UMPC

OQO confirms that it's closing

Oqo-model01-02

Remember when OQO was referred to as vaporware by nearly everyone in the tech community? That was back in 2002 and the fledgling company was promising a product that would eventually turn the handheld market upside down. Finally released in 2004, the OQO model 01 drove handhelds away from a small device running the Pocket PC platform and toward a larger device running Windows XP. The first OQO was a fine device sporting a 1GHz Transmeta Crusoe processor (another blast from the past), 20GB hard drive, 256 MB of RAM, integrated 802.11b, and Bluetooth.

OQO built upon the success of their first device and launched several devices in the intervening years, culminating in the highly successful OQO Model 02 that was introduced by Bill Gates at CES 2007. Heaps of praise and awards were showered on the Model 02 device, which was expected to be replaced by the Intel Atom-driven Model 2+.The OQO Model 2+ device made its grand debut at CES 2009 and will be remembered, not as a piece de resistance, but sadly as a device that will never be.

A now confirmed statement from OQO sums it all up:

"We are sad to report that due to financial constraints, OQO is not able to offer repair and service support at this time. We are deeply sorry that despite our best intentions, we are unable to provide continued support for our faithful customers. Please accept our sincerest apologies."

Phones are not being answered, the current supply of OQO devices are gone, and OQO is closing shop. The technology and the team of engineers behind the project may live on as OQO is reportedly in talks with another PC vendor who may acquire those assets, but OQO as we know it is gone. Farewell, OQO, you will be sadly missed.

[via GottaBeMobile and OQO Talk]

This post was written by Kelly Hodgkins, long-time fan of mobile devices and news writer at The Boy Genius Report.

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Pocketables is a US-based online tech magazine that brings news, insights, opinions, and comprehensive reviews on various mobile computing devices, portable technology, and related topics to a global audience. We focus on devices that fit into pockets of all sizes, from jeans and jackets to backpacks and purses. The gadget experts that comprise our staff produce high quality articles and original features colored with real-life use of products over weeks and months, not first-impression opinions formed within hours or days.

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