Well...
I have no reason to doubt that Sony really was, as TRKR said, an alpha and beta testing site for a "new product" scheduled for release in August 2000. Of course, TRKR earlier said it was scheduled for release in February 2000.... But that still gives a reason to hope TRKR's fortunes could improve. But but but...
- TRKR's has had various relationships with SONY for a long time -- with SONY of Canada since March 22, 1996, and with Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. since I don't know when. This makes a SONY deal more or less likely depending on how you look at it. My theory is *less* likely -- if something was going to happen, it woulda. But reasonable people can differ....
- TRKR itself acknowledges that "there is a low cost of entry and basically no market barriers" to others considering competing with it. Which is my point that the Symbol announcement doesn't mean anything -- or, at least, doesn't mean anything more for TRKR that it does for you and me (or any database programmer who could set up a competing system in about 4 weeks... okay, maybe 8 weeks).
- TRKR's patent, as I explained in detail to our pal (the mysterious, two-named, ever optimistic SAM-DAN), is specific to PERSONAL property, an area on which TRKR has not been able to make its fortune. The patent doesn't help with SONY, or act as a barrier to others using bar codes for BUSINESS property.
- Charles |
