Comments on rahulsood: Getting our feet wet...

It's amazing. You guys are now working for someone...

2006-10-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

It's amazing. You guys are now working for someone else and allowing him/her to get the money they get because of the work that YOU do.

Not to be whore or anything like that but your company is not exclusive if it is being run by its mother, HP in this case. Don't count on actually changing the computer world now, since everything you will want to do must get approved by the head of HP... and knowing HP, its all about cheap prices than cool things.

Also, your "tribe" will now have new members in it -the members and workers at HP. There are more workers at HP than there are at Voodoo and that poses a risk for you. Let me repeat myself again, whatever you will want to do will first have to go through the hands of the head of HP and won't always get passed on furthur.

It would have been better, in my opinion, if you parted with Alienware. Not because of your prices, but your similar goals and thoughts. Alienware is focused on making the fastest and most innovative machines on the planet, and so are you, while HP is focused on making machines that everyone can afford. Think about it, a $5000 machine standing next to a $800 machine. Come on, you do the math.

Also, you and Ravi also stated that "you won't see a Voodoo computer standing on a shelf at a cheap retail store". Well, that's exactly what HP does, and o man, you'll be forced to do the same.

Face it guys, HP won't let you sell your computers for the prices that you sell them now for. It's only a matter of time that they will force you to lower the totals.

So after reading my comment, I hope you understand that what you did was probably your greatest mistake because in no way is HP going to help you sell over the line products. I know you already have enough personal money, but its all logic. What I'm trying to say is that HP showed you such a high check, that you couldn't resist and had to sell Voodoo -and believe me that what most of us would do too. It's a trap, a trap that you can't get out of once you get in.

Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. But hey, I'm just a person. I can't tell what the future holds for us.

I hate to say it but your company name will be dis...

2006-10-20T22:12:00.000-07:00

I hate to say it but your company name will be dissolved and HP will be the name that takes over your high end rigs. I can guarantee in time we all will see a voodoo pc with a HP tag slapped on it and being sold at Costco for a high price.

Dont say it wont happen because HP is all about making money and they will do it anyway they can.

Dan, you're right, HP is all about making money for their shareholders. That's why we wouldn't do something as stupid as putting our brand in Costco... That would be the opposite of making money.

Hi Rahul,I hate to say it but your company name wi...

2006-10-18T00:06:00.000-07:00

Hi Rahul,

I hate to say it but your company name will be dissolved and HP will be the name that takes over your high end rigs. I can guarantee in time we all will see a voodoo pc with a HP tag slapped on it and being sold at Costco for a high price.

Dont say it wont happen because HP is all about making money and they will do it anyway they can.

This is a mistake but who am I to tell you that. I really wish the best for you. It seems that Falcon is the only computer I would be recommending to anyone that has a fat wallet and wants a special rig outside of myself building it.....:(

Instead of bashing they should prepare for when HP...

2006-10-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Instead of bashing they should prepare for when HP/Voodoo goes into retail and crushes them!

Dave, thanks for the comments!

I'm sorry to disappoint though, you'll never see a Voodoo exclusive machine next to a “Velocity Micro” in any discount retail store, anywhere on this planet - this unless a customer of the discount retail store happens to own a Voodoo and carries it in with him into the store, trips and falls while walking by the computer section - and the system flies through the air and lands on the shelf.

The bottom line is we've never really run across them - we build exclusive personalized machines - and they don't. It’s as simple as that…

That's not to say that we won't consider building a higher end line of PCs to fill in the gaps -- because both HP and Voodoo are big thinkers. HP acquired Voodoo because of our brand, our DNA, our expertise in gaming, and our ability to commercialize cool innovations coming out of labs.

Though some companies boast about "moving boxes" that never impressed me... ever... It's too easy to "move boxes" - it's not easy to build an experience - or to innovate.

On a related note I like how Kelt Reeves at Falcon handles his business - we have always shown respect for one another, even though behind the scenes we go toe to toe. I remember when Falcon and Voodoo were approached by a certain retailer way back when and we both agreed to turn them down... Kelt is really the last big name gaming company left - although there are other up and comers who impress me...

