...and i'm out.

[crashfaster]

well, i'm about 2 weeks away from my 2 year anniversary. placed an order in the first batch on 10-07-09. on 3-15-10 i was told i was approximately #2650 - 2750 in the queue. the blog has gone more than 2 months without an update. from what i can gather, there's no hope of receiving a unit anytime this year.


so...i'm canceling my order. i can take the waiting, and i understand that things can go wrong, but at this stage, the fact that no one can even *guess* when i might get my pandora seems odd.


i asked for a refund a week ago. still haven't heard back.


i wish the team the greatest of luck...the product seems amazing, but the endless waiting is just silly.


perhaps i'll break down and buy one on ebay.


it's been an interesting ride.

 

[r00tw00t]

I've been waiting two weeks now since I cancelled my order. No answer. I have been waiting three years for my pandora.


So good luck to you

 

[EvilDragon]

well, i'm about 2 weeks away from my 2 year anniversary. placed an order in the first batch on 10-07-09. on 3-15-10 i was told i was approximately #2650 - 2750 in the queue. the blog has gone more than 2 months without an update. from what i can gather, there's no hope of receiving a unit anytime this year.

You DID check the official news section at these boards here, where there are a lot of updates what's happening?

 

[Caine]

I'm sorry to hear you are bailing out, but I fully understand that patience is limited. The pandora is an awesome handheld. If you do find an ebay sale I highly recommend going for it.


Best of luck to you.

 

[DarkCheetah]

Ok, I was a late first batcher so I wasn't waiting quite as long as others and yes I did upgrade to premium because I had the loot to do so. What I don't get is why people keep dropping...the news section is updated regularly which seems to be a lot of people's complaints. My main question is...are you hurting for the money you haven't had for two years...I mean why not just wait since you really haven't missed that money anyhow. Just curious. Also I hate to see a fellow community member go.

 

[LineOf7s]

What I don't get is why people keep dropping...the news section is updated regularly which seems to be a lot of people's complaints.

The news section is updated regularly, sure, but if the latest news is essentially that no, you're not likely to receive your Pandora in 2011 either then I can fully understand how people's patience my run out and they might just write off the experience, move on to other things and get on with their lives. Consumer transactions are typically quick: give money, get goods. Over the internet they last days or weeks. Pre-ordering something can last months. This one is taking years and there's still no definite end in sight.


The lack of closure with regards to this transaction takes its toll. Personally I'm surprised I've lasted this long, and the best way I'm finding to deal with the situation is to forget that I've ordered one and hope that One Day I'll get a nice surprise.

 

[DarkCheetah]

and the best way I'm finding to deal with the situation is to forget that I've ordered one and hope that One Day I'll get a nice surprise.

This was my point exactly with the money already spent. It seems to me that some people have put their whole stock in life in the Pandora which seems silly. I waited a while...when premiums came up I put the extra money in...but in all honestly most of the time I was waiting I wasn't thinking of it very much because I have a ton of other things going in my life.

 

[LineOf7s]

Yes, but the catch with "forgetting you've ordered one" is that the hundreds of dollars invested in it can go to many many other things that are immediate and tangible. This makes the "forgetting" part challenging sometimes, and when the ZOMG SOME NEWS FINALLY you've been waiting for turns out to be Bad News dressed up in a Good News For Anyone Who Wasn't Silly Enough To Order One Already ribbon, then the challenge grows.


The phrase "blow this for a game of soldiers" understandably comes up now and then, accordingly.

 

[DarkCheetah]

Good point. I guess when I pay for something that money disappears in my mind forever. I'm strange like that. As for the news...I know there has been a lot of bad news but it's not like OP haven't been trying to handle the crap (cough cough...mumble American) company they've been dealing with. lol And people here wonder why all our manufacturing has left the country.

 

[TrashyMG]

Good point. I guess when I pay for something that money disappears in my mind forever. I'm strange like that. As for the news...I know there has been a lot of bad news but it's not like OP haven't been trying to handle the crap (cough cough...mumble American) company they've been dealing with. lol And people here wonder why all our manufacturing has left the country.

Hell it also took me months to get a Beagleboard thanks to supply issues with Circuit Co and that has far less components compared than the Pandora. But with that said, It's just one bad US company and the rest of US manufacturing shouldn't be judged by one company. Outsourcing has more to with cheaper labor costs than it does about quality of the work.

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

And im in Deep.

 

[ibisum]

As someone who has had a Pandora since the very first shipment, I have to say I'm very sorry to hear this every time it happens. I honestly wish the experience was different for you guys - the Pandora is an amazing little device and such joy to use.

 

[DaveGlo]

I am out too, I emailed asking for a refund yesterday.


