100 Hand Painted Special Edition Pandoras

[1magus]

Heh, same thing he did with the GP2Xs, tested and seperated the ones that clocked higher and sold them at a premium. I bought mine from playasia, paid less and got one that clocked high.

Up to his old tricks again.

As for the painted art pandoras, it reminds me of the limited edition "NEW ART" amiga 500s:

http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/bundles/a500special.html

I just don't get it if all the Boards are made the same than why do some clock higher and some don't?

 

[Prometheus]

Without getting too technical, it's because the phrase "Nothing is perfect." is true.

Even well-refined mass-production methods don't (can't?) totally iron out minor differences between items that are otherwise identical.

 

[b1llygo4t]

this is bullshit! our 1st batch logo gets scrapped and they have the time to make special edition pandoras? why preorder? the whole first batch should be special edition, hence the first batch logo :/ OP you have pissed me off

 

[1magus]

I just don't get what is causing everyone to complain? You will all still get you're first batch.

 

[kagato]

Here's how I'm thinking I'd handle the Special Editions:

• Ship out all of the preorders.
• Take a break. Seriously.
• Put the second batch into motion.
• In the months until batch two is ready, auction off one Pandora Special Edition per day.

Work out what the minimum retail price would be for the P:SE. That's your reserve price.

Each day, everyone gets another chance at snapping up a limited run Pandora.

Maybe keep a few in reserve, to donate to Child's Play or something.

 

[b1llygo4t]

I just don't get what is causing everyone to complain? You will all still get you're first batch.

first batch doesnt seem so special anymore

 

[gruso]

this is bullshit! our 1st batch logo gets scrapped and they have the time to make special edition pandoras? why preorder? the whole first batch should be special edition, hence the first batch logo :/ OP you have pissed me off

Way to mix up the issues. Screenprinting is being skipped for now because the factory can't do it well enough in a timely manner. (Do you really want to sit through another 3 months of "it's looking good, the next revision should be perfect"?) Instead the first batch will have unique First Batch stickers in the battery compartment.

As trevsweb pointed out, the custom artwork will take time to get done. They'll be well into first batch shipping before the designs are even finalised (or as Trev put it, artists don't just shit out designs). Why get worked up about something that is not going to affect you? Are you angry at Nintendo for making a red Mario edition DS? Or did it not affect your life?

blah blah angry shouty crap etc, your concerns have already been addressed by ED.

[edit] Good post Kagato.

 

[kagato]

this is bullshit! our 1st batch logo gets scrapped and they have the time to make special edition pandoras? why preorder?

ಠ_ಠ

Why preorder? Really?

Do you want a Pandora?
Do you want a Pandora as soon as possible?
That's why you preorder.

Did you preorder just because you want to feel special?

the whole first batch should be special edition, hence the first batch logo :/ OP you have pissed me off

...nnnooo, the first batch logo is just a way of thanking us for being early adopters, to distinguish us from the rest of "mass production". Otherwise they're regular units.
(Incidentally, the marker is now inside the battery compartment, on the sticker. You can still feel special.)

The special edition units will have fancy paint jobs, and be specially tested to guarantee extra overclockability. Not standard units. Also, by definition, not possible to do for every first batch unit.

What's the deal here? No-one's allowed to have nicer things than you?

 

[VRAndy]

You know of all the threads this one has depressed me the most and made me realise there really are some selfish assholes on this board.

Craig, I think if you reread the thread calmly you'll see that you've mostly missinterpreted people.

Some people were rightfully concerned that you were selling opportunities to jump the queue. A couple of other people seemed confused because they thought that you were making four-thousand pandoras for four-thousand pre-orders. I think that one guy thought you meant that you had a "some extra units" from this first sub-batch of 1,000ish.

I just re-read the thread (quickly, mind you) and couldn't see anyone outright complaining that you were making some awesome 'Fancy Pandora' units to try to recoup losses.

You're getting this because you were vague and people are panicking over two points. One, that you will be decreasing the pool of super-overclock-able OpenPandora consoles that would otherwise be randomly scattered through the population. Two, that these 'special editions' will get built and shipped before the pre-orders. Assure us that neither of these are going to happen and we'll all be calm and go back to waiting patiently. Why? Because at that point you are no longer taking anything away from the long-standing preorderers. Having an idea to make more money off of these is great! Doing it at even the slightest expense, real or implied, to the existing pre-orderers is evil. Plain and simple. Some simple assurance instead of cursing your customer base for wanting delivery of units that have been bought and paid for would also be nice, but I'm not as picky on that.

I just wanted to amplify this. People weren't angry that OP was trying to sell more units at a high profit margin. People were apprehensive about how this would be implemented.

Then a shouting match started about whether or not we had a right to be apprehensive (Of course we do!).