I get impressed by people like Josh at Biohazard or Mario at Overdrive or Wallace at Maingear ... I respect their passion, and their comradely.

Good job on the acquisition! As a native from Vanc...

2006-10-13T18:10:00.000-07:00

Good job on the acquisition! As a native from Vancouver we are proud to see a Canadian company get the boost they deserve.

I just saw an interview in Business Edge and some idiot from Velocity Micro tried to make you guys look insignificant. I remember when Velocity came into the market with a review in Maximum PC called something like "battle of the mom and pop shops". That was when Voodoo, Alienware, and Falcon were always referred as the big 3.Why is anyone comparing Velocity with the likes of Falcon and Voodoo? It seems that jealousy is hitting them hard. Instead of bashing they should prepare for when HP/Voodoo goes into retail and crushes them!

Ravi/Rahul,Why did you not get into the design bus...

2006-10-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

Ravi/Rahul,

Why did you not get into the design business yourself and just lease technology from HP yet still retain your company?

I've always believed that you guys had what it takes and you were proving me right, now you've gone and quite literally sold yourselves out.

Of course things will happen now with new tech at your fingertips, but it seems a godawful way to do it (not that there is anything wrong with HP). Voodoo is owned by HP now, and nothing that can be said will change that fact. You can retain some autonomy but now matter how autonomous you may be you will still have to answer to HP execs and shareholders who may just decide to dissolve your gem of a company at some point if they feel it's not worth it.

And how does this improve your brand? Dell buying out Alienware was good for consumer pricing of course since AW was always in the market to sell moderately high end pc's to low paying consumers, but their brand is now diluted by the taint of Dell.

I don't expect that Voodoo will change it's prices, or at least it shouldn't, but Ford buying up Jaguar certainly didn't HELP their brand at all and nor would HP's halo effect help Voodoo. (Imagine a Voodoo sitting on the shelf of Best Buy).

Am I negative? Of course. Voodoo could have been the last remaining loose cannon to really offer innovation and not be under corporate sway. But now it's not - and Falcon NW, as much as I like them) are not really on the radar as much as they used to be and is the last remaining member of the club of three. But don't look to them to make bold moves like Voodoo could have.

Am I wrong? I hope so. I hope Voodoo retains its status as the best gaming machine builder and I hope that HP can provide you guys with some serious tech. But this will always be a different Voodoo from now on, no matter how you slice it.

Sorry if I find this a sad event, no doubt you guys are all excited, but like I said before, it's now HP's story to write.

Holy $h!& Rahul, I go away for a couple of weeks a...

2006-10-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

Holy $h!& Rahul, I go away for a couple of weeks and I come home to this? Wow! I met you at the Intel event in July, I am one of your readers from the Yahoo investment forums.

Let's just hope this doesn't change your perspective and your willingness to expose the truth! Good work on telling the story, it makes alot of sense from both HP and Voodoo's perspectives. Did you guys get a bonus for the sudden jump in HP stock? :P

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Ra...

2006-10-08T23:58:00.000-07:00

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Ravi Sood. I am Rahul’s elder brother (CEO of VoodooPC). Rarely do I comment on Rahul’s Blog, and rarely do I surface my views on public forums/venues, especially when it comes to Voodoo’s business. I guess that you could say that I am the introvert in our family. This time however, I feel compelled to express my views on our alliance with HP.

First, I promise not to sell you on the merits of this alliance because everyone is entitled to their own opinion(s). Second, I choose my words very carefully.

Six years ago, when I came to Voodoo, my brother and I were not that we could work together. Hell, we’re brothers! He is Yin (water) and I am Yang (fire). After six months of thought, I jumped into Voodoo without hesitation. My dream was to create a monumental business, partly because I was tired of hearing so many pessimistic voices that we could not succeed together and let’s just say that many of you would be quite surprised if you knew where some of these cynical voices actually came from.

Within one year (2001) we decided to build the most powerful PC brand in the gaming space. Try to imagine the mixed feelings, within Voodoo, that we endured during this transition from a local Calgary based business to a world-class brand; now known for its cutting edge designs/innovations.

