Gizmondo projects bigger US launch

DESPITE reports that Tiger Telematics, the parent company for Gizmondo, has posted losses of $210 million last year alone, the company is tackling its US launch with bigger plans than anyone predicted. Gizmondo has appointed marketers to design a $30 million campaign using both "traditional and guerrilla channels".

One of the integral ideas for this campaign is the opening of 50 kiosks in prominent shopping locations across North America. While these will initially be limited to Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Chicago, Seattle and four locations inside Los Angeles, the plan is for another 38 to be pushed out across the country over the course of the next six months.

Already it has been pointed out that, with the obvious exceptions of LA and Seattle, none of these locations are regarded as centres of high-tech penetration. Comments that the "fashion capitals" have been missed by the Gizmondo release have already been made at 1UP.

While suspicions abound as to why the Gizmondo launch seems to miss some of these prime locations there is another side to the story. The handheld market seems to have hit a practical saturation. It may just be that there is not enough room left in the market. Regardless, it will continue to be pushed for its features over other handhelds and hopefully turn some profit in the US.

News of the launch comes immediately after news of both the company's losses on the device and their aim to release a widescreen version in the near future. This is part of an idea to create a family of products around the Gizmondo base. µ