Subject:
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Mindstorms Future
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Sat, 4 Sep 2004 10:42:55 GMT
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Viewed:
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1396 times
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Don't recall seeing this information in previous posts but apologise if
this is old news.
I recently reviewed corporate information on Lego website and noticed
the following regarding Mindstorms.
http://www.lego.com/eng/info/default.asp?page=pressdetail&contentid=3423&countrycode=2057&yearcode=2004&archive=true
is a Jan 14 2004 press release titled "MINDSTORMStm and Harry Potter
will continue". This is a short press release specially targeted to
correct impression from a (at the time) recent lego event announcing
change in corporate direction. "LEGO MINDSTORMS is not removed from the
product range. On the contrary – it is a core product" is a direct quote
from this press release.
http://www.lego.com/eng/info/default.asp?page=pressdetail&contentid=4805&countrycode=2057&yearcode=2004&archive=true
is a Mar 16 2004 press release announcing a restucturing plan as a
result of poor 2003 financial performance. There are eight key elements
of the plan. Two are relevent here.
"5. Focus on classic product lines such as LEGO DUPLO/BABY/QUATRO, LEGO
Make & Create, classic play themes, LEGO TECHNIC and LEGO MINDSTORMS.
The aim is to achieve a stronger portfolio balance between these classic
product lines and story-based products like for example BIONICLE, LEGO
Star Wars and LEGO Harry Potter. This will lead to regain of the volume
the company has lost over the past five years" [An encouraging statement
for Mindstorms]
"1. A radical reduction in development and production lead times. For
example, the time taken from idea to shelf will be cut by 50%" [We're
not seeing this in the Mindstorms area]
The 2003 Annual report,
http://www.lego.com/eng/info/default.asp?page=annualreport, is 32 pages
long and has 1.5 pages devoted to Mindstorms. This includes half page
describing First Lego League and a full page containing global map of
the 39 Mindstorms Centers -- "The great majority of these are located in
conjunction with science centres or technological museums. The centres
are typically visited by children as part of a schools project." There
is no hard data / facts on Mindstorms in the report but this is fairly
typical of an annual report. The biggest fact in the report was sales
down 26% over 2002 leading to a change in business strategy -- as
outlined in the press release mentioned immediately above.
I do find the above information encouraging about Mindstorms. Up to now,
I have been very pessimistic about seeing another Mindstorm product.
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