Emails to remaining preorders.

[hedwards]

For those coming here after reading that messy email, I feel obliged to inform that "Super Pandora 2.0" is normally known as 1GHz unit (nobody calls it that "super" name here) and Craig originally started offering them in June:


http://boards.openpa...how-to-get-one/


However, due to some misfortunate events many of those who ordered back then still don't have their units:


http://boards.openpa...rent-situation/


EvilDragon, who runs the production now, is also offering upgrades here:


https://www.dragonbo...ndora-1ghz.html


AFAIK so far everyone who ordered from him directly when they were in stock, got their unit.

That 'messy email' email I sent, as bad as you may perceive it to be, is working very well, it is the same sort of language I used with the iCP2 kickstarter and it works.

TBH, I think you're both right. The email wasn't very good, but it was good enough to get me to upgrade. I guess it will be my present for getting a 6 month extension on my work contract.


The marketing speak was probably a bad idea, but as long as the specs are accurate, I'm fine with that. This was a bit less expensive for me than upgrading via ED, assuming I'm reading things correctly.

 

[Godmil]

If the boards are anything to go by, it sounds like there are a good proportion of the original preorders willing to upgrade. I guess we just need to units to be produced and things to go pretty nicely. Any word on when things are being made, I thought the 600Mhz versions were supposed to be produced last week, and the 1Gigs being made this week, did any of that happen?

 

[andy9841]

Well Im a 1st batch pre-orderer who's been mostly quiet and patient, but a little cynical, and I've just taken the plunge and upgraded after getting the email from Craig, I just hope I don't have to wait any longer for it, as the videos showing N64, A1200 and Android games running has wet my appetite again

 

[hedwards]

Well Im a 1st batch pre-orderer who's been mostly quiet and patient, but a little cynical, and I've just taken the plunge and upgraded after getting the email from Craig, I just hope I don't have to wait any longer for it, as the videos showing N64, A1200 and Android games running has wet my appetite again

Well, the main problem they have ATM is the preorder queue, and the more people upgrade the faster that clears up. The latest delay was a large number of cancelations all at once.


So, I'm personally optimistic.

 

[notaz]

I just hope Craig can manage it this time, some of those who ordered 1GHz units from him 4 months ago are still waiting.

 

[hedwards]

I just hope Craig can manage it this time, some of those who ordered 1GHz units from him 4 months ago are still waiting.

Well, obviously we both hope I'm right.

 

[PokeParadox]

I just hope Craig can manage it this time, some of those who ordered 1GHz units from him 4 months ago are still waiting.

Well, obviously we both hope I'm right.

Well, obviously we all hope you're right! Really Craig really can't afford for something else to go wrong, in morale terms... I hope hope hope that somehow we can clear this preorder queue positively (i.e. not mass cancellation...) soon.

 

[sswam]

That 'messy email' email I sent ... is working very well ...

I'm very pleased to hear that! Well done.

super openpandora 2.0, srsly? No word of excuse? No word on what will happen to those who do not pay again?

The GC 1GHz is a major upgrade over the original Pandora. The specs are there.


I guess he did not know what will happen to those who do not upgrade.


It depends on how many people do upgrade, the community donations, new Pandora sales, refunds, etc.


Here's hoping all pre-order peeps will get a Pandora or a refund soon, rather than "sorry we went bankrupt" or an eternal wait.


I know it can be infuriating to wait like this, but please remember it's some sort of miracle that this indie product got built at all,


and that the companies are still going after all the disasters they went through.


Craig is massively out-of-pocket from the Pandora project.


He makes a loss with each old pre-order filled, his company now has little or no money, yet he is continuing with this.


It is thanks to Craig's perseverence and creative marketing that you can still hope to receive a Pandora for your pre-order.

 

[craigix]

I just hope Craig can manage it this time, some of those who ordered 1GHz units from him 4 months ago are still waiting.

Notaz, your passive agressive behaviour is just getting boring now. So why bother? Why try to derail my and Eds attempts to fix this by posting negative comments in every thread? You know those 1Ghz units are being produced right now and will be shipped as soon as they are ready.


On a more positive note,


As for exactly when units will start shipping again, it will be as soon as GC have finished testing them, I'm still waiting for an exact date from Ed, but it will be very soon, we're working together to get them all shipping quickly.

 

[dooble]

Well Im a 1st batch pre-orderer who's been mostly quiet and patient, but a little cynical, and I've just taken the plunge and upgraded after getting the email from Craig, I just hope I don't have to wait any longer for it, as the videos showing N64, A1200 and Android games running has wet my appetite again

Well, the main problem they have ATM is the preorder queue, and the more people upgrade the faster that clears up. The latest delay was a large number of cancelations all at once.


So, I'm personally optimistic.

