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<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 6169343" data-attributes="member: 177">Yes, and why is that?In a technical sense, getting a blank case and printing something on it is what we call a &quot;solved problem&quot;.&nbsp; It is dirt cheap and easy.&nbsp; You go out and you buy a stock blank case, and put it through a printing process.&nbsp; There's only a question of graphic design here.&nbsp; It can be done by many folks as fan-art, and sold on etsy or ebay.Doing a case with a flip top requires mechanical design and fabrication steps.&nbsp; In terms of production, that's a whole different kettle of fish.&nbsp; You need to find someone to manufacture custom parts and assemble them, which is a whole separate supply stream, calling for extra capital expenditure, and thus more risk.I believe the license to create replica communicators sits with Playmates and/or Diamond Select.&nbsp; They make toys and replicas, and aren't in the cell phone business. I wouldn't be surprised if creating such a bluetooth device would infringe upon the existing licenses - which doesn't mean it cannot be done, but it might mean a lot more legal work must be done before they could make it, and maybe the profit margin on such just isn't large enough to justify it.Yes, that's cool.&nbsp; But it'll get old kinda quick.&nbsp; That limits the number of units you can sell, and what you can charge for them.&nbsp; We're talking about hardware that usually runs in the area of $100, before you apply the extra cost of licensing (or possibly writing custom software).&nbsp; Yes, some folks will buy it, but will it be enough to justify the R&amp;D?&nbsp; I don't think that's so blithely answerable.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 6169343, member: 177"] Yes, and why is that? In a technical sense, getting a blank case and printing something on it is what we call a "solved problem". It is dirt cheap and easy. You go out and you buy a stock blank case, and put it through a printing process. There's only a question of graphic design here. It can be done by many folks as fan-art, and sold on etsy or ebay. Doing a case with a flip top requires mechanical design and fabrication steps. In terms of production, that's a whole different kettle of fish. You need to find someone to manufacture custom parts and assemble them, which is a whole separate supply stream, calling for extra capital expenditure, and thus more risk. I believe the license to create replica communicators sits with Playmates and/or Diamond Select. They make toys and replicas, and aren't in the cell phone business. I wouldn't be surprised if creating such a bluetooth device would infringe upon the existing licenses - which doesn't mean it cannot be done, but it might mean a lot more legal work must be done before they could make it, and maybe the profit margin on such just isn't large enough to justify it. Yes, that's cool. But it'll get old kinda quick. That limits the number of units you can sell, and what you can charge for them. We're talking about hardware that usually runs in the area of $100, before you apply the extra cost of licensing (or possibly writing custom software). Yes, some folks will buy it, but will it be enough to justify the R&D? I don't think that's so blithely answerable. [/QUOTE]

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