On the pre-production status

[anonim001 105]

On 12/27/2019 at 1:05 PM, Erik said:

Further to this, we wanted to ship the small batch today, but it did not arrive earlier this week as we expected. The courier bringing the stock to the UK confirmed it will arrive sometime today, which means tracking for the next small batch will be provided to you on Monday.

 

The big batch is also on the way for January - that one will notify of stock assignment.

Maybe it'll be a bit off-topic, but I did not get any answer in the other thread - and actually it does have something to do with the communication problems mentioned here.

By Your post I'm assuming FxTec did work yesterday - why did I not receive any answer regarding my warranty claim? [cut] It's over a week now since I sent a message to the support and still no answer.

Edited December 28, 2019 by anonim001
well, maybe I was a bit too emotional...

[Hamradio 23]

On ‎12‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 2:26 PM, cube48 said:

Ohhh ... I'm sorry for publishing my false hopes. I just realized there's still one more package I'm expecting and it might also be delivered by UPS. I'll keep you updated on Friday. 

Something new???

[FBela 23]

4 hours ago, anonim001 said:

By Your post I'm assuming FxTec did work yesterday

 

I don't think, because I got this autoreply on 25th Dec:

Quote

Thank you for your email.

Our sales, accounting, creative and business development representatives are currently on leave for the festive season until the 2nd of January. Our technical
support will also have more limited availability than usual during this period.

The factory in China will continue producing the Pro1 for us as they are unaffected from the schedule above.

Wishing you a wonderful festive season and all the best for 2020.

Kind Regards,
F(x)tec

 

[Erik 1,487]

4 hours ago, anonim001 said:

Maybe it'll be a bit off-topic, but I did not get any answer in the other thread - and actually it does have something to do with the communication problems mentioned here.

By Your post I'm assuming FxTec did work yesterday - why did I not receive any answer regarding my warranty claim? [cut] It's over a week now since I sent a message to the support and still no answer.

We had very limited staff availability last week because of the Christmas days off here in the UK, while the amount of customer requests is surprisingly identical.

We will get back to everyone next week, but it won’t be immediately as we’ll probably have a massive backlog because of the days off.

This is a pretty standard thing to expect from most companies out there during the Christmas season.

[MrCoffee 13]

edit: Unfortunately it turns out this info wasn't for this phone. It turned out to coincidentially be for a Kickstarter I backed from YEARS ago and had not been tracking and coincidentially lined up. Sorry for the false alarm.

Just got my tracking info.

• Shipping via DHL, to arrive on Jan 2
• Not an IGG backer
• Pre-ordered/paid early August
• I'm United States-based
• Order number is in the 29XXX range
• Officially on my account, it's still reading "Processing" and I have not yet gotten an email from Fxtec.
  • Which... I guess this could be something else, but I definitely haven't ordered anything from Hong Kong, definitely not associated with this phone number.

Will update when updates are available!

Edited December 29, 2019 by MrCoffee
new info

[silversolver 849]

8 hours ago, anonim001 said:

Maybe it'll be a bit off-topic, but I did not get any answer in the other thread - and actually it does have something to do with the communication problems mentioned here.

By Your post I'm assuming FxTec did work yesterday - why did I not receive any answer regarding my warranty claim? [cut] It's over a week now since I sent a message to the support and still no answer.

Remember @Erik is here unofficially. He likely posted on a vacation day, because he's awesome like that. 🙂

[silversolver 849]

On 9/28/2019 at 1:24 PM, Hook said:

 

I would suggest the only difference between a pre-order for a new company with a new product and backing a crowdfunding project is time scale. I've watched an indegogo project I chose not to back and now, a year later that still don't have a prototype, have not firmed sources and are still investigating possible factories. For a pre-order, they had a prototype, engineering models, sourced materials and a factory before they collected money. However, for a small company doing this for the first time there are still many small but significant obstacles that can and probably will be encountered. Just not the biggest obstacle-- not having a real product.

 

I blame no one for losing patience. I admit I am hopeful to a fault, but I also really really want this phone and there is nothing else out there. 🙂

 

 

Your patience has now been rewarded. Hopefully the rest of us will have that experience soon!

