On the pre-production status

[Tim6263 134]

 so will some lucky customers get phones with "as video & tested by Liangchen" stickers?!

[michael.bosscha 142]

I concur that the video is vague about the exact moment of shipping. That's a bummer, but at least it's the promised video update and I, for one, am happy about it. Probably going to be mid- to late November though. If that crazy shopping holiday doesn't spoil the fun; I really need this before Christmas guys!

[Tim6263 134]

8 hours ago, archseraphim said:

They're individually assembled by hand?!  That's madness.

 

7 hours ago, __fastcall said:

So one could argue that these phones are hand crafted from start to end!

Good things take time ...

"Probably going to be mid- to late November though..."

=============

Taking all this together, understanding that this is a bespoke phone, from a small UK start-up - not so surprising it's hand assembled, takes longer to get parts, etc.  F(x) are being more open about production & shipping, & for that I am genuinely grateful.

 

[illie-vanilli 58]

1 hour ago, magicafternoon said:

Not so good news: The video is vague about shipping, and it's impossible to know when the video was created. We were last promised that devices would begin shipping on Oct 29th, but this new update (depending on when it was filmed) could mean that f(x)tec hopes that the first batch of preordered devices will be in hands of customers by the end of this week, OR that f(x)tec hopes to initiate the shipping to fulfillment centers by the end of this week.

 

I know it's an assumption on my part but I think this is the same video that Erik mentioned last week, and that it was created last week. That would also be a reason why Lianchen didn't mention shipping with the specific information Erik has provided us with in the meantime. My guess is that the news he (Erik) has gave us these last couple of days has gotten ahead of the video Lianchen made. 

Nevertheless I think the video is very cool to see. It is nice to hear that Fxtec is putting so much effort into the production and the finetuning of the product to make it a quality device. If they would succumb to the pressure of shipping asap that might result in us getting a phone that would show signs of malfunction within a short period of time. So personally I'm happy that they stick to quality instead of haste.  

For now I'm going to stick with the info Erik gave so far and assume that the shipments of the first batch are already in transit to any of the fulfillment warehouses. Really curious to see how many pre-order customers will get the device in this first batch! 

[Frank M 2]

Well i have been following it for sometimes now.

I really suggest to F(x) tech, Please set the shipping date to June 2020. then you guys dont have to deal with all this criticism after ever 2 or 3 weeks.

I dont know what is the rush here to get the phone? we can wait for another 6 months or even 1 more year perhaps.

i guess many will agree with me, right?

[vlycop 38]

4 minutes ago, Frank M said:

Well i have been following it for sometimes now.

I really suggest to F(x) tech, Please set the shipping date to June 2020. then you guys dont have to deal with all this criticism after ever 2 or 3 weeks.

I dont know what is the rush here to get the phone? we can wait for another 6 months or even 1 more year perhaps.

i guess many will agree with me, right?

New account... Is this troll ? It's troll right ? It have to be...

[EskeRahn 5,471]

7 hours ago, Gazza said:

OMG 4-5 hours per unit? How can they EVER get this into mass production down the line??

 

The good news is that it's on its way and I can't wait to hear the feedback from early adopters. I still have my BB Passport and am waiting anxiously for reviews in the real world before I jump in.

That something takes 4-5hours, does NOT mean a factory outputs only one unit in that period.... Both due to it not being one person only, and some processes are done by machines (We have seen videos on that long ago)

Even though I hope all the best for them, I doubt it will ever be a product sold in millions. Should the miracle occur and people in general returns to usable keyboards, I'm sure they will find ways to have robots doing a larger part of the process than currently.

[Siani_8 105]

1 hour ago, EskeRahn said:

That something takes 4-5hours, does NOT mean a factory outputs only one unit in that period.... Both due to it not being one person only, and some processes are done by machines (We have seen videos on that long ago)

Even though I hope all the best for them, I doubt it will ever be a product sold in millions. Should the miracle occur and people in general returns to usable keyboards, I'm sure they will find ways to have robots doing a larger part of the process than currently.

