News
Project CSX pledges to develop a new product devised by consumers by 2017.
ZTE on Wednesday began accepting submissions for a crowd-sourced device, which it has pledged to develop into a fully-fledged product by 2017.
The Chinese vendor first shared the idea, called Project CSX (Crowd Sourced X), at this year’s CES in Las Vegas. Now it has fleshed out that idea and is asking members of its user forum – called "Z-Community" – to participate.
"You don’t need some random person, in some unknown organisation, to decide what’s best for you. This is your opportunity to let your voice be heard and for you to tell us what to build," said Jeff Yee, vice president of technology planning and partnerships at ZTE USA, in a blog post.
ZTE has attached some important conditions to Project CSX in a bid to stop people getting carried away.
It must a mobile product, so it needs to be portable and capable of connecting to a cellular, WiFi or Bluetooth network. The product must also be technically feasible by 2017. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it "must be affordable for the general population," ZTE said.
Project CSX will take place in three phases. Phase one invites initial ideas, addressing questions like, what product should be built? What purpose should it serve, and why would someone buy it?
The best ideas make it through to phase two where they are developed into concept designs. The five best concepts will make it through to a final vote to determine the overall winner.
Willing participants can begin submitting their ideas from today; the entry deadline is 31 August. Voting for the overall winner will close on 19 October.
"We welcome your ideas, your comments, your votes and any participation that you feel comfortable that will help us to build the next great thing," Yee said.
