Erik
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Posts posted by Erik
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Hi all,
Now, this is just a feature I’ve been pushing internally – it’s likely coming but it’s not confirmed yet.
When you hold a key like O (and many others), a slim horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen (on the screen edge and right on top of the physical keys) will popup showing the accent characters corresponding to the letter in question. With this implementation, users will be able to type in most European / Scandinavian languages with only one physical layout – standard QWERTY.
To my knowledge, this exists within the Android firmware by default, so we just need to configure and adapt it for use on the Pro1.
We’d likely stay away from the Ctrl, Alt and Sym combinations for accent characters, as that can be uncomfortable when the device is in your hands and not on a flat surface.
Erik
Ouch, that a very bad information. I hoped that these yellow arrow would be like AltGr keys but on both sides to make it comfortable. My old physical keyboard phone had a key that after pressing activated AltGr for next pressed character and it was quite good, didn’t slow down writing. Having to hold a key was a reason for me to not use special characters at all on Android because it drastically slows down the writing, especially on words that have many special characters.
Will it be possible to remap somehow these yellow arrow keys without rooting the device?
The combination option for accent characters will still be available on our non-QWERTY layouts, or if, for example, you enable the QWERTZ layout with accent characters in software on a physical QWERTY device.
The idea is that "hold to select accent letter" will only be available when the software is configured to English with a QWERTY physical layout.
But again, this is all subject to change until implemented, and rest assured, we monitor your feedback and reactions on the forum :).
Erik
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Hi all,
Now, this is just a feature I've been pushing internally - it's likely coming but it's not confirmed yet.
When you hold a key like O (and many others), a slim horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen (on the screen edge and right on top of the physical keys) will popup showing the accent characters corresponding to the letter in question. With this implementation, users will be able to type in most European / Scandinavian languages with only one physical layout - standard QWERTY.
To my knowledge, this exists within the Android firmware by default, so we just need to configure and adapt it for use on the Pro1.
We'd likely stay away from the Ctrl, Alt and Sym combinations for accent characters, as that can be uncomfortable when the device is in your hands and not on a flat surface.
Erik
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I have now been updated that spare parts will be available at a later point in time after launch. This, of course, is in addition to the default repair option which we have with our authorised service providers. Established service providers are a requirement by most carrier networks and retailers before they can stock products of new smartphone manufacturers.
We will know more about this and available parts after launch. Likely, these will only be purchasable upon request through our Helpdesk.
I have, however, been assured that service parts are definitely going to be available :).
Please disregard previous statements on spare part availability – that isn’t quite the case – spare parts are coming after launch, while service providers will be available on launch.
Erik
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I don’t believe any major phone manufacturer would openly supply/sell service parts to the general public.
I think some of us hoped FxTec was a little different than ‘any major phone manufacturer’ and WOULD openly sell service parts to the general public.
Unfortunately, Craig, this will require an entirely different process - part stocking and supply to be put in place. While the general user would very much prefer a worry-free, simple "ship and return" repair option - which is also the standard within the industry. As we are a newly established manufacturer, it is important for us to provide efficacious, reliable and quick service, to ensure the long term support and sustainability of our products.
Erik
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As mentioned above, service options will be available even after the warranty period of 2 years. There will be service charges if your device is out of warranty, however, this will be fairly priced, and it assures that the repair is completed on the highest standard with original Pro1 parts.
Erik
That is not what I fear of, I am sure it will have high standards. My problem is, where are these repair guys?
Will there be a repair location in Switzerland? Probably not. So what does it mean to me, do I need to send that stuff back over the border? What about taxes and postal prices? Are you gonna handle that?
This is not something our users should generally be worried about. We use a repair service organisation called SBE, which works with brands such as Sony, LG, BT, Telefonica, Samsung etc. The service process is designed to be as simple and pain-free as it can possibly get. Ultimately making repairs for the Pro1 reliable, quick, and accessible, even after the warranty period.
We will know more about the process once the device launches and we have set up our policies in place.
Erik
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Yes, the device is highly modular, however, parts will only be available to our authorised service locations, which are trained to do repairs for the Pro1. A repair will only be authorised if there is a reason for it – changing the keyboard layout likely won’t be one – due to risks and operational sophistications this would add. It’s very unlikely that the keyboard will wear off, but in case it needs replacing, service options will be available including after the warranty period. This applies to other parts as well, such as the battery, screens, etc.
