Firmware Upgrades For Everything

eggoeater writes "Forbes Magazine has an article discussing how more portable electronics are not only suggesting firmware upgrades, but requiring them in order to get all the features! Apparently the new Lyra A/V Jukebox will sometimes display a message stating that 'this feature will be available in future upgrades.' In addition, the article states that some patches are difficult and dangerous depending on the component. Some cell phone patches require a proprietary cable ($25) that will then wipe out your phone book. This raises concerns over alienating users that aren't tech-savvy and how this could affect perceptions of portable electronics as a whole."

firm or soft?

[Anonymous Coward]

I thought firmware was supposed to be firm?

Ahhh....

[SomeOtherGuy]

This generations "Feature Will Be Available in future firmware upgrades" is really starting to sound like last generations "The Check is in the mail".

Not at all surprising.

[El Cubano]

Apparently the new Lyra A/V Jukebox will sometimes display a message stating that 'this feature will be available in future upgrades.'

I think that this is happening because vendors have determined it is better, from a marketing stand-point, to got a half-done product first to market and finish it later than it is to bring a complete product where the competition already has gained a user-base.

Thankfully, this is more difficult other industries, like automobiles. But as electronics take over more of our lives, I would not be at all surprised to see this happen in relatively strange places. I can see: "If you would like your SVT Mustang to travel over 50 MPH, please downlaod the latest firmware from ford.com."

Hold on a sec...

[Anonymous Coward]

They've decided to start charging in advance for vapour-ware?

Drooling Morons

[Anonymous Coward]

This raises concerns over alienating users that aren't tech-savvy

Call them drooling morons instead. There are instances where instructions are no good; there's a lot of vaporware; but above all it's the mentally lazy. They're in abundance like nowhere else in the US.

Re:Dude, where's my shares?

[AKnightCowboy]

History has shown that when the peasant mass is uneducated, the church and monarchy rule. Are we not heading in this direction again? Technology being the new "power"? How long until the masses catch up and stop being screwed?

Historically speaking it would be about 750 years from now. System administration.. it's the new priesthood! Bow down lusers and pay homage to the messiah Simon.

BLUE BLUE GREEN RED BLUE YELLOW

[haystor]

The messiah has spoken, now we must follow.

Re:Further marketshare gains for Microsoft?

[PCM2]

Soon a new microwave oven will require Windows and an Internet connection. ARGH!

Not so! The manufacturer of my new microwave oven makes firmware upgrades available for download on their Web site. You grab the firmware and burn it to a standard ISO filesystem. Then you put the CD-R into the microwave and zap it for exactly three minutes. You can tell the upgrade is taking place because of the flashing lights. And then, voila! Your microwave is upgraded with new features. The latest patch for my model upgraded it with an unusual new odor, which I'm not sure I'm totally into, but I guess you can't halt the march of progress.

Nuh-uh

[ackthpt]

No, that concept is called "vaporware," and in general, it's the company that pays the price.

1) Announce Product with features X, Y and Z
2) Ship Product with feature X
3) ???
4) Go bankrupt.

Nope. Look at this way. Product is loss leader, cable and other bits to upgrade are Profit.

Go on, doubt me, I dare you.

Rio 500 lied about support for Audible.com files.

[superdude72]

When I bought my Rio 500 a few years ago, the packaging had an Audible.com logo on it, and the player came bundled with Audible.com software.

Did the player support Audible's file format? Um, no. But they said a firmware upgrade would add support.

It took more than 6 months for the upgrade to become available. I was not pleased.

Btw, this was immediately after I returned my Rio 300 because it short-circuited and caught on fire.

Another feature of the Rio 300 was that it could only take Duracell AA batteries. I don't believe that they had an arrangement with Duracell. It's just that their quality control was so terrible that the battery compartment was completely out of spec. They didn't offer a firmware upgrade to fix this.

Re:As an engineer in the electronics industry...

[liquidsin]

My company has invented the mind-control device. Unfortunately, due to marketing setting the ship date six weeks earlier than anticipated, the telepathic reprogrammer is still in beta. Hopefully we'll have it ready in a couple months and we can put out a firmware upgrade.

Re:Dude, where's my shares?

[petecarlson]

no No NO
He ment on WOMEN.