I thought I'd post my story so far in acquiring my zpad and update it as I go along.
And see if anyone else is interested in it.
January 2011
I wanted a tablet pc as soon as I saw my friend's Ipad, but thought that they would be too expensive, so I just put it out of my mind. Then while looking for a netbook for my wife, a friend of mine said he could get pc's at great prices from china. We agreed to get her a netbook through him and he told me he could also organise other cool tech like tablets, etc.
(We get ripped off really badly here in south africa, everyone is greedy here and they put up huge mark ups on tech. e.g. galaxy tab is R8000 here which is $1117 at the current exchange rate. Instead of the $650 that it currently is on amazon.com. Which is ridiculous!!!)
He is starting up an importing business from China to South Africa(where I live), I would be his first customer.
He showed me a few tablets, which either were underpowered or had a 3 hour max battery life or both. Eventually he showed me the Malata tablets, the windows one and the one that they later called the Zpad. The windows one sucked so I was interested in the Zpad. Specs looked good and the more I looked into it online the more I was keen. But it was still a lot of money.
I found out mid January that I had gotten funding for university this year, so I decided to get the Zpad. The order hadn't gone through yet for the netbook so I added the tablet (and other tech that we've wanted for a while, eg. 1GB external HDD & logitech G9x mouse, malata dock..) and paid and waited.
1st Feb 2011
Package finally arrived. When he saw the box my friend phoned me straight away in alarm. The box was tiny, way to small to house a netbook and a tablet and all the other stuff.
When he opened it, there were a few 1GB and 2GB USB drives in the box.
SHOCK AND HORROR!!!
He phoned around frantically trying to find out if he had been ripped off by his chinese supplier or not, as he had never bought from the guy before.
Eventually the guy replied, it was 20:00h in china, he says that the guy who dropped the packages off must have switched them around by mistake. He said he couldn't get hold of DHL to find out if the other guy had got the package already, or even to find out who the other guy was, as it was late there.
So now after waiting 3 weeks or so for my tablet I sit and wait, to find out where my tablet and my wife's netbook and everything else is. Are they with the would be flash drives owner? Will he give them back? Will the Chinese guy still send us new ones if the other guy doesn't give them back to him? Very stressed out.
Update:
2nd February 2011
Heard back from the supplier in China and from what I could understand (His English is a little broken, but can't blame the guy, I can't speak a worn of Mandarin) he says that they have had this problem in the past and how it works is they use a 3rd pary company to take their packages to DHL and then DHL send it, so the 3rd party guys must have made the mistake. This happened before and they stopped using that company as a result, but now it has happened again.
He says it shouldn't be to difficult to get hold of the stuff and get it sent to us, but it will take a while.
I really hope so. I'm still worried that some guy is playing on my Zpad or have taken the factory screen cover off (which I was planning to keep on, if it came with one), or even worse has sold it...
So no concrete progress, but things are looking up.
Update:
3rd February 2011
It's Chinese newyear now. So I wasn't expecting much progress today, and didn't get any. But the Chinese supplier told us he hasn't gotten the status of the parcel yet, but we should hold on to the wrong parcel we received and he will chase them up and try to get them exchanged.
Update:
4th February 2011
The supplier said that DHL are contacting the person who received our parcel and he will let us know the outcome.
Update:
18th March 2011
So, we still haven't heard from DHL, and our chinese contact hasn't contacted us since my last post. He is also no longer on the trading sites like alibaba, etc. So we think we have been swindled.
My friend here is going over to china in a few months, so he will probably see if he can find this guys, using private investigators and press charges against him (and maybe a fist or two).
My friend did take responsibility though, saying that it was his fault and he should have tested out his contact first.
He has found a more reliable contact and is waiting for a sale to go through, and then will try order it again, out of his pocket.
But I don't know if I still want the Zpad, with shipping, 3G and GPS, the tablet cost about R6500 here, which converted is about $900. Which is really expensive, but the cheapest I can get it at. I can get the Gtablet for R4313 ($600), buying through a local online business who buy from amazon.
But I don't know, there are many new tablets coming out now, so there is no longer the benefit of getting the only tegra 2 tablet, and getting use out of it before the big boys arrive. So I think I might as well look around, now that the Zpad is no longer on it's way.
I'm thinking about getting the Xoom WIFI instead when it comes out. My dad is going to Italy soon, and hopefully it will have released in Europe by then, so he can pick one up for me at a comparable price to the US $600. When it finally gets here it will be ridiculously expensive, I estimate the same price that I paid for the Zpad,($900). So if the Xoom is anything less than 650 Euros, Then I have saved money, buying a better tablet.
Then when my friend has managed to make some money back, he can refund me, rather than ordering me another one, and I will have money left over for accessories.
So, right now it is just a wait to see when the Xoom Wifi comes out in Europe, how much it will be, and if it releases before my dad gets there; sometime in May.
Yep, more waiting, but I'm happy to wait again, I feel I am getting a better deal now, and I feel more in control.
Update March 20th:
I have placed my order to get the Xoom Wifi with a local company, they will get it from the US as soon as it releases, so it will ship on the 28th/29th and I should get it in at most a week from then.
Update April 3rd:
My Xoom came yesterday, and WOW!!! It is amazing, it is an awesome resolution screen, great viewing angles, incredibly responsive, amazing battery life, has honeycomb.
The Zpad not coming was a blessing in disguise. I will still try get my money back for the Zpad from my friend to cover the cost of the Xoom, though.
Really , Really glad that I didn't get a Zpad in hindsight. I know that's a bit cheeky to say in the Gtab forum, but after waiting this long, I would want it to be perfect, and well neither tablet is perfect, but the Xoom is a lot closer.
So, this will be one of my last posts on the Gtab forum, I'll be living in the Xoom on from now.
Thanks so much for reading my story everyone.
I will update if this thread is still around and I get my money back from my friend, but otherwise that's it.
Cheers
wow, that really sucks.
I hope all works out and the Chinese supplier fixes his mistake and sends you your order.
Thats really bad. I think it's at the same level as my story at ebay... Sad.
Seems getting a zPad is just not as easy as we thought.
Ya, it is sad. But I'm optimistic. It might be a DHL mistake too, in which case they will have to fork out of it doesn't sort its self out.
Good luck getting it sorted out. I had ordered a low end DSLR Camera for my daughter for Christmas. It made it to within 15 miles of my house and then vanished at the FEDEX facility. By that point, everywhere was sold out of low end DSLR Camera, the original seller, Wal-Mart, was of no help other than sorry and refund my payment and I was left scrambling and finally had to fork over much more $$$ in order to not disappoint on Christmas morning.
