Quote:
Originally Posted by brecklundin
so how does that account for when he said he had sample cases IN HAND in "the big thread" a couple-three months ago? Also, he spun this as Customs "requirement" already so the suggestion that it was a "mfg" issue has holes BobbieB already shot into it below the water line....
Still for people who are happy with theirs or like the features, I would stick to the black or white versions...but be aware of the battery issue as well.
BTW, what was that BobbieB was saying about the "cheap build" (lower grade displays, etc...) of the Cool-er devices in "the big thread"?  |
As one of those who preordered the blue, I am not the happiest of campers.
However, I will be even less happy if we drive Astak away from the forums with continual accusations of conspiratorial misdeeds. I believe that those who own or are thinking of owning an Astak device are far better off having the company listen to us and speak to us, rather than writing off this forum as a place filled with hostility where they get insulted.
Yes, there's a huge problem with the paint -- when paint wasn't even supposed to be there. Robertb and Astak acted quickly to reassure us that they were looking into it and want to exchange problem units at their expense.
On the other hand, so far as I have seen, one person (SDRebel) has had a truly bad experience both with what sounds like a faulty battery combined with an unsatisfactory customer service experience (having to pay to ship it back to Astak). So far other reports and questions about the battery seem to be mostly of the "hmm, not sure if this is the way it's supposed to work, gonna keep an eye on it" variety. That does not necessarily add up to a "battery issue."
Sorry for the rant. I just don't believe that it's ok to be repeatedly snarky to others on the forum, regardless of what direction one thinks they are spinning things. And while I may appear to be directing this at brecklundin, it's a general rant. I have nothing but respect for brecklundin -- he's said lots of wonderfully insightful things that I've quite enjoyed reading.
For what it's worth on the paint issue, I believe as others have suggested that if you are unhappy with the peeling paint, do NOT exchange for another colored unit. Go for a black or white one instead if you opt to exchange rather than return or keep. No matter what the colored paint looks like as it sits on a table in Astak HQ, once it's actually in your hands getting daily wear, the odds would seem high that it's going to chip, scratch, and flake. I base that on what various people have said about their machines looking OK at first, but blistering as time goes on.