Our vision to redefine the personal computer became a curse to some extent. In fact, there were several times that I did what any believer would do to ward off the negative views and then hunt for more positive minds. I am sure that all of my decisions along the way were not perfect but then again, no one is perfect anyhow. What matters is that we succeeded by staying true to our vision and that we avoided the industry pitfalls which would have harmed our brand’s potency.

Over time, Voodoo grew on its own merits. We had no outside funding and we didn’t have the ammunition of the giants. To make things worse, we even had a local few snakes, lingering in the jungle, wanting to bring us down (I will not comment further on this because it’s not worth it). The only thing we had at the time was a common belief that we could change people’s perception of the Personal Computer and I was very vigilant to make sure that we stuck true to this belief; especially with every single business opportunity that came our way. For the record, I have turned down a lot of lucrative opportunities simply because they did not feel right to me with respect to our vision. Now try to imagine the internal battles, at Voodoo, that I had to endure because of such hard decisions. I wasn’t the most popular guy on the planet but my core team stuck with me despite my stubborn drive.

To me, this new direction with HP is only the beginning because quite frankly, I am not done with our vision. Sure, we now have a few more worthy challenges in front of us but that makes life more interesting. For the record, I have taken a lot of time considering this opportunity and thinking it through because once I commit to a worthy cause, I don’t quit - and those who know me well, would endorse this statement.

Meeting most of the key people within HP gave me the right vibe and let’s face it; HP has come along way over the past few years (within their own arena). Hell, Wall Street loves them and living up to that level of expectations is certainly not easy. Even in recent political times, HP’s leaders have demonstrated to Rahul and I that business goes on no matter what. That is something that we take to heart.

So for those who feel that Voodoo ‘sold out’, you don’t know us (we do not need the money personally). We are doing this because we have a personal responsibility to our vision. Over time, I have learned that a wise entrepreneur makes decisions based on his/her vision; not for immediate personal gain. For us, HP is the sensible choice in order for our vision to reach the right heights. Until we get there, I will not be satisfied. Again, my team knows that I am never satisfied with status quo because I believe that our job is far from done.

For those of who are doubtful on Voodoo’s direction, we will prove you wrong like we’ve done countless times with many other skeptics that have crossed our path. For those of you who do, (or may one day), believe in our vision, we will not let you down. I promise. For our clients, fans and team members (both Voodoo and HP) you can contact me anytime to share your thoughts/concerns (1-888-708-6636, ext 115 – ravi@voodoopc.com).

So will things go smoothly? No. Will we do whatever it takes to build the coolest gaming division with HP? Yes. Will we succeed together? Yes because we have more people, like Rahul and I, within HP, who believe in our vision.

…together we will redefine the machine.

We got things in common Mr. Sood.I spend min. 6-7 ...

2006-10-08T05:22:00.000-07:00

We got things in common Mr. Sood.

I spend min. 6-7 hrs per day on my computer.

If theres no college its like 15-16 hrs on internet.

I do same stuff u do with google guys. I am also indian.

But i am not as successful as you i guess.

http://www.coolnsmart.com/lawyer_sayings/

Rahul,This HP buying Voodoo topic is already borin...

2006-10-07T00:38:00.000-07:00

Rahul,

This HP buying Voodoo topic is already boring!

Can you tell us about the hot water HP is in nowadays?

Oh! guess not! My mistake!

Hi Rahul (and Ravi),Congratulations on the 'almost...

2006-10-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Rahul (and Ravi),

Congratulations on the 'almost done' acquisition.

My personal connection to Voodoo began five years ago, when I was in grade 10, and I took a business class entitled 'Entrepreneurship'. For one of my assignments I was told to present a company that was pushing the limits in an up and coming industry and I chose Voodoo. Voodoo also turned out to be the company I had envisioned myself starting (kind of how some kids dream of being a fireman).

Being able to sit in a room with engineers and programmers, and to lead them to develop something you've envisioned for years is also an opportunity that I would have a hard time to pass up. I know I have ideas in my head, and only wished I had access to those sort of resources.