The fact that you ended up with a package gives me hope. Perhaps it was just an address switch-a-roo and the other party will confess especially if he/she is contacted. The tough part is the start of the Chinese New Years which will bugger up all shipping from there for a month. Best of luck. The waiting is the hardest part.
anjenaire said:
Good luck getting it sorted out. I had ordered a low end DSLR Camera for my daughter for Christmas. It made it to within 15 miles of my house and then vanished at the FEDEX facility. By that point, everywhere was sold out of low end DSLR Camera, the original seller, Wal-Mart, was of no help other than sorry and refund my payment and I was left scrambling and finally had to fork over much more $$$ in order to not disappoint on Christmas morning.
The fact that you ended up with a package gives me hope. Perhaps it was just an address switch-a-roo and the other party will confess especially if he/she is contacted. The tough part is the start of the Chinese New Years which will bugger up all shipping from there for a month. Best of luck. The waiting is the hardest part.
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It's common for a lot of packages to go "missing" around Christmas time from UPS/FedEx and other carriers. I have had a few friends who have worked for FedEx and the stories they would tell convinced me to never order anything around Christmas time for delivery. At least you were able to get your money back
That's what I am hoping too. To track down whoever was supposed to get the one we got and ask them what they got instead, because they have to sign for it, so there will be a record of them receiving something... So we just have to find out if it was our stuff or not. Either way I'm sure they will be forced to return it...
We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Thanks for the moral support.
Did the Chinese supplier give your friend a tracking number? Does it match the DHL package you received? If it doesn't, then DHL is the one who messed up.
I hope everything turns out ok for you. I hate to hear stories like these. But I'm also an optimistic guy and I also give people the benefit of the doubt.
xmr405o said:
Did the Chinese supplier give your friend a tracking number? Does it match the DHL package you received?
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Ya he did give us the tracking number and we tracked it all the way from hongkong to my friends doorstep. The mix up may have been when the agents fetched the package from him.
Have updated the original post with the latest news.
Have updated the original post with the latest news.
Updated again:
18 March 2011
If you are paying with Paypal or Credit card, get it refunded by them ...
y2k-inc said:
If you are paying with Paypal or Credit card, get it refunded by them ...
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We transfered to him in china.
And we can't get hold of him to ask for refund.
From all accounts the Xoom is a better tablet.
I have a ZPad and am extremly happy with it and the community work on it (pershot et al).
If I was I am buying to day it would be a Xoom and in a months time perhaps an asus based perhaps 6moths after that what ever Malata has or who every has the fastest at the time.
One thing that seems to stand out about the ZPad is that as Malata seem to manufactuer for others and the ZPad is almost their andriod reference platform*, there is an openess that one may not get from Motorola.
*from Dmesg "Machine:NVIDA Harmony Development System"
Very few HW things in the IT industry stay the best for long, even more so with emerging product lines just look at how netbooks evolved from low end devices to dual core atoms and 6hrsplus batt life in less than 6 months.
That is how I feel too.
The xoom is currently the best, and that's what I'm paying for. It isn't as open as Zpad, but it works without as much tweaking (micro SD and Host USB aside). And to be honest, that's what I really want, something stable that Just works.
I have placed my order to get the Xoom Wifi with a local company, they will get it from the US as soon as it releases, so it will ship on the 28th/29th and I should get it in at most a week from then.
Very Excited!!!
Will keep you posted. Hopefully this is where the Drama will end.
I have update the OP(original post) with the conclusion to my story.
I'm still a few hundred dollars worth out of pocket but over the moon about the outcome regardless.
Cheers
Related
Ok guys, it was a good run... a week run. I don't mind this tablet, I tried TNT 2.2 and ZPAD. I liked them both, TNT a little more.
-This tablet has AMAZING potential, and awesome hardware such as the processor. Software out of the BOX is again like everyone says: HORRIBLE.
Overall build quality is pretty good, not considering the little creeks you get holding the center of the back.
-The official thing that ticked me off to return this tablet was.....wait for it............ LCD Display and viewing angles. Im sorry but it seems like its from the Early 2000's not a display we would see in many electronics Now a days.
-Another deciding factor for me is the touch sensitivity, didn't do it for me. Not as sensitive as I would like.
-Non-illuminated keys, hard to use at night, keys get pressed easily at night.
So after thinking if i should wait for iPAD2, since the rumors are racing; or get Galaxy Tab,
Ive decided to get the Galaxy Tab - I got a brand NEW Galaxy Tab(Sprint) on Ebay for $500 - White backing, Sealed BRAND NEW In BOX. No contract.
I'll be turning the Data OFF and using it as WiFi only, It wont be linked to Sprint, I will NOT activate the 3g.
I got to check the device out, and its extremely portable, its nice. 7 Inch isnt THAT bad at all.
Any comments?
Sorry to see you go. Enjoy your new tablet!
I see these goodbye posts all the time in all the forums I've been a part of. And "sorry" is almost in each post?At the end you just need to be happy with your product. Personally I am not replacing this tablet for anything that's out right now because of the dual core tegra 2 processor. My next tablet is going to be another T2 but definitely a better screen and hopefully a gig of RAM. I don't care if its a 10 or 7 inch tablet because both are practically the same in reference to portability since I can't fit them in my pocket.
Honestly, the only goodbye post that I am looking out for is Roebeets, Rothnic, Bekit, or any other devs. But I figured i'd chime in because I don't think anyone should be sorry for moving on to a different device....unless you were getting a cruz tablet then it would be flame city for you. Jk
I'm sure you'll enjoy ur galaxy tab because its a nice device.
Not gonna disagree with any of your complaints, and if it is not right for you, then get the one you want.
Personally I don't mind the screen, since it is only for me, and I just hold it at the right angle. The non-illuminated buttons are a bit of a silly oversight (and I would much prefer real buttons to those capacitive ones) but I don't mind so much since it has on-screen soft-buttons.
I like it because it is well powered (battery and processor), inexpensive, and has a large display.
Most importantly is that it is easily modifiable. If it wasn't it would have gone right back. It nearly did anyway because I was falsely told by Sears' website that it was a viewpad 10. Since roebeet, rothnic, omiji (? sorry can't remember), and all the others I cannot name have made this device software so good I see awesome potential beyond the great tablet it has already become.
So VS owes XDA and it's senior modders a lot since without them probably all of us would have returned the POS that VS put on the shelves.
