I've got some feedback based on showing people the Pyra web site:
https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/
In no particular order:
- The project status wasn't obvious from the page - people didn't realise how far along the project was: this isn't some pie in the sky idea that's just been thought up - it's ready to manufacture
- Using the red Pyra is putting people off (though personally I like it) - using a more neutral (black?) Pyra on the homepage would be better
- Several people thought from the page that there were only renderings, rather than real hardware. Suggest you include a gallery of actual hardware photographs
- The "what you can do with it" and its best features should be higher up - make more of the gaming and use as a real computer (Debian), having USB ports replaceable parts isn't worth anything if the computer itself isn't considered useful
- Include a short video on the main page to show off to Pyra and prove it's real
- It wasn't clear enough that it has optional modem/LTE functionality - suggest this is a separate box from Wi-Fi etc.
- When browsing the page Safari iOS the menu links are broken - a link to the store sort of appears on top of the technical specs link
Based on this I don't think the main web site is nearly good enough. It needs to be expanded and made more professional. People expect more when asked to pre-order a €500 computer. Those of us who've been following development for ages know how good the Pyra will be, but for new comers the web site is selling it short.
I mean this to be constructive feedback: it is not my intention to criticise the people who've been working hard to get Pyra into our hands
Some really good feedback there.
Above all, it should be made clear that we have successfully passed our basic goal in the pre-production phase and that we are definitely entering production within the year. This is going to happen, no matter what.
Maybe we could have watermarks on renders saying "Work in Progress" or "Subject to change", and perhaps photos of the prototype should indicate that it is exactly that, a "Prototype with clear case".
I don't know if it's proper etiquette to
'quote my own posts from other threads' but I'll put this here, if it helps anyone who's trying to explain what the Pyra is about. Tweak and adapt to suit your statements:
As far as the project's current status is concerned:
"The name of our device is 'Pyra' and it is a pocketable laptop designed around modularity, flexibility, openness and fairness. Above all, it is a community-driven endeavour. I'm just a member of said community, and I am also an early adopter of this device, being one of 600+ members who have given a downpayment for its first production run. Within 3 days of open pre-orders, the community alone has managed to reach the minimum order quantity for an initial production run, without external PR and without using Kickstarter, Indiegogo etc. This means that our base goal has already been reached; all of us who have pre-ordered will be getting our reserved device."
About confusion regarding first impressions:
"Due to the uniqueness of the 'Pyra', it is very possible for wrong first impressions to be formed and for false comparisons to be drawn with other devices if some basic facts aren't conveyed correctly. The biggest misunderstanding is about the cost: many people don't realise the actual cost of a truly user-owned device that has been produced in humane conditions using conflict-free resources, and designed by an indie hardware developer. Ultimately, when examining the Pyra, most people don't know what they're staring at. Some will dismiss it in trollish fashion because e.g. 'their smartphone has a better CPU', while many others will truly appreciate the scope of this endeavour and all of the features that are on offer."
About openness, fairness and "sticking it to The Man" :
"[Our design and production is] an example that illustrates the unfair practises of corporate giants who get away with selling crippled devices riddled with spyware and subsidised by ridiculous contracts, while polluting the environment and perpetuating a demand for what amounts to slave-labour ... The Pyra is manufactured in Europe and combines features that no megacorp would ever dare share in a single device ... It will be built to last, going directly against the doctrine of planned obsolescence, while it is also unbrickable and made explicitly for hacking and modding; the moment you grab a screwdriver, a whole community will peek over your shoulder with curiosity and advice.
It would also help if we show our previous success with the Pandora:
"The proven track record of our community's energy and effectiveness can be found in a device called 'OpenPandora', the Pyra's predecessor which is still going strong after so many years (since 2008), featuring a wealth of ported games, emulators and open source applications. We think that it's time for all this combined expertise to culminate into something even more incredible, something that will crack some walled gardens and send corporate heads spinning: A device produced fairly and owned solely by its end user."
Finally, it could be mentioned that "our PR campaign is ran openly out of a forum thread, rather than being conducted secretly inside a luxurious conference room!"
I hope this helps.
