Pro1 and Pro1 X design change to use Snapdragon 662, no new devices before August 2021

[EskeRahn 5,460]

22 minutes ago, denmaarten said:

But that you don't know

Glad you got this right.

[denmaarten 8]

Just now, EskeRahn said:

Glad you got this right.

I am sorry for dragging you into this...

But we all felt they were giving us the run about... 2 times they add 3months delivery time.

They knew they where not going to meet the first dates...

Now all this thing about the CPU... It feels like they knew not everyone was going to get their phone in march.
also no talk about an upgrade.

The most positive I could say is that they are inexperienced...

 

[Rob. S. 1,662]

8 minutes ago, denmaarten said:

They knew they where not going to meet the first dates

I keep being amazed by the clairvoyant abilities of some people to know what some others, complete strangers to them, knew or didn't know. 

13 minutes ago, denmaarten said:

It feels like they knew not everyone was going to

Now it's no more knowing, only feeling? 

Accusations which are not provable are worthless – and may say more about those who make them than about the accused. 

15 minutes ago, denmaarten said:

The most positive I could say is that they are inexperienced

That, for once, is a provable fact. 

[lawliett 77]

11 minutes ago, denmaarten said:

Now all this thing about the CPU... It feels like they knew not everyone was going to get their phone in march.
also no talk about an upgrade.

The most positive I could say is that they are inexperienced...

You're right, they definitely had an idea that there might be possible delays, but they waited to collect accurate information before releasing that info publicly. And in that time, some people bought perks on igg or their site expecting to get the earlier model. 

They didn't release that information right  because they wanted to be 100% sure of the facts, before releasing that info. I don't believe it was to squeeze a few more bucks out of people.

They could've posted a disclaimer on their site, saying that there may be massive delays, or there would be some potential changes to the processor and they were sorting out the details. So they definitely could've done more to alert people ahead of time. Maybe they didn't do that because they didn't want to scare off potential customers. That could be considered somewhat unethical if that's what their intention was.

Regardless, you're entitled to a refund if you're not happy with the delays, and there's nothing wrong with demanding a refund. 

[lawliett 77]

1 hour ago, EskeRahn said:

I'm beginning to wonder who really are the crooks here with your lies.... Who are you working for - really?

He is a double agent for Planet Computers working to sow discontent and pull people to the dark side

Edited February 15, 2021 by lawliett

[zundappchef 100]

2 hours ago, Hook said:

For me, the key is updateability.  For niche devices made by small companies that means an unlockable bootloader and at least Lineage being available (and probably means having a Qualcom chip), because no small company making niche devices are going to keep Android up to date. either in terms of version nor security patches.  IDEA corp's contract support is not great-- they are a big company with many big clients.  But FxTec's relationships with the development community, even if you have to wait forever to get your device, is invaluable.

I won't deny that I thought of getting a Titan as a backup phone while my Pro1 was being repaired.  😉

Oh dont get me wrong i agree the pro1 has allot of bennefits and i actualy bought a pro1 and a pro1 X . But for me i dont realy like to fiddle around with my devices anymore , shure back in the days where i wrote custom roms for my qtek 8080  i would prefer a device like that 
But now a days i just want something that works and has a keyboard . 
When my priv died begin of january i needed a phone and without thinking i just ordered the cheapest samsung avaible to me at that time . i wish i had orderd the titan 

[Doktor Oswaldo 904]

I always was and I still am a big critic of their communication.
They had a lot of delays where we still don't know what happened. Their timelines are always way way to optimistic.

But this incident? Completely different. Yeah it may suck big. But they did communicate it relatively fast. They collected Information beforehand and they told exactly what happened. Sure it may have helped if they did communicate better how late they where informed. But by fxtec standards, this was brilliant. And one should not forget that it is hard to juggle with information when you can't afford to lose the ongoing IGG. Just communicating that they do not get their SOCs may would have been a bad idea.

So if this is the point where you loose confidence with them... well you can't have been here for long.

[_DW_ 628]

I think people also need to bear in mind there is a global semiconductor shortage across all areas.  Small companies unfortunately are just not priority and have to take the left overs.

[VaZso 1,998]

51 minutes ago, _DW_ said:

I think people also need to bear in mind there is a global semiconductor shortage across all areas.  Small companies unfortunately are just not priority and have to take the left overs.

Anyway, I did not know when news told about car companies having shortage of electronic components that what kind of components they were speaking about.

...then last time when I have purchased components for one of my own designed boards, I have found that it looks something like a general problem (maybe mostly logistics or manufacturing issue).