In summation Thank You to the XDA team working on the G tab, and if anyone else is thinking about returning this product consider this before you do so, because Samsung, Apple, or any other manufacturer will not give the type of updates and support you can get here from an open device like this, from a place like XDA.
And to the OP, I hope you enjoy your Galaxy better, I have a Captivate and I like it. I am sure if you want a good experience out of the box like what I have in my Captivate, you will be very happy with it.
Hannigan174 said:
In summation Thank You to the XDA team working on the G tab, and if anyone else is thinking about returning this product consider this before you do so, because Samsung, Apple, or any other manufacturer will not give the type of updates and support you can get here from an open device like this, from a place like XDA.
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Definetly +1
I could not of said it better myself.
The notionink adam goes on preorder later today also for $400-500. I'd suggest looking into that tablet also.
mmathai77 said:
Ok guys, it was a good run... a week run. I don't mind this tablet, I tried TNT 2.2 and ZPAD. I liked them both, TNT a little more.
-This tablet has AMAZING potential, and awesome hardware such as the processor. Software out of the BOX is again like everyone says: HORRIBLE.
Overall build quality is pretty good, not considering the little creeks you get holding the center of the back.
-The official thing that ticked me off to return this tablet was.....wait for it............ LCD Display and viewing angles. Im sorry but it seems like its from the Early 2000's not a display we would see in many electronics Now a days.
-Another deciding factor for me is the touch sensitivity, didn't do it for me. Not as sensitive as I would like.
-Non-illuminated keys, hard to use at night, keys get pressed easily at night.
So after thinking if i should wait for iPAD2, since the rumors are racing; or get Galaxy Tab,
Ive decided to get the Galaxy Tab - I got a brand NEW Galaxy Tab(Sprint) on Ebay for $500 - White backing, Sealed BRAND NEW In BOX. No contract.
I'll be turning the Data OFF and using it as WiFi only, It wont be linked to Sprint, I will NOT activate the 3g.
I got to check the device out, and its extremely portable, its nice. 7 Inch isnt THAT bad at all.
Any comments?
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Shouldn't be too bad, and at the price that Samsung is hawking these for they should support it for a while and better than any other currently shipping Android tablet.
7": yeah, I'm missing that form factor ALOT myself, but I just can't bring myself to give up Tegra2 for something lesser even for a better(IMNHO) form factor(7") nor a better screen(awful gTab viewing angles).
I'm keeping my gTab(actually I'm stuck now anyways past my 14d Staples return) and evaluating 7" complementary(to gTab) tablets, of which(ATM) Nook Color is looking nice w/IPS screen and a8 CPU plus now rooted. Just need to get over to a B&N and try out a demo unit... (want to see how overall system and browser fare speedwise @800MHz on an a8...)
Might just wait out until next year and see if anyone coughs up a 7" Tegra2 or one of the other SoC companies cough up their dual core a9 SoCs and they get in a 7"...
Notion Ink: They sound nice, but since they're a new/small tablet only company I'm waiting to see if they survive to release their 2nd tablet, hopefully Tegra3 based...
OP should avoid the 101 then, since mega gimped device.
Probably best to wait until March. There should be 2.3 or higher Tegra 2 tablets all over the place by then.
Maybe a very stable out of box 2.3 Gtablet by then too..... Maybe at least.
japhule said:
The notionink adam goes on preorder later today also for $400-500. I'd suggest looking into that tablet also.
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$375 only!
http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/09/notion-ink-adam-pre-order-to-begin-today-pricing-starts-at-375/
I have been refreshing the NI site for days ready to buy Adam but when I got up to bat I couldn't pull the trigger.
$375 is with a standard LCD - not PixelQI. PQ is $499 w/ Wifi or $550 w/ 3G
Shipping is $50 - the thing comes straight from factory in India.
However, a few things made me hesitate on the device I have waited a year on.
- you must also pay 'customs' but nothing states what this fee is
- shipping is $50 through DHL which is not insured
- ccavenue is processing orders and they do not take MC
- you are billed in full as soon as you place order while estimated ship date is 6-8
- given no further manufacturing delays and that shipping is quick 6-8 weeks is a long wait
- specs list "8+ GB Flash"...so is that 8GB or what?
- crazy amount of return conditions the least of which is getting RMA 7 no later than 7 days after shipment (probably take longer than that for DHL to get it to you) and a 20% restocking fee for 'open' items (that's $100 + return shipping)
- no mention of 'bad pixel' policy
So while I am in love with this thing and will be so jealous for those brave enough to order site unseen (not even a hands on or real photo on website) I am just not that brave.
Now the question is....do I open my gTablet and play with it until round 2 or do I look at something maybe a little bit pricier but with a better display?
Lnin0 said:
I have been refreshing the NI site for days ready to buy Adam but when I got up to bat I couldn't pull the trigger.
$375 is with a standard LCD - not PixelQI. PQ is $499 w/ Wifi or $550 w/ 3G
Shipping is $50 - the thing comes straight from factory in India.
However, a few things made me hesitate on the device I have waited a year on.
- you must also pay 'customs' but nothing states what this fee is
- shipping is $50 through DHL which is not insured
- ccavenue is processing orders and they do not take MC
- you are billed in full as soon as you place order while estimated ship date is 6-8
- given no further manufacturing delays and that shipping is quick 6-8 weeks is a long wait
- specs list "8+ GB Flash"...so is that 8GB or what?
- crazy amount of return conditions the least of which is getting RMA 7 no later than 7 days after shipment (probably take longer than that for DHL to get it to you) and a 20% restocking fee for 'open' items (that's $100 + return shipping)
- no mention of 'bad pixel' policy
So while I am in love with this thing and will be so jealous for those brave enough to order site unseen (not even a hands on or real photo on website) I am just not that brave.
Now the question is....do I open my gTablet and play with it until round 2 or do I look at something maybe a little bit pricier but with a better display?
Click to expand...
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Yep they're already out of money...
cutterjohn said:
Yep they're already out of money...
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For those that are wanting but not ordered an Adam - the Pixel QI versions are already sold out. All they have left now is the LCD version.
Since I couldn't pull the trigger on the Adam I guess the only thing standing between me unboxing my g tablet is questions of the viewing angles. Since my wife picked this up from the store I have not seen it in person. Is it really a deal breaker? What is Office Depot return policy on open products - I know during the holidays returns are extended until Jan 8 but not sure if that mean sealed in the box or not? I imagine I could just go and return it Dec 26 if it is that bad....stores are usually so crazy that day they ask few questions about returns.
Oh, and about Notion Ink. They updated their blog explaining some of the conditions (such as $50 shipping) and it is a little more comforting. I never doubted they were a good, honest company. I think my issue is that they are biting off more than they can chew.
