A few Colors and Packages (with a poll!)

[Askarus]

It feels like they didn't much onto the Molds since your first visit? Still not finished, still tweaking? Do they only have 5 Minutes per day? Even a busy company should try to finish a certain job as soon as possible. Molds take long but really that long? I couldn't stand this if I would be you, I would call them every day and make "fire under their butts". Competitors are on the way (GPD WIN) so the Pyra must be out as soon as possible, no time to waste.
-Just my Opinion- no offense.

Yes, these guys start to annoy me as well.
Feels like they are doing nothing,

But hey, that's why the Dragon is flying to Greece

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

Yeah ed's visit should keep them on their toes like a ballerina under scrutiny from their tutor.

 

[EvilDragon]

I'll try doing my best

All Greece companies close down in August (it's too hot to work), but I want at least 100% complete samples without any shrinking marks, discolorations, etc. until then!

It would be better to get the 1000 cases until then, as it could very well be we start assembling the Pyras in September, but as FormAction starts to work again August 29th, it would still be okay if the first thing they do is produce our cases, that would be in time for the September production run.

I'll keep you posted!

 

[Djoga'Ro]

Dunno why, but now I think of Gerard Butler dancing in a tutu.

 

[TheOldOne]

All Greece companies close down in August (it's too hot to work), but I want at least 100% complete samples without any shrinking marks, discolorations, etc. until then!

That's better than here, shut down from late June to the end of September and no work for us contract workers during that time.
Edit: for added information it can get over 50c here in August.

 

[Daviot]

And tossed in my vote for the smaller box; were I to buy the Pyra at a store, the larger box would be nice, but one should never underestimate the damage that shipping can do.

I imagine the Grecian shuttering in August has to do with the availability of central cooling/air conditioning? I would understand having only heating in Northern Europe (I recall as much when living in England long ago and visiting family friends in Germany), but it seems like an oversight along the Mediterranean. Here in the central/southern interior of North America, August temperatures regularly hover around 34°C, and on some days will reach 40°C, and no one stops working, although additional precautions are taken for those working outdoors.

 

[comradekingu]

When its not northern americans nor northern europeans, and not the weather…

Maybe it is like the British trying to operate an airport when there is a nuance of snow?

 

[sm0kew0n]

We shut down in case of a herd of nuances, health and safety..

 

[TrashyMG]

Hell I've been forced to work Christmas day a few times to ensure end of 4th quarter profits are made...

 

[levi]

Nice update but the logo plate looks really awful (it sticks out like a sore thumb). That's a shame since it looks different from the initial few concept cases we had seen in the past.

Plus, I really dislike Apple devices constantly advertising their Apple to everyone else, so I really don't see why we need to have that on the Pyra...

Well, there's two indicator LEDs under the lid, so you need something (at least partially) transparent for them to show through. So you need a hole, and what better to put there than the manufacturer's logo? Plenty of people are talking about making their own versions, only trouble I can see is making a replacement for that smokey plastic insert which presumably is raised to fill the void and make the entire lid smooth.

Also, ED mentioned he'd be trying to make that part a different colour so it doesn't stand out so much. Maybe that will suit you more?

All Greece companies close down in August (it's too hot to work), but I want at least 100% complete samples without any shrinking marks, discolorations, etc. until then!

Funnily enough, based on my experiences of working with subcontractors both Sweden and Germany seem to shut down in August. So I was rather surprised when you even made official news posts in August past!

 

[Letalis Sonus]

based on my experiences of working with subcontractors both Sweden and Germany seem to shut down in August

Not really - and not necessarily in August. The German summer holidays depend on which Land you're in, they are being spread across the summer to reduce traffic peaks and the like (and shuffled around every year to make things fair). They may actually start that early that you got only like 3 days in August.

This primarily affects the schools of course, nobody closes a whole company during that time - they may run out of available manpower, though.

 

[rygD]

I wish most things here would shut down in August.

 

[levi]

Not really - and not necessarily in August. The German summer holidays depend on which Land you're in, they are being spread across the summer to reduce traffic peaks and the like (and shuffled around every year to make things fair). They may actually start that early that you got only like 3 days in August.

This primarily affects the schools of course, nobody closes a whole company during that time - they may run out of available manpower, though.

Yes, of course. It expressed itself by every one of our contacts responding with an out-of-office when emailed.

That does remind me of the way things used to work in the manufacturing towns in this country, back when they were still a majority. Since everyone in the same part of the country went to the same two or three holiday towns along the coast, different towns were scheduled to have down time for different sets of two weeks. Absolutely no manufacturing went on in that period, and the vast majority of the workforce went away for at least one week of the two. I guess it was an opportunity for the firms to replace or fix machines and do audits and such like, but my understanding is it was mandated by the local authority.

