WarmFluffyUK
The Big Wad Bolf.
Originally posted by Chip on GP32X Forums
There has been a lot of confusion and hysteria rolling around the forums the last couple days. This is mostly due to less-than-crystal-clear announcements being misinterpreted, then those misinterpretations clogging the relavant threads to the point that the original message is buried. In an effort to quell the fears propagating through the board, I give you a consolidation of what we actually know. More details will be provided as they are available. Until then, try to remain calm and don't make the signal to noise ratio any worse.
RE: Congratulations on the project
RE: "Extra" units from the first batch being put up for sale.
RE: Delays?
First mention of bank issues
Banking issue follow up
Banking follow up 2, and a riddle
RE: Riddle - A clue.
Riddle solved. More good news. Banking followup 3 (really important bit bolded and italicized for emphasis)
RE: Global economic fail
Further clarifications
RE: Speed increases?
RE: Making any money? Banking followup 4
And there you have it. When you line it all up and cut out the mass hysteria, all you really see is good news.
There has been a lot of confusion and hysteria rolling around the forums the last couple days. This is mostly due to less-than-crystal-clear announcements being misinterpreted, then those misinterpretations clogging the relavant threads to the point that the original message is buried. In an effort to quell the fears propagating through the board, I give you a consolidation of what we actually know. More details will be provided as they are available. Until then, try to remain calm and don't make the signal to noise ratio any worse.
RE: Congratulations on the project
craigix Oct 27 2008, 03:1 1 PM
Ahaha wait until we get the thing done first! There is so much going on right now that it is exceptionally stressful for all involved.
We just have to keep pushing everything forward and hoping for no disasters along the way.
The 'Pandora Story' is going to make an interesting read once all this is complete!
RE: "Extra" units from the first batch being put up for sale.
craigix Oct 28 2008, 05:58 AM
There is still big demand now to get on the preorder list, and closer to the time we may have some extra slots available from people who have canceled orders or from orders which turned out to be fake (always some).
We won't be making ANY money on the first 4000 - we thought we might make a little profit but the global money markets saw an end to that dream. So right now we just want to get it out there.
RE: Delays?
craigix Oct 29 2008, 01:30 PM
We are doing everything we can to make sure that does not happen.WarmFluffyUK Oct 29 2008, 04:58 PM
My worst fear is that we won't get it before Christmas and have to wait until the new year.
It is the LCDs which have the worst lead time, we have around 600 already and are waiting on the rest. If anything causes a delay I'd say it's going to be the LCD supply - fortunately the LCDs are not essential for making everything else so it's not like we can't make all the cases and PCBs while we wait
First mention of bank issues
craigix Oct 29 2008, 04:35 PM
Speaking of incidents our bank manager is so difficult and IMO clueless to the Pandora project we are seriously considering changing banks right now, that may cause some hick ups for the card based orders. More on that soon.
Banking issue follow up
craigix Oct 29 2008, 07:09 PM
Some orders might just have to be refunded and then reordered, we can handle it all via email if it does have to be done. It would not effect all orders.WarmFluffyUK Oct 29 2008, 09:31 PM
gawds sake don't start any hiccups with the orders for people who have already had payment confirmation, a major order hiccup could cause a lot of distrust.
It's a pain in the arse if it has to happen, but our bank has been just about as difficult as possible throughout this project. I'd like to write up a whole blog post about it all but I've been advised against it. More juicy material for the Pandora story when we get around to writing it.
Banking follow up 2, and a riddle
craigix Oct 30 2008, 06:03 AM
Alas for a small company like ours who have no loans or debts banks just are not interested in us - well most banks...
Plus, do you think we would do something like move banks without giving you guys some kind of reward for the fuss? Maybe 2 rewards? Like... oh... I dunno... something not available 5 months ago? using even more bleeding edge tech... tech which has just become available in the last 6 weeks? Maybe Baby.
Silver lining in everything.
RE: Riddle - A clue.
craigix Oct 30 2008, 07:39 AM
I guess I should have used bold text
The post sounded odd because I was trying to get certain things in to it. In order.
Riddle solved. More good news. Banking followup 3 (really important bit bolded and italicized for emphasis)
craigix Oct 30 2008, 08:04 AM
If this is indeed to be the case we may as well throw in 512MB of NAND too.
But don't forget this is to make up for any fuss caused when we change banks, this will mostly be related to credit card orders.
What will probably happen is some of you may get an email saying we have refunded your order please reorder here (url). Just follow the instructions and everything will be cool.
Oh and yes - that RAM is very expensive but we have decided if we want a real UMPC style device which is pretty future proof for a few years we need it. Ubuntu is 20% faster already - not to mention you will be able to run several large apps now without worrying.
RE: Global economic fail
craigix Oct 30 2008, 09:21 AM
I know the exchange rates are a mess at the moment, but we will try to make it whatever you paid last time you will pay this time and any slight mismatch we hope will be made up by the fact you have 256MB + 512MB (and that's coming out of our pocket).
256MB is just too good NOT to put in the Pandora. If anyone isn't happy about this and wants to cancel their order that is of course no problem, we understand.
I'll probably write up a more detailed newsletter for this soon. Sorry for the last minute change - but we think in 6 months you will be very very pleased we did it.
Further clarifications
craigix Oct 30 2008, 11:16 AM
Just to confirm every Pandora will have the 256MB.
Any delays are still down to the LCDs, we have 640 and the rest are coming when ready.
The two main reasons for the upgrade were 1) being to give some compensation for any fuss we cause with asking some people to reorder and 2) being that we can see where this project (and ARM chipsets in general) might be going and the advantages the extra RAM will give us in this area.
We never really imagined running things like Ubuntu so 128MB seemed fine as 256MB was not available and when it was it was initially so expensive as to be impossible.
But then after the Ubuntu 'buzz' and many long late night chats about it we decided it was worth it, the price came down just enough (after some long negotiations) for us to do it in time.
As you all know we are now making no money on the first batch and it has become more of a love of what we are doing and getting the Pandora out there.
Doom3 anyone?
RE: Speed increases?
craigix Oct 30 2008, 03:20 PM
The 30% and 20% thing are one in the same, it results in linux being 20-30% faster but it's probably more to do with Linux being clever with the extra RAM than the actual RAM being faster... we think. There is more talk about this on the beagle chat logs.
RE: Making any money? Banking followup 4
craigix Oct 30 2008, 03:48 PM
We won't make a loss and the first batch will pay for moulds, set up costs, test units and recent development costs, but there won't be any profit for us, or even a chance for us to get all our invested money back.
The next batch is much easier because we will have established credit lines, from that batch we hope to start making some money.
As for the credit card thing, yeah it's a pain but we want to move banks and the old bank won't let us take the card orders with us.
Moving to a new bank is essential now the project is bigger and we need a bank which can let us grow and manage us in a professional way, the current bank is unwilling to do this. It could be effects of the banking crisis on them, I just don't know, but we will write more about it once it's done.
Thanks for all being so understanding about it, and we will handle it in a neat and tidy way, keeping you in your original order - and the 256MB will pay for itself in the coming months I'm sure! We can really go head to head with some of these bigger x86 machines now. Fun times!
And there you have it. When you line it all up and cut out the mass hysteria, all you really see is good news.