Hoped For The Best, Feared The Worst, Got Something Inbetween

[Qwertyuiop]

Official Blog Post:

Hoped for the best, feared the worst, got something inbetween

As most of you guys might have read on the boards already, Michael didn't give a green light to the case production.

As this might disappoint a lot of you, I'm actually quite happy. Sure, it would've been cool if we just managed to ship the Pandoras just-in-time for christmas, but that would've been the best case.
The worst case would've been that the DPad doesn't work very well (tweaking that can be awkward) or the most complicated mould which took so much tweaking time would be so bad it had to be redone completely.

While the case isn't good enough for mass production yet, the changes that need to be done are so minimal, that I'm really happy - 'cause it means we're almost done.

Here's what's wrong:

* The lower part has a tiny bit of shrinkage on the back edge, but we already knew about that and it has been fixed at the factory already (so basically, this is a non-issue)
* The LCD cable slot is TIGHT, it needs to be more open to make assembly faster (although it does work in the current form but is fiddly to get though). And while this is a small fix, it is definately the main reason we didn't give the green light - as it would've made assembly much more time intensively. With 10.000 cases, it would take more additional time to assemble them than the tweaking of the case could possibly take.
* The shoulder buttons need a tweak to be perfect (travel distance feels as if it needs to be a fraction more for better feedback). This isn't that important - but when we need to change other stuff too, then we can do that small tweak, too.
* Plus some shaving here and there internally which the factory told us to expect to be needed.

Apart from the shoulder buttons these issues are on one piece, the lower base. The most complicated part of the case is actually fine, which is really cool.

Additionally, Michael posted a nice video with all five Pandoras he built so far - all doing various things.

[media]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=eh306irDaVo[/media]

I'll continue with my OS snippets as soon as I find some more time... hopefully next week, though I've got a lot of real life work to do right now.

Disappointing that there isn't a green light, but good to know this will be perfect once complete.

 

[Tokiopop]

Whoa nobody knew about this.

 

[borgqueenx]

I sure hope we'l hear soon from that factory.
This is gonna be pushed to february, meaning the 2 months(tm) is a trend again.

 

[MDave]

Can the final CE test be done with these sample cases now? Just to help get another thing done and out the way while we wait for the other processes?

 

[borgqueenx]

Can the final CE test be done with these sample cases now? Just to help get another thing done and out the way while we wait for the other processes?

Ive heard this test wouldnt be nessacary to be done before shipping.
Corret me if i'm wrong, ofcource.

 

[MDave]

Can the final CE test be done with these sample cases now? Just to help get another thing done and out the way while we wait for the other processes?

Ive heard this test wouldnt be nessacary to be done before shipping.
Corret me if i'm wrong, ofcource.

That's correct, but from a professional standpoint it's better etiquette to get this sort of thing done when it can be done, which is now possible I presume

 

[Trevsweb]

CE testing is nessacary FCC testing isnt

 

[kevcal]

Looks good - you're nearly nearly there guys
Getting a little jealous now.
Love the microwave turntable use in the video!

 

[Tiger1]

It all boils down to the same thing, another delay, gezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

[Peri28]

The videos are great.

I expect more delays Pandora (as usual).

I warned you ..

 

[WizardStan]

Can the final CE test be done with these sample cases now? Just to help get another thing done and out the way while we wait for the other processes?

Ive heard this test wouldnt be nessacary to be done before shipping.
Corret me if i'm wrong, ofcource.

The testing is necessary in the sense that if someone questions it, they need to prove it conforms. And someone will question it eventually, as each one crosses a border somewhere, someone is going to ask if it's safe. So best to get the tests out of the way so all the documentation is ready to go.

 

[Rayek]

I still haven't pre-ordered one, but if this is the 'last straw' for some of the folks in queue I may do so soon. After all, X-Mas is a time for giving... Money.

I.E. I can handle delays, I haven't put money in yet. As soon as I do though, the timer starts.

 

[second exodous]

Can the final CE test be done with these sample cases now? Just to help get another thing done and out the way while we wait for the other processes?

Ive heard this test wouldnt be nessacary to be done before shipping.
Corret me if i'm wrong, ofcource.

The testing is necessary in the sense that if someone questions it, they need to prove it conforms. And someone will question it eventually, as each one crosses a border somewhere, someone is going to ask if it's safe. So best to get the tests out of the way so all the documentation is ready to go.

Have you ever been asked if anything is safe? I'm just asking because I don't want to have it in my pocket in an airport, I'll bury it deep in my carry on and hope they don't search my bag. Do air ports look for the FCC symbol? I wouldn't know because I just carry on Dell notebooks and some Nintendo system, two wide known brands.

 

[gruso]

I don't know about other countries, but for domestic flights in Aus you can't bury gadgets in your carry on luggage. Like laptops, they have to come out and go through the x-ray machine separately. They don't go as far as checking certifications, but if you try to hide it they might take a special interest. Take it out of your bag, keep the lid shut, and they'll probably just think it's a DS.

 

[PokeParadox]

I don't know about other countries, but for domestic flights in Aus you can't bury gadgets in your carry on luggage. Like laptops, they have to come out and go through the x-ray machine separately. They don't go as far as checking certifications, but if you try to hide it they might take a special interest. Take it out of your bag, keep the lid shut, and they'll probably just think it's a DS.

Yeah the have a field day with all my gadgets... When I was at Buenos Aires airport a girl asked about my laptop (and my eeePC - yes I took both to South America...) she then saw my passport and just said "Oh you're British..." and left it at that.

I also remember having to take out my camera, DS, eeePC, laptop, ipod, phone. took my ages to get everything back in my bag how it was before.

 

[WizardStan]

Have you ever been asked if anything is safe?

When the gamecube I had bought off ebay finally arrived (many years ago, it was stopped at the border for weeks), let us say the packaging and contents were in an obvious state of heavy inspection.

edit: I should also emphasize that this is my understanding of the situation regarding CE testing, and I have been proven to be an idiot on more than one occasion.

 

[Wheels]

Have you ever been asked if anything is safe?

Yeah, this one time I walked into a dump of a convenience store. It looked empty enough, but soon this body-less voice started asking the same thing, over and over, never varying: "Is it safe?" I didn't even know what was going on! After a while I freaked out and ran back into the street. Not my proudest moment.

 

[DaMummy]

Looks good - you're nearly nearly there guys
Getting a little jealous now.
Love the microwave turntable use in the video!

confirmed: the pandora is microwavable

 

[telegramguy]

I don't know about other countries, but for domestic flights in Aus you can't bury gadgets in your carry on luggage. Like laptops, they have to come out and go through the x-ray machine separately. They don't go as far as checking certifications, but if you try to hide it they might take a special interest. Take it out of your bag, keep the lid shut, and they'll probably just think it's a DS.

Yeah the have a field day with all my gadgets... When I was at Buenos Aires airport a girl asked about my laptop (and my eeePC - yes I took both to South America...) she then saw my passport and just said "Oh you're British..." and left it at that.

I also remember having to take out my camera, DS, eeePC, laptop, ipod, phone. took my ages to get everything back in my bag how it was before.

What do YOU look like... I've been in and out of BA several times and they've never cared to check anything but my laptop.

 

[VRAndy]

Have you ever been asked if anything is safe?

Yeah, this one time I walked into a dump of a convenience store. It looked empty enough, but soon this body-less voice started asking the same thing, over and over, never varying: "Is it safe?" I didn't even know what was going on! After a while I freaked out and ran back into the street. Not my proudest moment.

Don't worry, those two clerks were just quoting the film "Marathon Man" at you.