Building a fantastic product in a lab is one thing - seeing a new product introduction through the entire manufacturing process is something completely different and that is where I am not sure of NI's experience. While the prospect of waiting sux, I think I am more comfortable doing so than jumping in on the first run.
It is not a question of NI taking care of me if there is an issues, it is a question of when. I am still jealous of all those who did place the order and will kick myself the day everyone starts posting their unboxing videos :-(
Lnin0 said:
For those that are wanting but not ordered an Adam - the Pixel QI versions are already sold out. All they have left now is the LCD version.
Since I couldn't pull the trigger on the Adam I guess the only thing standing between me unboxing my g tablet is questions of the viewing angles. Since my wife picked this up from the store I have not seen it in person. Is it really a deal breaker? What is Office Depot return policy on open products - I know during the holidays returns are extended until Jan 8 but not sure if that mean sealed in the box or not? I imagine I could just go and return it Dec 26 if it is that bad....stores are usually so crazy that day they ask few questions about returns.
Oh, and about Notion Ink. They updated their blog explaining some of the conditions (such as $50 shipping) and it is a little more comforting. I never doubted they were a good, honest company. I think my issue is that they are biting off more than they can chew.
Building a fantastic product in a lab is one thing - seeing a new product introduction through the entire manufacturing process is something completely different and that is where I am not sure of NI's experience. While the prospect of waiting sux, I think I am more comfortable doing so than jumping in on the first run.
It is not a question of NI taking care of me if there is an issues, it is a question of when. I am still jealous of all those who did place the order and will kick myself the day everyone starts posting their unboxing videos :-(
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Office Depot will give you a return gift ticket for Jan 8th (they did for me). Since Flash and the acceleromter have issues out of box, Office Depot should allow return and no restock or forced store credit (they do this for opened electronics). The store manager wrote on my receipt "Full return allowed", since he was aware of the issues.
Lnin0 said:
For those that are wanting but not ordered an Adam - the Pixel QI versions are already sold out. All they have left now is the LCD version.
Since I couldn't pull the trigger on the Adam I guess the only thing standing between me unboxing my g tablet is questions of the viewing angles. Since my wife picked this up from the store I have not seen it in person. Is it really a deal breaker? What is Office Depot return policy on open products - I know during the holidays returns are extended until Jan 8 but not sure if that mean sealed in the box or not? I imagine I could just go and return it Dec 26 if it is that bad....stores are usually so crazy that day they ask few questions about returns.
Oh, and about Notion Ink. They updated their blog explaining some of the conditions (such as $50 shipping) and it is a little more comforting. I never doubted they were a good, honest company. I think my issue is that they are biting off more than they can chew.
Building a fantastic product in a lab is one thing - seeing a new product introduction through the entire manufacturing process is something completely different and that is where I am not sure of NI's experience. While the prospect of waiting sux, I think I am more comfortable doing so than jumping in on the first run.
It is not a question of NI taking care of me if there is an issues, it is a question of when. I am still jealous of all those who did place the order and will kick myself the day everyone starts posting their unboxing videos :-(
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For personal viewing/usage I don't really find it to be that noticeable except when I rotate the tablet specifically to look at this and was simultaneously checking for backlight bleed(had bad bleed on GT & WPDN).
Sorry, but there's a problem with a company that immediately charges for an order when they KNOW it will not be shipping for a while. They're SUPPOSED to NOT charge UNTIL the item is shipped or about to be shipped. So this tells me that they're tight on money ATM...
If you are considering a pre-order, I would read this first: http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/1...e-return-policy-are-arousing-suspicion-anger/
I am a web systems admin, and deal with security from an Operations standpoint. With that in mind, I have been watching this over and I am VERY wary of this company. Imo, I would avoid the pre-order and wait until release.
A few things are red flags to me:
- They mentioned that the FCC request is well hidden. Why would they do that? Why the mystery?
- There are ZERO videos of this thing, other than the original prototype from months ago.
- The pics we've seen seem to be photoshopped. Granted, other companies do this but where are the real pics?
- Why hasn't a newer prototype been given to Engadget yet, for review? Again, what are they hiding?
- I have heard that, with the initial pre-order screen, there was no SSL and your SSN was required. Why in the WORLD would they need my SSN?
- $50 shipping. Huh????
- This is not Apple or MS, this is a start-up company. There's no history here.
- I heard that your credit card is being charged, with the pre-order. That is a major red flag. A legit company would put a hold on your CC, but not actually charge you until it is shipped. A recent example of this is what happened with the Archos 101 pre-orders from J&R and Tigerdirect.
I'm not going to go as far as to say that this is a scam, but it sounds very suspicious to me. Again, my 2 cents on the matter. It's a shame because I was considering this device, myself.
I agree completely! I too was considering this device as a preorder option... but I think I can wait now.... I kinda feel like they are just trying to raise the money necessary to START full production.... which is a big NO NO in my book!
--GoJimi
______________________
VEGAn-TAB Developer
Roebeet,
Did you see the Liliputing article from about a hour ago:
http://liliputing.com/2010/12/notion-ink-adam-launch-runs-into-some-roadbumps.html
Well said Roe. I think everyone was considering pre-ordering this thing, but I was expecting a couple videos and plenty of pictures. We got none of that. Therefore, no dice. The mickey mouse ordering system w/ tons of problems being reported and so many questions left unanswered made it easy for me to decide not to preorder one. Anyone who preorders one of these is naive and dumb if you ask me.
roebeet said:
If you are considering a pre-order, I would read this first: http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/1...e-return-policy-are-arousing-suspicion-anger/
I am a web systems admin, and deal with security from an Operations standpoint. With that in mind, I have been watching this over and I am VERY wary of this company. Imo, I would avoid the pre-order and wait until release.
A few things are red flags to me:
- They mentioned that the FCC request is well hidden. Why would they do that? Why the mystery?
- There are ZERO videos of this thing, other than the original prototype from months ago.
- The pics we've seen seem to be photoshopped. Granted, other companies do this but where are the real pics?
- Why hasn't a newer prototype been given to Engadget yet, for review? Again, what are they hiding?
- I have heard that, with the initial pre-order screen, there was no SSL and your SSN was required. Why in the WORLD would they need my SSN?
- $50 shipping. Huh????
- This is not Apple or MS, this is a start-up company. There's no history here.
- I heard that your credit card is being charged, with the pre-order. That is a major red flag. A legit company would put a hold on your CC, but not actually charge you until it is shipped. A recent example of this is what happened with the Archos 101 pre-orders from J&R and Tigerdirect.
