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> Sidekick is a new hardware device […] So your "new hardware device" is a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) with a stand, isn't it? What's your motivation to
by Dunedan 6y ago
> Sidekick is a new hardware device […]
So your "new hardware device" is a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) with a stand, isn't it?
What's your motivation to offer hardware instead of selling the Android app separately as well, so customers could use it without the hassle of getting hardware shipped?
- agloeregrets 6y agoA guess? Hardware startups mean money to investors. ;)
- marvindanig 6y agoOr tiktok clones.
- mNovak 6y agoDo they though? I thought investors heavily favor software because of infinite scaling.
- achen187 6y agoAll of our current customers wanted to try the experience without actually having to purchase and own a new expensive device. We really wanted to lower the barrier for anyone who wanted to give us a chance. We also handle all shipping/return costs -- we're trying to minimize any burden on the customers.
- dsl 6y agoWhat happens when an employee has one stolen? or coffee spilled on it? How many free tablets can I get for $25/mo? What do you do when you realize someone has spilled coffee on 3 tablets, and now their credit card isn't rebilling and they aren't responding to email?
- ponker 6y agoYou can dream up all of these scenarios. But if you have a healthy business then a small number of people scamming you for Galaxy Tab's doesn't kill it.
- jcmontx 6y agoWell, of course, that's the case for big corpo; but being a small startup with _limited_ budget, I think the bill can scale up pretty quickly. Hopefully not, though, I truly like the product.
- achen187 6y agohasn't been a problem yet, but definitely something we're thinking about!
- ponker 6y agoThe margins are pretty fat ($25/mo for hardware that costs $200) and unless they have a particular knack for finding petty thieves I expect that they will lose fewer than 1% of their tablets to fraud.
- slykar 6y agoI guess the same reason why companies lease hardware like laptops for their employees.
- shortweb3 6y agoYes except the leasing cost is not $150% of the cost of the laptop per year.
- awinder 6y agoI was really split on mentioning this but I picked up Camo after reading it mentioned on HN somewhere: https://reincubate.com/camo/ https://reincubate.com/camo/ It’s yearly subscription software but doing the app route you mentioned. Grabbed a little iPhone camera mount clip for like 10 bucks and it’s really something.
- skinnymuch 6y agoThanks for the link. Isn’t this using your main computer still and the same as using a comp webcam in terms of availability?
- shortweb3 6y agoHaha yeah a $200 tablet for $300 a year!!! Bargain. I’d rather just use afterpay if I was that poor.
- shortweb3 6y agoCrazy how bad at math you’d have to be to think this was a deal.