Thrill And Suspense : New Blog From Ed

[Creature XL]

one mould still had a problem with the shrinking.

Does anyone remember my comment from the other topic?
If noone has said anything about the moulds possible ready two days ago, then no one would be disappointed.
But now? I can't believe it.
I can't believe that I ALWAYS believe the statements from OpenPandora. again and again

OK, so: does anyone in the OP-Team really believes we will have at least some Pandoras under the Xmas tree? I hear that IFF the cases arrive end of November then YES, however, there is no end of November. The end of November is WE!

I think I will try to stay away from teh forum for a week again. This daily being here is not good for me

 

[Gren]

Well I had hoped that I may see my pandora in time for my 20th anniversary. Not wedding or birthday, but when I started working for my fabulous employer.

They won't be buying me a gift, so I've decided instead to splash out on a Lenovo Thinkpad X200s.

A little bit more expensive that the pandy, to be sure, but at least I'll have a portable gadget to play with over Xmas B)

 

[mali]

Does anyone remember my comment from the other topic?
If noone has said anything about the moulds possible ready two days ago, then no one would be disappointed.
But now? I can't believe it.
I can't believe that I ALWAYS believe the statements from OpenPandora. again and again

OK, so: does anyone in the OP-Team really believes we will have at least some Pandoras under the Xmas tree? I hear that IFF the cases arrive end of November then YES, however, there is no end of November. The end of November is WE!

I think I will try to stay away from teh forum for a week again. This daily being here is not good for me

I wonder which username you use on the German board. You should read what ED just posted there.
ANYONE, rational enough could have guessed that it's unlikely to get a Pandora this year.

 

[WizardStan]

I don't believe anyone has lied, or been deceptive over the last 2 years.

Craigix and MWeston and ED, they all have their excuse. This is entirely new to them, and they're learning the rules as they go along, so when things don't go right, they can honestly say they didn't know or hadn't considered something.
The case manufacturer, however, is supposed to be a professional in their field. They said it would be done early September. Then there was a problem and it was delayed to end of September. Then they weren't quite ready, and the Chinese holiday caused an additional week or two delay. What have they been doing since then? A month and a half since the Chinese holiday when they were *almost* ready? This isn't 6 guys with only a vague idea of what they're getting into, this is a long running company that should know its business inside and out. 70 days that they're only now discovering there's a shrinking problem? We're over 100 days into a 35 day job!

 

[wermy]

I don't believe anyone has lied, or been deceptive over the last 2 years.

Craigix and MWeston and ED, they all have their excuse. This is entirely new to them, and they're learning the rules as they go along, so when things don't go right, they can honestly say they didn't know or hadn't considered something.
The case manufacturer, however, is supposed to be a professional in their field. They said it would be done early September. Then there was a problem and it was delayed to end of September. Then they weren't quite ready, and the Chinese holiday caused an additional week or two delay. What have they been doing since then? A month and a half since the Chinese holiday when they were *almost* ready? This isn't 6 guys with only a vague idea of what they're getting into, this is a long running company that should know its business inside and out. 70 days that they're only now discovering there's a shrinking problem? We're over 100 days into a 35 day job!

Agreed. I'm wondering if maybe bigger or more important (in their eyes only, of course) customers have been coming up and pushing OP back in the queue. Not a good excuse, by any means, but seems like it's a plausible explanation...

 

[RajTakhar]

Mid-january 2010 here we come

2010 is going to bring shed loads of android/linux netbooks based on Arm chipsets - there are concepts ahoy ... already cased

http://www.slashgear.com/quanta-android-smartbook-hands-on-plus-qualcomm-tablet-prototype-video-1963845/

If Pandora is not out by CES this may not be as rosy, true they are more laptoppy than games based, but there are some concept tablets with game controllers - skytone alpha 680 which ok technically is crap .. but is $250

The big sort pre-xmas push will probably happen - but I am doubting it will be many more than a few hundred units - I hope to be proved wrong (not flame throwing - just stating facts that there are competitors to Pandora - okay they will not have build quality or support - thats why we stick in for so long .... and long ....

 

[rmm2131]

2010 is going to bring shed loads of android/linux netbooks based on Arm chipsets - there are concepts ahoy ... already cased

just stating facts that there are competitors to Pandora

You'll rip your pants if you try to stuff those "competitors" in your pocket.

 

[Sphinxter]

The wait returns and balance has once again been restored to the universe.

Not a real big delay or problem, it's really good news they are going to get it right. I am pleased by this development.

 

[mali]

You'll rip your pants if you try to stuff those "competitors" in your pocket.