[ksal95 227]

3 hours ago, silversolver said:

Hopefully the rest of us will have that experience soon!

*shortly!

😎

[david 929]

6 hours ago, MrCoffee said:

Just got my tracking info.

• Shipping via DHL, to arrive on Jan 2
• Not an IGG backer
• Pre-ordered/paid early August
• I'm United States-based
• Order number is in the 29XXX range
• Officially on my account, it's still reading "Processing" and I have not yet gotten an email from Fxtec.
  • Which... I guess this could be something else, but I definitely haven't ordered anything from Hong Kong, definitely not associated with this phone number.

Will update when updates are available!

Congratulations to you.  I'll be happy for you if it is the phone.  However, it is really confusing that I haven't gotten my tracking info, considering I'm in the USA, not an IGG backer, paid July 31st, and my order number is 78xx.  I suppose it could be randomness in the shipper and when they are sending out tracking information, *if* there are a large number of phones.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for Monday.

[anonim001 105]

6 hours ago, silversolver said:

Remember @Erik is here unofficially. He likely posted on a vacation day, because he's awesome like that. 🙂

Yes, I know, but since there is no phone number which I can call and nobody answered my e-mail this was the only possibility to make sure that the claim won't be ignored. Having a faulty, unusable device without any possibility of repair is worse than not receiving any device, because in this case I can't count on any chargeback options.

Edited December 29, 2019 by anonim001

[Zamasu 258]

1 hour ago, anonim001 said:

Yes, I know, but since there is no phone number which I can call and nobody answered my e-mail this was the only possibility to make sure that the claim won't be ignored. Having a faulty, unusable device without any possibility of repair is worse than not receiving any device, because in this case I can't count on any chargeback options.

In Europe you totally still have protections in case you get a faulty device and the company doesn't want to help you. The credit card's protection would most likely also have a specific option for "faulty device". You just need to send the device back, that's basically the only difference.

Note, I can't see this applying because the customer service is slower to reply during the Christmas season, just saying.

[anonim001 105]

49 minutes ago, Zamasu said:

In Europe you totally still have protections in case you get a faulty device and the company doesn't want to help you. The credit card's protection would most likely also have a specific option for "faulty device". You just need to send the device back, that's basically the only difference.

Note, I can't see this applying because the customer service is slower to reply during the Christmas season, just saying.

Although there is a protection, it can be also turned into a nightmare due to bad service. And after all the misinformation and other bad experiences I'm really worried about how will this be resolved... Hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

[Maplesteel 97]

On 12/26/2019 at 8:41 AM, cmar said:

There is one fx tec phone left for purchase on the digitec.ch website (retailer). Delivery announced as in 2-4 days.

The ones who purchased the other fx tec units on this retailer website in the last days, let us know when you receive them.

The advantage of pre-ordering seems only a financial one (I paid 100USD less), but not in terms of availability.... (still no trace of my pre ordered fx tec)

Mine was from Clove Tech, received safely...though you can believe I was standing at the door waiting for the UPS delivery driver. The universe is conspiring against pre-orderers and my attempt at 'cheating' would be just my luck to be stolen by my first ever porch pirate.

[silversolver 849]

14 hours ago, MrCoffee said:

edit: Unfortunately it turns out this info wasn't for this phone. It turned out to coincidentially be for a Kickstarter I backed from YEARS ago and had not been tracking and coincidentially lined up. Sorry for the false alarm.

Just got my tracking info.

• Shipping via DHL, to arrive on Jan 2
• Not an IGG backer
• Pre-ordered/paid early August
• I'm United States-based
• Order number is in the 29XXX range
• Officially on my account, it's still reading "Processing" and I have not yet gotten an email from Fxtec.
  • Which... I guess this could be something else, but I definitely haven't ordered anything from Hong Kong, definitely not associated with this phone number.

Will update when updates are available!

