Talking Tech with Robert.

When I sat down to write this article it was to be about the new Razer Products and their new Synapse 2.0 cloud service, and I still will talk about those, but not first. First I have to talk about the interaction that made the biggest impression on me. My conversation with Robert, the founder of Razer. I respect Steve Jobs. I don’t idolize him as so many do in our generation, but I respect his ability to be a “galvanizing” force in technology. I see him as a man whose company influenced all aspects of technology today.  Apple’s iPhone influenced the Android operating system and almost all of the current smart phones in one way or another. Was it all from the mind of Steve Jobs? No. The same can be said about Robert. In fact he was quite candid about that fact. And with that one little statement I gained more respect for him as a business man and technology visionary then I have for almost any tech Icon in the past decade. He has some very down to earth expectations from both his company and from the field at large. Our conversation started about the Razer Blade. Which based on his level of knowledge you would think he was on the design team for, but he tells me that they brought various aspects and versions to him to approve but he didn’t “design” it himself. The specs were something he could rattle off with a virtual rote memory. And he was proud of it, because his company saw a need and they filled it. There will be plenty who claim that a $2800.00 laptop is extravagant and as Robert and I discussed it, he felt that that feeling is precipitated by companies like AlienWare and Republic of Gamers producing a more “affordable” but much bulkier  laptop rather than a more expensive innovation filled MOBILE gaming rig. And I agree. I am writing this article on a Republic of Gamers 17. 3” laptop. I love it. But it is a desktop replacement, not a mobile gaming rig. It weighs a staggering 8.8 pounds. Now that doesn’t seem like much till you take into account it is 2 inches thick and more than 16 inches wide by nearly 12 long. It is a monster. The Blade on the other hand is paltry 6.8 pounds, 16.8 inches wide and 10.9 long.. and the WINNING dimension … it is only .88 inches thick. Yes I said that. Less than an inch think. Compacted into that is a computer faster, cooler, and full of more features than my Asus, and thus the reason for a nearly 200% difference in price.  When I asked him about their “Switchblade” gaming system, he said that unfortunately they are waiting for the tech to catch up to what they want out of the device.  Now that is not to say that the Switchblade has been scrapped, just tabled until certain aspects of the build are more to Roberts liking. He tells me that they brought him a mock up just before GamesCon and he felt that, for the level of portability they were aiming for, it was still too thick. So they will wait. Robert and I also discussed the trends of Tech, books and the desires of gamers today. All in all, While Robert jokingly referred to himself as a “Figurehead” I get the feeling that much like Steve Jobs, Robert has the ability to see the very real possible future of PC and even Console gaming and steer his already quite successful company toward an even bigger and brighter place for not just Razer, but anyone who considers themselves a gamer or has a desire to be on not just the cutting edge of technology but the bleeding edge.



One Response to “Talking Tech with Robert.”

1. bullseye0169 says:

   December 26, 2011 at 6:59 pm

   This is a great read. I would have loved to be the “fly on the wall” for this conversation. Well done.