For over a year, on and off, I’ve been following the progress of an intriguing product concept. It’s the Noteslate, an A4 sized digital notepad. A wonderfully simple concept. Their Facebook page is here: http://www.facebook.com/NoteSlate
They appeared early in 2011 promising product availability by June 2011 at the amazing price of US$99!
Since then they have consistently missed their own deadlines.
I don’t underestimate the complexities of developing a new product, but Noteslate is a good example of how not to communicate with the marketplace.
They have lots of “likes” on Facebook and a hard core of people who are sticking with them. But their lack of consistent communication with the market place is now generating a lot of negative feelings. I think people are willing to accept that dates and specifications slip when you’re dealing with technology.
But the Noteslate team have elevated to a high level the art of raising expectation and then disappointing potential customers.
If they ever do launch a product, and I really hope they do, they will have a lot of work to do to rebuild their credibility.
There’s a lesson in there for me too.
I must post messgaes more often!