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

I'll try doing my best

All Greece companies close down in August (it's too hot to work), but I want at least 100% complete samples without any shrinking marks, discolorations, etc. until then!

It would be better to get the 1000 cases until then, as it could very well be we start assembling the Pyras in September, but as FormAction starts to work again August 29th, it would still be okay if the first thing they do is produce our cases, that would be in time for the September production run.

I'll keep you posted!

Sounds like a plan Ed. Fingers crossed for a September production.
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Hell I've been forced to work Christmas day a few times to ensure end of 4th quarter profits are made...

Work Christmas day?

 

[YourAverageJoe]

I'd much prefer the smaller box.

 

[Ligachamp]

Actually, one of them still is a combo port:
The blue one which looks like a USB 3.0 port can't support USB 3.0 with the current SoC, the OMAP5432. Instead, the extra lines the port has are used to give eSATA capabilities, but because USB 2.0/eSATA combo ports are not produced anymore, this had to be used as a solution. It sadly still needs an proprietary adapter to be used as a eSATA port, and this adapter has all the hardware on it to translate the signal so the SoC understands it. But it is full speed, though I don't know by which SATA standard. The good thing about this proprietary mess: If there ever is a new SoC that supports the USB 3.0 port, it can be used as one in the future.

The other USB port, the grey one, is just a normal USB 2.0 port. It would be confusing to colour it the same way as the combo port or to give it connections it can't actually use and most times, you can only get blue USB 3.0 ports and grey USB 2.0/1.1 ones.

It has all logic applied to it, though it's not very obvious if you don't read every piece of information on it.

Edit: According to Wikipedia and some reseller of a dev board, it's SATA 2.0. Which is weird, as the SATA 3.0 standard was already released for a couple of years when the OMAP5 probably got its development started and as a mobile processor, it should be normal to connect SSDs to it instead of harddrives. What a shame.

No no, you misunderstood my point! (Ok, I wasn't clear at all ^^")
I know the "bigger one" is still some sort of comboport (BTW, the adapter should be passive, like some kinda brakoutboard). I was referring to the fact that the comboport has to be bigger/has another formfactor than the other port. I understand, this way you can better distinguish between both, but wouldn't it be possible to use the same (small) socket on both ports? There is still the different color which indicates the 2.0 and 3.0 port. Has nobody ever thought of this? :O

 

[Letalis Sonus]

but wouldn't it be possible to use the same (small) socket on both ports?

USB is a strict client-server architecture, the big ports are host ports (PC) and the small ones are client ports (devices). Those OTG ports do allow to run in host mode on those smaller connectors, but they requires special adapters that initiate the whole "I want host mode" stuff, which are rather uncommon.

Having a full sized host port is actually a selling point, and with the OMAP only having a single USB 3.0 port available it is kind of convenient to be able to use it both ways via OTG. You don't want to carry an adapter with you all the time just to connect a thumbdrive or a mouse.

 

[Agricola]

USB is a strict client-server architecture, the big ports are host ports (PC) and the small ones are client ports (devices). Those OTG ports do allow to run in host mode on those smaller connectors, but they requires special adapters that initiate the whole "I want host mode" stuff, which are rather uncommon.

Having a full sized host port is actually a selling point, and with the OMAP only having a single USB 3.0 port available it is kind of convenient to be able to use it both ways via OTG. You don't want to carry an adapter with you all the time just to connect a thumbdrive or a mouse.

I think he meant the size difference of the USB A ports, look closely on the backside of the prototype in the video: The 2.0 port has more metal around the actual female plug. It really looks a bit weird.

I guess ED couldn't source similarly looking ports for USB 2.0 and 3.0, but I really have no clue. Nevertheless, as long as they work, I will be absolutely fine.

 

[kev_os]

I love seeing this great project almost reaching its completion!

Warning!: a bunch of pictures ahead.
Basically these represent the type of translucent matte I would love to see on the Pyra. Specially a translucent matte black ...if there's ever a POLL to decide this, this opcion is a must.

 

[linx]

@EvilDragon How long will you be in Greece? Only Monday to Tuesday? If it will be convenient for me I could come up to Saloniki to FormAction trying to make them be faster while maintining high quality standards. After all it's different when you're a native speaker. But mostly I'd like to see a Pyra prototype running

Regarding the holiday closing in August. Most "large" companies close for 2-4 weeks during August in Greece, since it's impractical to grant leaves to employees at different times for a large period so that the production line won't be disrupted. That is why most of those companies close for maintenance and for holidays during that season which is when most people want to take their summer leave to visit the seas/islands. It matches the summer closing of schools and a Virgin Mary celebration too so it all adds together. Most of the times this is the norm but it's not always like that. It all depends on the kind of business and the communication between the workforce.