Razer CEO talks Nabu, the Internet of Things and making products for gamers

Razer Nabu

Core product? Nope

TR: So while someone like Dell, for example, is focused on making desktops, Razer is thinking, 'This is our user community. What do they want?'

Tan: If I were to be running a Dell-kind of company, I would run it totally different. I would be looking at what would a business man want, and I would be designing anything for a business man, as opposed to, 'It's a computer company.' I think the difference for us is we are really focused on the gamer and everything that a gamer wants.

To be candid, I'm just designing stuff that I really like myself. Because I needed a laptop, and I travel like crazy, I did that. And I've been trying to work out and keep fit. At the same time, one thing I really hate is this [pulls phone from pocket and stares at it].

A couple of years ago, and I suffer from this too, during dinner I saw people were doing this. It was a round table, and 4 or 5 people were just looking at their phones. And I'm like, there is something wrong about that.

So that's why in our [Nabu] video we have this thing about connecting people. I thought, 'Wouldn't it be cool if I could choose to filter the kind of information I got?' And that's why we put it in real life. So yes, we design products for ourselves. For now.

TR: Alright, Min. You guys have a wearable now. You have Project Christine. What's next for Razer? Where can you go from here?

Tan: I think everybody knows. As long as you're a person passionate about gaming or technology, whatever you can dream about that your excited about, and you think, 'Holy sh*t that would be cool,' we're probably thinking about it at Razer.

It's one of those things that as long as there's cool stuff happening, there's probably one guy somewhere, somehow in Razer - even if I tell the guy not to - he's probably still going to do it.

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Michelle Fitzsimmons

Michelle was previously a news editor at TechRadar, leading consumer tech news and reviews. Michelle is now a Content Strategist at Facebook.  A versatile, highly effective content writer and skilled editor with a keen eye for detail, Michelle is a collaborative problem solver and covered everything from smartwatches and microprocessors to VR and self-driving cars.