Status summary (2010-10-31)

[Xenu]

You can hardly say that it's the board company that's holding up production now can you? The nubs havn't been produced yet so the boards can't be finished. However it's fishy that they wont send you pictures. If it turns out that they've only produced a couple of hundred boards... :angry:

 

[gruso]

^ That's where I think this is heading. To the casual observer, the nubs are what we're waiting on right now. OPT must have reason to believe that the boards are going to become the problem very soon...


I can't see how an angry community is going to motivate them though. Even if the board people are lying, the public perception is going to be that OPT is just palming off the blame. (Not my view, but it will be the view of many). Of course if they're busy running off beagle/pandaboards while pretending to be making Pandora boards, then people should know.


All speculation of course.

 

[trapef]

Eek! What is the purpose in naming and shaming the board company? Will they be named solely within the Forums or published within trade publications associated with electronics manufacture? Although they have not sent photos of thousands of boards, there is no proof they haven't made them either.


I also see little merit in Forum members contacting the board company, it will only serve to cheese them off and possibly sour the relationship further.


Has an alternative board company been sourced yet? Has test samples been produced by them which meet the approval of MW? If so why can't production switch to them. If not please be wary of stimulating further delays.


I agree with another recent post of a local person visiting their factory and inspecting our works. with todays tech of phones, cameras and emails OPT can do a virtual inspection (and even post a vid too).

 

[moz]

+1 for the virtual inspection idea.

 

[mosschops]

i note with interest this latest drama in the life of the Pandora and take heart that all the videos posted by some people about dealing with the chinese and them being untrustworthy have shown to be true. you just cant trust these chinese to make the product you request to a decent quality and in a timely manner.


/dry


having said that, the project in terms of it's size is unlikely to get priority over the bigger jobs that are a companies staple revenue at the best of times.

 

[moz]

i note with interest this latest drama in the life of the Pandora and take heart that all the videos posted by some people about dealing with the chinese and them being untrustworthy have shown to be true. you just cant trust these chinese to make the product you request to a decent quality and in a timely manner.


/dry


having said that, the project in terms of it's size is unlikely to get priority over the bigger jobs that are a companies staple revenue at the best of times.

Are you talking about the boards or the nubs? If you're talking about the boards - the company is based in Texas, although if you're talking about nubs I am not sure where they are produced.

 

[tsh]

From what I see from here, OP is messing the board company about too - preventing them from finishing the job and getting paid because the nubs are not ready. (so not OP's fault, but the board company need to stay in business too)


Expecting photos from a production company is asking a lot. most product production status is fairly secret, and if they are doing small prototype runs then even more so. It would make sense to find someone to visit them in person - if you'd asked last month, i could maybe have gone (but back in the UK now).

 

[EvilDragon]

From what I see from here, OP is messing the board company about too - preventing them from finishing the job and getting paid because the nubs are not ready. (so not OP's fault, but the board company need to stay in business too)

Well, yes and no.


I'm pretty sure the nubs issue is one of the problems.


However, I'm still missing 2000 LCD cables which should've been finished 4 weeks ago.


The LCD cables are not THAT urgent yet, I can take a weekend off to solder all of them, but it still is a sign for me that something is not working as it should.


The only thing they need to do with the LCD cables is put a few parts on it.


So we're currently trying to figure out more what the issue is to solve it.

 

[Sugar_Kane]

It's probable that they put everything on hold while they wait for the new nubs to show up. Perhaps they put everything Pandora related to one side and got on with producing other company's work, rather than produce some Pandora boards, put them in storage until nubs arrive, then whip them out of storage and put the nubs in.


It might be the case that it wouldn't alter production time massively if they simply produced the remaining boards at the same time as the new nubs are with them, and they're nervous about telling you that because they think you'll demand things be done now.


I'm just trying to think positively!

 

[EvilDragon]

It's probable that they put everything on hold while they wait for the new nubs to show up. Perhaps they put everything Pandora related to one side and got on with producing other company's work, rather than produce some Pandora boards, put them in storage until nubs arrive, then whip them out of storage and put the nubs in.


It might be the case that it wouldn't alter production time massively if they simply produced the remaining boards at the same time as the new nubs are with them, and they're nervous about telling you that because they think you'll demand things be done now.


I'm just trying to think positively!

Well, that might really be a reason, and I really hope it is the case.


Let's hope for the best. But we're also working on getting a backup company, just in case. Better be safe than sorry and do anything you can do NOW and not later.

 

[hosant]

Dam EvilDragon, I'm starting to feel really frustrated about this project and the 5K MXN I spent on my preorder. I was originally planning to write part Finite Fields thesis on this while on the go... I finished it yesterday (yay!). But I can only imagine how you guys feel, with so much at stake.


Since you socket-able nubs is a plausible option, is it possible to ship nub-less units and attach the nubs later?

 

[DaMummy]

no cause they wont have boards unless they have nubs, they come attached at first

 

[Mr. Beam]

Quick Question: Will the new LCD cables affect the touch screen at all? I'm not to keen on hardware.

 

[EvilDragon]

Quick Question: Will the new LCD cables affect the touch screen at all? I'm not to keen on hardware.

Nope.