Replacing the keyboard alone involves hot air guns, which in itself brings a lot of risks. It is a lot more feasible to train a dedicated repairs team than tutoring each customer who might need a repair, as much as we are aware of our highly technical user base :). And finally, if something goes wrong, it would be very simple for us to resolve the case – by replacing the entire device. This type of flexibility and quality can only be offered through our service centres.
Erik
What about out-of-warranty repairs for those who incist on doing stuff themselves or simply have no more warranty? It’d be sad if we could not buy parts separately and have to scavenge them from donor phones as with Apple. In either case tutoring is not a responsibility F(x)tec has, if we attempt repairing it ourselves the responsibility is fully on us, this is how it is for all other brands. And if it’s popular enough the parts will end up on Aliexpress somehow either way, probably more profit for F(x)tec if they are providing.
As mentioned above, service options will be available even after the warranty period of 2 years. There will be service charges if your device is out of warranty, however, this will be fairly priced, and it assures that the repair is completed of the highest standard with original Pro1 parts.
If a repair done by the user fails - that's it, the phone will likely not work again. If our team fails to repair the device, and you have, for example, paid for a screen - we either grab another part or replace the entire device at no additional cost. This is how all of our competitors work. Due to the risk factor explained above, I don't believe any major phone manufacturer would openly supply/sell service parts to the general public. Service parts are only available internally.
Erik
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Erik-FX wrote:
To my knowledge, the keyboard layouts will not be interchangeable.
I see now that Chen Liangchen from F(x)tec posted this tweet:
https://twitter.com/chenliangchen/status/1163524008471605249
He could mean that different TYPES of keyboards are not interchangeable, that is that US and German can not just be interchanged on the same device. Would be odd though. Or he could mean that they are not USER-intechangeable (That is: it would break warranty), and from his next post I assume that was what he meant.
Personally I would still like to have a few keyboards as spares, warranty or not….
Yes, the device is highly modular, however, parts will only be available to our authorised service locations, which are trained to do repairs for the Pro1. A repair will only be authorised if there is a reason for it - changing the keyboard layout likely won't be one - due to risks and operational sophistications this would add. It's very unlikely that the keyboard will wear off, but in case it needs replacing, service options will be available including after the warranty period. This applies to other parts as well, such as the battery, screens, etc.
Replacing the keyboard alone involves hot air guns, which in itself brings a lot of risks. It is a lot more feasible to train a dedicated repairs team than tutoring each customer who might need a repair, as much as we are aware of our highly technical user base :). And finally, if something goes wrong, it would be very simple for us to resolve the case - by replacing the entire device. This type of flexibility and quality can only be offered through our service centres.
Erik
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Hi everyone,
This is a brief notice to let you know about the upcoming maintenance tonight. We will take our website down between 2 am to 8 am 20/08/2019 (UK time) to perform some important changes. The website, orders and the forum will be unavailable during that time.
This doesn't affect any existing orders, and no action is required from your side.
As always, thanks for your patience and support.
Erik & Team
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To my knowledge, the keyboard layouts will not be interchangeable.
Uh that sounds like a nasty blow. Could you elaborate a bit on that?
While technically the keys can be changed, that would only be done by our service locations. It would be a logistics, operational and potentially service catastrophe to manage separate user-based service parts. Historically all leading manufacturers avoid doing this due the reasons above.
We're setting up multiple service locations for convenient and simple warranty repairs. They'll be professionally trained to provide service for the Pro1.
As with most backlit keyboards however, the letters on the keycaps aren't printed. What this means, is that the letters won't fade out with time, and they won't wear off.
1. Should we understand, that the will not be able to replace the worn-out keys?2. If not, maybe You could say the number (not the exact amount of course) how much buttons have to be ordered? I’m sure that just the buttons are not so expensive (how much can it cost, 5€? 10€?) and some users would LOVE to order 1 or 2 pieces just in case if their keyboard wears out. I’m considering myself ordering some spare parts as for example 2 spare batteries, 1 spare screen, 2 or 3 flex tapes, one full spare keyboard – just in case if FxTec disappears from the market after a few months (nobody would like that, but let’s be honest, it can happen and nobody wants another paperweight just because the support for the 650€ device died after a year due to lack of orders).
The keyboard design we've gone for doesn't typically wear off. The letters themselves are filled with a different transparent material which allows for light to pass through.
In the rare event that you might need the keyboard, or something else repaired/replaced, service parts will only be available with our authorised service centres. As with all major manufacturers, parts will be assigned on a repair case basis. These will be stocked in the long term, including after the warranty period.
Erik
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This means, I should preoder now in the hope my layout will come? Won’t this lead to a lot unpaid preorders?
