Let's go - Help wanted :) (2012-10-01)

[MiKeN]

I'm all ready to upgrade over from Craig to you Ed, the only thing stopping me is paying shipping twice right now (once with Craig and again with you), is there anything you can do about that?

 

[Toupee]

Since I haven't seen them suggested yet, I would recommend review units go to RockPaperShotgun.com and/or Destructoid.com... I peruse both websites pretty regularly, as they often cover indie/small budget games that are available for purchase rightaway (and recently, highlights of Kickstarter projects and the like). I know I often head straight to Steam or the developer's website to purchase a game if it looks interesting to me... and I think a lot of people might be interested who just haven't had exposure to the Pandora.


Of course, I have no idea how review units are sent - I don't work for or know anybody who works for those sites. But it would be my first choice for exposure. I don't think a large games site like IGN would cover the Pandora seriously.


Also, Ed, know that I totally admire your dedication and brutal honestly. For every sigh I have at not hearing any word from Craig's shop (no offense, Craig, love ya) - you restore my hope for humanity. And the Pandora. Have a brew for me!

 

[overgauss]

What about all of us talking up the Pandora on Facebook and creating Pandora FB page if there isn't one.

You means this one?


http://www.facebook....ora.org?fref=ts

That'll do.

 

[erico]

Since I haven't seen them suggested yet, I would recommend review units go to RockPaperShotgun.com and/or Destructoid.com...

Agreed, RPS is a powerfull source.

 

[Godmil]

Tested.com is a great hardware review site too.

 

[overgauss]

Big sites are great and all, but I would round out the diet with indie sites. For instance that CT review. They're all big and haughty and didn't appreciate the Pandy for the things that seem overly obvious to us. Some of these sites are traditional and stodgy that are worried about if it's gorilla glass or not and what type of bezel does it have etc. There's many indie demographics that are large enough to make the Pandy underground hip. Or hip within their group because no one else has one and everybody else is rocking iphones and 3ds/vitas.


So by all means go for your mainstream market, however I would seriously court demographics that aren't normally courted. Get a review from a hacker blog and ask them what the unit needs to be more appealing in general and for hacking in specific. Do the same for female gamers and lgbt gamers and ask them what it needs in their opinion(plus you get a different type of user feedback!). Why ignore such huge demographics unless maybe there's some sexist/homophobic tendencies. Do this respectfully and I believe the respect will be returned. Don't just callously look at these groups as a source of revenue.


Look at how mcdonalds did it for example. Frankly I think it would be really cool if it took a gaming related/hardware company this small to break the barrier and actively seek legitimate dialogue with a group of people that most companies would choose to ignore. I imagine there is a story in there somewhere. I don't expect that anyone else appreciates this sentiment or the opportunity it brings. However I feel strongly enough about it that you can expect I will continue to bring it up from time to time.

 

[FaeMinx]

^ I think this is a good sentiment.

 

[Grench]

Thank you to the Mod that moved the P2 stuff to where it should have been.


However, I think that one of my posts got moved that has nothing to do with P2, but was a serious idea to help with ED's plea here.





I realize that my ideas are a bit out of reach for many people, but with the project having $170K in undelivered orders for consoles that cost ~$350 to make*, it would require far too long to make a serious dent at $20 per donation. The $20 bumps are important too - but if 50 people out of the thousands that check here were to pony up and sponsor clearing one unit each - that would clear over 1/10th of the queue**.


If big 'full unit sponsors' come in for 10% of the queue, smaller donations in for another 10%, and then they sell another 400 or so unit sales - that's what it would take to clear it.


* assumes that the $700 1Ghz Pandora costs $350 to make as it also covers the cost of building and shipping one existing pre-order per unit sold.


** assumes that $170K/$350 per unit ~ 485 units remaining to deliver.


So - can that post come back for comment?


Thank you.

 

[klapse]

ED asked for help, not a bunch of suggestions about what ED should do, but for community members to actually do something themselves. (viral marketing of various sorts etc)


Grasp this fact please.

 

[EvilDragon]

Just a quick note inbetween:


Thanks for your donations so far, I'll also add the donations I already had on this account for shipping even more units.


The first 10 units funded with these donations should ship soon


Additionally, a quick info for all the Cross-Upgraders:


Tomorrow is a holiday in Germany, so they will ship on Thursday


Thanks also for some offers with graphic design help.


We could need flyers and web banners, I'll ZIP up a package with all the graphics and let you guys start on it soon

 

[kaiserpc]

okay Ed here's a small 10 Euro donation (from a January 2009 preorderer). I hope enough people donate to make a difference.

 

[PokeParadox]

I'd say 10 units is making a difference! I will continue to put aside some donation money next month too! I want to get this dreaded preorder queue down!

 

[overgauss]

Just a quick note inbetween:


Thanks for your donations so far, I'll also add the donations I already had on this account for shipping even more units.


The first 10 units funded with these donations should ship soon


Additionally, a quick info for all the Cross-Upgraders:


Tomorrow is a holiday in Germany, so they will ship on Thursday


Thanks also for some offers with graphic design help.


We could need flyers and web banners, I'll ZIP up a package with all the graphics and let you guys start on it soon

JAWESOME!

 

[overgauss]

ED asked for help, not a bunch of suggestions about what ED should do, but for community members to actually do something themselves. (viral marketing of various sorts etc)


Grasp this fact please.

Help us grasp this fact. What do you see as a bunch of suggestions about what ED should do? Would you point out what you mean please?

 

[PokeParadox]

I think the point there was not suggest things that add even more work for ED to do, since he's already stretched thin and adding to his workload is not helpful.

 

[overgauss]

I think the point there was not suggest things that add even more work for ED to do, since he's already stretched thin and adding to his workload is not helpful.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would disagree with that. So I'll ask for clarification again. What are the things that people are suggesting that adds more work to what ED has to do? Can you point that out for us please?


Edit: I mean specific examples from this page. I assume it's this page that prompted the first admonishment not to add to ED's workload.


2nd Edit: So I PM'd both klapse and PokeParadox for clarification. I will report back what they said so that we can make sure not to unduly add to ED's workload.


3rd Edit: OK I spoke with PokeParadox and he had no clarification on what it was that could be adding more work for ED. He said that he didn't see any examples and wasn't going to dig any up for me and that as far as he knows it could have been a page back. In essense he was clarifying klapse's position (by not clarifying it imo). Anyway I said we should be the best of friends and time will tell.

 

[dsjah]

My original preorder was on 10/2009 and I upgraded to the 1GHZ unit on 6/25. I have just donated 20 Euro. I think this is an awesome project and am very excited about getting a Pandora unit. Keeping the faith...

 

[jabz]

10 orignal preorder units? How about 1GHz units?


I'll think about donating however I'd like something in return like a guarantee my 1GHz unit will ship by end of Oct..

 

[palstyo]

Depending on amount of donation but I think lower priority than preorder.


Coz. this issue is made by Craig not related with CC.


Actually I also waiting 1GHz unit as well (my # is 99 so quite close from yours isn't it?)


I just heard from Jacquelyn her estimate is next shipment would be mid/end of October.


(not sure but I really hope so)

 

[iArnold]

Make the 1GHz 500 Euro including a carrying case/bag and a TV out cable right away.


I made a banner a long time ago:


You can get it from here:


http://arnoldvanhofwegen.com/pics/banners/OpenPandorabanner.png