[Blog] A Big Thank You!

[mali]

What? No news? Dammit!

Well, the boards (200 AFAIK) are on the way to UK due to arrive next week and will be built then, no more news in that area.

BUT I wanted to make a big thank you post!
Not another of those boring "thank you for waiting"-posts (we are thankful, REALLY thankful, but I think I thanked you for that for quite a few times already... and I think you know we are thankful )

No, I wanted to personally say thankful for all the encouraging eMails, messages and words I (and the whole team) got from you during the last few days.

You might've seen there was some negativity on the boards - and sometimes, I had some harsh answers for them. If anyone feels personally attacked by them, I want to apologize. I was (well, am, to be honest ) really quite stressed.

These are no easy times for us:
Imagine you have thousands of people sitting in your back, waiting for their Pandora - you basically owe them a lot of money. You got a lot of work to do (like working on fixing existing issues, answer questions on the board, doing your normal real-life job for earning your food, try to get various companies on the phone to find out what's happening, etc.). This really is a heavy burden for you.
If you're in that state, every post that does sound a bit negative actually sounds way more negative, demotivates you and puts you in a bad temper... then, if you press the Reply-Button, you will most definately choose the wrong words for your post.

If that happens - please, don't take it personally. We're just humans - and sometimes, we're pretty much worn out, too

However, I was very happy to receive some encouraging words and find some encouraging posts on the board (I really like the "I could sell 10 in an instant if I would have them here" or "I would never part with my Pandora!"-ones - it shows the concept of our device really has worked well, so all that's left is speed up the production).

So, THANKS for your encouraging words! It really makes life easier for us - and motivates us to work on things even more.

I don't want to say that you should not post if your Pandora has any issues.
EVERY device has issues - especially new devices from small companies
Tell us what problems to have to encourage us what things we need to improve and take care in the future.
This will not only help making future units more reliable - it will also help making YOUR unit better. i.e. if any part of your Pandora like your LCD cable or a Nub fails sometimes in the future, the replaced one will be made better based on the feedback we get.
The best thing to help us is to drop an eMail to your distributor what you think is an issue with your unit. There's no need reporting the same issues over and over again at the boards - but it sure helps us finding out what can be improved.

Believe us: We are as eager as you speeding up production and are working together with the company, and seeing that they did 300 in the last two weeks is a good start after the stallment because of the nub issues.
It still is not as fast as we want it to but this is the main priority we're working on, that's something you can be sure about.

Oh - and I'll still do the happiness dance when production is finally going steady, as promised

So thanks for reading... no real news this time, but this really was on my mind and it did good just writing it down.

Let's meet at the boards and keep them a fun and happy place to post

 

[lobski]

A quick thank you?


QUICK, THEY'RE STALLING! SOMETHING'S UP! QUESTION EVERYTHING!!

 

[typs lik dis]

Sure sounds like a stall to me.

 

[-Tj-]

Stalling or not, I'm glad to hear there are people who continue to support the project. I'm in it for the long run. I've long forgot about my initial investment, but I'm still hoping to see my Pandora this year. I know not everyone feels that way (and I'm sure many have taken their money elsewhere), but in a way I'm watching this project as a lesson, too. I've never watched a project grow like this before, so it's interesting to watch.

Keep up the great work, guys!

 

[TJFBryant]

Their not stalling guys. These people who came together to build this cool device have had quite the journey to get to this point.... so when trollers and complainers who would rather Bitch than to Help make this Pandora better, it places alot of unwanted and un-needed stress on everyone.
I am certain EvilDragon and all the other guys would love to get everyone their Pandoras.... but please believe me when I say its so worth the wait. Every moment I spend with my Pandora is extra special.
Shit, I even bring it to bed with me playing Neo Geo, Watching Movies and reading ebooks, WHILE my wife is sleeping!

Yep... you guessed it I am cheating on my wife with the Pandora...
Its a great device. Lets let this production process just play out... Everyone will get what they have been waiting so long for.
Thanks OPT.

 

[SomeGuy99]

Shit, I even bring it to bed with me playing Neo Geo, Watching Movies and reading ebooks, WHILE my wife is sleeping!