I'm not going to go as far as to say that this is a scam, but it sounds very suspicious to me. Again, my 2 cents on the matter. It's a shame because I was considering this device, myself.
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Click to collapse
This is the BIGGEST warning to me, and I pointed it out in another thread as soon as I saw that. To me, this means that they have no money left, and need the pre-order payments right now to fund manufacturing and the company...
Butch1326 said:
Roebeet,
Did you see the Liliputing article from about a hour ago:
http://liliputing.com/2010/12/notion-ink-adam-launch-runs-into-some-roadbumps.html
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Click to collapse
I'm reading up on their replies, right now - a lot of it sounds like bull, to me. Yes, it's also possible that this is growing pains for a start-up, but the bottom line is that I just don't trust this enough to give them my money, yet.
- The shipping rates. They could have raised the price $25, and then dropped the shipping to $25. My feeling on this is that shipping is not refundable - that means that if you return the item they keep the shipping and make some money off you. This is same thing that eBay sellers do, and it's not a good way for me to trust them. The device is only a few pounds, it's not a heavy device and $50 is excessive.
- No Mastercard payments. They had more than 6 months to fix this, it's Internet commerce 101, as well as SSL. Not having these scares the carp out of me, as a consumer. I have no faith that my credit card info is safe with them, and that is not a good thing.
- No pics of the device. That takes about 10 minutes to fix. Take pics, upload to blog, done. Same with a video -- why the delay? Again, very suspicious here.
The "mystery" factor works for a company like Apple, as they are an established company who has a history. This company is a start-up - as far as we know, this device doesn't exist and the CEO is about to take all your money and disappear.
Here's NI's reply:
http://notionink.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/introspection/
I'm with you. I was on board to pick one up, in addition to my Gtab. I had my CC out and even stayed up waiting for that first 3am preorder. Then details started leaking out and I came to my senses. You are assuming a company will come through because we're used to dealing with large corporations. These assumptions are wrong in this case since this is an uproven company, with unproven people, in another country (legality), with a product that they refuse to show.
My guess is that this is a company run by young enthusiastic engineers getting railroaded hard by the people financing them. However, I'm not going to put my money out their first. The last straw was their sneaky method of jacking the price of the top version, the one I wanted, by 20%. First they increased the base price $50 and then changed free shipping to $50, ending up with a $500 to $600 price.
I hear you Roebeet. I was one of the so called family and got the link and it was a disaster from the onset. Thank God I couldn't get to the purchase page because the server kept crashing and the 12pm PST thing.
What saved me from ordering the adam is that I had to go to work. I was already running late. When I got off work it said they were sold out. WTF! How can something that is not in production be sold out?? If it does exist, I'll wait until it is in a real store.
I am now confident it is still vaporware. I feel for those that bought it without actually seeing a demo video or real pictures. I just hope they didn't get scammed.
Yeah, liliputing echoed my thoughts. I really don't think NotionInk is being deceitful. For those that follow the blog you know they genuinely care about making a great device and I have little doubt Adam exist.
In my mind there is no question the device will be great. The real problem isn't about developing a great device, its about introducing, manufacturing, distributing and supporting your first ever product. That in itself is a huge undertaking if you just planned to sell to one region let alone the world.
I wish them the best of luck and hope this thing does take off. I kind of just wish for their sake they would have started off a little less ambitious.
[My guess is some models 'sold out' because pre-sales numbers where tied to their initial parts inventory and the number of tablets they can produce in a month. That imo is a good thing.]
Too much money to commit for a product with nothing but vapor to show so far. The company appears to be very naive or this is a sham. Hope for the former, none the less.
I am happy with the G and the way I use the device, the viewing angles are fine and the device has 8gb more space and not sourced from India with a VERY dubious January ship date. Gtablet is $150 more for the good display
Some stuff going on does not add up, so if naive or something else, neither is good.
This launch could make the Gtablet seem iPad-like, in comparison
I was about to order mine last night but I couldn't pull the trigger. Too many red flags. The $50 shipping and asking for SSN was what finally made me come to my senses. If this tablet is really awesome why they didn't send demos to any tech blogs ?
For now I'm very happy with my G-Tablet. Thank you roebeet for your hard work.
You know, I kind of think that they might actually have a product and they might have had enough mfged already for the pre-order guys, but ran out of money doing those and hence need to charge new orders immediately.
I thought that they had pictures of an actual unit, that red one in one of the Nov/maybe early Dec blog posts? Still kind of disconcerting that they have no videos and no more better pix of the thing...
Well, since I decided to skip this one anyways since I kept the gTab, I can afford to wait and see what happens, hope that they ship something close to what they claim, and then see if they survive to do a Tegra 3 tablet, which IF they do better in pricing and get me a 7" form factor, I MIGHT spring for...
Maybe just wishful thinking but I guess we'll see when they start shipping, after all remember open pandora? I think they finally started shipping more than prototype versions earlier this year, when they were SUPPOSED to have started shipping over 2y ago! OP is kind of a joke now at the price it's listed at, and what it is...
Took my WPDN back to BBB today. They didn't even open the box, just printed out a form for me to sign and handed over the cash and a receipt showing my return.
After that I wandered over the B&N almost next store and took a look at the Nook Color... was SORELY tempted to just buy one, but decided to wait and see a bit. Nice 7" form factor, nice screen, light(!), and fairly speedy for only being a8 @ 800MHz and 2.1! Woman at the counter claims that they're planning OS upgrades and flash support when I asked her about it. Browser still had problems with the many more button on /. then again so did the WPDN & GT. On the gTab it loads them almost as quickly as my nb... still thinking about NC...
As much as I'd like to think they are just being naive and made some mistakes in the SSL / Mastercard / SSN area, I don't believe that's the case. And for one reason only - no photos and no videos of the product since earlier this year. That is very suspicious.
This is not rocket science - all they need to do is upload a few real photos and a quick video of the device in someone's hands, to allay fears. It's been 24 hours now and that has not happened (yet). If they stop being so darn mysterious and show us that there's really a product out there, then I won't be so cautious.
But, I still wouldn't pre-order it if they charge me before shipping. This is like meeting a stranger on the street, giving them $450 on the honor system that they will come back in 2 months to your house to give you your product. At least we have Visa protection but you might still have a deductible.
Not disagreeing with anyone here, but the whole SSN thing was the credit card companies verifying your identity. That has nothing to do with notion ink, i order internationally all the time and whenever you do so the banks require verification a lot of the time. Also, it doesn't ask for your entire SSN, just the last 4 digits.
