|
 Company: OQO, San Francisco, CA
Entry Submitted By: Horn Group
Company Description: OQO, the industry pioneer in ultra-mobile personal computing, was founded in 2000 by Jory Bell and Jonathan Betts-LaCroix, together with Andrew Popell, Michael Prichard, Nick Merz, and Robert Ford, who set out to shrink a Windows XP personal computer into a pocketable device. Their vision was to transform personal computing in the same way mobile phones revolutionized telecommunications.
Nomination Category: Products & Product Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best New Product or Service - Computer Hardware
Nomination Title: OQO Model 02 Mini-PC: Improving Productivity and Efficiency for the Enterprise Mobile Workforce
- Tell the story about this nominated product or service (up to 500 words). Describe its function, features, benefits, and sales to date. You may include hyperlinks to product photos and data sheets. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
Launched in February 2007, the OQO model 02 is the world's smallest
fully-functional PC. The OQO model 02 is a more robust and functional version
of the original OQO model 01, which is in the Guinness Book of World Records as
the smallest known personal computer.
But the OQQ is not only unique for its size, it is designed to deliver the total
computing performance necessary to achieve ultimate personal and professional
productivity -- anytime and anywhere. The OQO model 02 has robust processing
power, Microsoft® Windows® operating system, diverse application compatibility,
impressive memory and storage capacity and abundant connectivity options,
including a unique docking station that includes a CD/DVD drive/burner.
The OQO model 02 is encased in a light magnesium alloy chassis, ergonomically
designed for usability on the go. The OQO is an ideal solution for mobile
professionals in public safety, healthcare, field service, insurance,
manufacturing, sales or the pharmaceutical industry, to name just a few
industry usage scenarios. In addition, while at the office the model 02
functions as a desktop PC and includes a docking station that provides quick and
easy connection to a full size display, keyboard, mouse, and wired Ethernet.
Essentially, the engineering team at OQO, which includes designers from Apple
and IBM, has developed a miniature, full-functioning computer with breakthrough
product design and engineering that improves the life and work experiences of
information workers, information-enabled field forces and consumers.
For example, mobile professionals often have dynamic, unstructured, and
unpredictable schedules. As a result, they are often multi-tasking in multiple
environments including the office, airport, in the car, on the plane, at family
events, or even at home so they need a computing platform that they can rely on
to do all of the task they need to do -- from anywhere. Because the OQO model
02 is a fully function Windows-based computer, it enables professionals to
accomplish any tasks in any environment. It allows enterprise users to stay
connected to email, the corporate VPN, and enterprise applications like SAP or
Salesforce.com to make updates and interact with or communicate information in
real time instead of trying to update everything upon return to the office.
Despite its size, the OQO model 02 is a robust machine that gives its customers
everything needed to meet their total productivity requirements including:
• Full PC Performance so users can surf the net as it would be seen on a regular
PC (as opposed to a scaled down mobile version like that of an iPhone), run
Microsoft Office or work with other enterprise-designed Windows PC applications.
• Easy Input and Navigation Design including a track stick, tablet pen
touch-screen and a well-spaced backlit keyboard to enhance usability and
functionality -- making the whole Windows experience effortlessly thumb-based.
• Built-In Wireless Including EV-DO so users can enjoy fast Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and
cellular service-based WWAN Internet connectivity while outside Wi-Fi hot spots.
• Solid State Drive (64GB or 32GB) makesit ideal for durable computing in
extreme environments since the SSD takes jarring and falls better than a hard
drive with its various moving parts. In addition, model 02 computers with solid
state drives exhibit better performance and faster boot times.
• Sunlight Optimized Display for Outdoor Use, ideal for customers working under
harsh light conditions; the OQO integrates advanced Anti-Reflective technology
that shows 50% reduction in specular reflection
• Improved Thermal Management for optimized internal cooling of the device,
ensuring it remains comfortable to hold or carry.
- List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, product reviews, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
OQO News Releases
http://www.oqo.com/news/index.html
Customer Case Studies
http://www.oqo.com/solutions/index.html
Images
http://www.oqo.com/products/model02/gallery.html
Forbes Magazine: Ditch Your Laptop For These Gadgets
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/04/18/ultra-mini-pcs-tech-intel-cx_bc_0418ultramini.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Ultra-Mobile, Palm-Size Tiny Pcs Are Good To Go
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/lifestyle/314469_taves07.html
- Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that developed this nominated product or service:
Nick Merz, Vice President of Design
Prior to co-founding OQO, Nick worked in the Apple Portable Product Design
group. He engineered the media bays on Apple's Powerbook G3 Bronze, took the
laptop through mass production, and was a key member of the team for the G4
Titanium Powerbook, from conception through early engineering builds. His
professional engineering experience ranges from tooling design for radio
telescope dishes, to the invention and development of demolition equipment,
disposable dishware, and stereo photography equipment.
Nick has four patents pending from his work on the Titanium G4 display, two from
the OQO model 01, and one from personal projects. Nick holds a B.S. degree in
Product Design from Stanford University.
|
