Subject:
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Re: Mindstorms on Slashdot
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Tue, 29 Nov 2005 17:00:10 GMT
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Original-From:
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Mr S <szinn_the1@yahoo.=nospam=com>
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Viewed:
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2493 times
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Personally, I believe that the discussions on business
models for TLG are a bit off key. Lego already has
solid products, and sells to a defined market segment.
Their bread and butter product lines sell because of
novelty in many cases. Those film related lego sets
sell because of the film tie-in novelty *AND* because
of the puzzle value. Some people need instructions,
and are unable to simply begin creating things like
the Harry Potter sets on their own.
With the advent of some robot toys (that need no
construction) the appeal of Lego loses some luster.
Straight forward building toys of any manufacturer
have lost ground over the last few years. What I
believe that Lego needs to do is repackage the RCX in
a "Lego Advance" product line. All of the sets that
AFOLs want would be in that product line. It requires
little manufacturing change, and creates revenue with
little or no distribution issues as most AFOLs are
willing and able to purchase on-line.
As for the on-line forum, this one is quite handy, and
would be quite suitable for "Lego Advance" products.
Lego wouldn't even need to do anything but
monitor/contribute to this forum.
Using both the forum, and their ability to repackage
Lego parts into Lego Advance kits, they could
revitalize that segment of the populace that *IS*
interested in straight forward building toys.
By showing support for this market segment, Lego would
benefit from all the ideas that would be supported.
That would take part of their product line out of the
'toy' category and place it firmly in the 'inventor
systems' category, even though it is arguably already
so.
Looking at the big picture, robots and systems with
embedded processors around the house have specific
developmental requirements. By this I mean that toys
are already being produced that are a shortcut to what
Lego offers. Could you build a robot vacuum from Lego?
A sentry robot? A system that monitors your house? The
Aibo (even though I'll never buy from Sony again) is a
certain winner for the kids in deciding which they
want for the holidays. How much would you pay for a
Lego kit that creates something similar to the Aibo?
1500, 2000?
TLG will not generate huge revenues by simply
reinventing what Lego has already. They need to aim at
a more technically savvy and technically aware
audience. TLG needs to create the Lego Advance line of
products and develop further on that so that
tomorrow's kids will be building things that are not
yet available in the same market segment/place today.
Sure, there are lots of things that you can build with
Lego now, but imagine if TLG were to turn the volume
up by several notches?
All the things that we (AFOLs) would like to be able
to buy would help do that, but there has to be a
business model that fundamentally fits with the creed
of Lego in general. The Lego Advance has to be more
than a toy, but less than a home security system.
Along with sales, they must avoid legal issues, and
trying to sell into markets that are already well
attended.
Some suggestions (workable or not) would be:
1 - A tie-in with X-10 products for control of those
products
2 - Wireless communications with sensors (bluetooth?)
3 - More advanced sensors (get out of the experimentor
stage)
4 - Ready made shells for home-brew parts/sensors
5 - Products that link systems together at home in
ways that are not available to home users in general.
For example, look at new home construction products
and how they function over networks.
All of that would have to be Lego Advance products,
and not cut into their other business of movie tie-ins
etc. It also requires that Lego begin competing in
areas that they have never tried before.
Anyway, the Lego Advance systems is what I would like
to see.
--- Steve Hassenplug <Steve@TeamHassenplug.org> wrote:
> On Mon, November 28, 2005 5:12 pm, Steve Lane
> yahoo.co.uk@qs483.pair.com> wrote:
> > I think a business approach that can never fail is • to take a popular product ie
> > "Mindstorms" and just re-invest some of the • profits to develop the basic idea,
> > eg, an improved RCX every five years or so.
>
> How long has the current version of the RCX been
> around?
>
> > ... and an online forum would be the icing on the
> cake.
>
> What would you want to see in an online forum? What
> would it include that's not
> available here (LUGNET) and/or on LEGOfan?
>
> Steve
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Mindstorms on Slashdot
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| (...) I thought about bluetooth, but I personally feel 802.11 would be better. I bought a Roku Soundbridge new for around $125 and that included a WiFi card. (...) Is there a composite wish list for a next-generation RCX-like microcontroller (...) (18 years ago, 29-Nov-05, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: Mindstorms on Slashdot
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| While I personally love to see that, I just dont see them putting their neck out on that one. As stated before, we (AFOLs and advanced users) are barely a blip on the register of the bean counters, and it is to them that any business development (...) (18 years ago, 29-Nov-05, to lugnet.robotics, lugnet.dear-lego)
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