I hope that Craig and Openpandora isn't confusing anyone here to the ridiculous stawman that "hobbyman II" was yelling about.

 

[Sphinxter]

I just don't get what is causing everyone to complain? You will all still get you're first batch.

Here, I'll save you from having to actually read, they're sick of this shit, want their pandora and are either losing or no longer share your faith.

 

[clyborg]

I do not care about a hand painted pandora, but I hope they ship after the pre-orders have been filled first. As for something special for whomever pre-ordered, I was expecting something like signed Amiga 1000 ( http://oldcomputers.net/amiga1000.html )for each pandora. I think this is a small gesture for our investment, patience, and loyalty.

As for the 800mhz...have them all at same speed or allow each person that pre-ordered to choose which pandora they want (600mhz or 800mhz). I know I would choose the 800mhz one. I'm not trying to be an asshole to the OP team, I'm only thinking of the OP community. I also understand you want to re-coup money lossed, but the OP team took a risk like the rest of us.

If you really want to sell something special..plan it ahead of time for the pandora 2 console/mid/whatever. Just like collector's edition of games...they are not offered after the fact.


Jason

PS- I did not read all the posts, so I'm sorry if I'm repeating shit someone else said.

 

[WizardStan]

As for the 800mhz...have them all at same speed or allow each person that pre-ordered to choose which pandora they want (600mhz or 800mhz). I know I would choose the 800mhz one.

There is no "800 or 600" to choose from. They're all 600. There's just a chance that some (possibly even all, but we don't know that yet) will be able to go up to 800. But just because there's a chance that some can go to 800 doesn't mean that they aren't still 600s.
To you the end user, this may mean nothing. You get a normal Pandora with the exact same chance of it being able to go to 800 as everyone else that paid the regular cost.
Craig is suggesting they might take orders at extra cost for special Pandoras which they know are good at 800 and will certify at 800. It's like extended warranty: you pay a little bit more for a little bit more guarantee. Special edition also come with pretty pictures painted on them.
This is just an idea that Craig seems to be tossing around. Given the reaction he's received, I wouldn't be surprised if he scraps the idea, which is a pity.

 

[Creature XL]

hmmm! ,I was planning to buy some spare cases and sell em back to the community after getting them professionally painted in a range of custom designs, but all this hate?, nah! I don't need it, paint your own cases , anyway!, I can do hate...... h34r:

you can scream and kick your little kiddy feet all you like, OP will do as they please, do you get that?, Craig does as he pleases, he's already in deep financially, and all you stupid, spoilt, halfwit kiddys are screaming cos he's haemorrhaging cash and wants to put a sticking plater on the wound, get a grip halfwits, if that causes you so much grief then cancel your order, you're like all the other inbreds on this braindead ball of sh*t everyone thinks is the universe, all you worry about is "ME! ME! IT'S ALL ABOUT ME! WAHHHH!"

if you had 1/10th the brains you vainly you think you had then you would be clamouring for a custom unit order number, but nooo, you have to go off on a classic hissy fit and act like the fat, spoilt, self interested, idiots you are, the next time your local car dealer* offers a "special edition", I hope you are all going to dash down to the dealership and stand on the forecourt with a huge sign denouncing them for "ignoring" their normal customers and offering "special treatment" to "special edition" buyers, because anything else would prove you a "HYPOCRITE" wouldn't it?*

*car analogy....since it's the only thing really dumb people understand

hate off........

not so nice to be on the receiving end, is it?

sheesh, kids now-days :angry:

+(infinity)

you have read my mind!

 

[Asiyura]

If there is a special hand painted 800Mhz proof edition, I hope I'll have money to grab one...
That way my girlfriend will get the First Batch one and I'll have the hand painted one
2 collector edition FTW!

 

[VRAndy]

lol love this... people seriously think that a custom paint job will be done just like that! poof! done... it will take months (two months gah) to do any paint work. artists dont just shit out designs they need to research and know what will sell...

Well, depends on what they're planning. You go to some local airbrushing shop and they can put a cool logo on your stuff damn fast if you have a good idea of what you want.

thats after the parts get here!
thats after the parts are put together! and overclocked/ vamped up whatever (push the GUI slider to the max )!

Probably true, or they may decide to have the parts painted before they're assembled. Both would work, but I have no idea which would be better.

most likely this will be done AFTER the main batch will be done where theres a free minute

And this is the part people are(were?) worried about. People were worried that OP would say "Hmm... These custom units will take a while to build. We'd better give the FIRST hundred units to the artists!" Suddenly pre-orderers 900-1000 would be pushed back from the first sub-batch to the second sub-batch. They would be understandably unhappy about this.

