Pro¹ X – state of production and delivery

[EskeRahn 5,460]

(If I do not recall incorrectly it has been quite a while siince Fxtex asked us to double-check the address - was actually surprised that Unihertz did not ask us to confirm our address but to reenter it...)

[VaZso 1,998]

1 minute ago, EskeRahn said:

(If I do not recall incorrectly it has been quite a while siince Fxtex asked us to double-check the address - was actually surprised that Unihertz did not ask us to confirm our address but to reenter it...)

I could not miss it - but really stopped for a moment and re-read you comment. 😄

[Rob. S. 1,661]

Suspense is rising.

Have they succeeded in flashing our devices?

Will shipping commence next week?

Will my battered Pro1 survive long enough?

[suicidal_orange 100]

2 hours ago, toast said:

Sadly, it seems I was mistaken. They apparently did not even start flashing yet

Sadly the "question" was actually two questions in one and the answer wasn't clear.  I guess a bit of manpower is needed for flashing but a lot more for packing so maybe there's a big pile of flashed phones ready to be boxed up.  Or maybe there isn't.

I don't understand why anyone would bother to answer without being clear, it's very frustrating!

[Hook 3,021]

2 hours ago, suicidal_orange said:

I don't understand why anyone would bother to answer without being clear, it's very frustrating!

If he doesn't answer, people complain. But it is hard to be specific when you can't be sure about the situation enough to give an iron clad assurance.  Rock and a hard place.

The problem is not just how small Fxtec is.  It;s that it does very little in house and they don't own or have priority with any of the pieces.  Unlike Apple, who own all of the pieces and have high priority, or  Samsung, close enough to the same.  FxTec has to juggle multiple providers and contracts where they have very low priority.  So, if they have scheduled fkashing and packaging for shipping, but things are halted to fix a software problem, the previously scheduled  slot may be lost and they have to rework scheduling.  At the beginning, with the Pro1, in 2019, before the Pandemic, Chen went to China to oversee everything.  That made things easier in the final phases.  He has not been able to do that since the pandemic. So they have answers like "tentatively Friday." 

It's tough.  And I've said this before, I am amazed they have kept at it instead of walking away.  I probably would have when they were swindled on the chips.

I understand it is easier for me.  I have a Pro1.  But if they aren't giving you more specific answers, it's because they can't.  Believe me, Chen in particular, would love to give you a reliable absolute date.

[brunoais 334]

Thankfully, they aren't giving up. I'm glad for that.

I do wish they were more transparent on sharing what they don't know and what they are barred from knowing more publicly. It would make PR so much better.

This shouldn't be needed but, for real, people need to be reminded about how pandemic status is still causing complete mess in China...

Edited July 4, 2022 by brunoais

[suicidal_orange 100]

I'm really glad they're not giving up too, there was surely money to be ran off with when they didn't have any chips to buy so I might have been tempted.

I'm not requesting a crystal ball "all devices will be shipped" date which would be pointless, all I ask is to replace "something" with "flashing", "packing" or "shipping" in the latest update.  He must know what he's trying to book and that isn't affected by how much of a mess China is in nor how many times they've been bumped by a more important customer or due to stopping for bugs.

[zundappchef 100]

On 6/30/2022 at 6:20 PM, EskeRahn said:

well they (unihertz) just asked us for our addresses, so likely a close run....

True true , because this time i was within the first 50 to order i have the option to get it in august if i pay for expedited shipping 

maybe for FX tec's next phone , they should team up with unihertz 
FX designs the phone and outsource Unihertz for production , updates and PR

[EskeRahn 5,460]

37 minutes ago, zundappchef said:

True true , because this time i was within the first 50 to order i have the option to get it in august if i pay for expedited shipping 

maybe for FX tec's next phone , they should team up with unihertz 
FX designs the phone and outsource Unihertz for production , updates and PR

would be great if the niche products could find ways to help each other, as they target different parts of the small keyboard segment. But the big question is if the visions are compatible?

