European Woes

Sorry, sjarrel. "The first Dutchman to enjoy the eDGe" would be my husband, who likes to play with mine when I'm not looking. I think I have to get one for him.

I did asked sales if they want my company as eDGe distributor in UK (I have secure warehousing and can manage next day delivery on orders placed by 4:30 pm) but they declined my request. I could have been setup and ready to ship in UK and Europe within a week. However I did took my revenge in buying www.entourageedge.co.uk domain..... Nothing there yet....
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I'm so pleased you are enjoying your eDGe! We are currently in the process of finalizing our distribution plans for overseas and we will keep your information on file. We appreciate your interest...and continue to enjoy your eDGe!
Best,
Marsha

Smooth move, vicinc ! Don't you just hate red-tape? It must be as frustrating to Entourage as it is for UK/European (potential) customers. You could probably corner the market in UK drop-ship distribution. Best of luck, mate. I was at UMIST for 9 years, so know Manchester quite well !

I believe in open market and free competition and hate EXCLUSIVE deals, that will keep the prices high for customers. If they will use a network of European distributors (not one big fat cat per country) than the customer will win as the ones that market things better and offer better service will win the customers not the FAT CATS on exclusive deal. Actually I can drop ship anywhere in Europe via DHL or DPD within 3-4 days which is better than Entourage can offer for US distribution. I also run an Air Treatment shop and DIY parts shops and the infrastructure is already in place. But i bet they wish a deal with a local fat cat like PC world or WH Smith.
Also the product penetration to market will be better by using multiple distributors in each country. At least this model works better in Europe

Originally Posted by vicinc

However I did took my revenge in buying www.entourageedge.co.uk domain....

....we will keep your information on file.

Hmm. Have to wonder how sour grapes diplomacy is going to impact your file! But I wouldn't feel rejected. No matter how great a job your company could have done, you were probably out of the distribution conversation long before you even owned an eDGe. And though they may have stumbled a bit along the way, it seems to me that enTourage has a pretty good business plan in place -- and part of that plan surely includes utilizing super-enthusiastic supporters such as you!

I hope the Edge will progress and will not became another abandoned project with few Guinea pigs like us just because their ambitions were too high. Things are changing a lot, we are in a different business environment than few years ago, so old models do not work. Edge do not have the money, the PR, the marketing engine of Apple. So they should look and question regularly their business model otherwise they will not be here in a year time. The Edge does not exceed in design, is a good idea although, but missing in the software. I think is decisive for Edge to sort their software, release the e-ink SDK, and use any channel available to distribute the product. More units sold means more money for development. I do not think they have a patent for a 2 screens device, so tell me what will stop another company doing the same think, better and fancier designed? Like I suggested using a Oled or Pixel Qi screen combined with e-ink, in a slimmer dual sided unit, or any other clever design? So sorry, better use sour diplomacy to keep Entourage on their heels/ top of the wave.

It's going to be the educational establishments that make or break this product. Once a few of these are seen in Universities/colleges I'm sure these things will fly off the shelves. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising. People aren't willing to wait based on hype unless it's an Apple product. Take a look at NotionInk Adam. I'm sure this will be a brilliant product, but people are getting impatient. Entourage should continue maintaining a close relationship with their existing customers as they have excelled at so far. Letting the people sell their product for them will save a fortune in advertising/hype mongering. P.S just managed to pick an Edge in white up from eBay !!!!!!!! Will let you know what the duty sting is when I get it.

Nothing will fly off the shelves until there is CONTENT. That means textbooks to get the education community. A kindle app for android will help bring content to the eDGe. But without content, no matter what the features are, they won't take off in sales.

Originally Posted by alefor

Nothing will fly off the shelves until there is CONTENT. That means textbooks to get the education community. A kindle app for android will help bring content to the eDGe. But without content, no matter what the features are, they won't take off in sales.

Due this very summer.......

Originally Posted by alefor

A kindle app for android will help bring content to the eDGe.

I'm sure the kindle app will only make reading kindle books possible on the lcd side, unless we get the ability to push them to the eink I wouldn't consider that real "content".

Sure, I understand what you're saying about Kindle on the LCD side. But it's better than no Kindle at all, especially for people like me who have paid for Kindle books and having them, in any form, on the eDGe will be a plus. My point, though, is that CONTENT will drive the sales, and not small features. The features become important to those who already own the device (as evidenced in these forum pages) but i doubt that many people are sitting at home holding back on buying the eDGe until they can have the android screen on the eInk side, for example. If they can easily buy their textbooks, install them on the eDGe, and annotate them on the eDGe, that will sell the device. Easy access to audio and video content also helps. Content also includes apps, of course. We need easy access to buy/ install apps and other content (books/textbooks/music/video). Right now, apps are not so easy to get because we dont have access to the Google Android store. I hope some mechanism is created soon. Look at the success of Kindle and iPhone/iPod/iPad..... to me their success is built on the fact that buying/download/install is so trivially simple. In my opinion, thats where eDGe needs to be, in order to succeed.

Content will always be king. But the device or mechanism that allows the easiest, hassle-free consumption of said content will always be the market favorite, assuming of course that it's accessible and affordable.

which unfortunately edge is not! not in the current state