethora of positive posts dating years back on OQOTalk where customers have praised the great service and OQOs willingness to go the extra mile for their customers. Unfortunately, from what I gather, OQO has simply been a victim of this financial recession. I don’t think it’s fair to point the finger at any one person, particuarly someone like Bob who has done all he can, and has gone over and beyond what is required of him.

    Just my two cents.

    Stu :-)

  11. Mike

    05/23/2009 at 4:45 am

    …but ethics is about treating people honestly and fairly in hard times as well as the good. This person was a senior figure within OQO and many customers were left hanging out to dry and he is talking about the team ‘living on’ with another vendor – who I will avoid! Nevertheless, as and when my property is returned to me, I will be the first to recant and apologize.

    Mike :-(

  12. Primaz

    05/23/2009 at 6:53 am

    Unfortunately Stuart Guthrie is a bit of an OQO “fanboy”, always posting messages in unrealistic support of OQO like this. He seems to know Mr Rosin rather well …

    Mike is quite right. I’d also avoid any company that Mr Rosin is ever involved with in the future. Unethical and dishonest right up to the end when he was still making promises that owners of OQOs sent in for repairs would be looked after whatever happened.

    By the way, some OQO owners have had their property returned but this is thanks to the unpaid private efforts of some ex OQO employees disgusted at the way the situation was handled. They should be applauded, Mr Rosin should be blackballed unless/until he puts this right.

  13. Stuart Guthrie

    05/24/2009 at 12:14 am

    @Mike – I am really sorry to hear about your situation and I do agree with your statement about ethics. I do, however, believe that OQO, and in particular Bob, have tried to do all they can for their customers. Infact I would argue that OQO have gone over and above what should be expected of them in their current situation. I cannot say for sure, but I am under the impression that the OQO staff that have remained there have not been paid for quite some time. Why??? Because OQO are doing all they can to look for options to support their customers and establish repair facilities. It would be easy enough for the remaining staff to abandon ship, but this is certainly not something they are doing. Once again, I’m sorry to hear about your situation and I do hope that things are resolved soon. While I certainly can understand your frustration, don’t take it out on OQO – they really are doing all they can under these circumstances. :-)

    @Primaz – Yes, I’m a huge OQO “fanboy”, but I have never met Bob. I have, however, had a few e-mail converstations with Bob in the past and really believe that he is a genuine guy who is dedicated to the company and to its customers. Bob has gone out of his way to answer many queries that I have had and find out information for me (just an ordinary OQO customer). Bob has poured a huge amount of his own personal time into this company as I’d often receive e-mail replies from him at what must be some ungodly hour of the morning over there. Also if you look at the majority of the OQO YouTube videos and web interviews, it is Bob who is out there promoting the 02 or 2+.

    Also, where do you get your information about ex-employees being disgusted at the way the situation was handled??? I certainly know of ex-employees who are sad from the outcome but I’m yet to speak to one who holds any anger towards the company, indeed all I’ve spoken to still support the company and hope to see it thrive again.

    I don’t know Mr. Rosin and obviously you don’t either, THEREFORE I believe that these comments being directed at him are totally uncalled for. All I can say is that the times that I’ve spoken to him, I’ve been nothing but impressed by his professionalism and determination to help.

    Once again, just my two cents.

    Stu :-)

  14. Primaz

    05/25/2009 at 4:33 pm

    People can make up their own minds by looking at the messages from unhappy users on oqotalk.com who sent in their machines for repair weeks or months ago, never got them back and haven’t had any information or answers from OQO.

    This goes back to well before OQO ceased trading.

    That’s not my definition of professionalism, honesty or a “genuine guy”!

  15. James Blish

    05/25/2009 at 11:55 pm

    Guess what? OQO’s biggest mistake? Using Windoze!!!!!!!!

  16. the real primaz

    05/26/2009 at 12:19 pm

    Stuart, for the record I did not make any of the posts about service, etc.; I am amazed that someone whom has issues with OQO hides behind my handle? I wanted OQO to do well but only felt they would do so if they provided a touch type keyboard version.

    “since OQO ceased trading” ? what? they always have been a private company as far as I know. If you are upset at them you have the right to. I can see recent buyers being more upset as it appears that they started to cut corners as the more recent product had more tech issues and repair problems than the earlier ones and I would think they knew a long time ago that they were in financial problems.

    Anyways I do agree with Stuart, OQO has tried to service their customers and I do not think they are dishonest people. What I think is that they had great technology but did not use it correctly. Namely their choice in the design of using a thumb based computer. That was their big mistake making it thumb based. That design never was popular even way back in 2004 so for the die hard OQO fans whom think they are gone due to the economy that is bogus. What they should have done is do change the design years ago.

    If they made it a bit longer they could have provided an integrated touch type keyboard and they would have millions of buyers instead of a tiny group of users.

  17. tbone

    05/28/2009 at 8:52 pm

    Primaz: Touch type keyboard?? Are you off your rocker??? This is a HANDHELD device!! Get it??

  18. Stuart Guthrie

    05/28/2009 at 10:28 pm

    Thanks for clarifying that the real Primaz – I had assumed that the original poster wasn’t you. :-)

    Stu :-)

  19. the real primaz

    05/31/2009 at 11:10 pm

    tbone, yes the OQO had a thumb keyboard and that is why so few people purchased it. Handhelds typically referenced the handheld clamshell Windows CE devices. OQO tried to sell the same old design for many years but the sales remained weak as full Windows is just not very useful with two fingers.

    OQO to me had great technology in making a full PC so tiny and they had good quality for the most part until the last batch which supposedly had a lot of motherboard issues. To me they should have realized the lack of a touch type keyboard was too great and should have modified the design much earlier to adapt and be successful. I highly doubt their technology will live on if you mean someone else making the same device with another brand. It could live on if someone took the internals but made it into a jacket size clamshell that had a touch type keyboard.

  20. the real primaz

    05/31/2009 at 11:13 pm

    Stu, You know my opinion remains that any UMPC without a touch type keyboard will not be very popular nor likely be profitable.

    fyi, you might want to check out Pocketables.net I saw a picture of a new UMPC made in China that I swear looks like a silver OQO?

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