Years? Wow! And the moral of the story is, good things come to those who wait. Soon we'll have a clack party! 🙂

Edited December 29, 2019 by silversolver

[VaZso 1,998]

15 hours ago, MrCoffee said:

edit: Unfortunately it turns out this info wasn't for this phone. It turned out to coincidentially be for a Kickstarter I backed from YEARS ago and had not been tracking and coincidentially lined up. Sorry for the false alarm.

Just a question - which is that project?

[ksal95 227]

5 hours ago, Maplesteel said:

would be just my luck to be stolen by my first ever porch pirate.

And if caught, it would be just the porch pirate's luck to experience their first ever porch punching, courtesy of you!

[michael.bosscha 142]

So, almost 2020... I am very, VERY anxiously awaiting my prophesied phone. Have a good one during New Year's Eve everyone, just get me my phone 😉 

[MrCoffee 13]

On 12/29/2019 at 10:41 AM, VaZso said:

Just a question - which is that project?

Ironically, it was a different phone, running Puffin OS. It completely slipped my mind because it was ultra cheap (like US$60) and I was more interested in the cloud based tech than using it as a daily driver. I also confused when I backed this project with others (PC games I backed that are still in development) -- this Puffin phone went from Kickstarter in July to shipping now, which I 100% wasn't expecting... and yet still forgot I backed the phone!

This isn't a slight against fxtec at all, as this Puffin phone is intentionally as basic and generic as a phone could possibly be, whereas the Pro1 I'm anticipating will be like a Transformer changing form before my very eyes. Still very excited for it.

[VaZso 1,998]

Although I have no information about my QWERTZ pre-order here with IGG coupon yet (I am still waiting for that one), I have received my Pro1 today which was bought at dragonbox.de.
FedEx showed they will deliver it by the end of 23rd but they didn't and told misleading information about the shipment state.
Finally it was delivered today by TNT which is another courier... and as far as I can see, TNT label was created on 23rd so I don't really know what happened and why FedEx told strange information on 23rd for me...

What can I say it is definitively also a pre-order device as it also has a pouch included and a serial number of very early in the 2X range.

So far I absolutely like it but it belongs to another thread. 🙂

[VaZso 1,998]

Today I have just received my Pro1 bought at dragonbox.de (still a pre-orderer with IGG coupon here).

I have still not tested it too much but I am very convenienced with this device.
I am very happy that I have ordered QWERTZ layout which works very well currently with the help of FinQwerty's QWERTY layout.
(I would have been much happier with unshifted QWERTY anyway but the QWERTZ keyboard with a correct QWERTY layout is a good compromise.)
Some sticky modifier keys would be good anyway and also the ability to access layout files somehow (I have still not looked how to do it) as I would like to make my own layout for QWERTY US plus Hungarian hybrid. 🙂

I also like the quality of the screen, I feel speakers are loud enough and I am also convenienced with camera function.
Somebody wrote fingerprint reader is in wrong place because of accidental touches but for me, it seems to be not a problem.
Camera quality seems to be really good in daylight (however, I took only a really few photos). Maybe it was a bit noisy when I took a photo inside in low light, but which is the most important for me, it can took really good photos of subjects in close range. I mean I could take a photo of a PCB circuit in room light while small texts were also readable, so focus seems to be really good. So for me, it is absolutely perfect.

I still have to set it up and maybe to solve my two SIMs plus MicroSD problem, but I feel it worth the money.

I have also showed it to some of my friends and they liked it, especially who also pre-ordered one QWERTZ variant (without IGG coupon) and still waiting for his device.
He also told he is convenienced - he said his fears were not proven to be right (like the placement of fingerprint sensor, the screen quality, aspect ratio, the narrowness of display, the feeling of holding it in hands), so all which were not really determinable by watching videos but only by holding it in hands.

So, after a few hours of usage I (we) feel it is a really good device.

[elvissteinjr 359]

I dare to ask: Has anyone here received the fabled Monday shipping email?
I know, small batch, yada, yada. It's not unlikely that everyone who was in it just doesn't post stuff, but Erik isn't celebrating more sent out devices either so nobody knows what's up.

[VaZso 1,998]

I have just wanted to show you a part of a photo as an example:

I think it is a really good macro photo and it was took in the evening with room light without any flash.
Resistors and capacitors are 0805 components.