[suicidal_orange 100]

45 minutes ago, zundappchef said:

maybe for FX tec's next phone , they should team up with unihertz 
FX designs the phone and outsource Unihertz for production

Aren't most unihertz phones bootloader locked so there are no alternate OSes for them?  I have looked at them often as they have small phones but I'm not using stock Android.

If their software partner (it's not done in house) can do an open version it's a great idea.

Edited July 5, 2022 by suicidal_orange
Clarity

[pakman 14]

The word from Chen is that flashing is happening tomorrow: https://nitter.pussthecat.org/chenliangchen/status/1544310452343214080#m

[VaZso 1,998]

They have just wrote an update here:

Quote

by FX Technology

Jul 6, 2022 • 11:46AM

31 minutes ago

Pro1-X Manufacturing Update - July

Dear Pro1-X backers,

 

Here are the latest manufacturing and shipping updates:

 

• All recent bugs & flagged issues have now been fixed.
• Android OS has been thoroughly tested & confirmed to have passed our SMR requirements.
• The factory has officially started flashing the Pro1-X with Android OS.  This will come with the May 2022 Android security patch and the new June 2022 security patch.
• Mass shipping is due to begin next week!

Check out the latest photos & videos from the factory flashing the Pro1-X's with Android OS:

 

The mass flashing process will take a couple of days and once this is complete we will ship the first batch of Pro1-X's to our shipping partner in Hong Kong (this Friday).  Units will then go through one final QC check, before being shipped out to our wonderful backers next week!

Just a final reminder - please make sure your name, shipping address, and contact number are correct because we will be exporting the final shipping list tomorrow. 

• Some customers/countries require a personal customs clearance code e.g. Korea - if this applies to you, please add this code after your full name on Indiegogo. For example John Smith / [CODE] .

We are doing our best to get your Pro1-X's ready to ship as soon as we can - thank you once again for your ongoing patience and support.

Team Fxtec 🙂

 

Edited July 6, 2022 by VaZso

[linparda 14]

3 hours ago, VaZso said:

They have just wrote an update here:

 

Just bought the Astro Slide 5g - curious to see which one hits my front door first... (only two left at the Indiegogo price of $586. - I made it just in time...

 

3 hours ago, VaZso said:

They have just wrote an update here:

 

 

[Hook 3,021]

53 minutes ago, linparda said:

ust bought the Astro Slide 5g - curious to see which one hits my front door first... (only two left at the Indiegogo price of $586. - I made it just in time...

Hahaha  There have been only 2 left for probably a year or more.  If you check, you'll see there are still "only 2 left" after your purchase.  😂

But great you are getting one. Congratulations.

[suicidal_orange 100]

28 minutes ago, Hook said:

Hahaha  There have been only 2 left for probably a year or more.  If you check, you'll see there are still "only 2 left" after your purchase.  😂

FOMO - the scummiest form of marketing.  Clearly it works though...

Edited July 6, 2022 by suicidal_orange

[brunoais 334]

1 hour ago, suicidal_orange said:

FOMO - the scummiest form of marketing.  Clearly it works though...

This is not FOMO. This is fake scarcity. It's different 😉

[suicidal_orange 100]

53 minutes ago, brunoais said:

This is not FOMO. This is fake scarcity. It's different 😉

Interesting.  To me they're much the same - instead of trying to convince buyers the product is good they try to trick them into a quick decision.  I guess specifically faking scarcity by giving it a number is slightly worse than the implied scarcity of FOMO but there's not much in it.

[linparda 14]

3 hours ago, Hook said:

Hahaha  There have been only 2 left for probably a year or more.  If you check, you'll see there are still "only 2 left" after your purchase.  😂

But great you are getting one. Congratulations.

