[EvilDragon]

CE shouldn''t take one month - I know the test itself can be done in a couple of days and we''re looking for a company that won''t give us a long wait before they start testing.

[Chip]

They wouldn''t be sending the CNC case to the mold makers, they''d be sending the actual CAD file. Much more accurate, and there''s not much that the mold makers could do with the CNC case anyway.

The case manufacturer already has the CAD files, as they are the ones making the CNC prototype as well. That is why we went with CNC (as opposed to other, much faster rapid prototype technologies). Since it is the same factory, we know they have the exact dimensions down. Since it is the same machines in the same facility, there is little chance of (and no excuse for) variations between the prototype and final cases.

These cases are being made in China. As I understand things, the cases will be shipped to TX where everything will be assembled and tested. The completed, tested Pandoras will be shipped to the UK and from there to everybody who ordered one.

[EvilDragon]

The completed, tested Pandoras will be shipped to the UK and from there to everybody who ordered one.

... and to Germany

[Vorporeal]

Wouldn''t it be cheaper to ship the ones destined for the US to MWeston? Or would it be too difficult to organize? (Probably.)

[Chip]

Wouldn''''t it be cheaper to ship the ones destined for the US to MWeston? Or would it be too difficult to organize? (Probably.)

It would be cheaper in some ways, much more expensive in others. MWeston has a day job which would preclude him from boxing and labeling hundreds of Pandoras in a reasonable timeframe. I have offered to do it, but Craig declined for what are actually quite good reasons that I''m not sure I can discuss. Rest assured that it is being planned in the most reasonable way possible.

[hedwards]

Nevrmind

This post has been edited by hedwards: 18 February 2009 - 12:41 PM

[fettouhi]

So, is the unofficial release date April 7th still a go?

Regards

André

[_VWV_]

I think June the 7-th is still a go. :-(

[tsh]

Honestly if everything is okay this would be the worst case scenario:
<...>

Best Case scenario:
Case gets delivered to Mike on Feb 27th
Mike assembles and approves the case and ships out to CE/FCC on March 2nd
March 6th - CE testing completed, Test run scheduled
March 13th - Must receive last remaining pieces of mass production
March 16th - Test run of 400 boards
March 20th - Boards arrive for testing
March 24th - Test run burn in completed, remaining run scheduled.
March 25th - Final assembly first 400.
March 30th - first 400 shipped to UK.
March 30th - 2nd 400 start production.
April 6th - Dispatch to customers
April 7th - First pre-order arrives.
April 20th - Final 400 start production.
April 28th - Final 400 clear test, ship to UK.
May 8th - Final 1st batch dispatch to customer.
May 15th - Final pre-order arrives.

This is assuming everything goes to plan, and is based entirely on guesswork and a couple of very long weekends in a factory several years ago
I git to 7th April by coincidence!

[r00tw00t]

Best or worst scenario - still a long wait. Best thing I can do is to forget about the Pandora and maybe time will go a bit faster. And when it arrives I will be very pleasant surprised! ...

Nah, who am I kidding. I will still refresh the forum at least ten times a day and maybe just maybe there will be some good news soon!

One more thing. I want more videos of the Pandora! It''s the closest we can get until we have the final product in our hands

[Phawx]

@tsh

Best case scenario would be Mike getting the CNC case this week. Which there is still a chance of.

@EvilDragon & Chip

Thank you for the update guys. Every little bit of info helps a great deal!

[RajTakhar]

Whats the word on the Keyboard?

Surely this will be the fly in the ointment? - as the design is not finalized then it needs to be produced at same speed by which the final case is done - then passed over for the CE testing at same time?

Or am I missing a trick - possibly the CE testing covers hardware components rather than mechanical keyboard

[j.pickens]

Whats the word on the Keyboard?

I would assume that the mechanical mold making is going on right now for the keypads.
There will be a specific time when the keypad manufacturer will need a printing template.
The Pandora team has until this time to finalize the printed key layout.
But the layout itself is a simple graphic file in a format specified by the manufacturer, which would
most likely just be emailed from Pandora to the maker.
As long as OpenPandora gets the layout to the maker in time, this shouldn''t slow up anything.


Other than the minds of the Pandora team, who are probably getting about done with all the keyboard comments.

[Phawx]

They really need to do a deadline for the keyboard layout. Letting people continue to squabble over doesn''t do any good

[TaG]

The countless discussions before didn''t tempt them to respond. I doubt it will now until they''re good and ready. Besides, if they tell us it will only result in the usual posts either fawning over them or slamming them for not doing differently.