Re: So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
 

I am not reading Finnish but seems that Tomi Pienimäki is going to Vincit, according to http://www.epressi.com/tiedotteet/ta...ippariksi.html

Re: So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
 

Honestly, I don't think $2.5 million is quite enough these days to design and produce a truly successful mobile device, even if you don't spend any money at all on software development. The big companies are certainly spending much, much more than that on hardware R&D. (And yeah, just a single point of failure, such as we are seeing with the tablet display, can completely derail a project run on this small amount of money. You just can't afford to test lots of prototypes with lots of different combinations of parts from different suppliers...)

Re: So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
 

It's simplistic because Jolla is a real company that has to maintain offices, a corporate structure and pay 150 employees. To just keep the show on the road, I reckon Jolla would want to be making a gross profit of at very least €10M a year. As it stands, Jolla is selling maybe 10-20k devices a year. Assuming an equally unrealistic gross margin of €100 a device, you're looking at a gross profit of €2M tops. At very least, Jolla would want to start selling 5x what it has been. While I understand that Jolla are still basically a start-up, there are no signs that the hardware division is anywhere near to turning things around.

Re: So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
 

If those are the facts I can of course fully respect that... but my immediate thought is: shouldn't they simply have set the goal higher with the campaign then? Also, regarding the maintenance costs as a company, isn't that why they are now setting up a licensing scheme for Sailfish?

My point is, I would love if it Jolla kept both the software and hardware development 'in-house'. In my opinion, it ensures quality control for devices to meet European standards, enables Jolla to really adjust software to hardware and vica versa, and paves the road for Jolla to grow into a strong brand :)

Re: Jolla tablet countup to delivery[Now With Poll]
 

http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/07/mob...er-of-business
http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/07/jolla-splits-in-two/
There's been several more write-ups in the last few hrs, just some of the main ones; the 1st article is the most detailed one I've seen.

Re: So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
 

I don't think selling tablets was the point of their campaign; it's more like, they suddenly had the opportunity to throw Jolla on some tablets (using financial help from Intel), and set up the campaign to drive more interest in Jolla.

I'm pretty sure that's backwards... Jolla was created as a company to license Sailfish; selling their own hardware was, I think, just a way to show HW manufacturers what a Jolla device would look like. Basically, this is the Google concept; Google wants to make money licensing Android (and through advertising); the point of their Nexus devices has never been to make money, but rather to show off the OS to potential licensees.

Well, that's the Apple concept, and it has certainly worked for them. Indeed, there are many advantages to keeping both software and hardware in-house. But that would kind of negate all the work Jolla has done to date in trying to court partnerships with other hardware manufacturers.

Re: So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
 

Another thing is that having a company dedicated to HW development may also be used to support partners in HW adaptation of their devices, not only designing Jolla branded devices. And there is this thing with devices based on Sailfish Secure. If executed correctly, it may allow some premium on pricing. Hopefully the idea of devices with HW keyboards is not completely forgotten...

Re: So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
 

I'm not sure if you believe they're running off with our money, or should be working on Sailfish for free, but these moves are most probably happening to give Sailfish a chance at surviving the next couple of years. I'm not sure what else you think they can do at this point.

Re: So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
 

Correct.
I find it curious that Pienimäki doesn't go to replace the current Vincit CEO, but they are going to found a new company in addition to existing Vincit Oy, named Vincit Group Oy, which he will lead.
As I understand the first (and old) one will continue to be a software house, the new one will be more into IT services.

Re: So Long and Thanks for all the Fish
 

No, thats not what I am saying. I am happy with beta-testing, no worries. But, the lack of support for existing devices that have been shown so far, is ignorant and disrespectfull.
But - I think more will agree once more batteries dies - as an example. Seems most are running at apx 80% of full capacity atm, and some have already died. One owner even had a nasty experience with how Jolla-care handled the situation - basically telling him to buy a new device.
Batteries is just one example. But the situation where a device, for any reason, is required to be shipped to Finland, with all costs thrown at the owner, is also not satisfactory.
I understand - I think - what they are doing right now, and its not all bad, BUT leaving those who helped, financially and developer wise the back is disrespectful and illoyal.