Not sure about any miracles of people in general returning but there is still a pretty decent fan base of qwerty slider lovers.  The real miriacle would be seeing one built that could match flagship specs at time of release.  This is the closest we've been to that in a long time though and will def buy an upgraded Pro2 if this one gives them enough success for them to want to do that.  Part of me thinks one of the reasons for the slider downfall is when they started making them with midrange specs only and many had to chose between great specs or kb and that's when they started jumping ship. 

[kin9 12]

2 hours ago, Frank M said:

Well i have been following it for sometimes now.

I really suggest to F(x) tech, Please set the shipping date to June 2020. then you guys dont have to deal with all this criticism after ever 2 or 3 weeks.

I dont know what is the rush here to get the phone? we can wait for another 6 months or even 1 more year perhaps.

i guess many will agree with me, right?

Yes, you are right. However, you should mention the whole story.

If they state the shipping date to be June 2020, are so many of us willing to pay for it or pay for it so early? 

It is something about " expectation" and our planning. Even though this is the first time they running a phone production project, they should do better in some areas: communication, responsibility etc.

[theo.hallenius 31]

I guess the most important takeaway is that the device itself is ready (even though some of our units still consist of parts that are yet to be assembled) and that F(x)tec managed to do something Apple couldn't for years - and that is to innovate the form factor. Hoping it arrives by mid November because I might be out of town until December 😞 

Edited October 30, 2019 by theo.hallenius

[mcdinner 375]

1 hour ago, EskeRahn said:

That something takes 4-5hours, does NOT mean a factory outputs only one unit in that period.... Both due to it not being one person only, and some processes are done by machines (We have seen videos on that long ago)

Even though I hope all the best for them, I doubt it will ever be a product sold in millions. Should the miracle occur and people in general returns to usable keyboards, I'm sure they will find ways to have robots doing a larger part of the process than currently.

I don't think the E7 was hand assembled in Finland one by one. 😄

[_headcrash_ 4]

Hi,

Thank You for the update-video ! I read all along this thread and I think, that you should direct your attention towards the good news:

- The phone is beeng produced

- It has an awsome keyboard

- and it will arrive before Christmas !

So why don't you enjoy your life and wait for even better news ?

You see, I am used to wait - someone heard of Open Pandora ? or Pyra. For my Padora I had to wait a year.

So keep cool !

Grrreetings

 

 

Edited October 30, 2019 by _headcrash_

[bollstedt 2]

9 minutes ago, _headcrash_ said:

- and it will arrive before Christmas !

 

I really hope that my device will arrive before Christmas, since it is a present for my girl friend. I ordered early October, however with all these delays I am not sure how it really ends up.

[kashif 350]

I am really getting confused. The FX update video suggest it will be shipping in one week or so. so other in here suggesting 2 weeks.

But why some are suggesting xmas? does that means we have to wait and see until december?

Maybe Erik can you please give some info on it?

[EskeRahn 5,471]

1 hour ago, Siani_8 said:

Not sure about any miracles of people in general returning but there is still a pretty decent fan base of qwerty slider lovers.  The real miriacle would be seeing one built that could match flagship specs at time of release.  This is the closest we've been to that in a long time though and will def buy an upgraded Pro2 if this one gives them enough success for them to want to do that.  Part of me thinks one of the reasons for the slider downfall is when they started making them with midrange specs only and many had to chose between great specs or kb and that's when they started jumping ship. 

Yes it is the same store with phone-sized phones. Some idiot somewhere decided that flagships had to be huge phablets, and phone-sized phones should have mediocre specs. It is only in Japan that Sharp and to some Extent Sony has tried to fight that. But the Sharp devices are not produced for the international market.

[Tim6263 134]

4 minutes ago, kashif said:

I am really getting confused. The FX update video suggest it will be shipping in one week or so. so other in here suggesting 2 weeks.

 

The phones in shipment this week are only the 1st batch, & will only cover some of the pre-orders.  I am not expecting my phone in this shipment, & no-one yet knows when the next shipment will be made, or with how many phones.  This is why many of us are talking about getting our orders sometime in November; not likely this week, or even next....

[EskeRahn 5,471]

2 minutes ago, kashif said:

I am really getting confused. The FX update video suggest it will be shipping in one week or so. so other in here suggesting 2 weeks.

