Jolla Spins Off Hardware Business 44
New submitter John.Banister writes: Jolla, founded by former Nokia employees to continue where Nokia left off developing Linux based mobile devices, has spun off its hardware division with the intent to focus more strongly on its Sailfish Operating System.
In its press release, the company assured backers of its crowdfunding campaign that it's still committed to delivering a tablet once hardware supply issues are resolved (PDF).
Why have choices at all? (Score:1)
Just impose the majority choice, drop all the others.
This is much more efficient, after all, no?
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Why use Facebook anyway? The only social networking that matters is MySpace. These guys are 10 years late.
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As a long time Android user who has just recently moved to jolla, I suggest giving it a go. I've only been on it a few weeks and already I can't imagine myself going back to Android as my primary device. Use what works for you. I'm really enjoying my Jolla.
On a similar note, how much market share do they need to be successful? What is success?
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OS2 could also run DOS programs.
It's true, as a OS2 user back in the day, i only used it as a multitasking DOS.
Why, because the few programs available for OS2 were hard to come by and costed way to much for a young geek like me.
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You are ignoring a factor: UI. Jolla has a very characteristic UI look and design, based on swipes and gestures more than on button, and quite different from the one of Android. Jolla users look for native apps when they are available and they don't suck, so developers have an incentive in writing them.
And, also, people don't choose a Jolla phone for the apps. It's *mostly* the freedom. So your argument "oh, yes, and there's the freedom too" does not apply.
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The only linux based mobile platform that matters is android. These guys are 10 years late.
I guess their name is their destiny... the fish has already sailed.
You're trolling right? Even if you're not you're pushing ignorance. Jolla has a bunch of interesting features that actually work.
I hope the Jolla project succeeds financially - it may break a lot of walled gardens.
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So quit saving money then? (Score:2, Interesting)
I've been saving up to buy the successor to the N900. I've even gone to the point of buying a "throwaway" phone in anticipation of my current phone eventually dying so I have a backup. There's no way I'm going to put myself at the mercy of Google, Microsoft, or Apple.
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I own one of the keyboards and am quite pleasantly surprised. I would even go as far as to liken it to the Nokia 9300 keyboard, which IMHO was superior to the N900 keyboard. I used it yesterday for some terminal work and IRC, while on a train, and really liked it.
Keep in mind, that it is highly unlikely that another batch of the keyboards will be produced any time soon, or maybe ever. There are some people who are selling theirs though, sometimes with and sometimes without the phone.
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You miss the point. It is not just the keyboard, it is the independence. Maybe if I save another thousand I can buy a phone that isn't subservient to some data collecting MegaGoliath?
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I must be missing something obvious, but why don't you just buy the Jolla? [jolla.com]
Perhaps if they sold to the US... (Score:1)
...this wouldn't be a problem. However, they insist on avoiding the US with an irrational passion.
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I am guessing from your comment that you are based in the US. Welcome to the same experience many of us we have in the rest of the world. E.g. only a limited selection on Netflix, lots of products get released later than in the US, or you go shopping on Amazon and during checkout you are told that some of the items are not shipped to your country.
That being said, there are valid reasons for delaying or avoiding roll-out to some regions. There may be regulations or legal risks which makes the market unattrac
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With US normally being the first market targeted (huge market, single set of requirements), my guess would be a decision not to go there would have to do with patents or legal risks, not wanting to be pwned by one of the big players.
Jolla is based in Finland and was founded by a lot of former Nokia employees (Nokia is also based in Finland). This makes Finland (and the EU) their obvious home market.
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I am guessing from your comment that you are based in the US. Welcome to the same experience many of us we have in the rest of the world. E.g. only a limited selection on Netflix, lots of products get released later than in the US, or you go shopping on Amazon and during checkout you are told that some of the items are not shipped to your country.
Why yes, I am. I do recall it being at least FCC certified to operate, but nothing else.
At least with the 9500 Communicator and other models, there was a willingness to ship across borders. On the other hand, Jolla goes out of its way to make sure that it is a PITA to import one, much like how Nokia's high-end Harmattan device was released to the middle-of-nowhere.
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...this wouldn't be a problem. However, they insist on avoiding the US with an irrational passion.
Don't know Jolla's reasoning for not going to the US, but I think that if I was making cellphones outside of Android/Windows, I'd avoid that market due to American's irrational passion for litigations.
Hardware division? (Score:1)
Were they actually thinking of making sets? Did they learn nothing? No of course not.
And im sure their utterly lackluster software will go nowhere either.
Nokia only made durable shitty brick phones. But the world went to smart phones, and nobody wants Nokia 'software'. They should have diversified into something else, like solar panels, or wind turbines. Get on the Al Gore kick.