The Truth is out there (2010-12-11)

[Cyberbug]

I think this is good news:


I am glad the circuit board company has not been paid in advance, so its in their interest to finish the boards quickly to be paid. I am glad.


Second, I was really hoping to get it for my Birthday next month, First week of January, its my big one.


But I will hang around for two more months


Unless EvilDragon wants to make my year by delivering my Pandora for my Birthday

 

[Trey]

What part of might not get paid don't you understand?


Companies lie all the time. Why bash someone for being fiscally responsible by lying? They make good boards and as a business person, I don't blame them. If you want to hold someone responsible for fiscal irresponsibility, start with Ben Bernake of the US Federal Reserve. They started this mess by derailing this project. If you want to hold someone responsible contact Barclay Bank.

I completely understand why one would want to hold off on building for parts when your client is having difficulty. I get it, I work in business and managing timelines effectively is important to being successful. But saying to me we've got around 1800 to 2000 done when you could just say, "hey it doesn't make sense to move ahead until you figure out your part problem," makes absolutely no business sense at all.


CircuitCo has a small but good looking operation. The quality of their work looks fine. If they keep up production I can't see why OP would switch. It would just add more time to an already late timeline and cost them more money. What will be interesting to see next is what their true production rate is. Then we can make some more informed estimates.

 

[Link]

I completely understand why one would want to hold off on building for parts when your client is having difficulty. I get it, I work in business and managing timelines effectively is important to being successful. But saying to me we've got around 1800 to 2000 done when you could just say, "hey it doesn't make sense to move ahead until you figure out your part problem," makes absolutely no business sense at all.


CircuitCo has a small but good looking operation. The quality of their work looks fine. If they keep up production I can't see why OP would switch. It would just add more time to an already late timeline and cost them more money. What will be interesting to see next is what their true production rate is. Then we can make some more informed estimates.

We may never know the reason why they lied. I just think that this community in some form attacking CircuitCo in any manner would be counter productive to the project. I again have to lay some blame on PayPal and Barclay Bank for their meddling with the finances of this project when parts/production were on a quoted timeline from suppliers. Everyone is all ready to jump on the board company for lying while the nub company sold us a sub-par product, not the board company. I'm not defending Texas. All I'm saying is the Open Pandora is in no financial position to be burning bridges from the only plant on the planet that can currently produce this board at this point in time. I'm sick of reading about punishment and retribution by CircuitCo when Barclay Bank was bailed out by the US Taxpayer in 2008 through the US Federal Reserve. I lost $70+ dollars on that backroom deal that at the time benefited those in the know on currency fluctuations and fraudulent activities of the federal reserve. Everyone who ordered lost for the most part, did American Express ever refund? I'm sick of people trying to blame the producer of a good board that has held up for all of us who have Pandoras when the banks continue to pull the wool over your eyes. They said it would take 2 weeks to put the nubs on 2000 boards, they still don't have the parts from the nub company to complete the job. So what is the point to blame them for lying, they haven't been paid? If I knew why Texans lied, maybe America wouldn't be so god damned bankrupt from 8 years of a criminal. And his replacement is even worse, at least George W. Bush took care of his cronies, Obama has abandoned his brothers and sisters and the people of America as well as the world for the Barclay Bank and its Global cousins.


Boards now cost us a week if they had another 2000 nubs which they don't. Previously I'm sure they cost us a few weeks across the project.


Cases were much worse regarding delays, projections, failed projections, minor improvements to a case design that took months on end to get right and actually didn't get right until the last shipped batch IMHO.


The banks cost us at least 3 months, perhaps longer because of global uncertainty in markets and production. And they made money on us three times.

 

[DaMummy]

You paid the cost of the production for your unit and the parts, nothing more. This has been stated from the very beginning.


The rest has been paid out of our own pockets. Craig just made a calculation of the final costs per unit so far.


Including all the development costs, etc., we paid over 400 USD per unit - so unless you paid 400 USD to us for your Pandora, you haven't sponsored anything except for the parts that are lying around at CC and the production that they should do.


Additionally, a sponsor could be used to produce the next batch of units WITHOUT preorder money.


We've got a finished product, so as soon as we have a reliable production company, it should be possible getting sponsors.


Selling Pandoras on stock is damn easy... so with enough money to produce Pandoras for stock would definately speed up everything.

whatever happened to the community investing into the company? after seeing that investment thread craig started, it seemed as if $20,000 could be invested by the community withing a few days, regardless of what you hear from some people, we really are behind this and would really like this project to succeed, and i am wiling and ready to put my money where my mouth is, and ive seen that im not the only one, so if youre gonna constantly ask for the community's support and for us to stick with you, then give us the opportunity to support

 

[TylerAW]