I ordered one, nervously. We'll see what happens.
LeftysRule22 said:
Not disagreeing with anyone here, but the whole SSN thing was the credit card companies verifying your identity. That has nothing to do with notion ink, i order internationally all the time and whenever you do so the banks require verification a lot of the time. Also, it doesn't ask for your entire SSN, just the last 4 digits.
I ordered one, nervously. We'll see what happens.
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If it was the last four digits, that's not the same thing - agreed. I heard it was the whole thing, but I didn't see this myself.
I actually hope that I'm wrong and that these devices are shipped in January and are just as good as we all hope they are. But them charging you before shipment bugs me - I heard that was true, correct?
roebeet said:
If it was the last four digits, that's not the same thing - agreed. I heard it was the whole thing, but I didn't see this myself.
I actually hope that I'm wrong and that these devices are shipped in January and are just as good as we all hope they are. But them charging you before shipment bugs me - I heard that was true, correct?
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No company should or by law use your SSN to identify you!
This is looking fishery than ever, sadly...
roebeet said:
But them charging you before shipment bugs me - I heard that was true, correct?
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This is what made me most nervous, it's true. I was kinda hoping it wouldn't charge immediately. Dec 18th will hopefully alleviate some concern.
Well, maybe when it eventually comes out, if the firmware is as awesome as Notion Ink says it is, it can be ported over to other devices? I'm sure it would make a pretty awesome Android tablet with their supposed custom interface and apps.
I've been waiting on the Adam for the past year because of its Qi-Pixel display, but the lack of videos/photos and important information kept me from pulling the trigger. For some reason they refuse to release specifics such as whether the damn thing will support the Android market. That's B.S. If you want people to give you $550+ for something, you need to tell them what they're getting in return.
The reason they're not showing pictures on their site probably has to do with US law which would hold them accountable if they shipped a device that didn't match the photo. That may be the same reason why they're not discussing some of the specs. Who the hell knows.
I'm going back to Sears tomorrow to see if I can get the price difference between the $379 I paid and the $349 sale. Hell, if Sears is cool to me I'll probably just pick up a 2nd G-Tab and forget about Notion Ink.
http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=/&gl=US#/watch?xl=xl_blazer&v=LPowc1yM0NQ
I would've preordered it if I hadn't bought the G tab which I didn't return due to the awesome 'trio' we have here, working all day & night to make this tab better and better.
I think those Notion Ink guys are facing some problems due to their inexperience and lack of support.
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0b1 using Tapatalk
Sears has run out of tablets at the location near my house.
I asked when they wil get more and this was his response
"Due to high return rates, I dont think we will be receiving any more."
But we was not totaly sure.
So now what? I just snagged one off amazon incase they get pulled there too. I'm getting a bit mad.
EDIT: I went back there on my way home and spoke to the manager. He told me that the employee was mis-informed. And now I feel Like a jerk cuase I might have gotten that guy in trouble. Oh well.
Picked up one yesterday at Office Depot. They even matched the Sear's sale price of $379. Immediately loaded VEGAn - with the new ROM this device ROCKS!
Not true... Many stores in my area have them and the ones that dont have dates for restock - 15 - 25 days on average...
I just called CS (for the second time today) and SEARS / Office Depot have not pulled the device, at least not yet. And allegedly an update is still planned for tomorrow. Allegedly.
My local Staples has definitely pulled it, even the floor model. They are all being sent back.
Engadget has an article about this... I'd love to know what the defect is/was...
Though if i could guess its the fact that it says it has adobe flash support right on the box and as we all know thats not true.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/18/viewsonic-g-tablet-pulled-from-staples-stores-manufacturing-de/
I called my Staples as well - it sounds like it's firmware related (as I expected). Not the crappy UI as much as things like the boot loops and FC's. Yes, it happens on stock, too.
And keep in mind that, with stock, users don't have XDA or clockworkmod to help them. I can't see how VS Customer Service can fix those issues since there's no way to wipe user data or redo the SD partitions.
Hopefully not the nivida problem again. I got burned by it 2 years ago (my HP laptop)...
roebeet said:
I called my Staples as well - it sounds like it's firmware related (as I expected). Not the crappy UI as much as things like the boot loops and FC's. Yes, it happens on stock, too.
And keep in mind that, with stock, users don't have XDA or clockworkmod to help them. I can't see how VS Customer Service can fix those issues since there's no way to wipe user data or redo the SD partitions.
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Maybe, VS should include a XDA developer link in the custumer support site or the gtablet package.
Engadget HATES the G Tablet
The Engadget guys are becoming [email protected]#$ing pu$$ies, I agree for a normal user this tablet will be a BIG disappointment - GREAT JOB VIEWSONIC for screwing up!, but for advance users this is a decent tablet. It is just embarrassing to see both Samsung and Viewsonic screw up like this by going early to market with bad design decisions (7 inch tablets SUCK!!)
I am eager to see what the "manufacturing defect" Staples has uncovered!
Well this really sucks. I was very worried this was going to happen, once these retailers dump the product, I'm afraid that VS will dump it too. Therefore, all of us that still have the tablet and actually like it will be left without any type of support or updates from VS.
I will assume we will be OK with the development that goes on here, but it would be nice to have VS supply us with stuff. I guess we can use the stuff from the Vega and Z-pad. Any thoughts on that aspect?
rayden25 said:
Well this really sucks. I was very worried this was going to happen, once these retailers dump the product, I'm afraid that VS will dump it too. Therefore, all of us that still have the tablet and actually like it will be left without any type of support or updates from VS.
I will assume we will be OK with the development that goes on here, but it would be nice to have VS supply us with stuff. I guess we can use the stuff from the Vega and Z-pad. Any thoughts on that aspect?
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I've ben concerned about this for weeks, now. Staples pulling it is bad enough, but if SEARS And Office Depot do the same then I will be very worried. And i think there's a possibility that it could happen. In 3 months, we could completely lose any support from VS.
But, as you said, zPad will hopefully be alive and well as well as the Vega. They have superior UI's and if they continue supporting it into 2.3 then we will be in pretty good shape. I would say that the possibility that VS will deploy a 2.3 firmware is low. But, again, maybe they will surprise me.
Ouch. Just saw this pop up on my newsfeed. As ViewSonic, what do you do now with all your early adopters? Do you offer to take back the units which were sold now that you are prematurely removing support and updates? Do you just write all those people off who bought your unit in November and are beyond their return window? Offer a trade-in allowance towards its successor?
