Chumby in New Zealand

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blairh

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#29511 9-Jan-2009 20:57

Hi all,

We are looking to bring the Chumby (www.chumby.com) to New Zealand. Currently we're in the process of finding out how much interest there is for such a device here. I'd be really interested to hear your opinions of the Chumby - why you'd buy it, why you wouldn't, what you like, what you don't.

We've also launched a basic website at www.chumby.co.nz where you can register your interest to pre-order a unit or find out about developing widgets - there will be prizes!

I think it's really important with such a community focussed device to keep in contact with our customers, so let me know what you think!

Blair Hughson
Digital Pride Ltd.

edit: Mods please let me know if you consider this advertising.. I'm just keen to see what people think of the gadget itself.

zocster

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#188475 9-Jan-2009 22:06

hmm with smart phones these days like the BB, Nokia, Palm, and many others, I will find it less appealing to get one of these that is bulky and not convenient to carry.

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#188508 10-Jan-2009 02:37

$200us , that's the same as an Apple iPod Touch 8GB - 2nd Generation.

gehenna

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#188509 10-Jan-2009 03:07

not really an on-the-go type of device though is it

CYaBro

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#188510 10-Jan-2009 07:09

Yea it looks like something you would see on 1-day or similar site.
Impulse buy as it looks kinda cool, might get used a couple of times then never again.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

freitasm

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#188511 10-Jan-2009 07:26

Please don't take my comments personally, but here is how I feel/what I think about the chumby.

The Chumby is an interesting device - it gives developers alike the capability of "hack" (as in put together, develop) new widgets for the device, etc. But the number of people capable of doing this is small compared to the consumer electronics market. So you will need a local community developing widgets that are interesting for New Zealanders - otherwise who wants to buy the device to get the baseball scores?

I read somewhere this week the chumby is being treated as a glorified alarm clock.

Just a few hours before you posted here I wrote a Twitter saying "My bet is chumby will be dead pool by end of 2009". Someone who saw that replied "isn't it dead yet". And she knows what she's talking about - she's one of the Foo Camp organisers and was there in the the original Foo Camp the chumby was announced.

Why?

Because they just issued a press release saying they are now planning to license the chumby widgets platform to other consumer electronics devices and web.

In my view it means they are going to sometime this year phase out the chumby and move to a completely software-based company.

So be warned...

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freitasm

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#188517 10-Jan-2009 08:22

And just received this press release:

MARVELL AND CHUMBY COLLABORATE TO BRING INTERACTIVE INTERNET EXPERIENCE TO CONSUMER DEVICES

Chumby Combined with Marvell PXA168 Horsepower Delivers Rich Media, Revolutionizing Connected Digital Devices

Las Vegas, NV, Jan. 8, 2009- Today at CES 2009, Marvell® (NASDAQ: MRVL), an industry leader in storage, communications and consumer silicon solutions, and chumby announced a collaboration to bring cost-effective, high-quality, interactive user experiences to digital consumer devices. By leveraging Marvell's 1 GHz PXA168 consumer device application processor and 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi chipset with over 1,000 chumby widgets in 30 different categories ranging from news and entertainment to video, music and sports, OEMs will now be able to offer consumers powerful Internet connected devices that deliver rich media experiences.

As the first initiative of this collaboration, the two companies have created a reference platform for converged consumer devices. With a device such as a digital photo frame (DPF) based on this powerful platform, the companies anticipate users will not only be able to view and share photos from many sources such as camera cards and Internet photo sharing sites, but they will also be able to access their favorite parts of the Internet to create a personalized experience - whether it's receiving RSS news feeds, watching videos, accessing social networking sites, listening to Internet radio, playing games and much more. The new reference platform is being demonstrated at CES 2009 in Marvell's booth #35344 in the South Hall and in the chumby booth #14448 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

"Chumby brings new capabilities to connected devices by streaming always-on, always-fresh personalized Internet content to consumers," said Stephen Tomlin, CEO, chumby. "We're delighted to team with Marvell and introduce a reference platform for devices such as connected digital photo frames and other new devices."

The Marvell PXA168 is based on a new innovative architecture that is designed to deliver the processing capabilities of an entry-level laptop to instant-on, digital consumer devices by enabling full-featured web surfing, instant Internet widgets, multi-format video, Adobe® Flash® Lite®-based content playback, image processing, video conferencing, and sophisticated ultra-fast graphical user interfaces (GUIs) - at consumer price points with ultra-low power for longer battery life. Devices powered by the Marvell PXA168 can include connected digital photo frames, portable navigation devices, portable media players, automotive dashboard displays and infotainment systems, home automation, portable TVs, digital signage, and other devices that utilize Internet connectivity, media processing, and touchscreen interfaces.

The Marvell / chumby reference platform leverages the processing power of the PXA168 and Adobe Flash Lite technology to enable applications such as Internet widgets to run on top of the Linux operating system. OEMs can utilize this integrated platform to create entirely new categories of connected devices that bring a full, interactive Internet experience to more places.

"The Marvell PXA168 is scalable beyond 1GHz and is designed to enable converged consumer devices that can now offer smartphone-like sophisticated user interfaces with drastically different usage models," said Kishore Manghnani, vice president, Application Processors, Consumer and Computing Business Group, Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. "We are pleased to collaborate with chumby on this reference platform which showcases their always on, always fresh format running on a new breed of application processor."

