The company that produces Bridgemates (the popular bridge table scoring package) has introduced a new model, Bridgemate III, pictured opposite, which is advertised as a major enhancement of the previous Bridgemate II model. In particular, the Bridgemate III features a large colour touchscreen, making score entry easier, a more flexible and user-friendly presentation of results and rankings, and easier player management for the tournament organiser. You can find full details of the new models here. All these advanced features come at a price, of course – more below.
The old Bridgemate II unit is now discontinued, and new models will no longer be available. We do expect that there will be a market for refurbished Bridgemate II units, and the CBAI will act as distributor for those too. Regrettably, there has been a bit of a hiatus in recent months, as supply and pricing of the new models was being organised, but we were no longer able to source the older models. Thanks to clubs who were waiting to order Bridgemates for their patience during this period; the circumstances were beyond our control. The Bridgemate IIIs will need a different server than the Bridgemate IIs, and their tablet-like design means that they will need to be charged much more frequently than the Bridgemate IIs – the battery life is estimated to be approximately 15 to 20 bridge sessions. A special charging case is provided for this purpose, and charges up to 10 units simultaneously, but the units can be charged individually if preferred.
The Bridgemate II package will continue to work, and to be serviced, so there is no pressure on any club to change over to the new models unless they wish to do so. If you are buying Bridgemates for the first time, however, your choice will be between new Bridgemate IIIs and refurbished Bridgemate IIs, assuming these are available in sufficient quantities, as no more new Bridgemate IIs will be produced. In light of the higher prices of the Bridgemate III system, the CBAI has decided to draw a distinction between affiliated and unaffiliated clubs, by offering a discount of 20% to affiliated clubs on all the Bridgemate III products. No discount was previously offered on Bridgemates, nor will one be offered in the future on Bridgemate II products. The Bridgemate III pricing is:
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- BM III Handset Unit €275 per unit
- BM III Server €350
- BM III Charging Case €600
- BM III Carry Box & Tray €100
- With 20% discount on all items for affiliated clubs
- 2-year warranty
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For Bridgemate II products, the pricing is:
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- Refurbished BM II Handset Unit depends on age, but in €100-125 range
- BM II Server (new) €330
- BM II Carrying Case €165
- With no discount on any items
- 2-year warranty
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If when upgrading to the new models your club wishes to sell your existing Bridgemate IIs into the refurbished market, we will be happy to discuss that with you, and to agree a price. Please note that the price is likely to be considerably less than the resale price quoted above, as these models will generally need work and we will also have to build in a contingency for unsaleable handsets. If you purchased your Bridgemate IIs recently, then the price we will buy at may be towards the upper end of the range. If anyone needs any further information in relation to Bridgemates, please give us a call on (01) 4929666.