Well, I was away from these boards in the last 9 months(I checked the community blog alsmost daily, though) and the fact that all those ARM devices were delayed like the Pandora was a good thing. They were announced to hit the market in summer 2009, but now it's going to be early to mid 2010. From a rational point of view it would be best, if Pandora and the other ARM products are released at about the same time. The interest for ARM devices will spike and Pandora will profit from the publicity.

 

[Peri28]

2010...... :angry:

 

[RoboShmup]

I'm usually very patient when it comes to the Pandora and haven't complained aloud for the 1+ year I've been following the project, but seriously. This is ridiculous. I shall shake my fist in the air and yell inappropriate language.

Also the first word in the blog post should be "you're" not "your".

 

[Pleng]

I am pleased by this development.

I really don't get this at all.

The only real news is that there was some fault with one of the parts. How can one be pleased with that kind of development?

 

[gaterooze]

The only real news is that there was some fault with one of the parts. How can one be pleased with that kind of development?

He's pleased that they're taking care of the problem and making it perfect instead of pushing it out immediately with an ill-fitting case. Or would you prefer they did the latter? But yes, it is a slightly odd way to say this.

 

[Vlynndar]

... 10 Days of standby. Excellent.

Just thought I'd mention that. It's amazing.

 

[Jumpman]

I don't believe anyone has lied, or been deceptive over the last 2 years.

Craigix and MWeston and ED, they all have their excuse. This is entirely new to them, and they're learning the rules as they go along, so when things don't go right, they can honestly say they didn't know or hadn't considered something.
The case manufacturer, however, is supposed to be a professional in their field. They said it would be done early September. Then there was a problem and it was delayed to end of September. Then they weren't quite ready, and the Chinese holiday caused an additional week or two delay. What have they been doing since then? A month and a half since the Chinese holiday when they were *almost* ready? This isn't 6 guys with only a vague idea of what they're getting into, this is a long running company that should know its business inside and out. 70 days that they're only now discovering there's a shrinking problem? We're over 100 days into a 35 day job!

Agreed. I'm wondering if maybe bigger or more important (in their eyes only, of course) customers have been coming up and pushing OP back in the queue. Not a good excuse, by any means, but seems like it's a plausible explanation...

Has no one hear ever had a job done for them, and been told the job would be completed at "this" time, and then it was done at "that" time. This has been a long running issue here. If Craig and company say nothing, they get chewed out. If they say something they get chewed out. What's the point! I don't know the mould company personally, but I completely agree that if they gave a completion time, they should honor it 100%. I also know how the real world works. So let's just say the mould company decided after 2 weeks that there original date could't be reached, what are Craigs options at that point. Take there business elsewhere? They would have to legaly try and get there money back from that company, and then try and find another. And guess what, the same thing could happen again. I live in the USA, so I can only speak as to how things are done in this country, but there is a reason why all of our manufacturing jobs are sourced to China "cheap and productive labor"


If they don't get done on time, there really isn't allot of options unless Openpandora wants to start the whole process over. Which would take even more years and money to get done(finding a new factory, explaining the job, funding the materials, ect.) Then everyone would complain that they picked a crap company. I'm sorry the mould company in china can't deliver as promised, but I have 1001 examples of the same thing happening right here in the great USA(I could give several that have happened to me personally in just the last 30 days). The worlds financial crisis is currently based on the fact that banks took money from consumers, and promised things, and didn't deliver(Anyone could argue the banks fault or the consumers). Now guess what? Everyone is gun shy to get burned, so no one wants to loan money or spend it. If Craig, Michael, and ED where building these units in there basement, pouring there own moulds, making there own nubs, ect., and they said they would be done in X amount of days, and they weren't. I would be the first one to say they fucked up!

So if anyone here thinks they can do a better job, I would very much like to see it. Take $100,000+ of your own hard earned money, and go out and get the job done! Do it your way, and then when it doesn't go as planned, let me know so I can line up to kick you in the ASS! I don't belive anyone here exept for Openpandora has tried such a task, and all though it has yet to be completed, I feel that they have done a great job keeping everyone in the loop. If anyone does not feel they will finish, get a "REFUND". Stop all the "2 more month" pissing and moaning!

These are open forums, and as such, I respect all members rights to complain. But come on guys, what is that really doing for anybody. If you see a problem in the world go out and fix it. Complaining gets nothing done. Offer up your money and time to fly to China and crack the wip if the delays are to much for you. I'm sure Craig would be more than happy to give you the address! If not, get a refund and buy some drugs, booze, hooker, are all of the above, just do something other than complaining here about the same old problems that are out of the teams control.


Jumpman

 

[WizardStan]

Not a real big delay or problem, it's really good news they are going to get it right. I am pleased by this development.

