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Public Hardware Beta Tests

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the first-one-is-free dept.

orangerobot writes "Commercial software companies have performed public beta tests of their products for quite some time but more recently Philips Electronics has started holding public betas of new consumer hardware gadgets. A few months ago it was the Streamium MC-i250, and now it's their iPod clone the HDD-100. Public hardware betas seem like a great way to do a bit of marketing and user testing at the same time maybe more companies will pick up the same idea." This seems like a great idea for a company wanting to collect usability data on their interfaces, so that the release version can be tweaked.

9 of 131 comments (clear)

  1. Let me test.. by MasTRE · · Score: 1, Funny

    ..a BMW M5 and I'll tell them my opinion via postal mail ;)

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  2. There go my chances. by Lenbok · · Score: 5, Funny

    Gee thanks! I had signed up for the beta test and
    now I've got the entire slashdot crowd applying --
    there go my odds of getting one...

  3. Re:Yeah... by Drishmung · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hey, Alfa Romeo hasn't even made it as far as Beta yet, and it's a pretty fair car...

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  4. iPod clone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Yeah, like Winamp, the iTunes clone, Geocities, the dotMac clone, or IE, the Safari Clone?

    Sheep.

  5. Will this work better than public MS beta tests? by saskboy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Remeber when Gates demonstrated how easy it was to install a USB scanner on Windows 98 at a presentation, and promptly Blue Screened it?

    He remarked, "That is why it hasn't been released yet."

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    Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.
  6. abusing a Hyundai by www.sorehands.com · · Score: 2, Funny
    100+ in a Hyundai? You are abusing a Hyundai if you start the engine and idle.


    I rented a Hyundai with a bad transmission, now if that is not redundant, what is?

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  7. Things you DONT want to beta test by chunkwhite86 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Top things that you DONT want to beta test.

    1. Parachutes.

    2. Invasive surgical procedures.

    3. Seat Belts.

    4. Condoms. (Whoops, it broke. Now was that a Yes or a No to my "Do you have herpes" question?)

    5. Pot Holders (So, on a scale of 1 to 5, how badly would you say you were scalded?)

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    I'd rather be a conservative nutjob than a liberal with no nuts and no job.
  8. Re:Beta testing computers... by Peterus7 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I really wish I could've beta tested some of my girlfriends...

  9. The new RIAA self-admission questionaire, yes? by fiddlesticks · · Score: 2, Funny

    From the 'beta questions' - yeah *right*, Mr RIAA

    4. How many MP3/compressed audio files do you have on your following devices/
    media format?

    PC (More than 5000)
    Portable Hard Disk based MP3 Jukebox (1000)
    MP3-CDs (200)

    __________

    Gotta go, doorbell ringi-

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