-Thusenth

I was then toured through HP Labs and (OMG) I can’...

2006-10-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

I was then toured through HP Labs and (OMG) I can’t tell you how excited I was to meet the team. I even had a chance to meet an HP Fellow… I was captivated to say the least. Phil had to peel me off of the ceiling when we were done.

Man, Rahul I hope you were able to keep the front of your jeans dry... :-) I would imagine meeting an HP fellow is about as spectacular as meeting an Intel Fellow. I've never met an HP fellow but have met several Intel fellows and all I can say is they are technically brilliant but they are people (mostly) like the rest of us. I've even met one Nobel Laureate in chemistry at UCLA. From what I gathered in just a short conversation at a commencement ceremony is that the guy thinks chemistry 24/7. Sort of a turn off for me since I could give a toss about chemistry. The point is, I would imagine HP fellows are not much different except they think electronics.

Rahul,The worst thing about this deal is that we c...

2006-10-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

Rahul,

The worst thing about this deal is that we can not trust your analysis about the pc industry anymore. Your opinions will be totally biased and you will not have the freedom to say what you believe in.

The way I see it: you bought more than you bargained for!

Well, we will be pleased to see more of your machi...

2006-10-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

Well, we will be pleased to see more of your machines in France...
For diverse reasons, Allienware has more visibility here.
Especially in our magazine adressing profesional graphic (2D, 3D, video...) designers.
With HP backing, this will certainly change...

Best,

Jef Tombeur (Création numérique/Pixel mag.)

Rahul,It's great that you will have access to all ...

2006-10-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Rahul,

It's great that you will have access to all sorts of treasures of technology that HP has developed and let go to waste. Undoubtedly cool things will happen if this deal is done.

My question now, after thinking about this more, is couldn't you simply have selectively licensed technology from HP instead of selling Voodoo to them?

Whatever side of the coin you look at, HP will OWN you. HP can fire you, can fire your employees, and can sell of your company that you've worked for 15 years to build wholesale to anyone they want.

I see in your post that you haven't completed the deal yet and hope that you get enough negative feedback to see past the whoop-whoopers who are telling you this is a good thing.

Why should Joe Schmoe give a damn about this acquisition? Here's why:

Companies like Voodoo, Alienware, and in the early days Falcon NW, have pushed the envelope and made high performance machines of tomorrow mainstream machines of today. If it weren't for these companies, we would be 5 years behind technologically speaking.

Local PC builders were forced to push new technology and abandon outdated technology when these companies like Voodoo sprung up in the 90's. We would all still have VLB vid cards and AGP would have been something for Pixar and Disney right now. Companies like id Software thrived because Voodoo's across the land helped them push the envelope.

3D gaming became what it is now because of Voodoo, Alienware, and Falcon. Xbox, PS, and even Nintendo went 3d because of the innovations in the PC industry.

FFWD to today - who is there left around to push new technology to the forefront? To push the companies like HP to get busy selling new and innovative products rather than shovel off old products at their leisure?

You could argue that Voodoo will still be around, but it won't - not in the way that the world needs it to be. If HP has 1.5 million Pentium D systems in stock do you think it will encourage it's Voodoo arm to bring Core 2's into the mainstream? No. It will encourage Voodoo to come up with a way to cool and overclock a Pentium D instead.

One by one, the little companies that shove around the big companies are disappearing, and less and less sprout up than are dying off. Voodoo was the last real threat to the big machinery, since Facon is content just using what is out there and Alienware has become Dell's little prostitute. The rest of the high-end PC manufacturers that you see in gaming magazines really have no clout.

So THIS is why we should all be worried. Everything will slow down and you will be stuck with yesterday's technology today. That is until a few more innovative PC builders forge out ahead to take the places of Voodoo and Alienware.

Not to mention, Voodoo will be a shadow of what it once was since Rahul and Ravi will be tied up with other business. I can even imagine someone like Dell paying HP under the table for eliminating pressure on them.

HP, Dell, big business, you've won again.