Model 2+ production seen as "unlikely," says OQO exec

The chances of seeing Model 2+'s release seems dimmer and dimmer, as online retailer Build Your UMPC has joined eXpansys in canceling pre-orders for the Model 2+. OQO's senior VP Bob Rosin confirmed bad news, saying a firm shipping date was partly the reason behind the vendor's decision. Furthermore, he said that it was "unlikely" any more Model 2+ units would be produced, though not indicating how many were currently manufactured and ready to go. Worried about the company's future? Yeah, us, too.

[BB @ Apr 24th 2009 10:08PM]

I want to play COD on this thing...

[Joseph Kim, MD, MPH @ Apr 24th 2009 10:17PM]

As a current model 02 user, I'm so sad.

[Gilbert King @ Apr 24th 2009 10:39PM]

I really like this. Its sad. I wish it had a core 2 duo or atom processor in it instead of the via one.

[Jacob @ Apr 24th 2009 11:30PM]

well the 02+ has (had?) an Atom processor. A Core 2 Duo would melt your hand off!

[Alex @ Apr 24th 2009 10:39PM]

Damn it, I really wanted to buy one of these things someday. Maybe a Model 4, or 4+.

[Mile @ Apr 24th 2009 10:58PM]

OQO, we hardley knew ye.

[laughing_skullx @ Apr 24th 2009 11:01PM]

Lol WHOA!

[sacapuntas @ Apr 24th 2009 11:06PM]

NOOO!!!!! The internet is falling apart at the seams.... oh wait... it's just another problem with the engadget comment system.


Nothing to see here, move along....

I did LOL though. Moderators please don't remove the comment ! It is Epic.

[Jacob @ Apr 24th 2009 11:12PM]

I got dibs on spamming his email. j/k

[Matt @ Apr 24th 2009 11:14PM]

I routinely got that message almost every time I visited Engadget a while ago. I would clear the cookies, it would work for a while, and then stop working. It was quite annoying, but it went away and I haven't seen it since.

[Michael Francis @ Apr 25th 2009 10:59AM]

Aw man, I was so dying to get one of these too. I hope if they go out they liquidate, I'll probably buy a model one if the price is right

[hexydes @ Apr 24th 2009 11:53PM]

OQO had such potential, but it just never panned out. It was too expensive and lived in a market where there was little demand. Once that demand finally came, the market was full of other, more attractive options (smartphones for those looking for TRUE ultra-portability, netbooks for those who could deal with slightly bigger, but much cheaper).

[beschizza @ Apr 25th 2009 12:09AM]

Thanks for linking in, chaps!

The OQO really is a fantastic device, somewhat better than the Vaio UX, against which it competed directly. I'm still holding out for a while knight.

[Mark @ Apr 25th 2009 12:30AM]

Damn! The OQO2+ has the same graphics chip as the Vaio P, U820 and several other UMPCs. The GMA500 has the crappiest driver support and is handicapping all of the devices it is in. I was hoping the OQO2+ would have a newer version of the driver since I saw it play HD video flawlessly.

[Virtuous @ Apr 25th 2009 1:17AM]

I always thought the chances of OQO hanging around long-term were slim.

[MaxSMoke @ Apr 25th 2009 2:01AM]

An nVidia Ion and a $1200 price tag could save the company.

[BigDaddyM @ Apr 25th 2009 2:45AM]

I have to agree. However, I say that about all netbooks needing someting like ION. I have been recently thinking of getting an OQO 2+ but I was waiting to hear about its HD support. Sure I would do real work with this thing, but also being able to NOT carry other devices would be a big plus, like a PMP.

I hope things pan out for them, they get bought out or something, so close...
M

[gadjitfreek @ Apr 25th 2009 5:08AM]

I am actually devastated by this news. As an owner of a Model 2 for the last year, I was hoping to upgrade at some point. My little beauty is the best computer I have ever owned. Why? Because it can go with me anywhere, is designed nearly to perfection, and even though it is sloooooow it gets the job done, and done well.

[rita hainsworth @ Apr 25th 2009 5:25AM]

Well I ordered a restore disk a month ago from them and still haven't received it.

[Carl @ Apr 25th 2009 7:56AM]

Is OQO the Osborne Computer of this generation?

[propynyl @ Apr 25th 2009 12:03PM]

Did this company ever make any money. I have followed OQO since day one. I remember drooling over the original model. But I NEVER saw ANYONE who owned one of these things. EVER. My guess, they sold less than 5,000 units in total. Just a guess.

[Shawn McClelland @ Apr 25th 2009 12:38PM]

I owned one for awhile, took notes in class on it, it was good in its time (or maybe I just fooled myself into believing that).

OQO moved a little too slow. For the price they should have been puting out cooler versions. They've pretty much been blown out of the water recently.

[soldit @ Apr 25th 2009 1:32PM]

OQO was the first to make a full PC so tiny but they just forgot a key basic requirement of any PC, a keyboard. Nobody uses a full PC without a keyboard other than a handful of nerds. That was why people say it was expensive as it is for a PC that is not very functional. If it had a better design say more of a clamshell that had a keyboard then it would be well worth the price. I would have bought one if they made it a longer yet still narrow so it would fit in a jacket pocket.

They never sold many units. I read this online that someone did the simple math of taking their last years sales number listed in an article and divided it by the cost of a OQO and then by the cost of an OQO and a couple of accessories and the range only was 5-15000 a year. It is no wonder they are bankrupt. The management at OQO must be either nerds and/or idiots to continue such a poor design without a keyboard.

[Digital Fury @ Apr 26th 2009 4:56AM]

Having owned an E2 with embedded 3G myself, the device concept was fine, but it was a bit slow and made too much noise. What really killed OQO was its 1) high price 2) the very poor international sales channel and support 3) it's total lack of reliability.

Like many, mine stopped working after 5 months and took 6 weeks to get repaired, obviously I offloaded it as soon as it came back.

Nobody wants or needs an unreliable computer.