The Cases: What's Done And What's Next?

[mali]

We have a dedicated China thread, so please post there instead or better yet somewhere in Off Topic. Else I(and I'm sure other members will agree) will request a lock of this thread.

 

[krosfyah]

I don't think China has gotten better,

20 years ago China was not the worlds biggest polluter, nor had the highest carbon emissions. I really think things are going to far. Sure, the economy has gotten better, that would explain why other asians want to live in China, they hope for a better standard of living and higher wages etc. I refuse to believe that China produces quality products. Nearly EVERY Chinese made product with 1 or more moving parts that I have EVER bought has either broken after 5 or less years or has been just a pathetic, flimsy, useless product in general. This may not include all electronic appliances.. BUT I mean shit, the first two GP2X f-200 consoles i bought had defects and i had to return. I know it's not china's fault, I'm not blaming the county anyway. Industrial china is a product of consumerism and the western ideology in general. And now it's putting Australian's and probably American's Etc OUT OF WORK.

I refuse to believe anything else, sorry DroneB Dev, but nothing you say is going to change my views. The truth is, OP SHOULD be able to get those cases made wherever they want, but they can't do that anymore because anywhere besides china is TOO expensive.

These cases better be Fucken good! Im sick and tired of waiting for something that could and should be done by now (IF there weren't so many greedy sons of a bitches out there).

I'll try to type whilst my palm is firmly planted on my face.

Actually, sod it. I'm going to use your own philosophy to reply and just say that I was only bemused by your views until I saw that you were Australian.

No doubt my irony will be soaring above some heads.. oh well.

 

[laurencevde]

There are twice as many people living in China as in Europe. Speaking about "China" when you've only been in (f.ex) Shanghai is the same as speaking about "Europe" when you've only been in London.

 

[Phawx]

"Do you have anything to declare?"

"Yea. Don't go to London."

 

[Mr.Gonzo]

"Do you have anything to declare?"

"Yea. Don't go to London."

Best movie

 

[Dunny]

Can you imagine the uproar when, in 2 weeks the new cases arrive at MWeston's door - they look great and place an order for the full run...

And only 10% of the delivered cases are usable?

That is going to be one hell of a giggle

D.

 

[Jumpman]

Can you imagine the uproar when, in 2 weeks the new cases arrive at MWeston's door - they look great and place an order for the full run...

And only 10% of the delivered cases are usable?

That is going to be one hell of a giggle

D.

Dunny, Dunny, Dunny, your killing me! Don't jinx us like that! We've already been swimming upstream for the last 12 months, you know we should at least get 50% out of that batch!

The good news is, I think I might actually get one if 10% are good, I'm in the 250-350 range! Hell yeah!


Chris

 

[mali]

In the factory where I worked, we had to take samples after a predefined number of produced pieces. The samples were labled and checked for compliance with the specifications the client demanded. There were no pieces sent out that didn't comply and the mass production quality was permanently under control.

 

[Monk]

These cases better be Fucken good! Im sick and tired of waiting for something that could and should be done by now (IF there weren't so many greedy sons of a bitches out there).

If youy get a quote that is significantly lower than all the other quotes - or a country that quotes significantly lower than the other countries - there is likely a reason for it. If a deal looks, by comparison, too good to be true - it often is. And many other cliches. The Chinese mold factory are probably delivering the level of service that they believe OpenPandora have paid for - which was apparently significantly less than anyone else was charging. I don't really wonder why, and I'm bemused that so many seem shocked that the cheapest is not the best. You get what you pay for or, more accurately, you pay for what you get (what you get doesn't always rise to match the amount you spend, but you sure pay in other ways if you pay too little in terms of money - time or quality almost always suffer).

I'm surprised the case is the only thing made in China - I thought the PCBs were made by a factory over there too.

I also don't understand the apparent fixation on the 15th - didn't the Chinese Craig only say that the mold would be fixed by the 15th? Not that any cases would be made or shipped?

"We've passed the point of no return" on the cases happened months ago. Hey, if OP knew then what they know now they might have changed anyway... I wonder if I'll be saying the same thing in four months time about now?

