Topic: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

I have not been able to access the store.chumby.com for the past two days. I just see a message stating that the site is temporarily closed. I have searched the forums for updates but haven't seen any.

Does anyone know if and when the store will come back online? I'm trying to buy an overdue birthday gift for someone, so I'm not sure if I should wait for the store to come back or just look for a different gift.

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

It will not be coming back.  We no longer sell our own branded products.

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

Has this product line any real future then?  Should we start getting used to the idea that our devices are obsolete and will need to be replaced with something else?  I can't think exactly what that would be, though, in terms of pure hardware.

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

Well, chumby always intended to get out of the hardware  business, since a startup can't possibly scale in the consumer electronics business, especially one funded by venture capital.

The intention was always to get OEM partners, like Sony, Insignia, WOW, etc.  They are supposed to provide first-tier customer support, etc and paid us a modest license fee for the software and service.

Chumby stopped manufacturing hardware quite a while ago (almost a year, I think) - the only hardware that we were making was developer units of NeTV (which you can still buy on adafruit, now from one of the licensees).  Once the inventory was exhausted, there was no point in keeping the store around.

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

cdrmrsr wrote:

Has this product line any real future then?  Should we start getting used to the idea that our devices are obsolete and will need to be replaced with something else?  I can't think exactly what that would be, though, in terms of pure hardware.

WOWboxes...

http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?pid=40647#p40647

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

So...where DO we get Chumby's? Mine broke a month ago and I have been praying for the site to come back up. The sony product is receiving such poor reviews, and i don't think it will last long at my house. What are my options?

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

whitingj@hotmail.com wrote:

So...where DO we get Chumby's? Mine broke a month ago and I have been praying for the site to come back up. The sony product is receiving such poor reviews, and i don't think it will last long at my house. What are my options?

I've been successful getting them (or at least Insignia Infocasts) off of eBay.  But be careful, because many on ebay don't come with a power supply, which you can't buy any more from Chumby.

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

There are also Chumbies on eBay, but they're pricey (>$100), and are most likely just woot.com scalpers that picked them up for $85 (shipped) and are looking for a quick buck.  I say wait 'em out, let the listings expire, and they'll probably relist at what they paid so it's not a total loss tongue

(I'm a jaded wooter who missed getting my hands on one by 2 minutes tongue)

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

no point getting a chumby ... best to get an android tablet with stand instead. it costs only $100 anyway. look for the nevo 7 paladin units.

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

zurk wrote:

no point getting a chumby ... best to get an android tablet with stand instead. it costs only $100 anyway. look for the nevo 7 paladin units.

Au contraire, the Chumby not only has the service, but also the open firmware that is inherently hackable.  If you're just looking for a digital photo frame or an alarm clock, sure an Android device will fit the bill... but if you're looking for something that you can do pretty much ANYTHING with, you can't really beat a Chumby.  I've got python installed on mine, and can now make it dance to my tune big_smile

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

Doktor Jones wrote:

Au contraire, the Chumby not only has the service, but also the open firmware that is inherently hackable.  If you're just looking for a digital photo frame or an alarm clock, sure an Android device will fit the bill... but if you're looking for something that you can do pretty much ANYTHING with, you can't really beat a Chumby.  I've got python installed on mine, and can now make it dance to my tune big_smile

'service' huh?  how long do you think a company with no employees and no product will keep the the servers up?

if there is a way to flash these and or install a service to do what the chumby servers do please link it here.  else these products become paperweights once those servers turn off.  so much for an 'open' product.

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

dumby wrote:
Doktor Jones wrote:

Au contraire, the Chumby not only has the service, but also the open firmware that is inherently hackable.  If you're just looking for a digital photo frame or an alarm clock, sure an Android device will fit the bill... but if you're looking for something that you can do pretty much ANYTHING with, you can't really beat a Chumby.  I've got python installed on mine, and can now make it dance to my tune big_smile

'service' huh?  how long do you think a company with no employees and no product will keep the the servers up?

if there is a way to flash these and or install a service to do what the chumby servers do please link it here.  else these products become paperweights once those servers turn off.  so much for an 'open' product.

At the least, there is Duane; I think Chumby may have a few other people working more "behind the scenes" as well.

And yes, the devices will remain "open" even if the servers do go dark.  That's what the debugchumby scripts are all about.  Zurk has written an "offline" firmware, and I have developed a (somewhat crude at the moment) bootable USB stick that turns the Chumby into an internet-connected photo frame without ever touching the Chumby servers.

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

What about the chumby hacker boards?

Re: Chumby Store Offline...ETA?

I don't think we sold Chumby Hacker Boards directly - they were all sold through adafruit.

Having said that, we haven't made them is probably two years.

Note that the schematics for all chumby products are available - a third party could manufacture them.