I thought I was the only one

A bit of Metal Slug after a good film, all cosy in bed... it feels right.

 

[Jumpman]

Well I have been on both sides of the fence in the past, and although I have received my Pandora, I still have some units preordered, so I have felt about every emotion there is in regards to this project, and I'm still feeling many having received my unit. I have always said that I would have gladly paid $500 dollars for this device, and I still feel that way. It is Awesome, and a true cutting edge device created from a small group of guys who had a dream and decided to follow it.

I could never begin to guess the amount of time, money, and resources that has gone into the Pandora from start to finish. I believe the majority of those waiting will sing the teams praises once their own units arrive. Sadly the frustrations on these forums are from the majority, and not the few. We all know the pains of waiting, and the heart ache of not getting an email every week, but imigine the teams heartache as well.

Most of the customers around here have 330 invested in this project, and if it was lost would not be the end of anyones world. The team has their financial lives on the line(families future, ect.), and are not only dealing with irrate customers, but slacker vendors and everything inbetween. I have personally questioned many of the teams decisions over the last 2 years, and I have agreed with some and disagreed with others, but at the end of the day, they are in control, and if things go wrong, their heads are on the chopping block, not yours and mine.

Once all 4000 units have shipped from batch one, hopefully everyone here can see that the team has done the best they could with the situations they have faced over the last several years. It's always easy to complain, and point fingers. It is not so easy to start a project of this kind from scratch, get it off the ground, and have it succeed over time. The team has had many unknown hiccups, over the last 2 years, and have battled back thru them all. From the bank fiasco, to the nub comany going belly up, to the mould factory delays. I'm sure most would have quit within the first 6 months of dealing with such huge pitfalls. All this is done for a small niche market of you and me.

This has never been a device for the masses, and many would have never taken on this project unless they could have hopefully sold millions and made a fat profit over time. The team has gone thru hell and back to deliver a device to a very small audience, and hopefully break even, and maybe turn a profit to one day maybe release a better unit to the community. I'm sorry, but I don't see many companies making those kind of sacrifices for the end user. Apple make some very nice products, but Steve Jobs could give a damn on what any of you think, and that shows in the way they get things done.

So to the team and everyone else involved, I say "Thank You Very Much For Your Personal Sacrifices And Time That You Have All Donated To This Wonderful Project"! It was and is greatly appreciated from many here! Please keep up the good work, and hopefully in the near future you can get an heartfelt thank you from 4000, 8000, 10,000 more and beyond!

Chris

 

[typs lik dis]

Their not stalling guys. These people who came together to build this cool device have had quite the journey to get to this point.... so when trollers and complainers who would rather Bitch than to Help make this Pandora better, it places alot of unwanted and un-needed stress on everyone.

I don't think it's my responsibility to make the Pandora better.

 

[MarkoeZ]

Their not stalling guys. These people who came together to build this cool device have had quite the journey to get to this point.... so when trollers and complainers who would rather Bitch than to Help make this Pandora better, it places alot of unwanted and un-needed stress on everyone.

I don't think it's my responsibility to make the Pandora better.

Since you are replying, what category do you consider yourself, the troller or complainer?

Edit: srry, don't usually make posts like these, but really, if you are that unsatisfied, cancel if you ordered one, and move on to another device. Lots out there, really.

 

[Mjlink]

I don't think it's my responsibility to make the Pandora better.

I don't think anyone asked for your opinion on making it better. I like to troubleshoot software and systems, so I feel that my input can be valid while there are only so many Pandoras in the wild. The more developers of software hear about ways to improve, the more likely it is to happen, the same is proving to be the case with hardware as well.

When folks like this cancel their orders, it moves me up in the que, so get a Caanoo if you can't play the waiting game. The units are getting better and better. I'm in on batch 2 as well as being a PROUD owner from Batch 1. This post has been edited for politically correctness.


