OQO Model 2s suffering from failing main boards?
Times are pretty tough for OQO fans -- the struggling company appears to be on the brink of collapse, the Model 2+ is unlikely to be produced, and now we're hearing that main board failures on Model 2s that have shipped are distressingly common. That's at least the word according to the OQOtalk forum, whose members are currently gathering data on the situation -- and the early trends sadly reveal that the 1.6GHz model is extremely prone to failure. Of course, it's not exactly the most scientific poll in the world, but you wouldn't expect such harsh results from users on a fansite unless something was up. Given OQO's current travails, we don't know if this will ever get resolved, but let's hope so.
[Via Gadget Mix]
[Via Gadget Mix]


















Too bad, that really look nice
Sorry for being off topic but how do i define my own password? I don't want the bother of looking up my abstract engadget password every time i want to comment.
Go here then log in with your current password then change it
http://www.engadget.com/profile/508616/
Sounds like a 360..
/no sarcasm
The 1.2ghz ones work like a charm. The 1.5ghz and 1.6ghz ones are the failing ones.
And I'm stuck here with an OQO 01+ and the 02+ just ain't coming out.
I think this product got pushed out of its potential niche by windows-based netbooks. There just aren't that many situations where it's an advantage to have a slide-out keyboard. Unless I'm trying to do something while on a crowded subway, I'd rather have a larger keyboard and a normal typing position. Are there other circumstances where this would be preferable to a $350 netbook?
I agree, you are right.
The OQO is a gadget which was made irrelavant by the netbook wave.
yes, in many places of work especially in trucks, taxis , buses , etc.
Yes. All 37 rich guys who can blow their money on some worthless device have indeed reported problems.
Actually, we used an OQO Model 01+ in our autonomous submarine for the AUVSI competition. http://avbotz.net/Our%20AUV/overview.htm It wasn't that good though, overheated really easily and we never actually had it working in an actual run, but there is a niche in that area for this kind of computer. A lot of the other teams also had UMPCs, although most had better ones like the Samsung Q1, and a few teams had their own home-built ITX style PCs and such with Core 2 Duos. Those were the really expensive/winning subs though.
Dude sweet submarine, do you have any higher res pictures?
I have had my 02 for two years now. I sent it back last year to have the screen cable replaced. It took two days. There isn't another device on the market that can replace that for what I use it for. I was really hoping that the 2+ would come to fruition. It's the dedicated numeric keypad, you see...and the insane portability factor. I was using an HP 200LX until two years ago in the hopes that something would come along with a similar form factor and a dedicated numeric keypad. The 02 fit the bill perfectly, and has been my favorite machine for getting the job done. The 200LX just won't cut it anymore for this application, though it still works. I was considering getting a Viliv s5 and using the onscreen keyboard, but the data entry would be significantly slowed down.
When I called OQO last week to inquire why their web site is not even giving the option to buy accessories anymore, there was a message stating that they could not honor warrantees anymore. I bought a three-year warrantee, which will turn out to be a complete waste of money. I think I need to sell my OQO while I still can, but as I said, there is nothing out there on the market that can do what it does for me. Argh!!!!
I've always wanted one of these, but they're simply too damn expensive....
RIP, OQO. You will be missed.
What is the game on the screen?
It's not a game, it's the Super Speedway 720p sample movie from Microsoft's wmvHD gallery.
This thing is dead on arrival , death by iPod touch n iPhone .
Obvious troll is obvious. And fucking annoying.
whoa matt... no kidding. Guru is on the trolley!
OQO is just in a terrible position. Pretty much the entire vision for the product has failed. When the first started out (pre-release), the OQO's were supposed to be under $1000, and pretty powerful (for the time, especially compared to similar form-factors, which was basically the PDA). Fast-forward five years, and the price is about $500 over what they were promising, and the entire market for these has changed, with high-powered smartphones (Windows Mobile/iPhone/Android), while not being quite as powerful, being infinitely cheaper and more compact, and netbooks, although being slightly larger, providing a much more comfortable and usable form-factor for about 1/4 the price and the same power.
The niche for the OQO is so small now, I just don't see a way for them to survive. If they could somehow find a way to keep these as powerful as netbooks, but charge...say...$249 for them, I could see them carving out a decently-sized niche of people who want something as small as a smartphone, but as powerful as a netbook; however, the price is killing them.
It won't be too long either, before smartphones reach the 1GHz processing range, with 32GB or more of storage, and basically rival what the OQO offers. With the lower initial cost of the phones, plus subsidies from the cell service providers...that's pretty much going to be the end of OQO. Too bad, because they had a cool product that was ahead of its time, but sometimes that's just the way it goes.
I'd say there's still a healthy market for SFF devices built on the x86 architecture (just look at the Viliv S5 flying off the shelves) but the S5 is only about $600 and does nearly everything the OQO can do, minus the thumbboard/trackball.
I had the OQO 2 in my hands for several weeks and the device was constantly hot. It's no wonder something on that board failed from heat. Plus it sounded louder than a vacuum cleaner sometimes.