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Greetings pre-order customers and subscribers!<br>
<br>
I'm trying to send the first 84 North American phones out this
month*.<br>
<br>
An additional 114 will be able to go out about a month after that,
but the front OLED display is out of stock until summer, so I will
give those 114 customers who are next in line the option to receive
the complete kit minus the OLED display, and they would receive the
display separately when I get them in the summer. The phone will
function fine without that front display, but without the ability to
display incoming calls and other messages.<br>
<br>
Outside of those initial 198 N. American orders, all other
components will be available again (including for the global
versions) in October, so that's when the remaining pre-order backlog
should be produced and sent out. I'm hoping to be in "normal
production", with orders being filled as they're placed, around
November.<br>
<br>
Considering the ongoing protracted timeline, which I know is
frustrating most of you, I would like to emphasize that I'm <b>encouraging
folks to request refunds</b>, and then re-order when the chip
shortage is behind us if so desired. It's indeed been difficult --
much more so than I ever expected -- but this phone WILL be at
full-normal production status eventually. <b>Failure is not an
option. The only way this won't happen is if I drop dead </b>(knock
on wood).<br>
<br>
OK, regarding my promise to get the first orders out this month,
it's actually dependent on my new pick and place machine, which is
is the centerpiece of my newly put-together basement production
facility:<br>
<br>
<img moz-do-not-send="false"
src="cid:part1.cKNKxSzc.SAvd6fm9@skysedge.com" alt="New machine"
class="" width="1008" height="672"><br>
<br>
The thing is, due to a bone-headed mistake that was entirely my own
fault, I managed to bork one of the circuit boards that makes the
thing run when hooking things back up after having it moved, which
was a 4000lb project in its own right. I'm waiting on a replacement
from abroad to get the machine running again, but can't actually
start producing the RUSP boards (in a lay speak: "soldering the
electronics together"), until this is working again. At the end of
January I was positive I'd be able to get the first phone kits out
this month, in February, as described above, but every day that goes
by at this point without this machine working is a day of schedule
slip. <br>
<br>
Again, if you're not comfortable with me always saying "soon, soon,
I promise... very soon", please request a refund. But I do have the
parts for a batch of kits as described above, and it's just a matter
of getting this machine going again.<br>
<br>
Also, the colors of the phones are slightly refined from the photo I
sent in the last update. Better, more true to what folks envisioned.
I don't have the chips to spare to assemble one of each color fully
for a photo op, so very soon (by the time I ship the first 84), I'll
take photos of each color by recycling the same electronics.<br>
<br>
From now on I'm also going to be sending updates weekly. Expect the
next on Sunday, 2/20.<br>
<br>
~Justine<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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