When I pre-ordered the WIZ, I got the nice surprise of picking up the mystery parcel from the sorting office. I had hoped to get the same thing with the Pandora.


Unfortunately I have had a mare with my job and need the cash for more important things .


I have stated in my email that I wish you guys good luck with the Pandora and I hope that one day (when I'm back on my feet), I will be able to experience a Pandora.


For now I just need to get the cash back.


Edit - I have only been waiting for around 1 year

 

[SNESFAN]

I waited for almost 2 1/2 years for my pandora, ordered sept 08, got it may 11...i know the feeling of sitting at the edge of your chair for a morsel of news just to find out everything that is posted being another delay. For every one step forward they take 2 back it seems. But it eventually did come.... I have it right now looking at it as I type this. I remember imagineing what it would be like to play it and hold it, I dreamt about it.... put it up on a pedistal of being the best thing to ever hit handheld gaming. The reality of it never quite met my expectation, I don't think anything could with that much anticipitation. Even playing the retro games I loved so much that I had put off for many years in waiting for the pandora or something like it to arrive just kinda felt lack luster in reality. Such is life though, not much meets or exceeds great expectations.


However... in it's own right the pandora is a beautiful peice of work. From conceptual image and what it represents, down to the plastic and metal of day to day use it really was worth the wait. If told up front I was on a 2 year waiting list I still probally would have went through that agian. Not just because it is worth it but because of what I learned about myself. I felt as if I was on the edge of canceling many times, but in the end the thing that kept me motivated to stick it out was wondering... what would it be like to know I would never get one. I would still be waiting for my pandora but I would be stuck with the reality of never actually receiving mine. Not just for what would seem like an eternity.... but an actual eternity of wanting. If you waited for a year for something and never got it, you will be wanting it for a lot longer I promise you.


Just think about that next time you are on the verge of quitting.

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

Yeah I waited for a year or so and then jumped on the one nub bandwagon. Then the lcd cable went and i got a fully working pandora with both nubs working. The assembly had improved immensely by then. I still have another on order but theres no rush.And yes the pandora is a great emulation machine and mp3 player in one+ a ten hour battery life is nice. Sorry to see ye go.


Im sure evildragon will get pandoras being assembled shortly. German efficiency and all that.

 

[Godmil]

Lot of refund requests recently. Well I'm around the 3 year mark but still holding on tight. If nothing else it's a lot cheaper to hold on, than to decide later that I would really like one (with the price difference).

 

[EvilDragon]

Yes, for me, it's very sad to see that many refunds, especially since I'm working almost night and day for months now to move the production to a reliable company in Germany.


We just had another round of eMails going back and forth with CC yesterday night... it's just so sad seeing you've got a product people like and the company that is supposed to produce the PCBs just doesn't seem to really care.


So many users put their trust into us for years now - and we are the bad guys for them, simply because one company involved in the process is unreliable.


Well, I won't give up and will do EVERYTHING to get the production in Germany going!


My shop didn't get many refunds so far, luckily, but I hope Craigs shop won't get more they can't handle as well.

 

[DarkCheetah]

Good point. I guess when I pay for something that money disappears in my mind forever. I'm strange like that. As for the news...I know there has been a lot of bad news but it's not like OP haven't been trying to handle the crap (cough cough...mumble American) company they've been dealing with. lol And people here wonder why all our manufacturing has left the country.

Hell it also took me months to get a Beagleboard thanks to supply issues with Circuit Co and that has far less components compared than the Pandora. But with that said, It's just one bad US company and the rest of US manufacturing shouldn't be judged by one company. Outsourcing has more to with cheaper labor costs than it does about quality of the work.

As someone who grew up in SE Michigan I have to wholeheartedly disagree with you. The meca of manufacturing here was ruined by morons making 25 bucks an hour while making shitty products because all they did was drink and do drugs constantly while working...and yes...I'm bad mouthing a lot of my own family.


Perhaps in other states it was different but I doubt it...or at least with union manufacturing.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

We just had another round of eMails going back and forth with CC yesterday night... it's just so sad seeing you've got a product people like and the company that is supposed to produce the PCBs just doesn't seem to really care.

It's not a surprise that an american company volontary handicap a potential US product competitor.


If you ask me, i will say the bullshit they've done was 100% on purpose.

 

[DarkCheetah]

We just had another round of eMails going back and forth with CC yesterday night... it's just so sad seeing you've got a product people like and the company that is supposed to produce the PCBs just doesn't seem to really care.

It's not a surprise that an american company volontary handicap a potential US product competitor.


If you ask me, i will say the bullshit they've done was 100% on purpose.

I'd normally agree except that there isn't any electronic device sold in America that is produced here so there is no competition...on a manufacturing level at least.