MonkeyChops said:
I think the devs deserve the first ones more than the rest of us and a few for the press is really not a big deal. I mean how many pandoras are we really talking about here?
Building hype and interest is always a good idea anyways. Probably more so when the pandora is not available. You know, the old want-what-you-can't-have thing.
I don't disagree about the devs. I do disagree with giving the press some of those first units. To me there is nothing to gain from sending out units to the press before sending them out to us paying customers. What exactly is press coverage going to buy the team at this point? They aren't selling anything right now, so why drum up a lot of demand? To me, it would seem a better idea to wait to send units to the media until closer to the second batch pre-order. They have already locked in support for the first batch, and the best way to keep that support is to start sending units to actual customers. If they decide to send out units to the media before sending them to us, this is what will happen:
Several websites do reviews of the hardware. It's awesome, everything they expected, great reviews, they will complain that it doesn't run crysis, whatever. People who have been following the project through these other sites will get interested, and will think, 'ok, i've been waiting to get in on this, but now that it definitely isn't vaporware, I'll put down the cash.' They will find their way here and see a lot of pissed off customers still waiting to get their first batch units that they paid for over a year ago. A good number of those people will see this and have second thoughts about buying. Another good number will see the boards and realize that they have no chance of buying a unit sometime next year, with a delivery date of next summer at the earliest. That, together with the fact that they haven't shipped to first batch customers yet will turn away another good chunk of potential customers. And of course some minority will be willing to put up with all of this, and hang on and buy one anyways.
This isn't to say that when pre-order time comes around again that they won't have enough interest, but rather that it probably isn't the best way to maximize interest, which is the point here.
An alternate route would be sending it to customers first, and picking a good, strategic time to send units out for review (after all paying customers have received their units). The boards will become a happy place after a majority of us get our unit, and software will evolve. Units for review can wait to be sent out until there is an apparent lull in gadget news, such that the pandora will really be getting the kind of attention that it deserves. Again, it will probably get really good reviews, still doesn't play crysis, again, whatever. eople who have been following the project through these other sites will get interested, and will think, 'ok, i've been waiting to get in on this, but now that it definitely isn't vaporware, I'll put down the cash.' They will find their way here and see a lot of satisfied customers. They will look a little further and see that it will be a while before the second batch ships, but they will also see that OP was able to meet the demands of the first batch customers, even though it took them a long time to do it. They will still lose some people due to the wait, but not nearly as many as they would by rushing the attention.
Also, I paid for one of these things over a year ago, with a delivery promise of 11 months ago (when I ordered). I want it ASAP!
I'm in the first couple hours of orders.