But why some are suggesting xmas? does that means we have to wait and see until december?

Maybe Erik can you please give some info on it?

It is not that complex I guess. In the best case scenario in Asia the first people will have them in a few days. For EU/US there are some unknown waste time in customs, usually in the order of days, seldom over a week. Add to that the time Processing them in the "Fulfillment Warehouses", and transportation between these, so most likely it will be two weeks before the first in Europe have them in their (hopefully: our) hands. But how long it will take before the last already ordered Pro1 will reach the last costumer is another question, and I would not be surprised if that was beyond November.

[netman 1,424]

5 minutes ago, kashif said:

But why some are suggesting xmas? does that means we have to wait and see until december?

Because some people are pessimistic and sour because there was a delay before, it's mere speculation. The last official word is they should ship out this week, somewhat blurry as to whether that means ALL pre-orders will ship out from the warehouses this week but I guess nobody knows.

[Hook 3,043]

1 minute ago, netman said:

Because some people are pessimistic and sour because there was a delay before, it's mere speculation. The last official word is they should ship out this week, somewhat blurry as to whether that means ALL pre-orders will ship out from the warehouses this week but I guess nobody knows.

The other ambiguity is we don't know exactly when this video was made.  Given post-production and approval cycles (I'm assuming the videos are made by a professional third party), it could have been last week.  So did he say "this week" last week and did he say it intending to refer to the week the video would be released rather than the week it was made.  Lol

[netman 1,424]

Just now, Hook said:

The other ambiguity is we don't know exactly when this video was made.  Given post-production and approval cycles (I'm assuming the videos are made by a professional third party), it could have been last week.  So did he say "this week" last week and did he say it intending to refer to the week the video would be released rather than the week it was made.  Lol

The only reasonable assumption to make is "this week" meaning the week of posting us the link to that video by e-mail, I think.

[kashif 350]

1 minute ago, Hook said:

The other ambiguity is we don't know exactly when this video was made.  Given post-production and approval cycles (I'm assuming the videos are made by a professional third party), it could have been last week.  So did he say "this week" last week and did he say it intending to refer to the week the video would be released rather than the week it was made.  Lol

Well didnt Erik said yesterday that they are making a video update right now. so that means it was made yesterday.

[Hook 3,043]

3 minutes ago, kashif said:

Well didnt Erik said yesterday that they are making a video update right now. so that means it was made yesterday.

He said " Liangchen has been preparing a video update from the factory for you, but I haven't yet been told when it will be sent. It could be out any minute. "

As "has been preparing" implies, this wasn't just someone at the factory whipping out their iPhone and making a quick video.  The video is quite professional in it's execution.  This stuff takes time and probably has to have the final cut approved before release.

However, I was being a bit tongue in cheek in my post.  😉

[Wasmachineman_NL 99]

This speculating is worse than AdoredTV's Ryzen 3000 hitting 5 GHz (and 16 cores for less than €750) bullshit leak.

[agent008 243]

2 hours ago, Siani_8 said:

Not sure about any miracles of people in general returning but there is still a pretty decent fan base of qwerty slider lovers.  The real miriacle would be seeing one built that could match flagship specs at time of release.  This is the closest we've been to that in a long time though and will def buy an upgraded Pro2 if this one gives them enough success for them to want to do that.  Part of me thinks one of the reasons for the slider downfall is when they started making them with midrange specs only and many had to chose between great specs or kb and that's when they started jumping ship. 

That, and the lack of availability of the later qwerty models, is why I jumped ship.

[agent008 243]

59 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

Yes it is the same store with phone-sized phones. Some idiot somewhere decided that flagships had to be huge phablets, and phone-sized phones should have mediocre specs. It is only in Japan that Sharp and to some Extent Sony has tried to fight that. But the Sharp devices are not produced for the international market.

Remember the Xperia Ray? Now that was a nice form factor. If we are to go without  a qwery, that size was the best in my opinion. A sleek, thin and small, comfortable handset.

Too bad nobody makes them like that anymore. If there was a top-of-midrange handset like that today (Snapdragon 6xx, 2 or 3GB RAM, 64GB internal storage and microsd slot), it could well be my second phone.