The Cases Are Fine: Ship!

[EvilDragon]

Why are they all scratched up and so shit?

They might've used recycled plastic instead of the expensive final one, which is normal for a test case.

Are all the major revisions CORRECTED now?

As far as I know, yes, but that's something Michael knows

There is nothing to fix, except how shit they have turned out (appearance)?
If they can remove the scratches and make it a nice gloss black finish, just send the things!

It might be that the mass produced stuff WILL look okay. The ones we got were test samples. The machines weren't heated up correctly (takes a few hours and a company won't afford to not being able to use the machine for that time just for a few sample cases), probably recycled plastic was used and the finishing was missing.

Yes folks, it MIGHT be we were all discussing this weekend about nothing - everything might be okay.

We never did something like that before, so we gotta ask if the case looks like that because of the above reasons and if the real ones will lokk okay.

Just wait until we did speak to the company.

To be honest, I don't believe they would sell us such things as final product - they've been doing stuff like that for 12 years now, the keymats also do look fine.
I doubt they would've survived if all their products would look like this

 

[Prometheus]

I'd take one of those first 500, IF the hingecrack is fixed.

This is my view also*. (The rev.-2's looked nice to me, and I'm pretty sure that the rev.-3's will as well with non-recycled plastics and that crack gone.)

*Disclaimer: It only applies to me. I'm not saying what anyone else should or shouldn't accept.

 

[gaterooze]

I'm willing to bet ED's on the right track with his comments above and all this sturm & drang is for naught.

 

[VRAndy]

Just my 2c.. That's mostly why I would rather wait until it's "officially" launched. It'll just be a stagnant toy until it's all setup for end users..

It's a computer. I'll find things to do with it. Even if a killer smallpox virus wipes out everyone on earth except for myself making me the Omega Man, I promise you, that my Pandora will not stagnate.

(Assuming I can find a good set of solar panels in the post-humans world.)

 

[trix]

Just my 2c.. That's mostly why I would rather wait until it's "officially" launched. It'll just be a stagnant toy until it's all setup for end users..

It's a computer. I'll find things to do with it. Even if a killer smallpox virus wipes out everyone on earth except for myself making me the Omega Man, I promise you, that my Pandora will not stagnate.

(Assuming I can find a good set of solar panels in the post-humans world.)

First, of COURSE you could find solar panels if a virus wiped out everything else, just come yank em off my roof!

Second, if a virus killed off humanity (except for you), you'd probably be too busy driving awesome vehicles and shooting rocket launchers stolen from military silo's to bother with the Pandora anymore. In fact, you'd have the world's biggest PC's at your disposal!

Third, if a virus wipes out humanity, I hope *I* am the sole survivor, and not you. Why? selfish reasons, of course.

 

[WizardStan]

No one is making decisions. There is nothing to be scared about.

People are saying they'd take this case, seemingly crack and all. I'm trying to get into that mindset, to at least understand why they would do that, but I can't. That's why it's scary.

 

[Tom`]

No one is making decisions. There is nothing to be scared about.

People are saying they'd take this case, seemingly crack and all. I'm trying to get into that mindset, to at least understand why they would do that, but I can't. That's why it's scary.

Is there anyone saying that? I think a lot of the people who are expressing satisfaction with the current case believe that any issues will be resolved in the final run. In addition, some feel that they'd rather have it now since they can always get one of the fixed cases within a few months and they don't mind replacing the case themselves.

I wouldn't do this (unless the crack was not a major/short-term problem and I was certain I'd be able to get a new case very cheaply before any issues could occur - and even then I would only consider it), but I can see why others would.

 

[Phawx]

@WizardStan

Yea. I'll take all three of mine like that.

hmm, guess I don't understand it.
Personally I'll wait until they know what the source of the crack was before making that decision, but if you want cracks without explanation, who am I to argue?

It just has to do with a gut feeling that if they produced the cases en masse, we wouldn't be seeing the cracked hinge problem. All 3 revision looked like exactly the same thickness. So if they shaved more it would have gotten bigger, but it doesn't look like that at all.

I am actually very confident the cases will look good, they just need to be done for the big amount like the people with experience have been saying. However, I am willing to put my money where my mouth is and say that IF they have a cracked hinge, I'll still take it. I could always get another case sometime or even fix mine. No biggie. Having a *usable* Pandora now trumps everything for me. I've been waiting for this device since August 08. Other people have been waiting longer, but I would like mine ASAP, no matter the cost.

 

[wardred]

WizardStan,
I'll take the case with blemishes, but not with structural defects. I mainly want to use the silly thing, I don't care how polished it looks - and we're told the controls are all working properly. I'm of that mindset because I tend to be rough on my stuff anyway, and it gets all scratched up within days of having it. I'm not so incredibly rough that I *generally* break it, but you can tell it's been used, so a bit of dingy plastic doesn't bother me. I'd guess that those willing to take it even with the crack are of a similar mindset, but maybe not quite so hard on their stuff as I. Maybe they're worried that another delay or two will mean the Pandora might not see the light of day.