I didn't really think they'd do this, but I can't help but be apprehensive about it. We've all sort of been so trained that "change of plans == more delay" that it's become an instinct we can't get away from. In fact I think it's become so ingrained in my psyche that one day in the future, when I have my Pandora, I'm going to see a post by Craigix that starts "We've decided to do something a little different..." and I'll become so terrified that I'll instinctively grab my Pandora and hug it to my chest so that it can't be taken away from me for two months! I hope I'm not in public when this happens, that'd be embarrassing.

 

[gruso]

Just quoting ED's post from a few pages back for those who missed it.

Just wanted to confirm that the special edition Pandoras will be shipped last.

Painting will happen once we have the rest of the cases while we are assembling (since it's not us who ara painting the cases).


NO one gets further in the Queue. I remember that someone offered me 300 EUR extra money a while ago to go up in the queue - and I disagreed.

 

[b1llygo4t]

this is bullshit! our 1st batch logo gets scrapped and they have the time to make special edition pandoras? why preorder?

ಠ_ಠ

Why preorder? Really?

Do you want a Pandora?
Do you want a Pandora as soon as possible?
That's why you preorder.

Did you preorder just because you want to feel special?

the whole first batch should be special edition, hence the first batch logo :/ OP you have pissed me off

...nnnooo, the first batch logo is just a way of thanking us for being early adopters, to distinguish us from the rest of "mass production". Otherwise they're regular units.
(Incidentally, the marker is now inside the battery compartment, on the sticker. You can still feel special.)

The special edition units will have fancy paint jobs, and be specially tested to guarantee extra overclockability. Not standard units. Also, by definition, not possible to do for every first batch unit.

What's the deal here? No-one's allowed to have nicer things than you?

1) i pre-ordered because OP couldnt launch unless people did and i wanted to be part of that, that outweighed the security and higher price for a tangible product.

2) the sticker on the battery cover is just plain lame. no special case labels (serial/model #, production #, etc.) should be placed on any part that can lost and replaced. i feel something special was taken away from all of us and something even more special is being offered to people willing to pay the price. i wouldnt be so upset (if at all) if i was getting the 1st batch logo, or at least had it never been. they could cheaply hand screen the first batch logo onto the lid during assembly. (all tiny in the corner on the outside would be super stylish and boss)

3) i havnt seen any indication that the boards will NOT be harvested from the standard stockpile, that hurts any chance for pre-orders to get an 800 by 1/40. (i have faith they will all be 800+) if i get a crappy board i will promptly ebay it, make a profit, wait for second batch and get a proper product (with labeled lights/ports, and non hand fixed board screw ups).

4) and no, their not regular units. they are pre-orders. we almost didnt get working wifi. we may have other issues. i cant think of a single successful video game console that didnt get a second revision SOMETHING shortly after launch

 

[kagato]

thats after the parts get here!
thats after the parts are put together! and overclocked/ vamped up whatever (push the GUI slider to the max )!

Probably true, or they may decide to have the parts painted before they're assembled. Both would work, but I have no idea which would be better.

Painting a finished piece of electronics after it's fully assembled is just asking for trouble.

The details are my conjecture, but there are four steps here:

1. Get the cases painted.
   This will almost certainly be done on the bare plastic, prior to assembly of those units.
   The art designs have to be finalised first, then the painting process nailed down, before finally painting the cases themselves.
   The whole task can be done in parallel to production. Doesn't affect assembly in the slightest.
2. Select the boards.
   There will be some sort of testing/burn-in process for the boards.
   Presumably they'll run some of them up to 800MHz and see how well they behave, and set a few aside as they go.
3. Final assembly.
   They might weave them into the production as the cases come back, or they might leave them until last.
   Either way:
4. Shipping.
   ED has stated plainly they will ship after all other units.

 

[bzar]

Wow. This turned out badly. Well, after reading the posts this far, I can say I'm already half pleased with how OPT handles this. The special editions will ship after the existing preorders. Now the second, lesser point I wanted clarification on is: will the binning occur before or after shipping the existing preorders?

I just want clarification, not this shitstorm. I really like the idea of special edition pandoras, and I truly do believe you earn every extra penny you can get. I just want to know how -if- this affects my preorder. This is what I believe most of us here want. The shitstorm is just people panicing in the dark.

Please, OPT. Just clarify on this and people will probably calm down.

 

[senorgomez]

Oh GP32X.

Craig, please add a two page disclaimer to everything you say. (I'm only half joking. Whether it's justified or not, something like this with no details attached is going to set some people off. Try to be one with the zeitgeist.)

People, chill. Give OPT the benefit of the doubt until they can answer your questions. (Craig & ED have responded now so take this as advice for future threads - please). Know that the first thing they want to do is ship, to you.

This should have been an upbeat thread, as it was back on page one before the panic set in.

Wisdom. Gruso is the man.