I am in no position to demanding everything, but I would suggest cancelling all the preorders once the device is officially released. Then if you want to give people waiting for scandi a change to get that price do a sale on the new layout for a short time.
But now it seems to be unclear:
1. Is the scandi layout coming?
2. what will the phone cost in regular sales?
3. Are preorders valid for ever and every layout? Then I am gonna place a preoder in hope for a non shifted us layout.
4. Will the keyboard be exchangeable? (With some screwing done?)
We don't currently have a definitive answer if the Scandinavian layout is coming, as our factory has a minimum requirement for the order quantity which we must meet. We will know more as we monitor the demand for this layout in the upcoming weeks.
The price will remain the same for any pre-order which was placed until now - regardless if it's paid or not. The price will only change for orders that are placed after the upcoming price increase.
Should anyone have concerns on their unpaid pre-order pricing and future probability of the Scandinavian layout, it is best to contact our support at [email protected] to avoid misinformation and mass confusion.
To my knowledge, the keyboard layouts will not be interchangeable.
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The price will remain the same for anyone who has a pre-order. While we don’t yet know if we’re going to have a Scandinavian layout, as that requires a certain level of demand to be reached, should that happen and a user has an unpaid pre-order, they will be able to keep their original price.
Erik
Now I’m REALLY getting confused…. Does this mean that the reply sent August 9 countering a previous statement that it was cancelled was wrong (too)????
In the letter from this post it clearly says
“…once that is available”
and not e.g.
“…if that will be available”
(my emphasizing)
It even gave some indication of a time frame…
Could you please double check what is right and what is wrong?
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Indeed, that is what we're planning, Eske. However, as mentioned several times, a "plan" does not reflect a schedule or a guarantee. This is still very much a subject to the demand we receive for the specific keyboard layout.
And just to confirm again, while we are planning to have a Scandinavian keyboard layout, and we're working on designing it, this might not realise if the demand for it is too low in comparison to QWERTZ and QWERTY. In any case, Scandinavian layouts wouldn't be announced before the first batch of QWERTY and QWERTZ devices are shipped.
Erik
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Existing pre-orders will keep their price as it was displayed during their pre-order. This will only change for new pre-orders/orders once the device launches.
To clarify this, since it has a lot of discussions. People which have preordered but not paid because they are waiting on the scandi layout (just an example) will pay which price?
How long is the preorder valid without paying?
The price will remain the same for anyone who has a pre-order. While we don't yet know if we're going to have a Scandinavian layout, as that requires a certain level of demand to be reached, should that happen and a user has an unpaid pre-order, they will be able to keep their original price.
Erik
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This seems to be true. I asked for an alternative payment method last week and up to now i received no answer.People like me without a credit card are probably out of the game. Maybe we will have to wait for other distribution ways (Amazon, ebay).The same problem for me. Unfortunately no easy way to buy a >€500 prepaid card in my country neither :-(I would really like an alternative payment method
We’re still working to get PayPal back up. In the meantime, we are now accepting bank transfers for customers who don’t have a credit card or have issues paying with one. Please email [email protected] with your existing order number, and we will provide you with our payment details.
Erik
Hi Erik,
Thanks for this reply. I’ve already used the PayPal method a couple of weeks ago when it was still up. Further up in this thread there is mention of there being problems with PayPal regulations on pre-orders. Does this mean it will cause a problem for the order? Or will my order go through normally?
I paid for the phone within 4 hours of receiving my email (which I got at 4:00AM).That was on August 1st.
Over 2 weeks later and it’s still “processing” and not marked as “completed”.
What does that mean?
Processing is the default status for all paid orders, which are waiting to be processed/shipped by F(x)tec.
Once a pre-order is paid, the pre-order is complete, and to our shopping system, it becomes an "order" which is then pending to be processed. It will only be marked as complete once the device is shipped.
Erik
I thought it’s normal state.Pre-order is marked as completed, and order is marked as processing..
Correct, that's how all paid orders display. No further action is required from your side. The next step is shipping your Pro1. This applies to everyone whose order is set to "Processing", while the pre-order is "Complete".
You have completed your pre-order because we have now collected the payment for it. Consequently, the "order" is awaiting to be processed/shipped.