OpenPandora have said they will own the actual molds, and of course it's well known that the mold design was finsihed months and months ago - probably nearly a year ago by now. However, before anyone considers OP moving the molds to another company for a second 10,000 batch... they weigh a lot, they could "go missing in the post", and by the time the factory needs to produce a second batch, all the kinks should be worked out and it SHOULD be a simple matter for them to knock out extra cases - and hopefully be held to the same high (I hope!) standards as for the first batch of cases.

My 8 year old son has just asked me, wearily, "when did they first promise these?". Pandora delivery has become a tedious joke even to our kids...

 

[Jumpman]

In the factory where I worked, we had to take samples after a predefined number of produced pieces. The samples were labled and checked for compliance with the specifications the client demanded. There were no pieces sent out that didn't comply and the mass production quality was permanently under control.

Yeah, I've actually seen that level of quality control on many shows pertaining to factories. I've seen everything from locks, to twinkies, and everything inbetween! The question should be, does this factory follow those guidelines? That is the million dollar question!


Chris

 

[mali]

That procedure is part of the recognized rules of engineering and molding isn't exactly high tech, so I'm sure it'll work out.

 

[borgqueenx]

Nooooo more delay. Thanks chinese garbage company. This is plain lying what they have done! Telling us it was shipped.,..
I still stand to my promise. Will cancel if cases are red lighted. Will accept the delay for now....whats the ETA now?

Ps: cant explain in words how im feeling about this lie.
This teaches us something for the rest of our lives: always expect delay and problems, you are gonna get them.

 

[The silent one]

Ive been away for a few days, Am I understanding correctly that the cases havent beem shipped, so now there is another delay?

 

[BackAssward]

Doesn't really teach us anything new... "Hope for the best, Expect the worst" has been around forever, people just fail to heed it.

 

[Sphinxter]

True today as it ever was, "Speed, Quality or Price, pick any two."

 

[mali]

Ive been away for a few days, Am I understanding correctly that the cases havent beem shipped, so now there is another delay?

The Chinese usually only talk to Fatih - he was in Dubai the last week.
So our latest info was, that the cases should be sent on the 15th - thus we thought they would arrive last week.
Fatih is back since last Friday and he immediately took care of the issue.

The Chinese weren't 100% happy with the cases yet - and they didn't want to send another intermediate review case, instead they wanted to send one that they think is perfectly ok. This case has been made now and should have been sent on Monday. I've prepared a blog post with these infos - I won't post it before I'm sure, have pictures and a tracking number. This number will be posted publicly so everyone can track those cases.

It really looks like it could be green lighted soon. The Chinese are preparing everything right now - and want to send the MP cases before the Chinese New Year.

 

[The silent one]

Thanks mali, I appreciate it.

 

[Jumpman]

Ive been away for a few days, Am I understanding correctly that the cases havent beem shipped, so now there is another delay?

Well, it was never shipped when we all thought it did! Fatih, who is the main conection to the Chinese factory, was out of town for a week, and I really don't know who on the team dropped the ball, everyone seems to want to blame the mould factory, which is fine(they for sure deserve there fair share), but if they never said it was shipped, that can really only be blamed on the team. This is where all hell broke loose with the last case, "lack of proper information"!

I'm tired of saying "X" was at fault, only to find out "Y" might have actually just misinformed "Z"! If Fatih, was not available to communicate properly with the factory, someone should have said so a week ago! That really isn't that big of a deal, but letting everyone believe the revision 3 case is "anyday now", is just out of line! As far as I can tell, we are right back to giving bits and parts of information, that time and time again, have just gotten everyone in a tizzy!

If you have no information, say "we don't have any information today". If someone is not available, say "they are not available"! If your not sure the cases have shipped, say "there is a good chance the cases have not shipped, but we hope they have"! I really don't understand why this is so fucking hard to communicate properly! As far as I can tell, the factory never said the cases shipped, and it was only assumed that they had! If this information is wrong, please correct my misinformation!


Chris

 

[mali]

I vote for letting the past be the past and hope for a better future. Except someone's got a time machine at hand. I hope things go smoother now and ED drops in more often

 

[Jumpman]

I vote for letting the past be the past and hope for a better future. Except someone's got a time machine at hand. I hope things go smoother now and ED drops in more often

I agree Mali! The only problem is when you don't learn from the past, your doomed to make the same mistakes in the future!


Chris