The PCB assembly company had missing components which I had to skip to solder it by hand later.
...but I had to order components from three different wholesalers as there were component sortage or components which had thousands of ordered items but an expected arrival time of June or end of February.

Also there was a pain to select alternative but suitable components for the board which PCBA company still has in stock.

So I could order everything, but it is unusual to order relatively common components from several suppliers...

...and now I am not speaking about components like thermal sensors, which are practically unavailable since Covid has started, as a lot of people think body temperature is the most important indicator of Covid infection, so we could not use them also for other industrial purposes...

So I can confirm this kind of shortage...

Edited February 15, 2021 by VaZso

[EskeRahn 5,460]

1 hour ago, _DW_ said:

I think people also need to bear in mind there is a global semiconductor shortage across all areas.  Small companies unfortunately are just not priority and have to take the left overs.

Even 'minor' companies like aPple have issues getting chips: https://www.gsmarena.com/global_chip_shortages-news-47657.php

[Tsunero 215]

8 hours ago, lawliett said:

They won't continue to support  both the old pro1 (835) and the new one 662. It's not feasible for a company of this size to support two phones. But maybe they'll put out android 10, idk.

Well it's not like they can go far on the 835, just finish 10 and integrate the last security update that was available. I already came to terms that we will never see 11 on it with that soc. Then they can focus on the 662 onward.

Edited February 15, 2021 by Tsunero

[VaZso 1,998]

13 minutes ago, Tsunero said:

Well it's not like they can go far on the 835, just finish 10 and integrate the last security update that was available. I already came to terms that we will never see 11 on it with that soc. Then they can focus on the 662 onward.

However, LineageOS 18 (based on Android 11) will be most likely available maybe officially.
...I think LineageOS will be our best choice as the latest supported OS.

[kashif 350]

I think @EskeRahndeserves a Gold Meddal

[BlackNecro 0]

Well I'd rather refund, but now that I upgraded my QWERTZ order from September 2019 to a Pro1 X, they now refuse to refund me because welp it's a crowdfunding campaign, go pound sand.

Guess I gotta write that off as a loss then.

[claude0001 1,341]

8 hours ago, lawliett said:

The line is when they take the money to Las Vegas and blow it on hookers and cocaine. And then they realize they need more money, so they delay shipping in order to solicit more funds, so they can provide refunds to people who threaten to sue. Thus, the organization becomes a ponzi scheme where new investor money is used to pay off old investors. 

But I don't think that's the case here, hopefully... >.<

This is, simultaneously, the most hilarious and most important post I have read here in the last few days. Thanks @lawliett.

People, try to relax a little. If Fxtec wanted, they could probably take the money from the IGG campaign and leave. Obviously, they don't. They try to deliver a keyboard phone that is as close as possible to what backers bet their money on.

Conspiracy theorists believing Fxtec set this all up for drawing money out of a minuscule (!) community of keyboard phone enthusiasts probably cannot be healed anyhow. Still, I want to stress that I write this holding my Pro1 in hand. And I wonder: if this device really is just part of some huge scam, then it is a really, really well designed scam ... 

[Slion 1,201]

34 minutes ago, claude0001 said:

really well designed scam

Star Citizen anyone?

[PsyDucky 20]

12 minutes ago, Slion said:

Star Citizen anyone?

Star citizen is pretty cool! It will just never finish or work i think! 

[Rud 123]

So... totally off topic. Theoretically, could we get the 8gb Ram and 256gb storage ProX with the CPU downgrade and solder the RAM chips and storage into an original Pro1 we have with the better CPU?

I most likely won't do this as I do not want to risk my Pro1, but my OCD is wondering if an ultimate Pro1 is possible to make. 😄

Edited February 16, 2021 by Rud

[EskeRahn 5,460]

17 minutes ago, Rud said:

So... totally off topic. Theoretically, could we get the 8gb Ram and 256gb storage ProX with the CPU downgrade and solder the RAM chips and storage into an original Pro1 we have with the better CPU?

I most likely won't do this as I do not want to risk my Pro1, but my OCD is wondering if an ultimate Pro1 is possible to make. 😄

No, but in theory if they had a stock of the old 835-PCB without a chip, and you mounted a 835, then you might be able to swap the entire pcb. Given that the old pcb supports the newer camera, otherwise you would have to have the old camera module too, and if any cable mounts are moved, you might need the old ribbon cabling too. Oh and you might have to move over the new  storage chips too.
AND we then have to make sure that the software are capable of recognizing the larger storage.... but in theory possible... 😇

[FlyingAntero 871]

It is possible to upgrade the storage and RAM chip but you would need special tools for it. I have seen people doing it with Nexus devices. Also, RAM and CPU are usually tied together (soldered on top of each other) which makes it even harder process.

