iRex Technologies files for Chapter 11

[netseeker]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

a bit of google translate there.

but if its true there are so many interested parties it makes me wonder why Irex wasn't reaching out sooner to form a partnership to keep them afloat.

Yes, that was my impression too. I still can't believe that there are really so many seriously interested parties. iRex - as a whole - isn't a very promising object of purchase imho. Some parts of the company may be interesting though.

[dedo]

Well, when you tell your customers you don't have spare parts to handle warranties, 2 plus 2 equals 4 even for them

I don't think iRex had any kind of ethical concern about working conditions in Asia. iLiad was produced in Philippines if I remember well. It just means they hadn't standardized production yet for some products.

Surely last year they had no ethical concern for iLiad and, even worse, DR1000 owners.

Originally Posted by zacitana

I find it rather interesting how, all of a sudden, so many people allegedly "knew" that iRex cannot succeed with their marketing strategies and customer service. I wonder if they would sing a different tune today had there not been the FCC delay (and observing how things and lobbies in the USA usually work, I'm ready to believe there was some intention (or foul play) on the part of the Americans to delay iRex sales...)

I bought the pricey European DR800, I never regretted it, I still think it's a superior reading device. In the end I'm very sorry that iRex - one of the very few companies that still has its production line in Europe and not in China (or somewhere in the East) where the workers are dirt poor and working for peanuts so Americans and Europeans can have their affordable technology - find themselves in financial trouble. I hope they'll make it work somehow, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[Logseman]

Mobileread should buy it, so we'd produce our dreamed E-reader assortment

[netseeker]

Originally Posted by Logseman

Mobileread should buy it, so we'd produce our dreamed E-reader assortment

No, better not. If we would by them for 1 EUR then we would asume debts amounting to at least 4999999.00 EUR.

[Logseman]

But we have lotsa credit. We know the business and we have a lot of stakeholders 'ere, ready to bring bucks... or something :P

[fjtorres]

...or something.
We're all broke from buying all those different Readers and the books to feed them.

[Logseman]

MobileRex... how's that for a corp name?

[acacia]

All links to iRex sites are closed -- can anyone post a link to the BETA update for the DR1000 and the DR800?

[J. Strnad]

Originally Posted by Fbone

If I interpreted the translation correctly, there may have been an interested party last year but it fell through. It's usu cheaper to purchase during bankruptcy so the prospective suitor may have realized it wasnt an opportune moment yet. Why take on 5m euro debt if you can have the company for almost nothing.

Exactly. Timing is everything. They waited too long.

Easy for me to say in hindsight, of course.

[andrys]

Originally Posted by Dellaster

In the US the DR800SG went for $399 at Best Buy. But I take your point. These weren't bargain devices.

Worse, in mid-November, at http://bit.ly/irex800_449 and http://bit.ly/irex800_449b, Staci Kramer wrote:

"But IREX doesn’t even have that. What it does have is a retail relationship with Best Buy and, at some point, marketing visibility from wireless partner Verizon (NYSE: VZ). On my last check at Best Buy, I could see the tag and the space set aside, along with a price tag of $449—$50 higher than the company says it’s supposed to be. Getting shelf space in a major big box chain: good. Getting a tiny corner in the Techno Wonder display with Sharper Image gadgets while Sony has a full kiosk a few feet away: not so good."

Likely true as http://www.irextechnologies.com/node/47 actually still lists this story:
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/10/23...t-buy-for-449/

With what is out there now and prevailing prices, it wouldn't do well. They were having problems with not even having editing capability completed by February when they last delayed it.

- Andrys

[m-reader]

The demise (or apparent demise) or Irex technologies is saddening, but not surprising.
Great technology does not automatically translate to a great product. Apple iPad is proves this point quite nicely - mediocre technology packaged and marketed correctly beats products that are technologically far superior.
My money is on Plastic Logic going the way of the Dodo bird next ...

[Iñigo]

Well, I'm really sad about this...

I like IREX products. I bought an iLiad 3 years ago, and a DR800S (European price!) in January. Never regret any of them. In fact they are among the most beloved things I've ever bought. Priced, but really useful if you travel a lot and like reading.

But what I really like the most about IREX products is their openness, the SDK, and of course, their people contact, despite of some strange and controversial decisions.

A huge hug for Matthijs and Gertjan in these hard days.

Hope IREX could continue their work, making the best e-readers in the market.
Well, this sounds like an epitaph, I hope it won't. I expect to buy the new color e-reader from IREX by 2013.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by acacia

All links to iRex sites are closed -- can anyone post a link to the BETA update for the DR1000 and the DR800?

the links work fine. here is the beta firmware site http://updates.irexnet.com/beta/

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by m-reader

The demise (or apparent demise) or Irex technologies is saddening, but not surprising.
Great technology does not automatically translate to a great product. Apple iPad is proves this point quite nicely - mediocre technology packaged and marketed correctly beats products that are technologically far superior.
My money is on Plastic Logic going the way of the Dodo bird next ...

Do you *really* think that the technology (hardware *and* software) in the IRex is "far superior" to that in the iPad? If that's so, I think you need to think again.

/JB

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by jbjb

Do you *really* think that the technology (hardware *and* software) in the IRex is "far superior" to that in the iPad? If that's so, I think you need to think again.

/JB

Yes, of course, IREX tech is far better than iPad's one.