I'd rather have the subscription "cost" built into the device at point of purchase, at least that way the only things I have to worry about are:

* it breaks (and I have to buy a replacement - and effectively I'll have paid for 2 subscriptions for the "same" device, but that's preferable to a monthly ongoing subscription which I may have to expand depending on how many units I have)

* the servers go off at electric imp.

Without playing with a device and knowing how it works, would there be the possibility of electric imp providing a "hobbyist" server, you know, something that will allow imps to run independently of the cloud but without support for commercial imp connected devices? I wouldn't even care about an overlord license on it "this may only be used for IMP devices that you own" etc.

Cortex M3? Energy micro?

Edit: Seems not, ST....