What I learned selling 2,500 MIDI recorders: Hardware is not so hard
The creator of the Jamcorder MIDI recorder shares their experience transitioning from software to hardware development. They argue that the difficulty of hardware manufacturing is often overstated compared to the complexities of software development.
Why it matters
It provides a counter-narrative to the 'hardware is hard' trope, offering insights for independent developers and hardware startups.
A year and a half ago , I launched Jamcorder .
It marked the completion of two life goals of mine.
First, I finally had the piano recording device I’d always wanted: a fully automated device that captures everything I play, no human-involvement required.
And second, after a career in software, I got to build hardware. It was super fun.
2500 units have already been sold, and counting! People genuinely love it! And it’s able to stand on its own feet as a business. In my eyes, that’s a success.
For my first blog post, I want to reflect on the biggest surprise I encountered creating Jamcorder.
Coming from a career in software, I expected building hardware to be the hardest part.
After all, hardware is hard . That’s the saying, right?
Electronics design, plastics, manufacturing, fulfilment, component shortages, etc, etc, etc.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in