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Originally Posted by TadW
what is that with the "on invite-only" crap companies like to use so much these days? Looks like ever since Google introduced its invite-only Gmail service, everyone finds it hip to do so alike. It's ridiculous.
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Not from the point of iRex. I suspect the one thing they don't want to have now is a support problem: lots of single tech-happy users with problems and questions that are of comparatively small interest to solve on a bit by bit basis. Particularly if their customer support isn't geared to that kind of situation. It just steals time better spent on supporting B2B customers -- i.e. where the money iRex will live on is --, and rarely generates anything else but heat. The heat that comes from 'I can't get my hands on one' is of a different kind than 'It doesn't work -- it must be crap'.
That, I suspect, is the reason for the 'invite': do you represent a company that reasonably can be expected to provide content or application or other interest that can be expected to increase the demand for the device? That is, is a unit sold to you very likely to generate future sales? Yes? Welcome, step right in. No? -- sorry, you'll have to wait a bit longer. Of course, I'm guessing here ... but my guesses are based on experiences from a company in much the same situation that iRex is is now. You don't want to spend money on the wrong thing until you have a reasonable economy. I'd be surprised if iRex thought their cashflow would come from enthusiasts and early adopters of the platform.
I'm waiting for September myself -- or rather when iRex opens their shop for end-users. That's when they think the device as well as their customer support is at a level where they can handle it. Or ... when they have decided that they won't give any support to end-users at all, but only to companies. There is a possibility that iRex may prefer to see themselves as a platform provider, and such companies are very rarely interested in supporting end-users.