Erik
I have to admit, that all this looks very unprofessional and suspicious. The order page saying “to be charged at a future date” even though I have already paid? E-mails saying that You have to pay now or the price will go up – even though we had here, on the forum, an information from FxTec worker that there is nothing like that in plan? And this whole strategy – I get it, niche device, not many pieces comparing to other producers etc. But have you ever seen a company increasing a price of a device which nobody has even got yet? Are You serious FxTec??? I have already paid, but that whole situation is making me considering a claim to my bank that I should demand my money back ASAP through chargeback.Think about it this way: normally we have 30 days to claim the transaction. Remind me please, when are the phones planned to be sent? Oh yeah, it’s just a few days AFTER that 30 days period. To me it’s starting to look like one big scam. “Pay now or You will have to pay more later” – or you mean “Pay now or You will be able to get your money back”? Come on…
"To be charged at a future date" is a description of the product for customers who have pre-ordered their device before us accepting payments. If you have completed the payment, no further action would be needed from your side.
Existing pre-orders will keep their price as it was displayed during their pre-order. This will only change for new pre-orders/orders once the device launches.
The strategy for increasing price after launch is very common and is seen amongst all types of companies - smartphones, cars, etc. This is often observed in crowdfunded products, which usually come with no money back guarantees should the project fail to deliver. In our case, you're making a consumer purchase, which comes with many benefits, but most importantly, a guarantee that your order will be delivered, and 14 days return policy after shipping in the rare occasion that you may need to return a product. (not an Indiegogo or Kickstarter investment which doesn't class as a sale).
As for your peace of mind, banks are generally happy to accept credit card disputes for at least 60 days, most do that for 90 days. Of course, however, this wouldn't be necessary as your orders are expected to start shipping in mid-September.
One issue I did confirm though, which I am glad you mentioned, is that it still says "To be charged at a future date" for pre-orders which are placed now. This description will be removed for new pre-orders as we now take payments as soon as new pre-orders are placed. It will, however, remain the same for early pre-orders, as again, we didn't take payments for those until 2 weeks ago.
Erik
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This seems to be true. I asked for an alternative payment method last week and up to now i received no answer.
People like me without a credit card are probably out of the game. Maybe we will have to wait for other distribution ways (Amazon, ebay).
The same problem for me. Unfortunately no easy way to buy a >€500 prepaid card in my country neither :-(
I would really like an alternative payment method
We're still working to get PayPal back up. In the meantime, we are now accepting bank transfers for customers who don't have a credit card or have issues paying with one. Please email [email protected] with your existing order number, and we will provide you with our payment details.
Erik
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I have a rather large issue with my order that I tried to resolve privately but the email was ignored.
My phone order is being exported to the US, there is no need to charge VAT on the phone or on the shipping. See http://www.brighton-accountants.com/blog/vat-uk-usa/ , and consult Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs for specifics about zero rating exported items going to the US. I’d be fine paying a fair paperwork labor charge for the effort of documenting the export but I’m not fine with paying VAT.
I’m also being billed tax for my state, but my state has no reciprocal tax agreement with FxTec, so collecting this is not necessary. It is optional for an entity without an agreement and not in my state to collect this tax. If it is collected then the state must be paid, it’s a felony to collect this tax and not pay it. It appears that the VAT and shipping were included in the amount taxed, other taxes and shipping costs should not be counted when calculating state tax (a paperwork labor charge is also not billed state tax.)
Given the Chinese content in the phone, I’m expecting there to be a rather hefty customs bill as well which will bring the combination of appropriate and inappropriate taxes collected to as much as 64% (depending on what customs charges) of the initial cost. my total tax rate should total 0% plus whatever customs charges. Customs to the US is potentially 25% of the Chinese content but if the total cost of the Chinese content was under 50% of the total retail it can be marked UK origin and will likely get 0% customs charge. Chinese content excludes things like the imported SOC and screen even if the device is assembled in China. If marked “made in China” customs is likely to charge 25% without looking any further so it would be nice to know if the phone will be marked “made in China”, or “made in UK”, or if it will have a percentage Chinese content marked on he paperwork.
This isn’t a small discrepancy.
Hi,
This has been brought to my attention as this is certainly not how our sales system is setup. I have checked your order, and I can confirm there is no VAT charge applied to it. Your order is completely VAT free.
As for the state tax, we're importing the Pro1 to the US and later shipping it to you from a US fulfilment centre. We don't ship from a different country, so there will be no additional import fees on your side. The price that is listed on your order is the final price including shipping and the state tax for goods sold.
If you have any further concerns, please contact us directly at https://www.fxtec.com/contact/ as we don't provide support over the community forums.
Erik
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I’ll repeat my question: how much time do I have to pay? I’m getting my salary on 10. day of the month, so this causes some problems to me… The terms say that the order may be cancelled if the payment is not made in time, but I didn’t find any specific date/time.
