Another requiem

As you have guessed by now, a good part of this blog is about what went wrong with brands that should have succeeded otherwise. So here is another one. The OQO is a hand held computer that was the one of the most anticipated products in the market at the time it was launched. However the brand found the ground slipping from under its feet, because innovations in the mobile market and the net pc market has eaten away their position. Its a classic example of how competition doesn't have to come from other brand in your own product category.

Read the story on wired here

Another dinosaur becomes extinct!

Today brings the chilling news of another blow to bio-diversity...well not exactly bio.. but, you get the idea. Engadget reports that Ugobe, makers of this cute toy is filing for bankrupcy. To me its interesting how a company that has a product as popular and interesting at that, can go out of business. If you live in India and havent heard of Pleo, please do a search on "Pleo Robot" to see how popular it is. Still not impressed? Click here for reallya good article about Pleo and whats inside him.

Read about the " credit ice age " that crushed the hopes of survival of this pint-sized robot, despite the CEO stating earlier that the rumours of its demise are exaggerated. I really wish the WWF would step into save an endangered species.

Pleo comes from the tradition of Furby. Caleb Chung, the CEO of Ugobe also helped creat FURBY that became a hit in 1998. Furby was a toy that started out talking Furbish, but soon learned to speak english.