Actually, they must have updated things - there were 3 left before I bought it and 2 left after I bought it. I checked. Maybe it is a different run? I see they started shipping already. I think only Germany and Korea are left and scheduled for next week, I believe. I like the mechanical keys and it is just a tad bigger than the Pro 1x - just under 3/4". I also like that the screen slides completely away from the keyboard. Of course, can't really tell which one I will like better until I get them both in my hands.

Edited July 6, 2022 by linparda

[linparda 14]

1 hour ago, brunoais said:

This is not FOMO. This is fake scarcity. It's different 😉

I bought it for about $300 - $400.00 less than on the website so as long as I get it - eventually - I am good.

[linparda 14]

2 hours ago, suicidal_orange said:

FOMO - the scummiest form of marketing.  Clearly it works though...

lol..., it wasn't the number left that got me to buy - it was the price difference on Indiegogo as compared to the website. Money is always a big factor for me.

Edited July 6, 2022 by linparda

[suicidal_orange 100]

48 minutes ago, linparda said:

lol..., it wasn't the number left that got me to buy - it was the price difference on Indiegogo as compared to the website. Money is always a big factor for me.

That's a much better reason.  I hope it arrives in a timely manner and you like it 👍🏾

[EskeRahn 5,460]

4 hours ago, linparda said:

can't really tell which one I will like better until I get them both in my hands.

The principal difference keyboardwise (apart from the opening system) is that Pro1 got more but minor keys.

So I expect what is the best for a specific person depends on if they need A-Z (almost) only, or have fingers that struggle with small keys, if so the larger keys are likely to be a plus. If you on the other hand want national letters and other keys in their standard positions the Pro1 is likely to be a better choice.

[linparda 14]

1 hour ago, EskeRahn said:

The principal difference keyboardwise (apart from the opening system) is that Pro1 got more but minor keys.

So I expect what is the best for a specific person depends on if they need A-Z (almost) only, or have fingers that struggle with small keys, if so the larger keys are likely to be a plus. If you on the other hand want national letters and other keys in their standard positions the Pro1 is likely to be a better choice.

Great point- I need to compare them. Going to do that now...Thanks

[silversolver 849]

6 hours ago, linparda said:

Actually, they must have updated things - there were 3 left before I bought it and 2 left after I bought it. I checked. Maybe it is a different run? I see they started shipping already. I think only Germany and Korea are left and scheduled for next week, I believe. I like the mechanical keys and it is just a tad bigger than the Pro 1x - just under 3/4". I also like that the screen slides completely away from the keyboard. Of course, can't really tell which one I will like better until I get them both in my hands.

A tad BIGGER? I think the Pro1 is borderline too big. Wow.... I'd like a Pro1xc (c for compact, smaller like the Droid 4 lol)

[EskeRahn 5,460]

5 hours ago, silversolver said:

A tad BIGGER? I think the Pro1 is borderline too big. Wow.... I'd like a Pro1xc (c for compact, smaller like the Droid 4 lol)

Peronally I have long been advocating for one hand operability, and this means a limit around 65mm wide. BUT there are two drawbacks on that. One is lesser keys (or for me worse: fewer). Secondly the display would be lesser, and that again would mean less information (=a lot of scrolling) or the use of a font so small that it gets beyond what my aging eyes can handle without extra glasses.

Also remember that the newer ugly material design wastes more screen space, so many apps are today designed for the oversized phablets and not phone-size (quite similar to a lot of apps working poorly in landscape).

A more compact design would also make it (even) thicker, or need a lesser battery with shorter stamina.

So overall I think Fxtec did a pretty wise choice to give us (close to) a standard keyboard. Especially the letter keys right of the a-z block for national letters for many countries, without making the keys too small for the majority.

ADD: What I really would like was an OS (re)designed for phablets!! That is design guidelines operating with the full screen for displaying stuff, but only the one-hand reachable part as active for (primary) touch-interaction - it would be acceptable that seldomly used interaction was beyond (e.g. buttons for advanced settings)