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jeef3

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#192220 27-Jan-2009 09:55

A shame, because I thought the chumby looked quite neat. Glorofied alarm clock; exactly. I think it would go good in the bedroom or kitchen as a clock/news reports. A great gift for my partner... or am I thinking of myself here?

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#197661 24-Feb-2009 08:27

And here's another Chumby press release. Note how "About Chumby" now is different and don't talk about the devices at all anymore:

Broadcom Extends chumby(R) Platform to Internet-Connected TVs, Set-Top Boxes and Blu-ray Disc(R) Players

Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Our products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. Broadcom provides the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(r).

IRVINE, CA UNITED STATES

Collaboration with chumby Delivers Cost Effective, High Quality and Rich Media Content to Consumer Devices Enabled by Broadcom(R) Technologies

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM) and chumby(R) today announced the integration of the chumby rich media Internet platform into Broadcom's latest digital television (DTV), set-top box (STB) and Blu-ray Disc(R) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions delivering cost effective, high quality and personalized user experiences to Internet-connected TVs. The collaboration will enable users to access chumby's extensive library of entertaining, compelling and interactive Internet content across a variety of personal interest categories as well as a vast offering of Internet radio streams and podcasts. This will give users the ability to view individually customized channels of streaming Internet and personal digital content on devices enabled by Broadcom solutions, delivering an enhanced interactive consumer experience across multiple connected screens in the home.

Chumby enables users to select their favorite parts of the Internet delivered to them in a convenient, always-on, always-fresh format. Chumby content currently consists of over 1,000 widgets in 30 different categories ranging from news and entertainment to videos, music, and sports provided by leading media partners such as CBS, MTV Networks, The New York Times, Pandora, The Weather Channel Interactive, AOL's SHOUTcast and Scripps Networks. Chumby also delivers thousands of Internet radio stations and podcasts. Chumby's free and open content network enables individual creators to publish creative and compelling content. And chumby users themselves can share their own user-generated content, including photos, e-cards and more, with family and friends via chumby's integral social network. Chumby is constantly expanding, bringing users new widgets, media and services, as well as the most interesting content from the Web.

Viewing Internet-based streaming video, music and other media content on household televisions is growing in use and popularity. To satisfy consumer demand, Broadcom and chumby are delivering an easy-to-use personalized Internet content experience that supports interactive multimedia widgets and Internet-based audio selections from leading online providers, major media brands and the worldwide community of chumby developers. Broadcom and chumby also are enabling social connections across devices such as DTVs, STBs and Blu-ray Disc players supported by Broadcom solutions that will enable users to share content, photos, video clips, games or messages with friends and family who own any chumby-powered device.

"Consumers want a powerful, yet simple, consistent and exciting chumby experience across multiple screens," said Stephen Tomlin, CEO, chumby. "We are delighted to work with Broadcom to support the chumby content platform with system-on-a-chip solutions that enable personalized streams of each user's favorite parts of the Internet for delivery to next generation Internet-connected TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray players."

As a result of this collaboration, consumer electronics manufacturers will be able to quickly deploy chumby platform support on Internet-connected TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray Disc players without additional cost, external components or expensive PC hardware. As an open source Linux(R)-based platform and "cloud-based" content network with graphics that scale easily to any screen size, chumby allows users to create a complete personalized Internet experience without the need to establish a new configuration or install separate software or widgets on each device, thereby enabling new applications and content to be accessed and easily shared across all chumby-powered devices. Additionally, chumby supports an established framework with standardized tools for developers and manufacturers to create and enable consistent, high quality content.

"Broadcom and chumby are delivering a personalized Internet experience to the consumer via Internet-connected TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray Disc players without increasing bill-of-materials cost or complexity for Internet-enabled consumer products with chumby support," said Dan Marotta, Senior Vice President & General Manager for Broadcom's Broadband Communications Group. "We are very pleased to continue our collaboration with chumby as Internet-connected consumer devices herald the convergence of traditional PC-based Internet content with the comfort and convenience of living room viewing, positioning the connected TV as the information and entertainment hub of the digital home."

About chumby
Chumby lets users select their favorite parts of the Internet and delivers them in a friendly, always-on, always-fresh format. Over 1,000 widgets in more than 30 categories, ranging from news and entertainment to videos, music, sports and more are available from high profile media partners such as CBS, MTV Networks, New York Times, Pandora, The Weather Channel Interactive, AOL's SHOUTcast and Scripps Networks. Chumby also offers user generated content as well as thousands of Internet radio stations, the ability to share photos, e-cards and more with family and friends. Chumby is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.chumby.com.

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blairh

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#197665 24-Feb-2009 08:48

Yeah, you're dead right. I'm still talking to them however I don't like where they're going.

Having said that, it's good news for consumers if more options are available - it'll no doubt bring the pricing down and push the quality/features up.

Apparently they're just looking to release a 1-off unit with one of the major US retailers this year, however won't rule out more... so it's not exactly the sort of product we want to bring in.

Having said that, we did get a good amount of attention to the website so I am going to find out if I can get a small quantity in for the people who registered their interest.