Maybe they're simply tired of waiting, and don't want to wait at least 3 more weeks for the factory to put the project on hold, shut down for the holiday, and tool back up, etc. Probably more like a month because they'll have to unpack stuff and ramp up when they get back. So we're very possibly into March before Craig and team even receive the production cases if there's a delay. Then everything needs to be shipped to the assembly line, assembled, boxed, and shipped to us. So, what, mid-march to April before some of the guys early on in the orders see the devices?

The cracked plastic and the hole all the way through something bugs me because I AM tough on stuff and these are things that'll be "pre-weakened". I BELIEVE the crack may be because of packaging, handling, or a misaligned presser of some sort, so hopefully something easily corrected. Hopefully the same with the hole, and hopefully the "greasy" plastic is just the fluid to make sure the plastic doesn't stick to the mold, all of which MIGHT be easily corrected. If so, then it may not be totally unreasonable to do a run of some of the cases now.

My biggest concern with running things now is it might make the Chinese factory overlook something they normally wouldn't without a hard cutoff date to have EVERYTHING done. I can take a little plastic blemish and scratches, I don't want some critical screw hole bored out or a misaligned catch for one of the controls or some other structural defect to get rushed out the door.

 

[Sphinxter]

The subject may actually be the case, pun intended.

 

[trix]

It just has to do with a gut feeling that if they produced the cases en masse, we wouldn't be seeing the cracked hinge problem. All 3 revision looked like exactly the same thickness. So if they shaved more it would have gotten bigger, but it doesn't look like that at all.

I am actually very confident the cases will look good, they just need to be done for the big amount like the people with experience have been saying. However, I am willing to put my money where my mouth is and say that IF they have a cracked hinge, I'll still take it. I could always get another case sometime or even fix mine. No biggie. Having a *usable* Pandora now trumps everything for me. I've been waiting for this device since August 08. Other people have been waiting longer, but I would like mine ASAP, no matter the cost.

+1

I would take it crack and all, knowing if the hinge is a problem I could replace it later or repair it myself. Even if I have to attach the top half with duct tape I'll take it. Partially because I'm impatient (though I'd wait if I had to, no biggie), partially because that would increase the value of the first batch case for me, and mostly because I don't have anything similar at the moment, and I could *really* use a portable gamer UMPC in my life right now.

Hard to understand? Pandora > !Pandora; a bird in the hand is better then two in the bush, or however it goes.

 

[Game_over]

In a Nutshell--Don't panic

Recycled plastic could cause cracks (remember what apple used for some of the early Macbooks?)

As far as too much release agent is concerned, the machines they use are for making large amounts of parts, period.
I'd bet timing had allot to do with why rev3 cases look the way they do.

It's definitely a rush job and that could explain the stress mark on the hinge. That could be from removing the device from the mold and or putting it into the shipping box, it looks more like a gash than anything the machine could have done. Was that from one case or all 7 received?

We'll find out soon, I'm sure it will be resolved tomorrow.

 

[Paradox]

so.. what is going to happen? do we know yet?

 

[trix]

It's definitely a rush job and that could explain the stress mark on the hinge. That could be from removing the device from the mold and or putting it into the shipping box, it looks more like a gash than anything the machine could have done. Was that from one case or all 7 received?

MWeston said the crack was on all 7.

 

[Game_over]

Then in that case it probably would be more to do with the timings they got out as that looks like where it was handled judging from the little cave-in that is in the same vicinity of the crack.

Looking at it again wonder at the point of handling the backside of the device, was it still in a very malleable state?

 

[aesir911]

I'd take one of those first 500, IF the hingecrack is fixed.

This is my view also*. (The rev.-2's looked nice to me, and I'm pretty sure that the rev.-3's will as well with non-recycled plastics and that crack gone.)

*Disclaimer: It only applies to me. I'm not saying what anyone else should or shouldn't accept.

umm... those cases were absolute s**t. didn't you see the pictures? they ooze some release agent too. absolute crap...

 

[trix]

umm... those cases were absolute s**t. didn't you see the pictures? they ooze some release agent too. absolute crap...

It seems that MWeston took the bad pictures off of his photobucket.

If it's an attempt to stem the panic, it's a little late for that...

I wonder what the deal is.

- trix

 

[aesir911]

too many people drawing out probably... we are getting tired of fail after endless fail...

 

[TrashyMG]

too many people drawing out probably... we are getting tired of fail after endless fail...

Just like your troll after endless troll?

I'm sure the cases will be fine when Mass production of the cases starts. However we will not know until the OP guys hear something..

 

[aesir911]

too many people drawing out probably... we are getting tired of fail after endless fail...

Just like your troll after endless troll?

I'm sure the cases will be fine when Mass production continues.

your comments don't make any sense... i find it amusing when people troll to try to point out "trolls". especially from someone with the net content of 0. i'm answering a question, where you are picking a fight. you're titled to your opinions though mr. trashy troll.