Ouya Staff Should see this - Market Revenue they are missing out on - IMPORTANT!

[szupek]

why create fragmentation in your own market that is struggling right out of the gate? instead release the update on the only rom you have and let eveyrone else worry about the other crap. after all power users should know linux well enough to just redo the rooting / permissions. OUYA doesn't have the resources or the time to worry about 2 branches (rooted vs stock) so if you are a power user power use your way to making it like you want.

[Brinson]

This thread is useless. Ouya allows sideloading by default, all you need is a thumb drive and a brain. Or you can download the apk with the browser and prolly skip the brain. They don't discourage rooting, they just aren't helping you do it. I'm fine with that. Not felt the need to root my Ouya to be honest. I have a pretty high knowledge level around linux/android but you can sideload apps all day long without root, so don't really need root. You mention "Plex" as a hardcore user feature...but its in the store...not very hardcore, now is it? Same for emulators...same for side loading. These are all things ouya has actually enabled, not discouraged. Updates breaking root is the only valid point in your entire thread, and its not even a big deal. If you were a power use, as you so claim, you'd be able to protect root between updates.

"Power Users" will buy apps "if the prices are reasonable", which is another way of savings they won't pay a dime premium for an emerging console.

How much money do you imagine ouya makes off a $99 console shipped from overseas with a controller, built in wifi, etc? Profit margins have to be very slim. Also, they're all selling out. Lets assume for a moment that Normal users will buy slightly more games from Discover than a "Power" gamer, well, then not selling to power gamers seems like a good business decision, especially since they are short on consoles. It'd be a great business decision for ouya to try and find a way to stop power users. I assume they won't though because they need developer support. But if they could stop your "power users" from eating up the supply of consoles considering they'll rarely buy games, it would be a great move for them.

[jbrodack]

There are other things they need to do like general updates to the system and how the discover section is laid out that would help sales. They give enough support for things like rooting and side loading and have been more open about these things than almost any other company I've seen. Emulators are allowed in the Ouya store which may not be allowed in other places including possibly the gamestick. They have left the system very open as promised.

The system doesn't preserve root on updates but now there are now one click root apps and other things that simplify functions power users want. I see no need to complain about Ouya closing off their system when it just isn't happening.

[Victor Coleiro]

My guess and take on the USB storage issue is different. I have always thought from day one that Ouya did this on purpose, not to disuade power users, but to later launch Ouya's with more storage ie a 16gb or 32gb Ouya etc at premium prices. That slip up on Ouya.tv only cemented my suspicion.

ITs the same sales technique used by Google with the Nexus 7. Sell a cheap model at very low margin to get it out there and brand name up , then also sell a model with higher storage for a premium - this is where the profit is made. If Google had of added an SD card like everyone keeps asking for all the time, they couldn't sell the premium models. That's the way it works. We will see if Ouya does this in the near future.

[James Andrew Coote]

What people have already said. It's just a bi-product of OUYAs update system. I don't think they are purposely trying to throw roadblocks in anyone's way.

Also the OUYA hardware isn't especially remarkable. If Google come out with their own console, and other consoles such as the Mojo start gaining traction, OUYA's best bet may be to go purely software, providing a dedicated app store just for games designed to work on TV, and having the OUYA store downloaded via Google Play and installed on Google TV, Google Console, Mojo, or whatever other Android device that has HDMI out and lets you connect a controller

[Schizophretard]

My guess and take on the USB storage issue is different. I have always thought from day one that Ouya did this on purpose, not to disuade power users, but to later launch Ouya's with more storage ie a 16gb or 32gb Ouya etc at premium prices. That slip up on Ouya.tv only cemented my suspicion.

ITs the same sales technique used by Google with the Nexus 7. Sell a cheap model at very low margin to get it out there and brand name up , then also sell a model with higher storage for a premium - this is where the profit is made. If Google had of added an SD card like everyone keeps asking for all the time, they couldn't sell the premium models. That's the way it works. We will see if Ouya does this in the near future.

According to this they plan on enabling external storage. I can see them eventually launching OUYA's with more internal storage but it doesn't make any sense for them to intentionally disable external storage. They would be lying and putting us in a position to pay premium prices which contradicts this. Your theory doesn't make sense with their business model. They are trying to keep the OUYA's price low enough so that people will buy it and make their 30% off of game sales. Limiting storage space would be limiting game sales(It is for me). It would be like Sony designing the PS4 to require 10 discs to play a game to intentionally make you run out of storage space on your book shelf so that you would buy an upgraded PS4 that allows the same games to play with one disc. It doesn't make any sense.

If I were OUYA and I wanted to make more money off of selling hardware then I wouldn't do the lying manipulating forced upgrading like you are describing. I would enable external storage but compete with other external storage devices by making my own that matches the OUYA.

What people have already said. It's just a bi-product of OUYAs update system. I don't think they are purposely trying to throw roadblocks in anyone's way.

Also the OUYA hardware isn't especially remarkable. If Google come out with their own console, and other consoles such as the Mojo start gaining traction, OUYA's best bet may be to go purely software, providing a dedicated app store just for games designed to work on TV, and having the OUYA store downloaded via Google Play and installed on Google TV, Google Console, Mojo, or whatever other Android device that has HDMI out and lets you connect a controller

Or by then they come out with more remarkable hardware.

[MX Woods3]

i dont get it, you CAN sideload apks, you CAN run emulators, you CAN change the dash if you want, and you CAN run XBMC and Plex.... and i learned how to do this stuff on my own without help within the first few weeks of own my ouya and i DIDN'T know how to before i owned one. so with all that said, i see no problems.

[mmartino]

I think some people complain to complain... or else they want it to prompt you with a choice when you start the system like a menu that comes up and says "to hack this system click ok" lol

[Tchad Thai]

The first thing I did on my Ouya was sideload, I havent rooted it yet since I havent felt the need to do so yet, maybe I might want to after a bit of research but for now its good enough so I dont really understand the complaints. Ouya's selling point was that the console is hackable and wouldnt void warranty, so by not letting people hack their Ouyas (I might be wrong) they could be sued for false advertising so I doubt they plan on stopping it.

[CaptainCapslock]

i dont get it, you CAN sideload apks, you CAN run emulators, you CAN change the dash if you want, and you CAN run XBMC and Plex.... and i learned how to do this stuff on my own without help within the first few weeks of own my ouya and i DIDN'T know how to before i owned one. so with all that said, i see no problems.

Basically this!

Besides, I don't think Ouya is really doing anything to block any of these functions (just as a lot of you guys already mentioned).
For me, side-loading and emulating is no problem on the Ouya. In fact, it is nearly as easy as it can get.