Talk2Rider said:
Ouch. Just saw this pop up on my newsfeed. As ViewSonic, what do you do now with all your early adopters? Do you offer to take back the units which were sold now that you are prematurely removing support and updates? Do you just write all those people off who bought your unit in November and are beyond their return window? Offer a trade-in allowance towards its successor?
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S.O.L.
**** outa luck
I don't know if you all remember, but the (Ipad) some problems when it came out also.
The difference seems to be the way that Apple vs. VS are reacting (dead silence for the latter), and how much leverage they have w/the resellers.
Just strange...
Jim
http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/12/18/viewsonic.gtablet.pulled.from.staples/
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2010/12/18/staples-pulls-viewsonic-g-tablet/
http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/12/1...et-recalled-staples-pulls-veiwsonic-gtablets/
Had to leave a comment on that crunchgear article. I believe the author is an apple fanboy with his statement "the first of the garbage tablets"...
Personally, this is part of the reason I paid for one of those accidental warranty extensions. Sears said that within two years I just need to call in and they'll send me the purchase price of the tablet (minus the warranty). So in a couple years regardless of what VS does, I still can get my money back. Basically a $50 lease for two years...
bousquet said:
Personally, this is part of the reason I paid for one of those accidental warranty extensions. Sears said that within two years I just need to call in and they'll send me the purchase price of the tablet (minus the warranty). So in a couple years regardless of what VS does, I still can get my money back. Basically a $50 lease for two years...
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Off topic:
LOL... Jeremy Clarkson is my hero. That poor excuse for Top Gear USA sucks hard!
Viewsonic would have already killed/delayed the device if one hand knew what the other was doing. We are a very small percent of the Gtablets that are either sitting in a warehouse or in Christmas wrapping right now. The REAL fun kicks in on the 26th
I already posted and communicated to Viewsonic how they can manage damage control and PERHAPS turn this around. If they do not, Viewsonic's NA sales and operations planning meeting in the next few months will be "bloody". Tap UI dev will be dead to the business world and so probably will the marketing product management "team" for this device- IF they do not take proactive steps.
That said, if they dump most of the liability to the OEM and their proxy, VS may minimize their loss and simply shut shop on the product. Catch here will be their credibility in the tablet market will be destroyed.
bousquet said:
Personally, this is part of the reason I paid for one of those accidental warranty extensions. Sears said that within two years I just need to call in and they'll send me the purchase price of the tablet (minus the warranty). So in a couple years regardless of what VS does, I still can get my money back. Basically a $50 lease for two years...
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Glad I did the same. I have a way out if I need it. I think zPAD and VEGA will go on and that will be more than good enough for the life expectancy of this gadget anyway... Long live Roebeet...!
Is it possible that we will be able to get our hands on any of these recalled tablets at a discount anywhere, maybe from the viewsonic outlet website?
I have an archos 101 that I will be returning (mainly after reading all the work done by XDA on the gtablet) and I am looking to pick up a Gtablet. The only issue I have is that I don't want to pick one up today for $379 at Sears and then have them available at a deep discount some where else next week. I am ok if Viewsonic stops supporting it because I know there will be community support for a while.
Any suggestions on what I should do? Take the plunge or wait for a little?
If you see one at a discounted price, you'll be getting an excellent deal!
The problem with Staples is that they are not putting them up for clearance - they are sending them back to the vendor, even the floor models.
SEARS Outlet has been a great site for us and I would suggest that you continue scanning it every morning. But, the problem is that the chances of seeing a device near you are slim. I have never found one less than 45 minutes away from me and I've only see ones within a reasonable driving distance (1.25 hours) about three times in the last month.
roebeet said:
The problem with Staples is that they are not putting them up for clearance - they are sending them back to the vendor, even the floor models.
SEARS Outlet has been a great site for us and I would suggest that you continue scanning it every morning. But, the problem is that the chances of seeing a device near you are slim. I have never found one less than 45 minutes away from me and I've only see ones within a reasonable driving distance (1.25 hours) about three times in the last month.
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I haven't seen one closer than a 12hr drive, so consider yourself lucky. I settled for the $350 sale price.
I haven't seen one on the sears outlet site at all for weeks now. When I saw it the first time I started researching and and came across this site. Then I knew I had to have one but by the time I realized that it was too late. Any chance that they will start popping up on other sites for sale after the recall?
Always check at ~9AM or 10AM ET each morning. By midday ET, whatever was there is usually gone.
roebeet said:
Always check at ~9AM or 10AM ET each morning. By midday ET, whatever was there is usually gone.
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Roeby, based on Sears discussion, the Gtablet is no longer being treated as a standard product where they triage and maybe sell as refurb. This process costs Sears money and then they have to wait for compensation from the supplier. Much cheaper for Sears to simply return the product as defective. Some may slip through, but only if the product is not scanned and falls through the cracks (anything is possible).
We seem to already have apparent evidence that Sears is sending returns back (or storing for a mass return). The return rate is absurdly high, but not too many available in outlets.
I see that office depot has the gtablet for $369 in store. Does anyone think that there will be a price drop after Christmas?
It doesnt sound like Sears is following the path of others....
They still units in the stores for sale and not a word about a recall.
I picked up 2 today for Xmas gifts... 379.99 + tax + plus 5X rewards points...
Viewsonic cases were 5.99...
I think this Tablet rocks... I use mine everyday and it's 95% rock solid...
Vegan Beta 3.... With everything including the kitchen sink installed.
If anyone hasn't used Touchdown Pro and has a need, GET IT! It makes this Tablet
rock!
If I could get the VPN to connect to my work's system it would be perfect!
Dknyc79 said:
Is it possible that we will be able to get our hands on any of these recalled tablets at a discount anywhere, maybe from the viewsonic outlet website?
I have an archos 101 that I will be returning (mainly after reading all the work done by XDA on the gtablet) and I am looking to pick up a Gtablet. The only issue I have is that I don't want to pick one up today for $379 at Sears and then have them available at a deep discount some where else next week. I am ok if Viewsonic stops supporting it because I know there will be community support for a while.
Any suggestions on what I should do? Take the plunge or wait for a little?
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[email protected],
I returned my Gtab last weekend for an exchange and found out that they are now $349 although they are showing $379 on the website.
I still keep mine and enjoy it every day after I installed the Vegan ROM. It really works great. I don't see any hardware problem at all, just some fixable software glitches.
I can't wait to run Honeycomb on the gTab though!
I paid $379.99 minus a 10% "family & friends day" discount!