Hi,
There is currently no time limit to complete the payment. You can pay the invoice anytime you can. However, please be aware that this may affect shipping times, although not significantly.
For future support requests, please contact our customer support at https://www.fxtec.com/contact/ - that is the quickest way to reach us.
Erik
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I get a payment-notification, but I can’t complete my payment, because both of my VISA-cards was declined by the payment-process…
Anyone else get tha issue?
The cards are valid, not expired, limit is above 1k€, end so on. I even used one card today at the local food store…
Sorry to hear there's payment issues.
Please ensure the name on your card matches the name you have set on your F(x)tec profile. For example, if the name on your card is "J DOE", you should set the name on your profile as "J DOE". This seems to be happening to a very limited number of cards with this special protection enabled.
Erik
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@erik-fx: Will the indiegogo backer orders be processed first as promised?
Correct. Indiegogo orders will receive priority shipping. As those are a relatively small number, this will not affect shipping times for our early Pro1 pre-orders who don't have the IG compensation deal. IG deals, alongside other, non-Indiegogo orders that were paid first will be shipped together.
Erik
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@fxtec – is it safe to say if we haven’t heard anything by now we were not selected? Or still working on it?
The beta testers have been pre-selected. We're waiting on the legal documentation / NDA to be prepared by our lawyer before we contact the chosen ones :). This is expected to happen in a week.
Erik
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This issue seems to be not resolved. Is there any news on this front?
It would appear that the scheduled maintenance wasn’t to migrate to new forum software; everything is still the same. When we migrate, I’m quite sure you’ll notice it…
The maintenance was to prepare our backend for the Pro1's payment accepting stage, bringing us one step closer to launch. The new forum, to my knowledge, is already being set up and it should be ready for use in a matter of days.
Erik
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There is an official statement that deliveries will start in September. I see no reason to believe that it will get to november. The production of the phone is most likely quite fast. So chances are good, that we all receive our handsets until Oktorber. As long as we do not hear anything else from fxtec there is no reason to believe otherwise.
That is correct. As we're now approaching the mass production stage of the Pro1, shipping is expected to start by mid-September. Depending on your pre-order number, the Pro1 should arrive at your doors before October.
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I do not know the exact method they are going to use, nor the daily yield of the factory. But it does make sense to keep the production busy (as Noir puts it), on the other hand as a startup they do not want to invest in producing an excessive stock before they know the actual number of willing buyers.
They have previously promised us indiegogo backers priority. So I assume Indiegogo backers paying quickly will be at the top of the list to get it. But there were only 1653 “backers”, and some of these have had refunds (and a few had prototypes), so I would guess that it is less than 1500.
That is correct. Indiegogo Livermorium backers will receive priority. However, due to the relatively small number of IG issued promotions, this will not affect the shipping time for our early Pro1 pre-orders.
Erik
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Hi,
Today's maintenance is over and we're accepting pre-orders once again.
Please be aware that the website is expected to be brought down tomorrow (30/07/19) for additional backend work in preparations for the Pro1's launch.
Thanks for your patience.
Erik & Team
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LATEST (29/07/2019):
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Hi,
Today's maintenance is over and we're accepting pre-orders once again.
Please be aware that the website is expected to be brought down tomorrow, the 30th of July, for additional backend work in preparations for the Pro1's launch.
Thanks for your patience.
Erik & Team
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Hello everyone,
This is just a brief notice about our planned website maintenance on Monday, the 29th of July. The website, pre-orders and the forum will be temporarily unavailable whilst we get our backend ready for the next stage - preparing the Pro1’s launch.
This doesn’t affect shipping time, which is still expected to commence in September.
As always, thanks for your continuous support and patience.
Erik & Team
Scandinavian Layout Feedback Wanted
in General Discussion
Posted
Hi everyone,
As you might be aware we are planning to introduce a Scandinavian layout for use in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Please be aware that we don't currently have information on when the Scandinavian layout is coming. We know that it will take at least 3 months after the first Pro1 device ships for us to enter talks with the factory on a third variation - Scandinavian, in addition to QWERTY and QWERTZ.
Meanwhile, we'd like to get your feedback and suggestions to help complete the layout before we can look into manufacturing it at a later point in time. Based on existing opinions and suggestions by @raphaelcno, we have put together the following layout: (full size at https://ibb.co/PCv45n4 )
Please let us know what you think, and what you'd change - either in text or graphically. If you wish to change something, please note the rules - (1) max. 2 characters per key. (2) The yellow characters can be input by combining them with the yellow arrow key. These 2 settings cannot be changed.
We look forward to hearing your opinion below.
Erik & Team