Peace & Pandora,

Link

 

[Blue Ion]

It is ok to feel disheartened or disgruntled when the project has gotten delayed for ages (sadly literally) and use the boards to vent off is, as anyone can see, quite common. I mean, I too had a bunch of mean words to them from time to time when they delayed the thing for the 20th time (seriously guys, next time, put a ridiculously far date from the actual delivery and surprise every one with early news instead of delaying 5 times each time.) and still do, specially when Craig snaps and he is the one doing the bashing.

But they are not a big company, they are not in this for the money, well, eventually they are, but they are in this first to make their dream device and share such thing with the community.
It is not ok to bash viciously just for the sake of bashing, and creating an even worse ambience. Reminds me of the politics on my country where the opposition sits there doing nothing other than live up to their status, oppose to ABSOLUTELY everything, even when it is common sense, they don't have any other choice or even when doing what the opposition told them to do.

When they put up these posts as much bitter as I may be, I know they are saying this through their hearts, not just to comply some hidden agenda, satisfy some shareholders, or fulfil their public relations duty.
Let me say thank YOU for making my perfect device... ok, not perfect, it has a number of annoyances that could be better, but for that, I wish they are eventually successful so they can make a Pandora 2 and nail it perfect next time.
Maybe I'm not that good saying thanks but I'm trying to show it making it more tempting by increasing its game library.

Let's not turn this board into GP32Spain where there is no post with some pandora bashing in it, even when is totally uncalled and on the wrong sections, the pandora section is flooded with these sort of uncalled bashing and is saddening to read such sections. Heck, I wouldn't be surpised if this post hasn't turned into yet an other conspiracy theory about, pandoras getting delayed, hiding catastrophic return rates or some nonsense like that.
Seriously I don't know where does that kind of hatred comes from, I'm Spanish I really would have liked to join there too, but the anger towards the pandora everywhere is really off putting to even take a look.

Good luck with all the future pandoras and when dealing with all the stress and negativity in these boards.

 

[Poem58]

Their not stalling guys. These people who came together to build this cool device have had quite the journey to get to this point.... so when trollers and complainers who would rather Bitch than to Help make this Pandora better, it places alot of unwanted and un-needed stress on everyone.

I don't think it's my responsibility to make the Pandora better.

Certainly not, however the anger seems to be directed more towards those who wish to make it worse. Right now, anyone who is trying to stir up ill will will be deemed as one who wishes to make it worse. No offense intended but lately I have noticed many of your posts to be worded in quite the negative manner, almost angrily negative. So likely some will think this of you.

I do find it funny how someone voicing their opinion can be taken in a manner that they are doing anything to the Pandora, unless of course you were to set up a website and try to get a bunch of traffic to it with the sole purpose of getting as many people to hate the device as possible. This is the only way I can see complaining about the wait or the device can do any real damage. Forum posts are full of opposing viewpoints on every subject there are Forums for, so really it should be expected.

If anything, I find the "I Need Help" section of the board to be more damaging than any one persons post, as if a new person doesn't read the whole thing and see most issues are rather minor and usually solved, it may appear the device has far too many problems.

I agree with Jumpman, once all units have shipped, and all the issues are taken care of and the software bugs are being ironed out and we are all playing with our new Pandora's I imagine the whole board will have a completely different tone. I can see a topic a year from now saying "Remember when we were all so unhappy, isn't it nice now?" or something to that effect. this is what I am waiting for and have confidence will be the case.

I am one of those people who would not consider $330 to be something that if lost I could be OK with, as everyday my family's life is complicated by lack of finances mainly due to my physical issues, lack of stable and doable employment, and medical costs. So for me to stay in this, I have to believe it will all work out well. I really do believe it.

I recently decided to to think of what I would have to do to make something like this myself, I came to the conclusion that I would not only have difficulty in knowing where to start, I would also not have the will necessary to endure what it would take to see this through. It seems the longer I have waited and learned of what the OP team has had to deal with just to get this far, the more I have come to appreciate the effort they have put in. They may be a business on paper, but to me they have become a group of like minded guys who are trying their best to make just what I want and save me the effort. This has totally changed my outlook on it all.