• Nexus 5 Hardware Modded to 64GB Internal Storage By Replacing eMMC
• Nexus 5X Hardware Modded to Upgrade RAM from 2GB to 4GB

I checked what chips were used with the QX1000 test device for FCC.

• QX1000 Smartphone Teardown Internal Photos internal Photox FX Technology

It had probably 4GB RAM and 64GB storage even so that Samsung datasheet says that the RAM chip is 32Gb. However, iFixit says that it is 4GB (link) and you can find Aliexpress listing saying 4GB (link).

Edit: It is 4GB. I just mixed bits and bytes (32Gb = 4GB).

• Storage: Samsung KLUCG4J1ED-B0C1, 64GB UFS 2.1
• RAM: Samsung K3UH5H50MM-NGCJ, 32Gb (=4GB) LOW POWER DDR4X

Edited February 16, 2021 by FlyingAntero
Bits and bytes...

[EskeRahn 5,460]

10 hours ago, BlackNecro said:

Well I'd rather refund, but now that I upgraded my QWERTZ order from September 2019 to a Pro1 X, they now refuse to refund me because welp it's a crowdfunding campaign, go pound sand.

Guess I gotta write that off as a loss then.

I was unaware that it was allowed to change an ordinary order to a crowd-funding perk. (Unless you explicitly accepted that of course)

[Doktor Oswaldo 904]

On 2/14/2021 at 5:46 PM, flx said:

No they were options with higher price available with no limit of backers, it was never a question of availability.

The principle of the pre-early birds, early birds is that to start the campaign the X first to back get a better price, and the X next a little less better price, etc. and then you only get the pre-order price (that should be lower than the future selling price of the product).

Trying to make believe a category of price is almost gone and if you want it you have to back now to then add a few extra slots every time it's necessary to just keep it close to the end, is definitely a shady marketing practice, yes it's not illegal or anything but that's definitely not an angel attitude and not an attitude from someone lost and that can't manage communication and don't have time for anything.

With this technique they even from time to time reopened slots on lower priced category... And we should have been able to swap our bid for the new lowest one available but as they blocked us from cancelling it was not possible.

 

All of that are not a shortcut to gain time when you can't handle everything, it's someone managing that marketing shit individually everyday instead of managing communication.

At first it was just a small detail for me but it was the first of a long list and a definitive sign of all we were going to have to swallow.

Well I agree on that one, this is BS. It should be forbidden by IGG but is indeed encouraged: https://support.indiegogo.com/hc/en-us/articles/204509388-Running-Your-Campaign

Quote

Introduce new perks at any point during your campaign to get the conversation started again.

I don't like the fact that they are doing it, I think it is shady.
But the truth is, if you buy something in a store and it gets discounted 5 minutes later you are at the same point. It is a normal thing to do. Have limited stock on promotional wares. You want to drive people to your store (or project) with cheap promotions, chances are high they are buying something once there are there. Even if the reason they came is gone! So you hold back stuff and refill next week, when you can announce it again.

I know it feels different in an IGG campaign, but it really isn't.
It is just showing you what shady business practices are used since decades to milk the proletariat.

Edited February 16, 2021 by Doktor Oswaldo

[_DW_ 628]

Also spotted this article https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3120449/semiconductor-shortages-are-spreading-warns-smartphone-chip-giant

Doesn't go into much detail though.

 

[FlyingAntero 871]

10 minutes ago, _DW_ said:

Also spotted this article https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3120449/semiconductor-shortages-are-spreading-warns-smartphone-chip-giant

Doesn't go into much detail though.

 

That does not affect to Snapdragon 835 directly since I don't believe that Qualcomm has manufactured these chips for a while. However, the situation might that the supplier sold rest of its SD835 chips to someone else if they were willing to pay more than F(x)tec. Maybe the price went up for old CPUs because there is global shortage for new chips. F(x)tec had already paid the chips before hand (maybe lower price).

[_DW_ 628]

1 hour ago, FlyingAntero said:

That does not affect to Snapdragon 835 directly since I don't believe that Qualcomm has manufactured these chips for a while. However, the situation might that the supplier sold rest of its SD835 chips to someone else if they were willing to pay more than F(x)tec. Maybe the price went up for old CPUs because there is global shortage for new chips. F(x)tec had already paid the chips before hand (maybe lower price).

Yeah there is a good chance that is the case.