We may never know the reason why they lied. I just think that this community in some form attacking CircuitCo in any manner would be counter productive to the project. I again have to lay some blame on PayPal and Barclay Bank for their meddling with the finances of this project when parts/production were on a quoted timeline from suppliers. Everyone is all ready to jump on the board company for lying while the nub company sold us a sub-par product, not the board company. I'm not defending Texas. All I'm saying is the Open Pandora is in no financial position to be burning bridges from the only plant on the planet that can currently produce this board at this point in time. I'm sick of reading about punishment and retribution by CircuitCo when Barclay Bank was bailed out by the US Taxpayer in 2008 through the US Federal Reserve. I lost $70+ dollars on that backroom deal that at the time benefited those in the know on currency fluctuations and fraudulent activities of the federal reserve. Everyone who ordered lost for the most part, did American Express ever refund? I'm sick of people trying to blame the producer of a good board that has held up for all of us who have Pandoras when the banks continue to pull the wool over your eyes. They said it would take 2 weeks to put the nubs on 2000 boards, they still don't have the parts from the nub company to complete the job. So what is the point to blame them for lying, they haven't been paid? If I knew why Texans lied, maybe America wouldn't be so god damned bankrupt from 8 years of a criminal. And his replacement is even worse, at least George W. Bush took care of his cronies, Obama has abandoned his brothers and sisters and the people of America as well as the world for the Barclay Bank and its Global cousins.


Boards now cost us a week if they had another 2000 nubs which they don't. Previously I'm sure they cost us a few weeks across the project.


Cases were much worse regarding delays, projections, failed projections, minor improvements to a case design that took months on end to get right and actually didn't get right until the last shipped batch IMHO.


The banks cost us at least 3 months, perhaps longer because of global uncertainty in markets and production. And they made money on us three times.

Obama has certainly lost any chances of being reelected George Bush kind of did put us in this mess (true he is not responsible for everything you can't just blame him) other reasons would be the banks and their "policies". The really sad thing about Obama extending the rich tax cuts is not only will the rich NOT spend any more (history has showed us that rich people DO NOT spend money in a recession they save it) but it has screwed over the common tax payer who does not make that much each year and if I were to guess I'm sure the Rich probably still hate Obama even with the tax cuts so basically everyone hates Obama (probably even him self).

 

[FaeMinx]

Recently, Apple refused to replace laptops because the customers were smokers.


A friend of mine could not replace his brand new laptop with a fried motherboard because "there are fingerprints on the screen".


I've got a Laptop waiting in a shop to be replaced for 9 years because it had conception flaws and the company went bankrupt...


Losing money in this kind of situation pisses me off and I'm usually quite agressive to get it back, and it's usually hard.


But if the Pandora project failed I wouldn't ask a refund.


This is the first time such a project is pulled off, it's not like buying an Apple laptop or a Sony product.


Bitching about cancelling an order is childlish, it's like thinking that OPT was an omniscient being that could predict exactly how things would unfold, and that is torturing us for pleasure. I knew it was risky when I ordered.


They need support, not pressure. I don't see the point about threatening OPT to get 300$ back (and I would really need them now to pay the bills) when every tech enthousiast has already lost much more with other mainstream companies that laughed back at them.

Amen.


We all need to be as positive and supportive as humanly possible. OPT are our *friends*. They have no intention of messing us around and are doing everything in their power to give US the best service and support that is humanly possible.


And personally, I feel that just because there are a couple of other gadgets coming out that you have your eye on isn't reason enough to cancel your order. The Pandora is *special* - It's so much more than it's specs, and functions... It's also who made it, the community that supports it, and WHY it was made.


Your order is a confirmation that you are a part of this - that you stand for what the Pandora embodies!


It's a matter of principle!


The more Pandoras that make it into the wild, the greater this device will be. Every one counts! YOU count! So stay with us.

 

[Link]

^


Politicians are the puppets, the bank is the puppeteer. They got their cut from us 3 times buying Pandas via Visa/Mastercard and the bank fees, currency change, etc.

 

[EvilDragon]

whatever happened to the community investing into the company? after seeing that investment thread craig started, it seemed as if $20,000 could be invested by the community withing a few days, regardless of what you hear from some people, we really are behind this and would really like this project to succeed, and i am wiling and ready to put my money where my mouth is, and ive seen that im not the only one, so if youre gonna constantly ask for the community's support and for us to stick with you, then give us the opportunity to support

Craig mentioned in that thread (AFAIR) that he wanted to do this after Batch 1. He first wanted to make sure CC really does produce the units.

 

[abradburne]

Obviously a tad disappointed, but I just wanted to give a quick little message of thanks and support for ED. I'm sure that I'm not alone in being a day one-er but also a quiet lurker. I'm not sure we'll ever really understand the stress that ED, Craig and co have been under - thank you. Keep going guys, so close now!


Hey, only Two months™ to go!

 

[Atownaction]

Obama has certainly lost any chances of being reelected George Bush kind of did put us in this mess (true he is not responsible for everything you can't just blame him) other reasons would be the banks and their "policies". The really sad thing about Obama extending the rich tax cuts is not only will the rich NOT spend any more (history has showed us that rich people DO NOT spend money in a recession they save it) but it has screwed over the common tax payer who does not make that much each year and if I were to guess I'm sure the Rich probably still hate Obama even with the tax cuts so basically everyone hates Obama (probably even him self).

