Instant Pandora with a premium?

[craigix]

It's worth pointing out that we *are* going to use the iCP profits on the Pandora too.


If we want to end all this queue business we have to raise more money or this is going to drag on for the rest of the year. We don't want that (my stress levels can't take that).


We want batch1 and 2 shipped, 8000+ happy Pandora customers and another 4000 on the way.


I want to not lie awake at night worrying about everything.


We know we can do this, I'm confident this will change things for the better.


Now I've got to get some sleep, I've not been to bed yet.

 

[gadgetoid]

No more 95% mortgages, I suppose? Looks like we got in just in time. I'm living in the deposit for my next house, which is a comforting thing... or would be if the market were such that I could sell the bloody place. Amazing how small a house can feel once it gains its first child (or second one, if you count me, hoo ha ha).


Ultimately, if Craig thinks this plan will work, then he should embark upon it post-haste. If they can supply X number of Pandoras to up-front buyers, whilst simultaneously satisfying our pre-orders more quickly, not to mention making use of the increased production speed to make bigger demands of their suppliers, and thus build confidence in their supply chain and be able to get things shipped in larger batches (economies of scale and all that) then, really, the only downside is that the child in us is going to wail and cry that other, more solvent people are getting shiny toys first. You know what? That happens all the time, anyway.


ARGH, Long sentence is long.

 

[trevj]

OT:

[...] I'm saving for a house and given that in England you now need £30k for a deposit alone I could never justify paying £500 on an electronic gaming thang. [...]

I live near Bristol and £30K would be an absolute minimum here too. You couldn't hope to get a nice 3 bed for less than £160k

Perhaps I'm out of touch with this. I live in Bristol, and 5 years ago £15k bought us a 10% deposit on a 2-bed terrace. Except for people with 2+ kids, I don't understand why anyone would stretch their finances such much as to require a £30k deposit!

 

[Sugar_Kane]

I do have 2 kids

 

[Bosbeetle]

It's worth pointing out that we *are* going to use the iCP profits on the Pandora too.


If we want to end all this queue business we have to raise more money or this is going to drag on for the rest of the year. We don't want that (my stress levels can't take that).


We want batch1 and 2 shipped, 8000+ happy Pandora customers and another 4000 on the way.


I want to not lie awake at night worrying about everything.


We know we can do this, I'm confident this will change things for the better.


Now I've got to get some sleep, I've not been to bed yet.

Get some sleep Everything will be fine.

 

[trevj]

Now I've got to get some sleep, I've not been to bed yet.

Good night :blink:

 

[Trip]

I can see why people are stressing over this as I haven't got mine yet either. It's not nice seeing people jump the list in front of you (for any reason) after you've been waiting over 2 years. At the end of the day that doesn't matter though. If OpenPandora need to do this to survive then there's no point in arguing about it.


I'd just say to Craig & Co. be careful how you go about it. If you sell too many of these new units per week, then it will have a negative impact on the first and second batchers. Not only that but it could also have an impact on how people see OpenPandora as a company.


It would be nice if they gave a little something back to the first batchers who have been waiting patiently (or can't afford to invest more money) and who haven't jumped the list by getting a one nubber or paying extra for one of these new ones; like giving them first refusal for a Pandora 2 (if and when they start producing). This wouldn't cost OpenPandora anything and would give the people who have waited the most and supported OpenPandora from the very beginning something back.


Oh yeah.. and get the TV-out cables sorted a.s.a.p too

 

[DrLGR]

I think this is a great idea.


From what I have read this sounds like a net POSITIVE for everybody involved. For those waiting we get our Pandas faster (or at the very least no slower). For those devving they get a larger user base faster. For those waiting to order until supply rather than preorder, they can now get a Panda. For the team they can start turning a profit on the Panda, which allows them as a business to survive.


Sure there will be complaints that it isn't fair that people get to "cut" in line because they pay more, but the fact of the matter is, OPT needs to survive. To me it looks like the demand is there. When refubished units go for significantly more than the original sales price, it tells you something about the demand.


So again, I say do it.


LGR

 

[trevj]

I do have 2 kids

Fair enough. But 30/160 = 18.75%. That seems high for a deposit!

 

[Bosbeetle]

It would be nice if they gave a little something back to the first batchers

Every outing of the company especially via ED is accompanied by a lot of praise for the community and big thank yous to first orderers. I think thats the best thing they can give us a feeling of having contributed to this great device!

 

[mmielke]

The way I see it,the money should be spent on either hiring more workers at Circuit Co, or assembling boards and suce simultaneously with this new company. Circuit Co, who is doing their job, has proven not to be as reliable as their claims have proven. As I see it, assembly isn't necessarily the problem, it's the boards. Nubs, cases, and LCD cables are being churned out at an acceptable rate. The boards? - shrugs - Plus, there is a donation button on the main page, set up by ED recently (this month?).


I know for a fact that OP needs the money, based on rising costs of living and running a business, but costs should actually be lowered a bit from 2008 until now. The Ford analogy is valid, where the company sells basic models (I believe $389 would be reasonable), and premium models for $500. I'm not sold on the additional speed gains in producing units. Is this proven?

