Bug Labs is an open source hardware company that produces modular hardware systems and related tools.
Think Lego-like computer modules that let consumers and companies quickly and easily mix and match to create custom electronic products.
Bug Labs launched several years ago to much fan fare. At that time, open source hardware in general and Bug Labs in particular were going to be the next big thing.
We too drank the open source hardware Kool-Aid, and in one of the Intuit Future of Small Business Reports said:
Just as open source software changed the software industry and created new opportunities for small and personal businesses, open source hardware will fundamentally change the electronics and other manufacturing industries.
Although open source hardware is off to a slower start than we expected, we are still bullish. Texas Instruments is providing leadership through the OMAP standard and Bug Labs 2.0 is, by all accounts, a major upgrade over their first version.
So while we may have to push our forecast out a few years, we still believe open source hardware will change manufacturing and create new opportunities for small and personal businesses.
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