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Teenage Engineering makes cute, fun things, but more often than not they feel like they're very overpriced cute fun things for their functionality, and this is

Teenage Engineering makes cute, fun things, but more often than not they feel like they're very overpriced cute fun things for their functionality, and this is honestly no exception. In a sense they're like the Apple of nerdy products. Their Pocket Operators are the closest thing to a "cheap" product they have and even then, last time I checked, they don't even come with a protective case, which I personally find preposterous even if it goes against the aesthetic. One single drop and it'd probably be game over for a $100+ toy.

acomjean 6y ago
I have a couple pocket operators from about 6 years ago. You are right, they're just a circuit board with surface mounted buttons. But after years of use including letting me nieces play with them, they still work and are pretty well made (And about $40.. now actually 50-90). For me they're a good learning tool, (PO-12 rhythm being one of the cheapest hardware drum machines.) though functionality is eclipsed by the smartphone in many cases.. I will grant you the optional case was so pricy it wasn't an option I would consider (I think it was like $30). https://teenage.engineering/products/po https://teenage.engineering/products/po pricing https://www.guitarcenter.com/Teenage-Engineering-Pocket-Operators.gc https://www.guitarcenter.com/Teenage-Engineering-Pocket-Oper...
- shams93 6y ago
  Yeah my usb mini port broke on my old op1 but my pocket operators work fine with nothing but a rubber shield they do sell rubber shields for them for ~$30.
ehsankia 6y ago
"Apple of X" categorization is very apt, but I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with trying to occupy that part of the market. I also consider Nespresso and Dyson to also be in that category, for example. It's obviously not everyone, and far from being the best value you can get, but I'm glad they exist.
- morsch 6y ago
  Nespresso and Dyson? Wow. That comparison doesn't reflect positively on Apple.
  - bborud 6y ago
    Is Nespresso the Apple of coffee? You must not like coffee :)
  - ehsankia 6y ago
    I don't think Nespresso and Dyson are particularly bad products, it's just that nowadays, you can find equally good stuff for much cheaper, although probably less good customer service and support. But they are also fairly consistent with quality, so if you don't want to bother researching and have money to spend, it's a decent way to go.
- atombender 6y ago
  Jura is the Apple of coffee, in my opinion. Swiss engineering, superb minimalist design, and fantastic coffee. (Nespresso not so much.)
bborud 6y ago
As several have pointed out, you can get a few Teenage Engineering products at IKEA. And they are surprisingly good (and not awfully expensive). I replaced my Sonos with a Frekvens speaker (with a subwoofer) at the cabin for three reasons: - It works with bluetooth, and to be frank, the Sonos' firmware is terrible if you have dicky wifi - It can handle audio that has been sped up (like Audible at 1.5-1.7 times normal speed, which is the speed range I currently listen to audio books at). The Sonos can't without getting severe hickups. - The Frekvens has room for a battery so I can take it out on the deck Actually, we brought the Sonos home to have in my wife's home office but she sto^H^H^Hborrowed my second Frekvens speaker because she is "tired of dealing with all the shit the Sonos throws up".
mieses 6y ago
they collaborated with ikea on a very, very cheap hackable speaker so their stuff is not always overpriced. maybe the exception that proves the rule. https://teenage.engineering/designs/frekvens-hacks https://teenage.engineering/designs/frekvens-hacks

acomjean 6y ago

I have a couple pocket operators from about 6 years ago. You are right, they're just a circuit board with surface mounted buttons. But after years of use including letting me nieces play with them, they still work and are pretty well made (And about $40.. now actually 50-90). For me they're a good learning tool, (PO-12 rhythm being one of the cheapest hardware drum machines.) though functionality is eclipsed by the smartphone in many cases.. I will grant you the optional case was so pricy it wasn't an option I would consider (I think it was like $30). https://teenage.engineering/products/po https://teenage.engineering/products/po pricing https://www.guitarcenter.com/Teenage-Engineering-Pocket-Operators.gc https://www.guitarcenter.com/Teenage-Engineering-Pocket-Oper...

shams93 6y ago
Yeah my usb mini port broke on my old op1 but my pocket operators work fine with nothing but a rubber shield they do sell rubber shields for them for ~$30.

ehsankia 6y ago

"Apple of X" categorization is very apt, but I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with trying to occupy that part of the market. I also consider Nespresso and Dyson to also be in that category, for example. It's obviously not everyone, and far from being the best value you can get, but I'm glad they exist.

morsch 6y ago
Nespresso and Dyson? Wow. That comparison doesn't reflect positively on Apple.
- bborud 6y ago
  Is Nespresso the Apple of coffee? You must not like coffee :)
- ehsankia 6y ago
  I don't think Nespresso and Dyson are particularly bad products, it's just that nowadays, you can find equally good stuff for much cheaper, although probably less good customer service and support. But they are also fairly consistent with quality, so if you don't want to bother researching and have money to spend, it's a decent way to go.
atombender 6y ago
Jura is the Apple of coffee, in my opinion. Swiss engineering, superb minimalist design, and fantastic coffee. (Nespresso not so much.)

bborud 6y ago

As several have pointed out, you can get a few Teenage Engineering products at IKEA. And they are surprisingly good (and not awfully expensive). I replaced my Sonos with a Frekvens speaker (with a subwoofer) at the cabin for three reasons: - It works with bluetooth, and to be frank, the Sonos' firmware is terrible if you have dicky wifi - It can handle audio that has been sped up (like Audible at 1.5-1.7 times normal speed, which is the speed range I currently listen to audio books at). The Sonos can't without getting severe hickups. - The Frekvens has room for a battery so I can take it out on the deck Actually, we brought the Sonos home to have in my wife's home office but she sto^H^H^Hborrowed my second Frekvens speaker because she is "tired of dealing with all the shit the Sonos throws up".

mieses 6y ago

they collaborated with ikea on a very, very cheap hackable speaker so their stuff is not always overpriced. maybe the exception that proves the rule. https://teenage.engineering/designs/frekvens-hacks https://teenage.engineering/designs/frekvens-hacks