Cheers,
Rayan
Personally I suspect that the only real issue is the less than satisfactory stock UI and the fact that you can use it without purchasing a contract from a wireless carrier.
Even the smallest amount of tweaking (Root, LauncherPro, market and flash "Super Thread works" ) of even the stock OS yields a very responsive and user friendly device.
That said I will be watching for a second Gtab at a discount but I suspect that those who have it will keep it. If I can make this thing perform then anyone with a little time and willingness can do so also.
g Tablet Manufacturing Defect
Greetings, I have a gtablet and 3 days to return it to Sears.
If the product is being returned by Staples why should I NOT
want to return it?
I also notice that the Scheduled Dec 19, 2010
ADOBE FLASH update has NOT occured.
Listen, Thanks for all the help - I appreciate it
//ji
Greetings, this may be something and may be nothing.
Just FYI –
I talked to Mike at Viewsonic support on 20101220 3:34p PST.
He advises that Staples had an in store warranty conflict and no manufacturing defect exists with the gtablet. The update scheduled for 20101219 is posted and done so in such a way that some folks see it auto-download with WIFI and some will not for approx 24 to 48 hours.
Mike also advises that the Adobe Flash update IS NOT part of the latest update however he says it is still in the works and will be updated soon.
I am still contemplating whether to return mine or not. I have had it for 27 days and it has been absolutely fabulous and beyond my expectations less the FLASH player.
//ji
johni58 said:
days and it has been absolutely fabulous and beyond my expectations less the FLASH player.
I need INPUT INPUT INPUT.
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Doesn't this speak for itself?
If it's fabulous, keep it and wait for flash.
A million Thanks -
Well VP, I always like to get an expert opinion before I proceed and you have certainly provided that, hence - I am very appreciative. Thanks //ji
What @rushless said is correct just checked searsoutlet.com and they had a G tablet for sale @ $279 but apparently it's only available for pick up and the "nearest store" was in Cupertino. But I called one of my local sears and they said they would have a good discount on open-box items. Of course that answer will vary because instore someone told me that the returns if they were like new they would just resell them with a 10% discount.
Check the searsoutlet.com between 9 and 10 am and you may find a good price for one.
Thanks. The outlet is great but the closest I've seen was a 2 1/2 hour drive. Does anyone know if they will ship it between stores? Does anyone know what viewsonic will be doing with all the returned units? They all should be in good condition and even if they update the software they still can't sell them as new? I was kind of holding out for all those returned items to show up for sale somewhere online.
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
If it helps, I found the GTab for $364.00 online...
http://www.electronicexpress.com/product?prod_id=18498
Hmm. Interesting. Whats the deal with that site? I've never heard of it before. Is it reliable?
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
Ok so the navy exchange is being retarded. Still thinks i have the transfprmer on order but i just got a email saying its discontinued any one else here of see that. Ill post the link when i get to work im driving to it now.
Dear Exchange Patron,
This email is in regards to your order for (X672H - TRNSFRMR TABLT DK BRN EEEPAD)
that you recently placed with us. Our supplier has informed us that the item has been discontinued. A full refund will be processed for this item. Please allow 3-5 business days for credit posting. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact customer service by phone at 1-800-527-2345 or via chat at www.shopmyexchange.com . Email replies must include your order number and contact information in order to receive a prompt response.
Respectfully,
Sheila Easter
Sr. Customer Service Tech
Marketing-Exchange Catalog /Online Store
Army & Air Force Exchange Service
Phone: 1-800-527-2345 Fax 1-214-465-2197
[email protected]
Visit our online store! www.shopmyexchange.com
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Maybe because the TF101G is coming out. (3g model) (it's on their support site now)
or... tf102? Transformer 2 but most likely just a buggy system message.. But I doubt transformer 2 lol, icecream hasn't even been released on the "Nexus Prime".
hmmm i edited my OP to show what i got. i orded the 32GB 2 weeks before it came out.
the way etailers are undercutting the price, I would imagine the TF101 is past the curve in its lifecycle.
I doubt it's discontinued, the transformer sells very well. So I don't see why asus stops selling it. My guess is Exchange can't provide you with the device for some reasons, but said it's discontinued.
Newegg has it (or did two days ago) bundled with the dock for $50 off the full price. unless you're getting a better price through the exchange, just order it from the Egg.
Better not be
I just got me and my girl transformers for our birthdays and she got us the docks, and unless the 3g version is free its not for me I have enough wireless dollars going out.
Might just mean that they have discontinued carrying it especially in light of all the maneuvering (Multiple orders/ cancellations) that went on after initial release
It wouldnt make sense to discontinue such a popular product
This just worries me more about buying this, now :/. I was very interested in purchasing the Transformer but if something better is going to come out really soon then I won't bother.
It's so frustrating that I've come in at the time the current TF101 is becoming out of date. That's my own fault for not being current enough, I guess. Should the people who've wondered about buying (such as myself) hold off for a little while longer, perhaps?
There's always something better coming soon. And a Transformer is a good buy.
This doesn't mean anything, because their supplier is not necessarily Asus. Most probably some other 3rd party wholesaler and they must have discontinued selling it. That doesn't man the product is discontinued.
Just keep in mind that even if a product sells extremely well, if it's a low margin product like a tablet where a seller is only making a little profit to begin with, it doesn't take a lot of returns/swaps before it becomes an item a seller doesn't want to sell. How many posts have you seen here where people had returned a transformer 2, 3 or even 4 times to get a perfect unit? Although low margins/price don't mean that a consumer shouldn't expect a good unit, as someone who works for a consumer electronics retailer I can assure you that if any product bcomes a liability in terms of cost we stop selling it. Obviously although we pride ourselves on customer service we are ultimately in the business to make a profit, so regardless of how popular a unit is it has to pay its own way. This is especially true for a company selling on the internet, since the Walmart idea of having loss leaders doesn't work - people go to your site and buy what they need, they don't often add other higher margin items.
lathanub said:
This just worries me more about buying this, now :/. I was very interested in purchasing the Transformer but if something better is going to come out really soon then I won't bother.
It's so frustrating that I've come in at the time the current TF101 is becoming out of date. That's my own fault for not being current enough, I guess. Should the people who've wondered about buying (such as myself) hold off for a little while longer, perhaps?
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There will always be something better. The Quad Core tablets are suppose to be arriving this fall I thought, so if you hold out until then that could be good. I got my Tablet back in June and am very happy with it.
Hell I am never satisfied though. I got a new Laptop (Sager) in May, Tablet (Transformer) in June, and now I want to build a new Desktop (custom build). If I do the desktop my wife is going to kill me!