Ogo go Deutsch Euro
By Ryan Block 
posted Mar 13th 2006 10:04AM
posted Mar 13th 2006 10:04AM
Been a little while since we've heard from IXI
and their Ogo, the little phone-free mobile messenger that could (but never quite did). IXI's been working the overseas circuit, slowly penetrating the
text-heavy European sub-continent. The Ogo's
latest stop is in Vodafone Germany, rebadged as the 1&1 Pocket Web device, which will sell for about $60 US and
have an associated all you can eat data / texting plan for about $12 monthly. Good luck, little guy, wherever you, um,
go in the world.
I'm wondering why this little gadget failed in the US market? Was it seen as a Blackberry-wannabe? Did it need a web browser? Any opinions appreciated
When phones ring, people listen.
I'm piss off that Ogo isn't here in US anymore. I want it, since it's darn cheap for such an unlimited SMS plan, plus e-mail, I would need it. :(
did I mention, it's great for hearing impaired?
Despite lacking a web browser, supporting limited POP3 e-mail features, and having a noticable lag with IM'ing... I was still quite fond of my OgO.
I used to own one before the merger of cingular and ATT
it was kool but Keiths right it needed a web browser but the battery life and everything was great except the lag if u were talkin to ur frend on a PC through this they got it about 15 seconds after u sent it I still have mine the screen blew up on me but i still have shold it ever go in to service again
The issue with the Ogo was one of timing.
Rushed out the door by AT&T Wireless with no support for voice, it then became a victim of the AWS/Cingular merger. If you look closely at the Ogo, you'll notice a small, circular cap. Under the cap is where the headset was to go. There was all sorts of palace intrigue around the Ogo prior to launch. Doomed from the beginning, this device was only the second time that AT&T Wireless ever attempted to brand a device themselves. The first time was the ill fated "PocketNet" phones. Many landfills groaned under the weight of those AWS branded bricks.
The ogo was never meant to be a phone.
As for why it failed, there are plenty of reasons.
1) Bad timing, as already mentioned
2) Ugly design. Looks like a happy meal toy. Feels like a happy meal toy.
3) Lack of features. No phone capability, no camera, no web browsing.
4) Limited email compatibility
5) Bad pricing compared to other options. It was like $15 for one email/ im service. But if you use aim but have a yahoo email, that's an extra $3. So it's $18 a month or more, and you have to carry around another device. An ugly, awkward, cheap-looking one, at that. Why would anyone want one when you could buy something like the Sidekick, which has all the features of the Ogo and more- doubles as a phone, has a camera, up to 3 email accounts, web browser (and does a better job at all of them, too), looks much better, and is only a few dollars a month more?
No bad :)