The issue is that the problem should have been found 70 days ago. This past delay has been because they've been tweaking the case to account for these very problems. If they had discovered the problem 2 months ago and delayed it to make it right, I would agree, but they didn't. It's almost like they didn't even start work on the moulds until recently. I am very not pleased by this development, and fail to see how you could be.

 

[WizardStan]

If Craig and company say nothing, they get chewed out. If they say something they get chewed out. What's the point! I don't know the mould company personally, but I completely agree that if they gave a completion time, they should honor it 100%. I also know how the real world works. So let's just say the mould company decided after 2 weeks that there original date could't be reached, what are Craigs options at that point. Take there business elsewhere? They would have to legaly try and get there money back from that company, and then try and find another. And guess what, the same thing could happen again. I live in the USA, so I can only speak as to how things are done in this country, but there is a reason why all of our manufacturing jobs are sourced to China "cheap and productive labor"

See again: this is not some rag tag group that missed a deadline because they didn't know what to expect. This is supposed to be a professional company that has been doing these types of things for years. It didn't just miss one deadline, it missed many deadlines, all self imposed. No one is chewing out Craig and company (this time), it's all about the plastic manufacturer failing the team several times. I will say again, we have passed 100 days of what was projected to be a 35-40 day job, and only JUST discovered a shrinking problem. Does that sound professional to you? There are "oops, we made a mistake or didn't think of something" delays, and then there's "we weren't actually working on your work order even though we said we were" delays.

 

[fiori_musicali]

A megaton of trivialities aka. TL;DR

The moulds were supposed to be ready mid-September. We don't know the details of WHY the company didn't accomplish this - somebody said that the moulds were more complex than they had thought, so it took more time than they had estimated. We're talking about professionals here, and to me it just seems like neglect for the client (OpenPandora, probably a relatively small-scale customer) and sloppy execution. They had the design sheets at the point of making that estimation, what exactly went wrong? Did they wear wrong glasses at the time? We don't know.

When they finally got the moulds done, they required an adjustment. What kind of adjustment? We don't know.

They tweaked it and faced a new obstacle: shrinkage. What does this mean exactly - is it related to the recent tweak, are they related somehow? Will fixing the shrinkage require more tweaks in the mould? I for one don't know.

It's the not knowing part that drives us crazy, we don't have a solid picture of what is really going on, so it could as well be a "couple of days" or a year of cumulative unexpected problems that delay the release. Of course it gets on our nerves. I'm not accusing OpenPandora of anything, but the Fucking Moulds are starting to get on my nerves. Just send me the damn components, I'll carve the case out of wood.

 

[hobbyman II]

amen! I said it before, Chinese firms are Ok(ish) but you have to watch em like a hawk, once they get rolling the first batch or two will be fantastic, but first you have to get em started, and then you have to keep an eye on em, tbh I think it`s more effective to have the stuff made here in the West where standards are a normal and expected part of the job, Chinese firms tend to have too many pans on the fire at once (and what's not to say some potential competitor isn`t causing delays with promises of bigger orders or something?), plus they may be thinking its just some cheap gimmick that isn`t that important or profitable, at least something made in the UK (for example) would be made to a standard and delivered more or less on time (penalties can quickly have you making goods for nothing, and at least in the UK you can legally enforce em)

maybe Craig should start being a bit more bullish (if he has not already), and put some pressure on em to deliver, you always need some contract leverage when working with other firms, Chinese firms tend to ignore legalities, thinking that distance and their own countries "system" will protect em from penalties or legal threats, and in many cases they are right, maybe try getting some quotes from smaller firms here in the West and suggesting the work is going to them?

ps: seemed to me from those photos that this firm is actualy quite small, they where using a small injection unit to test the mould judging from the pictures, most firms of 40 or more staff would not be using something like that, they would have a line unit in the mould shop for trials. (well, at least in the firm here in the UK I worked at for a while that was the case, and all they made where cases for printer cartridges)

 

[Pleng]

Do we actually *know* that this is a professional company that has been doing moulds for years? How do we know it's not some start-up and this is in fact only their second or third project? Perhaps this is the most complicated project the company have ever done?

I've dealt with a lot of overseas development (software, not hardware, to be fair) firms in my time and the one thing I've learned is that they *never* turn away business that they aren't able to handle. They will always say that it's a relatively simple project which should pose no problems then delay for weeks followed by months before finally either

a) delivering a half-complete solution, or
B) just giving up completely and leaving you in the lurch

Now it would seem that we are clearly very close to completion of the cases so I don't imagine for one minute that either of the above two scenarios will happen. But the amount of delays to get to this point do lead me to believe that the company in question is more used to i-pod and basic mobile phone clones than to custom-designed handheld consoles/computers.