Getting in some daily reading at ReadWriteWeb, there was an article there talking about how early-adopters for mobile devices have uninspired choices. Well, I’ve been saying as much for a long time, but that article doesn’t help any. in fact, it pointed out so clearly where any kind of thought leadership in mobile has wained and really is hard to be found (in the USA at least).
Here’s the comment that I left there (there’s a good chance that it will be ignored or deleted given the tone):
Speaking simply from the perspective of a person who did a decade plus of phone reviewing, and considers himself not an early adopter, but a smart adopter…
There’s no such thing as being an early adopter and purchasing a device from a carrier. If you are an early adopter, then you’d have what most of the carriers are carrying 6-12 months before they do. Except in the case of the iPhone and Google Nexus models, every other mobile comes available in an international version many months before carriers here in the USA make them available. So, that’s a first thing… you aren’t an early adopter when purchasing from them.
Secondly, why are you settling for slabs? You mention that you don’t even look at RIM, Nokia, et al, but that limits you to folks that don’t know how to make nothing other than slabs for the most part. Just last night, I was looking at a listing for watch phones – you know, stick your SIM in there and have something that could last the day and be on your wrist, maybe with an attached headset – none of that MotoACTIV/iPod Nanao mess. Push beyond conventional oh early adapter…
Nothing in your description about what you do sounds even anything near high-end. Are you using the dock accessories with the Atrix models? How about the Playbook as a compliment to your RIM device? Are you developing apps on a MeeGo-equipped Nokia for MeeGo and feature phone devices? Or, are you using a Symbian device’s TV-Out/HDMI/FM Transmitter features with DLNA to host concerts/parties?
Don’t get me wrong, I understand the appeal of having a device before anyone else. I also understand what it means to have a device that is unique in your pocket and on the market – there’s a bit of ego/pride with that which is part of what mobile has developed into. Its indeed like the cereal analogy that you put forth.
But nothing about being this early adopter has toys in the box or extra fiber unless you are doing something more than just eating what’s been served. Find an importer I’d say, then get yourself a device from elsewhere that really piques the early-adopters around you, and the buzz towards living forward these devices and their associated services should endear.
Early Adopters devoid of imagination, real usage, or even knowledge of what’s out there? Perhaps, or maybe the jig is up for them as actual leaders of anything more than pandering to their own egos for the cause of whatever is new and shiny.
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