Monroi competitor?

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Monroi competitor?

I still stand by my statement that the monroi device can be built and sold at a profit for FAR cheaper.

The Monroi could be much cheaper IF chess was as popular as nintendo.

The market for a Monroi in Canada is maybe 4000 units if you could bring back CFC chess to the level of popularity it enjoyed 15 years ago and if EVERYONE who was a CFC member bought one. Add to that a few children from the Chess n Math side of things and 100% of the market might be 5000 units.

The Nintendo DS probably already has a market penetration of millions of units in Canada. The cost of the components is much less if your production runs are one hundred thousand units versus one hundred units. It probably has a market penetration of 10 or 15 units just among my nieces and nephews.

In the last year and a half, I have probably used the Monroi for close to 200 of my games. Before I had the Monroi, it would take me fifteen or twenty minutes each to record my games in my personal database of games assuming I didn't make too many mistakes on the scoresheet and didn't have to spend too much time reconstructing what had happened. Now I have a pgn record which I just import into my computer. My Monroi has already paid for itself just based on the time savings of entering these games.

Do I wish it had been cheaper? Yes, I do. Do I understand why it isn't? Yes, I do. Am I happy with my purchase? Yes, I am.

I may be underestimating the potential market for the devices among chess playing children. There isn't a tournament where some child doesn't park himself right next to my board and stare at my Monroi with fascination.

[Neil Sullivan]

Re: Monroi competitor?

... My Monroi has already paid for itself just based on the time savings of entering these games ...

Vlad, do you use the device for looking at games while travelling? I was always impressed with the display on the unit and would be tempted to buy it for looking at games while on the go, if it was a little less expensive.

Your points about economy of scale are quite valid of course.

[Jason Lohner]

Re: Monroi competitor?

The Nintendo DS probably already has a market penetration of millions of units in Canada. The cost of the components is much less if your production runs are one hundred thousand units versus one hundred units. It probably has a market penetration of 10 or 15 units just among my nieces and nephews.

Obviously... but I also pointed out that the monroi device does only ONE basic function... you don't need 1/10th the processing power of a Nintendo DS or the functionality that the DS provides. ALL that the monroi device does is record games... thats it! You don't need the sound, mic, dual screen etc... so these cost factors are irrelevant. As I stated above, I have purchased a touch screen chess computer for $20... and the Monroi device doesn't even need the processing power that this cheap handheld chess computer has... Is the monroi device 'cool'? of course, but it is FAR too expensive for the functionality that you get.

[Jean Hébert]

Re : Re: Monroi competitor?

I don't get the deal with all these things. Why not just use a score sheet? Come on...

It's not just me then... I thought it was because I am getting old.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Monroi competitor?

Vlad, do you use the device for looking at games while travelling? I was always impressed with the display on the unit and would be tempted to buy it for looking at games while on the go, if it was a little less expensive.

Your points about economy of scale are quite valid of course.

Most of my travel is by car with me driving so I haven't used it in that manner but I do bring it with me when I go over my games with my training partner. I also use it from time to time when preparing for an opponent that I play regularly. The display is the same one that is used in one of those hand held video game players though I don't recall which one. I didn't expect to be playing as many games as I have, since I purchased the Monroi but it certainly has helped to justify my decision.

I used the cash that I won from one of the Kitchener tournaments to pay for the Monroi after I had difficulty keeping score while my blood sugar was a little wonky. It has improved my scorekeeping significantly.

I love it and think everyone should have one. I can point to three or four players who have bought one because they have seen me use mine.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Monroi competitor?

I don't get the deal with all these things. Why not just use a score sheet? Come on...

They are much easier to use than a score sheet. When my blood sugar goes a bit wonky which happens when I do too much sitting and don't watch my diet carefully as often happens during a chess tournament and my blood sugar is very high or very low then I just can't keep score on a regular scoresheet. That fact cost me half a point in one of the Guelph tournaments which was the last time that I did not use a Monroi. I bought my unit shortly thereafter from Patrick McDonald at the OYCC.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Monroi competitor?

Is the monroi device 'cool'? of course, but it is FAR too expensive for the functionality that you get.

I agree on the cool opinion and disagree on the far too expensive for the functionality opinion but I guess that's why I bought one and you haven't. That's the wonderful thing about the market. Each person gets to decide for themselves what is of value to them and what isn't.

I shared a car with Zjelka on her way from running the Monroi devices and website for the CYCC in Windsor to performing the same job at the Canadian Open in Toronto. I learned quite a bit about how they came about and also a bit about the design decisions and experiences they had in coming up with the devices that we see today. She should really write a book about it or at least some lengthy articles in a chess magazine. Its a fascinating story.