Look man why the fuck are you talking about Obama what fuck does that have to do with the Pandora Im glad that the OPT is keeping up the fight and I am fighting with you guys...Please keep political shit out of this forum...DUMBASS!!!

 

[Link]

Look man why the fuck are you talking about Obama what fuck does that have to do with the Pandora Im glad that the OPT is keeping up the fight and I am fighting with you guys...Please keep political shit out of this forum...DUMBASS!!!

The banks were the first people to derail this project in the economic collapse of 2008. PayPal, Barclay Bank, and American Express took our money and only gave some of it back. Last week Obama sided with the banks of the world and not the people who elected him. Wake up and smell the revolution! Open source means open governments.


The fact that people want to communicate with suppliers and want to voice concerns as well as take punitive action on our board maker who makes good boards is scary. The point is the banks took $100+ in fees and currency manipulation, screwed the timeline of OP to order from suppliers by freezing accounts held by OP. CircuitCo gave us 900 good boards and lied for some reason about the next 2000 boards being tested and ready to go (minus nubs). This has not delayed the project because the nubs are still the delay. I paid over $500 for my Pandora and the banks made over %20 on the transaction. A quarter million off of all of us collectively who funded a solid part of this project. OP is taking a loss on the first batch.

 

[Atownaction]

The banks were the first people to derail this project in the economic collapse of 2008. PayPal, Barclay Bank, and American Express took our money and only gave some of it back. Last week Obama sided with the banks of the world and not the people who elected him. Wake up and smell the revolution! Open source means open governments.

Look thats great about the new revolution and all but the project Pandora starts with us believing in it and thats what we are hear for....but thats great open source means open governments....FANTASTIC!!!

 

[DarkCheetah]

I'm still in. It's a shame that CC isn't an honest company but...it's stereotypical and to be expected. I look at the money I paid in as my very first investment in something I believe in. With something new like this there is always going to be problems...if you didn't expect this you were naive. You didn't purchase a product...you invested in a company. Return on that investment will be the Pandora. I'm in the second batch so I'm not expecting to see mine anytime in the next 6 months.


Thanks to all the Pandora crew for staying so patient with both the manufacturing companies and unruly customers. You are an inspiration to a lot of people. Keep up the good work.

 

[Exophase]

I would like to ask the team, or Michael specificly, now that the board company is going balls out, has anyone made sure that "Quantity" won't surpass "Quality"? We all want boards yesterday, but the team and the community don't need another 6 months of delays because they are rushing, and now they are shipping a substandard board that will need to be returned like so many broken nubs currently.

I don't think you have to worry about that happening. There hasn't been an assembly quality issue that I know of for Beagleboard or Pandora and the company seems reputable enough in their workmanship. I doubt they'll get sloppy with increased pressure.


This is clearly all a financial issue, as I'm sure most of OP's problems have been. They've had a hard time really pushing forward because they don't have a very reasonable amount of capital to back the operation. They had to rely on preorder money for manufacturing which is pretty much unheard of for something of this volume. But it's also the only real way any of this could have happened. Pandora just can't command enough volume to be worth the investment to any company that does have this amount of money (unless a sponsoring company wanted to use it to promote components, like if TI invested in it instead of Beagleboard). The hopes were that after the first batch or two they'd have some more major financial backing but it's going to take a long time to get off the ground. I do hope that maybe one day OP will have enough money to get high production rates and not have to deal with uncooperative companies like the case, nub, and assembly houses have all been.

 

[quietbloke]

I'm with DarkCheetah on this one.


I've also been watching and waiting from day 1 ( ish ). I knew from the day I ordered that this was a big undertaking and may take longer to make the vision a reality. I wanted to be a part ( ok.. a very tiny part ) of the project by letting them know I was interested and invested some cash to help get the ball rolling and in return I will get the dream machine called Pandora.


( Some of my friends thought I was crazy to pay so much money to people I have never met for a product that didnt exist )


Ever since I have been popping in and watching the progress and really enjoying the whole story unfold. Its been a real steep learning curve for them and I am impressed with how much they have achieved despite all the knockbacks.


So... congratulations for what you have already achieved.


Its ever so close now... 2011 will be the Year of the Pandora.

 

[Caine]

Its ever so close now... 2011 will be the Year of the Pandora.

I wish I had a Pandora for every year I heard that

 

[TylerAW]

Look man why the fuck are you talking about Obama what fuck does that have to do with the Pandora Im glad that the OPT is keeping up the fight and I am fighting with you guys...Please keep political shit out of this forum...DUMBASS!!!

Um I was replying to someone else's post. I think Trey wanted to talk about Obama.

 

[- Theo -]

...honest company...

Oxymoron

 

[Loonie]

I'm only going to wait Two Months™.

 

[DarkCheetah]

I think the Pandora will be here within 2011.