It is more than enough for me. 🙂

[Zamasu 258]

On 12/31/2019 at 2:29 AM, elvissteinjr said:

I dare to ask: Has anyone here received the fabled Monday shipping email?
I know, small batch, yada, yada. It's not unlikely that everyone who was in it just doesn't post stuff, but Erik isn't celebrating more sent out devices either so nobody knows what's up.

I am fairly sure that none got sent out this week, even though they should've arrived last Friday to be shipped out. So, just another week later, again.

[VaZso 1,998]

As of my Pro1 again.

Yesterday I put on a "BROTECT" screen protector bought at protectionfilms24.com and I cut another protector bought at bestskinsever.com to fit the back and sides.
I feel it is more comfortable to use the phone now because I was afraid I will hurt the device somehow and now I feel it is somewhat protected.
I hope some pre-cut full-body protectors will be available after a while, but I feel convenienced with end result.
The cutout near camera lens and noise microphone is not perfect, but still I feel it is much better that way.

My back panel has a metallic-coloured dot above "F" which I don't know when it has appeared but I assume the phone was arrived that way as it was always in the pouch and I have not insured it.
It is not really noticeable anyway, but I feel it is better to have a protecting foil on it.

Anyway, I really like the colour temperature of its flash. I find it is similar to the Sun and it is convenient to look by its light.
It consists of two LEDs by each other with different colour temperatures.
I think it is a pre-built flash solution but even if it is pre-built or made by F(x)tec, I feel it is a very well constructed solution.
(There are a lot of phones with incredibly poor flash colour temperatures.)

In complete dark, when I have tried the "screen saver" in night mode, I have noticed a barely noticeable white dot on the display near the bottom-left side in portrait mode.
It is almost invisible and mostly noticeable in peripheral vision. I think it is completely unnoticeable in normal circumstances. It looks like one set of the transistors can not be fully shut down, but I don't know if it can light brighter. So it is not really noticeable.

Also, it was a surprise for me how well its GNSS functioning.
My Motorola G6 has a really poor receiver - it works, but so-so.
I put together my Pro1, Motorola G6 and a Samsung Galaxy Note 9.
Downstairs in house, Pro1 was able to receive signal but the other two were not while I have tried.
Upstairs (under the roof), it could see 15-17 satellites out of nearly 30 available (or currently 20 out of 34) and at the moment I see GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO and also BEIDOU satellites.
It fixes very quickly.

Looked at google maps, "calibrated" magnetic sensor and it has followed the direction exactly where I turn relative to the roads.
Written accuracy (by "GPS Test") goes down to about +-3-4m.
So it works absolutely perfectly.

I have a case for P20 which seems to fit relatively well so it may be good till F(x)tec or a 3rd-party will produce a rubberized / silicon case specifically for Pro1.
I still have to cut some holes on it like at the type-c connector, the fingerprint sensor, one of the speakers and maybe at the 3.5 jack plug and also the noise microphone on the back.

So far I like the phone. 🙂

Edit:
Also national translations work well (obviously they are incorporated in Android anyway), at least for Hungarian.
In settings, I see some English texts but these are not needed for everyday life.
So I would give it to anyone to use it also if she/he is not familiar with English but only the national language.

Edited January 1, 2020 by VaZso

[VaZso 1,998]

I have tried HDMI output, it also works well.

I have tried two adapters:
- This one works for screen sharing but no audio going through
- This one is more than a HDMI output but audio also going through HDMI here, USB ports are working, I have also connected a power supply while a video was playing on Youtube and it could also charge the phone (but only with 5V, so no Quick Charge this way).
However, LAN interface is currently not working (maybe appropriate kernel module is missing).
(Currently it is a bit more expensive than it was earlier but it is also not a cheap device - I think there should be other similar adapters which work.)

I like the latter more as it seems it may be used similarly as a docking station or at least the phone may not discharge while connected on HDMI.

I have also ordered an other adapter which is a bit cheaper but still not arrived.

Edited January 1, 2020 by VaZso