 

[richiz]

I think it's a bit of a shame the price will go up. I'm estimating the conversion will bump the english price up to around £500

According to XE.com, $500 currently works out at £313.21. If that's exclusive of VAT, the extra 20% brings that to £375.85. So still a dent in your house-buying budget, but it could be worse.

Well no because the device is currently sold at around $280 (inc tax in US) I think so if it was to be sold at $500 that would (equate) to £500.


And it's not home unless it's one of the beautiful towns around London like beaconsfield, seers green, Richmond etc


Anywhere else is a compromise B)


Once you get an hour outside of London you just have people sitting at their desks eating raw Potatoes (I'm currently in Milton Keynes and can actually testify to this.)

 

[mmielke]

I think it's a bit of a shame the price will go up. I'm estimating the conversion will bump the english price up to around £500

According to XE.com, $500 currently works out at £313.21. If that's exclusive of VAT, the extra 20% brings that to £375.85. So still a dent in your house-buying budget, but it could be worse.

Well no because the device is currently sold at around $280 (inc tax in US) I think so if it was to be sold at $500 that would (equate) to £500.


And it's not home unless it's one of the beautiful towns around London like beaconsfield, seers green, Richmond etc


Anywhere else is a compromise B)


Once you get an hour outside of London you just have people sitting at their desks eating raw Potatoes (I'm currently in Milton Keynes and can actually testify to this.)

Where does the $280 price come from? I have ordered in September 2010 and it costs $349 + shipping.

 

[richiz]

I think it's a bit of a shame the price will go up. I'm estimating the conversion will bump the english price up to around £500

According to XE.com, $500 currently works out at £313.21. If that's exclusive of VAT, the extra 20% brings that to £375.85. So still a dent in your house-buying budget, but it could be worse.

Well no because the device is currently sold at around $280 (inc tax in US) I think so if it was to be sold at $500 that would (equate) to £500.


And it's not home unless it's one of the beautiful towns around London like beaconsfield, seers green, Richmond etc


Anywhere else is a compromise B)


Once you get an hour outside of London you just have people sitting at their desks eating raw Potatoes (I'm currently in Milton Keynes and can actually testify to this.)

Where does the $280 price come from? I have ordered in September 2010 and it costs $349 + shipping.

My memory, aha.


30 350 dollars isn't direct parity to the £280 over here (I.e 350 dollars doesn't equal £289). an increase in 150 dollars would likely mean the unit is nearing the £400 mark.

 

[ari64]

Craig,


Would it be possible to take orders for a 'special-edition' Pandora with DM3730 + 512MB RAM, for around $500-$600? Or is that infeasible due to issues with ordering the parts?

 

[PokeParadox]

Only thing I have to add, is only do this if you are 100% sure that production is going to continue flowing nicely. I'd hate if you hike the price up only to have some bottleneck crop up and then you can't get those Pandora's out in the 7 days...


I think it's a good idea as a limited edition, and also $500 (£320 approx) Is sat at the very very upper limit of what I would pay and actually be able to pay, but I do believe that if you stress that it's a mini computer that actual has a real world battery life of 14 hours people will still pay for it.


I think continuing a "normal" price (maybe adjusted upwards slightly) might also be a good idea and you can clearly differentiate, that buying the "special edition" Pandora puts you in the fast-lane and help team Pandora out, the normal version adds you to the end of Batch 2...


Meh I dunno... I'm kind of 50/50 on the idea... but you guys need this project to succeed and if you don't make any profit at all after all this stress and every hurdle it would be unjust.

 

[tsh]

Circuit Co, who is doing their job, has proven not to be as reliable as their claims have proven. As I see it, assembly isn't necessarily the problem, it's the boards.

You base this on what? the progress over Christmas? Spending the past 4 weeks in Craig's assembly plant? Give the team some credit and accept that this isn't a community run sim-city game.

 

[tsh]

I think it's a good idea as a limited edition, and also $500 (£320 approx) Is sat at the very very upper limit of what I would pay and actually be able to pay, but I do believe that if you stress that it's a mini computer that actual has a real world battery life of 14 hours people will still pay for it.

My understanding was that this was the new price for all future orders (until the costs change). The original price was just too optimistic when all of the indirect costs are factored in. In reality, the device is probably over-speced for the original target market.

 

[Bosbeetle]

Circuit Co, who is doing their job, has proven not to be as reliable as their claims have proven. As I see it, assembly isn't necessarily the problem, it's the boards.

You base this on what? the progress over Christmas? Spending the past 4 weeks in Craig's assembly plant? Give the team some credit and accept that this isn't a community run sim-city game.

It isn't! :blink: I was just about to increase the income by placing some solar powered powerplants, and putting a powerline to a neighbouring city.

 

[craigix]

OK, some of you already found this today, but : http://gbax.com/pandoraprivate.html


This will become linked from the main site, and obviously if there are too many orders I will stop it for a while.


Now, do I sleep or stay awake all day?