Gta04:
I think the reason for that is this:
The Neo900
It was sort of difficult to put down a pledge, that could be easier and i imagine many dropped out in the process.
Secondly the advertizing for someone normal was a bit over their head. Freedom is a good and laudible means, but its not an end product, its the lack thereof that takes away from other phones. Focus on how other phones are bad and how this isnt.
People dont expect to be ripped off, nor do they know how this happens.
Also a _lot_ of people dont like smartphones, they want a keyboard, this has a keyboard, one of, if not the best found on a phone.
It makes it better for blind people, so try and get together with a blind hacky person and see how it fares. If they can use it, its _the best_ advertizing you will ever get, because only blind people know what its like to be blind.
It is so close of beeing for the everyman, if only the mad hacky side of it was, not toned down, but balanced by what it is, a phone. And i would sell the whole phone, some people will gladly pay 1000 euro to have the full phone ready to go in their mailbox. Security is important to people, 1000 euro to the same people is nothing. Thats unfortunate for some, but a huge market to tap into. Make sure to reach out to those people where they are, it isnt irc.
Also the idea of sustainability is good, but sold short a bit. All those n900s, they are going to scrap, because the usb is engineered badly. This is german engineering, and i expect it to be up to that standard. Which is how people can feel good about recycling their old phone, or a phone that they have upcycled or saved.
Edit: i didnt see you meant gta04. Gta04 had its fair share of problems, which i guess is something mostly fixed now. Make a nice video where someone receives a call, sends a text message, operates the phone. Not shaky blurrycam style, but actually informative and pleasant.
The gta04
The webshop for gta04 screamed speciality product, like im buying a original rubber belt for a old tool out of a speciality warehouse storage somewhere.
I couldnt be more in the demographic for one, yet i ended up not getting one, (onboard for neo900 though, even though i dont have a n900)
The whole process was quirky, and it seemed like it was a "call here for price, and availability"
This _is_ who the other manufacturers arent, it should feel like it belongs with me, in a community. Then i think it will fare much better on home-soil.
The new neo900 page is good, but it isnt great. Its an engineers best effort, and it looks like it. Ill try to rewrite it a bit more clearly and not so verbose.
Edit: From the point of view of a general user, this makes me think i can have security without being a genious or forsaking ease of use.
To sell security you need to sell security. Here goes.
Image of phone
Does not spy on you anti prism image
Hardware keyboard. image
Recycle a n900 by using whats good, and getting rid of whats bad.
Replacement board: 800 euro (
click to buy)
Whole phone ready to go: 1000 euro (
click to buy)
Engineered in Germany, built in Germany.
Can be used by novice users.
(sexy screenshots of phone default OS. Homescreen, Taking a picture, writing an email/sms, listening to music, browsing the web, navigating with gps )
From the open hardware, free-software community, we are on your side.
Image of nicolaus and others involved.
Edit2:
If this is depicting a Junkers Ju87 dive-bomber, firing and bombing something flat and causing it to burn, then it is doing that job well.
Edit3: Ok, now i get it, its a føniks. Ive seen it lots and lots of times, but havent reflected over it. Took me a good 10 minutes of appreciation to see what its trying to do. TL;DR on this, start again.
http://www.openphoenux.org/images/pillars.jpg Here it is again doing a star wars death star run on the roof hatch of the reichtag. Red leader standing by.
Instead do just the icons, with a mouseover to see the name.
Proposed page:
Neo900 a phone that respects the user. Openphoenux,Antiprism, Linux|Gnu,recycling logo/pictograms Microblog goes here
PICTURE OF PHONE WITH OS IN USE
I want the only phone i can buy that does not spy on me in any way: 1500 € Delivery fast
I already own a nokia n900, i want to replace whats bad and use whats good: 800€ Delivery fastest
I want a spot in the preorder queue 100€ Delivery slowest
I want to fund such a laudable project, since i am a internet boss ____€ Instant gratification
All prices are the same as for the early preorders, which is fair. The more phones we sell the cheaper for everyone. You wont be forced to order anything with your spot in the preorder queue, you will even be refunded if you want to at the end of the project. If you do want to buy a phone, it will be rebated by whatever amount you funded with.
Units sold so far: 360
Funds raised: 56k, funds used: 15k
First prototype Second prototype buy parts third proto Buy more parts Sign contracts Deliver units (these are all links to the corresponding blog posts)
[screenshot of replicant], [screenshot of SHR], [screenshot of CP/M] each doing either surfing the web, listening to music, calling, or editing text
4 freedoms
Made in germany
No systemd
Showreel of media publicity
Picture of Joerg, picture of schaller, picture of DocS
