Aedile:

I completely understand your view. And if it's any consolation, we've had iPhones from day one of their launch. We also study the Zune, other media players, and in general, anything with a touch screen or onscreen user interface. Forgive me if my replies are somewhat cryptic, but obviously anything I say as an enthusiast must first be bound by my responsibilities as an employee. I hope that my necessary degree of obsfucation doesn't come across as rudeness—I'm really just one enthusuast chatting with another, saying as much as I can say within the bounds of the circumstance. :-)

We're very much in tune with the precedent the iPhone set. It has a definite impact on what customers expect. As we move forward, the key to the success of our installers will always be to provide the level of quality and interaction that their customers expect, while still keeping the customization necessary to implement customer solutions within a managable (a.k.a. profitable) editor. Because our business revolves around custom installers, it is their needs we must meet and their success we must ensure. And as you noted, their needs are directly dictated by the clients they serve. So clearly, as we respond to installer requirements, we are by default responding to end-user requirements.

Unfortunately, that equation rarely meets the specific needs of the tinkerers like you and me. But that doesn't mean we can't tinker. As you noted, folks like Bracken and Lee have done things nobody ever expected the MX-3000 to do. As new products come along with new capabilities, I feel confident that similar enthusiam will lead to even greater results with later-generation products.

Best regards,
Dale