Now that I have said that, if I don't get my Pandora in 2 months, I will cancel my order and design my own system...yeah, right!

 

[Rebel]

I don't think it's my responsibility to make the Pandora better.

It's true that it's only the *responsibility* of Craig, ED and the OP team to make the Pandora better, it is after all them who will any financial benefit should the Pandora being a success (which is after all the aim on this game), however assuming you are an (soon to be) owner of a Pandora it is by far you your *best interest* to help make the device better, I for one am willing to do anything and everything I can to ensure the pandora has a long life and a healthy eco system of OS, applications and games as it would make me very sad to have dropped three hundred quid on a device for it to be orphaned off within a year due to bad support and community apathy and I am sure my sentiments of the vast majority of the board.

 

[jdbye]

So to the team and everyone else involved, I say "Thank You Very Much For Your Personal Sacrifices And Time That You Have All Donated To This Wonderful Project"! It was and is greatly appreciated from many here! Please keep up the good work, and hopefully in the near future you can get an heartfelt thank you from 4000, 8000, 10,000 more and beyond!

Yes, it's amazing that such a project as this, produced by such a small company could become reality, and we have OPT to thank for it, for not giving up even when things went wrong countless times. And after all that waiting, we got a full X11 linux desktop - something at least I didn't expect, and I was pleasantly surprised by it. That little difference meant the capabilities of a netbook in a small device.

When the idea of the Pandora popped up in a brilliant mind, netbooks weren't even thought of yet - but I believe the Pandora could be a serious competitor to them. It all depends on what size people are after - if they want as much capabilities as possible crammed into as small a device as possible and still managing to do everything well, the Pandora is for them. If they want something a bit bigger - not pocketable, but still small enough to easily carry around, netbooks are for them. If they want something small, but don't care for having the capabilities of a netbook, but still want a good gaming experience - the Caanoo is for them. If they want a small device that can do lots of things, but they don't care much about games apart from quick time wasters - smartphones are for them.

If you consider the price of most of these devices and the capabilities of the Pandora, it's pretty amazing that they crammed so much into such a small device, with both capabilities and a price tag that can compete with netbooks - but at a much, much smaller size. Sure, it's a lot bigger than a smartphone, but then again it can do so much more that it just isn't fair to compare it to a smartphone. The only thing it can't really do is be used as a mobile phone, but basic mobile phones are so cheap anyway, and who needs a smartphone when there's the Pandora?

I've only had my Pandora for a few days but I've been using it so much every day that by the end of the day it's down to 20% battery or less and I charge it overnight. Everything from web browsing, to chatting, to gaming - mostly gaming so far, that's where it really shines. The D-Pad is the single best D-Pad I have ever used (great job, DaveC!), and there's already several great strategy games playable on it, which are really fun to play with the touchscreen - other handheld devices usually only get a few Tower Defense games at best, and they're way too simple for my taste. PSX runs great already, and a few great N64 classics run great as well, and anything older than that is pretty much child's play for the Pandora. It can emulate anything a netbook can, you can browse the internet, do office work, watch youtube videos, play games, emulate retro classics, connect USB devices and even a monitor with a USB video card - and apart from the wifi driver and N64 emulator needing improvement it all works great. The Pandora is an amazing device, it would be more comparable to a UMPC than a netbook but even then it's much smaller and lighter and probably has much better battery life - not to mention UMPCs are expensive. I used to want a UMPC, but the Pandora can do everything I would want in an UMPC, it's much cheaper, and it's even smaller so that makes it even easier to play on the bus etc.

So thanks a lot OPT for not giving up and for making the Pandora a reality.

 

[Mr.Confuzed]

A Big Your Welcome!

 

[trapef]

I just thought i'd not only pass on my gratitude to OPT and all the developers and contributors - Thank you. But also to those fellow soon-to-be Pandorians who reaffirm why they chose the Pandora and why it is so special to them.

Mine was paid for in part by family members for a xmas gift last year, I am frequently defending my choice to them and your comments do help remind me why I love the whole concept behind it all.

Please keep up your hard work OPT and for all others i'd love to hear more on why you want one so much.