The OGO goes legit today

More or less right on schedule, AT&T Wireless bounced out the Ogo today, their new handheld for doing email, instant messaging (AIM, MSN, and Yahoo), and text messaging. They're totally taking aim at a little something you might have heard of called the Sidekick II (and its teen demographic), but the really genius or really dumb thing (depending on one's point of view) about the Ogo is that it's not actually a phone (though it does use GSM/GPRS and it does get assigned a phone number so it can receive text messages), and you're supposed to carry it along with your cellphone. It's being priced at $100 (after a $30 rebate), with service starting at $18 a month.

[Thanks, Brian]

[TheZodiac @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

Had it a phone, then maybe it could have been a contender. After all, it D0ES have GSM/GPRS, so I guess its not out ot the question. Maybe they will integrate PPT or soemthinng in there - thats a start. The device is assigned a phone number, so its rather silly they wouldnt "use" that "feature" in the future.

[Deaf @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

This is going to be the PERFECT device for deaf people who communicate mainly by emails and AIMs. From what I understand there is a bluetooth earpiece for it but AT&T did not activate it. Will they? Maybe if enough of you complain. Just don't complain too much and then get the device discontinued. There is a market for this even if it doesn't fit YOUR specific needs.

[Marino @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I have the Sidekick and I carry an ATT phone with me, so I don't mind if the OGO doesn't talk. But the sidekick also has a browser... That's where the "OGO" is "NOGO".

[Phil @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I'm very curious if I can set my return email address on this thing to [e-mail] instead of using one of the canned aol, yahoo, msn addresses.

Also, kudos to AT&T for making this thing require NO long term contract. Mavens understand this market moves fast and are unwilling to commit to a platform for even a year.

I'm going to buy one of these at x-mas because $40/mo and up for blackberry/sidekick is way too steep for my needs. And no, I'm not a teenager.

[ford @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I went through their faqs on the email, said it will work with other specific email providers. But if I can't load my domain/school email, that'll be kinda useless. But I'll still probably get one.

[Larry @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

it is up and running...and it is SWEET...you can get your aol, msn and yahoo email. But you can also get email from comcast, covad, earthlink, and sbc.
But the cool thing...it that you can set up the OTHER field and put in your own server name and SMTP addresses....incoming and outgoing server names.
THIS IS SWEET.
Plus I am blown away at the speed of the IMs and emails.....super fast in my area.
The IM feature is just like the desktop messenger....you can change you status messages....and do just about anything you can do on the regular messenger....even ignore and add users.

WOW.....I am in gadget heaven.

Larry

[Scott Thatcher @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

So Larry how long did your activation take? I'm hearing 24+ hours from some. Mine has been attempting to activate for 5+hours...

[Eddie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

Will it display emails in other languages, let's say chinese/japanese!!

[Larry @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

activation took about 45 mins for me....that was about it...
No problems...as of yet. Everything is working wonderfully. I am getting really great signal strength where I live...usually my cell phone will find a dead spot here and there...but the ogo is working great.
Another great thing about the ogo is the customer service....I had a hard time adjusting some settings...So I went to the help section of the menu and logged on and talked to a live customer support person...from the handheld. That is really amazing to me.......

just my 2 cents.

Larry

[Wali @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I felt in love with this ogo... But I'm living at the wrong place on this planet. Europe does not seem to have such a nice gadget :-(

[The Unfettered One @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

I have no idea what future plans AT&T have for the Ogo, however I do know that the current version of the Hiptop 2/Sidekick 2 is GSM Tri-band and that Danger definitely has plans for the device in Europe, Asia and even South America in the very near future. Possibly through T-Mobile (in Europe), but do not be surprised to see it pop up either unlocked or with another carrier like Vodafone or O2.

Of course if you like, Nokia does have the Communicator 9300 coming out soon (early next year I hear). True it will probably cost more than either Sidekick 2 or Ogo, but then it does everything that both these devices does plus a helluva lot more plus it has bluetooth.

As for the Ogo, it looks interesting and I played with one a bit the other day. I do like the size and weight of the Ogo, and the price and the price of its plans are very nice. However, everything it does I can get on Sidekick 2 (with the exception for MSN Messenger and that is in the works and will be made available soon). The Ogo's lack of a browser and a telephone is off-putting for sure, but if it fits your needs, I do not think you can go wrong with this device. But I still think that at the very least they should have made phone service available through the device even if nothing more than through the use of a headphone.

It reminds me a lot of the two-way Motorola put out a few years back, the v100. Just a lot sleeker and without a phone.

[Wali @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

Well, in fact, I envy this Ogo egg for its simplicity and functionality, regardless of questions about standards.
Good old Europe very much hates proprietary stuff and therefore sometimes waits for a veeery long time before releasing new technologies such as Instant Messaging and Instant Talk.
OMA, 3GPP and Wireless Village: Too many different standardization forums for "Presence".
What I also like about the Ogo is its lack of voice capabilities. This might sound weird but I like to physically seperate email/chat/surfing from regular voice services. SonyEricsson's P900 is definitively great piece of technology, but mostly it's being used for calling...
What I'm missing with the Ogo is MMS, webbrowser and a cam...
The price model for Ogo services is quite amazing too and I'm wondering how this could look like in Europe where a SIM card costs you already 30 �.

[Chad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:04AM]

This is a wonderful device for us deaf and hard of hearing. Price is nice and it is a perfect email/im/and text messaging device. Cingular/AT&T even gives you a telephone number to use as a txt message so u can communicate with other cell phones and sidekicks. job well done!