Russell Beattie Notebook

Voice is still the killer app

Posted on Monday, September 27th, 2004 2:51 PM

AT&T launched their OGO device today to much attention by the online gadget community. Hmm. Three letters. OGO... I've got three other letters for it: POS. What dumb-ass brought this thing to market? As much as I love data services, voice is *still* the killer app. Hopefully I'll look back on this in a year and it'll be different, but right now a device like this without the ability to make phone calls? It's dumb.

Sorry, I know I said nice things about IXI like 2 years ago, but a lot has changed since then and it's pretty obvious that it's all about convergence now. I don't want to lug around this thing *and* a phone, no matter how cool it is. But it actually isn't that cool. A connected device without voice capabilities? And no web browser? It's worse than a PDA, for chrisakes, it's almost useless. How this competes with something like the cool-ass Danger HipTop I have no idea. Spend $100 more and get a real device.

The OGO is just weird. You're going to need to have a phone anyways... this thing just doesn't make sense. Get a Nokia 6820 instead and have a keyboard, chat and IM as well. Also, this doesn't even stick to the PMG way of thinking at all. I mean, if this was a *real* PMG device, it would work unix-style, do one thing and one thing well. No, instead this thing has a wireless connection of its own? Is this the hub that the other devices plug in to? Can I get a super-slim wrist phone now which plugs into it? Nope, it doesn't look like it. Dumb.

OGO: Oh God (it's) 'Orrible.

-Russ