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Topic:
Last (sad) news from Ipronto Team
This thread has 19 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Monday December 20, 2004 at 08:10
Jean-Max
Long Time Member
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102
Read on the Connected Planet Forum :
[Link: 208.234.17.224]
---------------------------
Dear iPronto user,
Thank you for your inquiry about future enhancements to the iPronto. As we continually work on improving the iPronto our main focus will be on the remote control segment working on enhancement of control functionality and customization of the user interface on the iPronto. This means that enhancing secondary functionality such as web browser, EPG and technologies such as UPnP are currently not in the scope of the development efforts and are currently not in future plans.
Philips Support
--------------------

(I asked for a disconnect possibility of EPG, and Atariman asked for UPnP extension)
Jean-Max
Post 2 made on Monday December 20, 2004 at 10:21
Atariman
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19
I think it is essential that we, as buyers and users of the iPronto, unite in this case - and unifiedly request that at least the basic functions proposed in the marketing of the unit will be properly included.

UPnP (as an example) has already been made to work on the iPronto at an experimental stage by Philips, and I see no reason to why it should or could not be slightly evolved or tuned in order to be released as a future update. This would then activate the speaker function (in order to play mp3's and other supported sound formats) as well as provide a simple and industry standardised manner of viewing photos, etc.

Likewise, for the EPG cancellation possibility that Jean-Max has requested - this too should be easily sorted by Philips. (Btw, Jean-Max, if you completely delete all channels on your EPG-account, does it still try to update?).

It seems highly illogical that the iPronto team should focus on the parts that already are working, when there are so many aspects left unused on the iPronto (speakers, microphone, etc).

The question as to why one has bought the more expensive unit if hardly any of the additional features mentioned in the marketing for it are implemented also arises...
Post 3 made on Wednesday December 22, 2004 at 01:35
pipman
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22
not a surprise though.

oh well, looks like Philips have dropped the ball here, i've hung around for 3 generations of the pronto devices, probably purchased 4 or 5 devices and been responsible for recomending at least 5 prontos/iprontos to friends.

Time to jump ship, off to crestron for me to get some real equipment from people that aren't just playing at system control.
OP | Post 4 made on Wednesday December 22, 2004 at 05:10
Jean-Max
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102
Time to jump ship, off to crestron for me to get
some real equipment from people that aren't just
playing at system control.

Do you think that RC9800i (with its UPnp functions) will be able to replace Ipronto ?
Jean-Max
Post 5 made on Wednesday December 22, 2004 at 08:16
Goshdarnit
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186
On 12/22/04 05:10 ET, Jean-Max said...
Do you think that RC9800i (with its UPnp functions)
will be able to replace Ipronto ?

Not a chance. Would you like a touchscreen control which isn't customisable? If so, then why did you buy an iPronto?
OP | Post 6 made on Wednesday December 22, 2004 at 12:18
Jean-Max
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On 12/22/04 08:16 ET, Goshdarnit said...
Not a chance. Would you like a touchscreen control
which isn't customisable? If so, then why did
you buy an iPronto?

To have customizable controls ;-)

Suprising politic from Philips :
An customizable remote without UPnP
An (new) non customizable remote with UPnP
Jean-Max
Post 7 made on Thursday December 23, 2004 at 17:32
Atariman
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19
Wouldn't someone amongst us consumers better in the know of the legal aspects be able to say whether Philips actually have comitted to false marketing (a crime in most countries) when promoting the iPronto?

Either way, I think it is not more than fair of us - as a group of consumers of this pretty expensive device - to demand that such a giant company as Philips actually fulfils its intentions/promises regarding the functionality.

Who's with me on this?
Post 8 made on Monday December 27, 2004 at 04:08
jonstatt
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5
I agree. This does call for some sort of class action. As in the thread I created around what is still printed on the Philips website

""The system features a built-in microphone and stereo speakers for use with future applications such as voice recognition, telephony and listening to MP3s from the Internet. The iPronto also includes USB connectivity and a MMC/SD card slot for future applications and accessories""

The fact they say "such as" may mean they can change what they do in terms of implementation. However, the fact they mention the use of microphone and stereo speakers is directly misleading and can be used for legal action based on the notion that you bought the unit because of those features. A website disclaimer that there are errors on the site does not carry in this instance because it is fact that the unit does have those hardware features, and at a minimum Philips are cleary suggesting they intend to use them.

