On Thu, Dec 29, 2011 at 2:50 AM, Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:hns@goldelico.com" target="_blank">hns@goldelico.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="gmail_quote">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<snip> </blockquote><div class="im"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Well, we don't have a real mass market device and I think<br>
we should not even pretend to have one, in this phase.<br>
Because we are then compared to the 100 EUR Huawei<br>
Android/UMTS units where one has to suspect that the<br>
workers in China are being ripped off...<br>
<br></blockquote></div><div>I recently bought a used Motorola XT720 on Ebay for $80 CAD. That's a price I can afford. I'm not saying you should drop prices or use bad factories, but I personally need far more time to save up 499 Euros. <br>
<br></div><div class="im"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
What do you think should we do to make this group<br>
tour a success?<br>
<br>
* extend the subscription timeframe until we reach<br>
100%?<br></blockquote></div><div><br>Please! The people who want it earlier will be disappointed, but seeing as how the development model is so different, I'm sure they'll understand (though ask them, which what you're doing I suppose).<br>
<br></div><div class="im"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
* ask for/collect donations to extend the early bird rebates?<br>
Some sort of sponsorship by community members for<br>
community members who can't afford a new GTA04<br>
immediately?<br></blockquote></div><div><br>I love this idea, but with only 56 units ordered, I'm not going to hold my breath.<br> <br></div><div class="im"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
* have more resellers or buying groups to order batches<br>
of 10 units? <br></blockquote><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
* talk more about the benefits and special features one<br>
can only find in a GTA04 and nowhere else?<br></blockquote></div><div><br>Always good, but takes work. Someone in reply to a recent Phoronix article suggested marketing them as devices that can be fully encrypted for the politician or activist who needs it most. I hate to say it but people have a real hard-on for Android. Making sure the AoF people have a board to hack on could go a long way and you could reasonably call it an investment.<br>
<br></div><div class="im"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
* subsidize GTA04 boards by combining them with a<br>
UMTS contract?<br></blockquote></div><div><br>Possibly but very limited to certain areas, right? Maybe pick the top four geekiest locations to this... What kind of person knows about this sort of thing?<br> <br></div>
<div class="im"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
* offer to pay only part of the price by end of the subscription<br>
time frame so that we can already buy the expensive<br>
and difficult to source components, but postpone<br>
production individually until the remaining payments<br>
arrive? (i.e. pay 200 EUR until 10th Feb and the remainder<br>
until May)<br>
</blockquote></div><div>Big yes! I firmly set my vote for this option above all others. I can afford one eventually, but even May might be too soon for me. <br> <br></div><div class="im"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
More ideas are welcome! But please keep in mind<br>
that we can't develop something completely new until<br>
February and components cost what they cost...<br>
<br>
The simpler the idea the better!<br>
<br></blockquote></div><div><br>You spoke about marketing in another post. This is crucial. Geeks should be jumping for a phone that ships Debian + LXDE. I haven't seen one post on Debian User, or the LXDE lists! These guys are the one's who'll be happy to pay a premium. Let's blast all Foss lists that are even mildly relevant, LUGS all have mailing lists, hackspace lists, where-ever makers hang out, and this is just off the top of my head. Let's also ask GTA02 owners (18,000 of them right?), who have one collecting dust to put them up on Ebay or buy a GTA04. Kickstarter or a similar service like others mentioned, is also a good idea. Even if it's just for specific areas, any funding I'm sure will be put to good use. <br>
<br>I wish I had known earlier no one was doing marketing. Not that I really have much time myself, but since no one else is stepping up to the plate I'll see what I can conjure up. I'll start a marketing thread in the next few days, please though if someone else wants to take the initiative you have my blessing and thanks!<br>
</div><div class="im"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
And, there may be ideas which are too big for a single<br>
community member, but may become feasible if we all<br>
work together, contributing many small pieces.<br>
<br>
Curious about your ideas,<br>
Nikolaus<br>
<br>
[1]: <a href="http://www.giga.de/macnews/newsticker/ios-gegen-android-42-millionen-ios-26-millionen-android-aktivierungen-am-weihnachtstag-256890" target="_blank">http://www.giga.de/macnews/newsticker/ios-gegen-android-42-millionen-ios-26-millionen-android-aktivierungen-am-weihnachtstag-256890</a><br>
[2]: <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/27/holiday-gifts-drive-new-ios-device-activations-sharply-higher/" target="_blank">http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/27/holiday-gifts-drive-new-ios-device-activations-sharply-higher/</a><br>
_______________________________________________<br></blockquote></div><div><br>For the record, I have three hurdles: <br><br>A) The price is too high for me. <font>499 Euros = 659.692059 Canadian dollars. I pay less in rent. At $400 it's a strertch, but I could maybe pull it off by February/March. It's just a matter of time before I get one, but it won't be soon.<br>
<br>B) GSM in my area is very expensive. The only providers that have a fair price where I live are UMTS IV (aka AWS). With the GSM networks, I'm looking at 3 times more than the AWS networks. I have to factor in this cost as well or relegate the GTA04 to a PDA.<br>
<br>C) I don't want to risk breaking my beloved FR. Section 4.9 of the manual should highlight my concern. When I get my hands on a GTA04, I'll probably do the switch at my local hack space under the supervision of a hardware geek. FYI, I've had my FR since near launch and it's been sole phone even when #1024 was making me miss calls. To go from an FR to a GTA04 would provide many things - but the risk of losing both due to an error I make really makes it hard to let go of so much money. I know many in this community don't share this specific concern - however it is one I have.<br>
<br>The other people I know that are interested don't have GTA02s so they are SOL. Perhaps the marketing blast can help with this. <br></font></div></div>
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