ATM? This has been a problem for a long time. The best thing that could happen would be they get upgrades that cover most of the cost of WIP and manufacturing and can turn the units quickly to the customers. Others have said they don't make a profit on filling these pre-orders, but they do and it is used to remove the liability of owing a pre-order unit. The longer the hold parts that they own (especially on borrowed money), have WIP or finished product, the more it costs them. These things keep them from doing other things with their resources.


I've seen it stated many times that they loose money on every pre-order they ship. I have question about this if I may. Was the cost charged to pre-orders below the parts and assembly cost excluding all the start up problems (CC), one time NRE and tooling cost, and only including limited carrying charges for your owner ship in parts and wip. Maybe I'm asking too much or in the wrong place.


I think the need for upgrade is obvious. The details of why may be more or less obvious. And the difference of financially of people "upgrading" and a new order may be in the noise except the customer acquisition.

 

[dmarschal]

As for exactly when units will start shipping again, it will be as soon as GC have finished testing them, I'm still waiting for an exact date from Ed, but it will be very soon, we're working together to get them all shipping quickly.

It seems you have paid ED for all GHz units you've shipped and all remaining GHz units you will ship 'very soon'. (((-: That's really really good news.

 

[JackTheKnife]

I just hope Craig can manage it this time, some of those who ordered 1GHz units from him 4 months ago are still waiting.

.
On a more positive note,


As for exactly when units will start shipping again

What about refunds? I'm sick of waiting. If I will not see refund on my PayPal account by Monday (anyway it should be there 7 days ago) I will take steps offered by UK trade law. Enough is enough...


Good luck!

 

[Snake_Eyes]

Hello,


I received the email just a few days ago. As a guy who preordered a Pandora in 4th of October, 2008 I was wondering what I should answer.


I was considering to take the offer from Ed: https://www.dragonbo...ndora-1ghz.html but after receiving the email from Craig I do not know what could be better for this project (and for me) Besides, I do not completely understand why we are receiving this email when we already could upgrade our preorders directly from Ed.


So, could anyone explain me what is the difference between paying Ed directly or doing it through Craig? By the way, I do not check as much the forums as I should, so maybe I missed some information. Sorry if this question was answered before, but as far as the Pandoras come from Ed I feel more confident upgrading from his shop.

 

[JackTheKnife]

So, could anyone explain me what is the difference between paying Ed directly or doing it through Craig? By the way, I do not check as much the forums as I should, so maybe I missed some information. Sorry if this question was answered before, but as far as the Pandoras come from Ed I feel more confident upgrading from his shop.

Craig needs your money to refund me

 

[rohezal]

I think there is not much difference for upgrading. If you do it via craig, he will send the money to evildragon, who will send the pandora.


The idea is the following:


The preorder money is gone for producing the allready shippid pandoras, since they were far more expensive because circuit co (the company who builded them long time ago) destroyed a lot of boards (worth around 350000$).


So they use the uprade money to build a shiny new 1 ghz pandora with the new company (global components) in germany, to send it to you. The new pandora has faster ram, a faster cpu and a better graphic card, which improves the speed of android games like GTA3.

 

[Godmil]

I do not completely understand why we are receiving this email when we already could upgrade our preorders directly from Ed.

Welcome to the forums Patient-Preorderer.


As far as I'm aware it's all the same thing. ED is busy producing new Pandoras, and He and Craig are hoping to get as many of the old preorders to upgrade as possible to clear the queue quickly. The point of the email was just to bring this to the attention of all the old preorderers, who may not be up to date with the current situation.

 

[Znirk]

I just hope Craig can manage it this time, some of those who ordered 1GHz units from him 4 months ago are still waiting.

Notaz, [...] You know those 1Ghz units are being produced right now and will be shipped as soon as they are ready.

But does he know that? I may have missed something, but all I've seen is your announcement that you'll resume shipping in November. As far as I can tell, the post I'm quoting is your first clear statement that you're now in a position to buy and ship enough units to cover all your remaining GHz preorders as soon as they become available.


Point being, don't panic when you see a post by Notaz. I don't really see him attacking you here. He mentions that we have a problem and hopes it will be solved soon. Apparently it will, which we can all agree is a good thing.


Unrelatedly, but back on topic: I'm guessing that preorderers who had already upgraded to a GHz order didn't get your first email. Who does the follow-up go to? Same people as the first mail? Only new upgradees? All GHz preorderers?

 

[angus454]

should I be worried that I never recieved an email? I'm an Oct. 2009 preorder who doesn't have the cash to upgrade.

 

[notaz]

Notaz, your passive agressive behaviour is just getting boring now. So why bother? Why try to derail my and Eds attempts to fix this by posting negative comments in every thread? You know those 1Ghz units are being produced right now and will be shipped as soon as they are ready.

You getting offended for no reason and accusing me of weird things is getting old too.

 

[Widget9k]

should I be worried that I never recieved an email? I'm an Oct. 2009 preorder who doesn't have the cash to upgrade.

I received mine only in the last day or so (March 2009 order). Mine went into the Spam folder, so you might want to check there!