Jonathan
OP | Post 9 made on Monday December 27, 2004 at 10:54
Jean-Max
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On 12/23/04 17:32 ET, Atariman said...
Who's with me on this?

Every Ipronto lover/user must be OK with you !
But ... What can we do ?
-> writing an common complaint to Philips Ipronto Team ?

Implementing UPnP in Ipronto should be the best mean to open Ipronto to the world !

What is the problem ?

- Technical problem ?
or only ...
- Business / Company politic development problem ?

??
Jean-Max
Post 10 made on Monday December 27, 2004 at 13:41
Atariman
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I think we would need to write a complaint to start with, requesting that they fulfil the basic expected development of the product - and within reasonable time. Do we have any legal experts amongst us who'd be willing to take the time necessary to complete such a document?

As another example, this is found on the official iPronto site:
"With the microphone, you will be able to use voice and sound features when future upgrades are available."
[Link: pronto.philips.com]

How difficult can it be, technically, for the dev team to start implementing these functions? Or for that matter, the UPnP-bits (they've made them work already as we know)..? I believe that the best thing Philips and/or the iPronto dev team could do for the time being would be to give us, their customers, a clear explanation as to why they do not intend to fulfill these aspects.
Post 11 made on Monday December 27, 2004 at 16:37
jonstatt
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5
What makes it even worse is that it appears uPnP is already inside the iPronto!

If you hold down the volume button and go to "about" you will see

"Portions of mBedded Server 5.0 uPnP & mGui packages copyright 2002 from Prosyst Software AG"

Jonathan
Post 12 made on Tuesday March 1, 2005 at 04:12
Atariman
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19
Any lawyers specialised in business and marketing laws on here?

[Link: 208.234.17.224]
Post 13 made on Sunday March 6, 2005 at 14:56
colintve
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7
Obviously one of the main problems will be money for anyone to do anything with this issue.

If every ipronto user paid a small fee to a club, I wonder how much could be generated.

From Philips point of view, their decision will be purely based on a financial picture. They are a business, so their sole aim is to make money, or at least not lose money. I believe that this style of remote control device will not become a mainstream product until they can dramatically drop in price. Mention to any "ordinary" person that you have spent over £700 on a remote and most people will think you mad, citing that they bought their whole TV for less. It is definitely a rich toy, and that means small numbers of sales at higher prices.

I would suggest that rather than spend time and money fighting Philips, someone try to find them a way to make money from it, and it then may happen.

As a company exec, I would see it that way, and am sure they do.

If they bought out the extras, would users pay for them. If so, it could then make financial sense for them to make them.

Remember the Hoover fiasco. A lot worse was said and promoted, and no consumer won there. Up against Philips? I know who I would bet would win :(
Post 14 made on Tuesday March 8, 2005 at 10:40
Atariman
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Well, it's really only down to marketing laws (and local Swedish such in my case, although doing something on an international level would probably benefit more users than myself) - and has little to do with the monetary aspects. Fact is that they marketed the iPronto with functions they have no intention to provide - which not only borders on unlawful marketing...

Now, I am not interested in receiving money from Philips. Merely that they provide the functions promised in their advertising - or simply offer me a full refund for the return of the unit.
Post 15 made on Sunday March 27, 2005 at 03:05
Philbert
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March 2005
9
I would really like the UPnP to get going - perhaps we can ask how we as a group could help? I just looked at the Philips sites, and they still list Remote Central as a good place to go for iPronto information. But of course we all know that the "iPronto webportal" hasn't been updated since Feb 13, 2003... We've been abandoned, haven't we?
I really want to be able to pull in MP3s from the PC and direct them to my AV system. It seems so much of the basic structure is already here.
Where in the US is a Philips plant where we or some of us might be able to make a personal visit? Strengthens the connection. Again - to help out and show conecern; not to be angry and saber-rattling.
Thanks,
Phil-bert
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