 

[doublebeta]

From what I see from here, OP is messing the board company about too - preventing them from finishing the job and getting paid because the nubs are not ready. (so not OP's fault, but the board company need to stay in business too)


Expecting photos from a production company is asking a lot. most product production status is fairly secret, and if they are doing small prototype runs then even more so. It would make sense to find someone to visit them in person - if you'd asked last month, i could maybe have gone (but back in the UK now).

Hey, thanks for pointing this out- really helped me see the whole story - yeah, we can't blame them for anything - unless they STILL don't have all the boards by the end of the year all shipped out - then they're most certainly at fault. (i.e. they claimed 500 boards a week - if that doesn't happen they've lied. Unless they're short staffed over the Xmas holidays- but we should be DONE by then!)


All you need is nubs, nubs, nubs...


I'm hoping batch1 can be done pretty painlessly when we have the nubs - 1. So batch2 can start and I get my Pandora 2. So the whinger-type batch1ers can shut up(not all of you! Just the REALLY annoying group) - as WELL as the haters that never did order a Pandora that like to hang around, and so the quiet group can be happy as well - and 3. So that I, the rest of the boards and especially everyone involved in the manufacture of the Pandora can remove this pressure we all sorta feel in the back of our minds - to me it's a sort of regret-like feeling - I don't regret ordering! I mean, like it feels somehow like it's our fault(Can't see how it is, it's just how it feels).


Just a note - I am _NOT_ a member of the OpenPandora team - i'm just a customer so I have the right to speak about a certain group of people who like to whinge. That's my thoughts, NOT the OpenPandora team's - if you don't like it _don't blame them_! I find it rather sad I need to actually write this!

 

[THB]

Come back with your high and mighty attitude after waiting two years jerkoff.

 

[Dead1nside]

I'm hoping batch1 can be done pretty painlessly when we have the nubs - 1. So batch2 can start and I get my Pandora 2. So the whinger-type batch1ers can shut up(not all of you! Just the REALLY annoying group) - as WELL as the haters that never did order a Pandora that like to hang around, and so the quiet group can be happy as well - and 3. So that I, the rest of the boards and especially everyone involved in the manufacture of the Pandora can remove this pressure we all sorta feel in the back of our minds - to me it's a sort of regret-like feeling - I don't regret ordering! I mean, like it feels somehow like it's our fault(Can't see how it is, it's just how it feels).


Just a note - I am _NOT_ a member of the OpenPandora team - i'm just a customer so I have the right to speak about a certain group of people who like to whinge. That's my thoughts, NOT the OpenPandora team's - if you don't like it _don't blame them_! I find it rather sad I need to actually write this!

It doesn't appear that you're in any position to make any sort of judgement about anyone whatsoever, especially people who have been waiting two years, as the above poster comments. I've waited just over a year now and you can't imagine the frustration. It was around this time last year that I was quite convinced -- enough to place an order -- that I would get mine before or shortly after Christmas, that year. Now, I can't even comprehend waiting two years, being really so painfully close yet so far away that you might as well have ordered from Batch 2.

 

[sold]

If its a hardware issue with the wifi module that is the problem I think the community deserves to be told straight up.


I don't mean to sound aggressive or "anti" but I for one am becoming tired of being told "soon" and then the time runs out and there is always another reason why "soon" is still a little further away. I don't want anyone to think I am being negative or trolling or whatever, but sometimes I think the Pandora team knows more about the holdups than they let on. This isn't necessarily a bad or intentional thing as I am sure they are more disappointed than we are when things go wrong. And there are obviously technical and supply issues involved in the delays but it is beginning to feel like we as a community of pre-orderers and fans have been misled somewhat. And for whatever reason and whomever is responsible, it is not good at all.


But by the same token, I greatly appreciate the fact that EvilDragon and Craigix and the other team members have shared as much information as they have and it's great to see them respond to the forum members questions in what must be a very hectic time for them.


Having said all of that, speaking for myself I want to make it clear that I am still a supporter and fan of this endeavor and I hope wholeheartedly that the issues that have plagued the project get resolved and the people that have made this product a reality get the success that they rightfully deserve.

 

[DuckMan]

It doesn't appear that you're in any position to make any sort of judgement about anyone whatsoever, especially people who have been waiting two years, as the above poster comments. I've waited just over a year now and you can't imagine the frustration. It was around this time last year that I was quite convinced -- enough to place an order -- that I would get mine before or shortly after Christmas, that year. Now, I can't even comprehend waiting two years, being really so painfully close yet so far away that you might as well have ordered from Batch 2.

Agreed... I have also been sitting here for over a year and ordered, i would guess, at about the same time as you after it looked like the project was really getting off the ground and seemed like shipping was impending.


I feel like such a noob for only waiting that long. Batch 2 homeboy up here has to pay some dues and contribute something before he get's anything that would resemble enough respect to tell people off...


BTW Dead1nside when did you order? I'm October 15 2009! it was my birthday present from my wife, which was on the 12th.

 

[DisgruntleElf]

Has an alternative board company been sourced yet? Has test samples been produced by them which meet the approval of MW? If so why can't production switch to them. If not please be wary of stimulating further delays.

When your a new small start up company with no credit history chances are suppliers want to be paid up front. Paging community investors.