I don't think it's been that long. When I first ordered I seem to remember the date being further out. But maybe it's been 12 months? I can't remember for sure.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
TextBlade Update: An Inside Look at Production Troubles and New Info on Shipping Estimates
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
I don't think it's been that long. When I first ordered I seem to remember the date being further out. But maybe it's been 12 months? I can't remember for sure.
First orders were 14/15th Jan 2015, first delivery estimates were 3rd/8th Mar 2015.
It's hard to remember because WT habitually rewrites/deletes the past on your order status.
It's best to take screenshots as there is no external record of your ship dates, only what is on their server.
R
It has, I remember April shipping updates slipping to May, and then pretty much every month since then. ISTR there might have been one month where they gave a 2 month delay in shipping, but otherwise I believe it's been next month every time.
Holy cow! Is this still going on? I ordered in January 2015 and canceled sometime in June 2015. Astounded they are still in business.
It’s because WayTools does not provide a realistic or honest shipment date to new buyers, continues to take purchasers’ money in advance of shipping, and has suppressed all discussion of problems and deceptive behaviour on the official TextBlade message board.
Quite a few, including several users who had their orders forcibly refunded after criticising FailTools.
Or for all us marks who allowed themselves to be grifted back in 2015, "We'reFools".
I asked what problems were not allowed to be discussed because I and others have discussed plenty of problems.
But the two responses I got don't mention any such example. Just vague comments about "people". That wasn't the question.
However, while waiting for an example of a problem that can't be discussed, I'll point out that while some had their orders canceled (which, btw, I have objected to) WY also allowed them to order again AND KEEP THEI ORIGINAL PLACE IN LINE.
But the two responses I got don't mention any such example. Just vague comments about "people". That wasn't the question.
However, while waiting for an example of a problem that can't be discussed, I'll point out that while some had their orders canceled (which, btw, I have objected to) WY also allowed them to order again AND KEEP THEI ORIGINAL PLACE IN LINE.
But did they ever publicly (or even privately) apologize for canceling those orders in the first place?
Uh, is it possible that someone could give me an example of the original claim before we keep changing the subject?
I mean, I'll respond to most things, even when they are off topic - like I did in my last post - but not when the topic I was responding to (I didn't bring it up), just keeps getting changed without an answer.
I'm not and was never on waytools forum, so can't give any examples of people getting censored there. I just thought while we are waiting for a response from people who claim censorship we could talk about this other topic that occurred to me.
After all, you talk like you think their reinstating the orders excise their having cqanceled the orders in the first place.
I probably should have just not answered the off topic comment in the first place, but I try to respond to most things, even the off-topic stuff - but not when the original issue is missed and I see others following the change of topic instead.
But don't be surprised if, instead of giving me an on-topic answer, we get people complaining that I don't answer them!
You don't. I'm not complaining, I enjoy reading thousands of words of excuses why the world is against you and why because someone else did X to you, you are/ are not going to do Y.
At the risk of grazing the thread topic, even tangentially, it must be quiet at Stalag Waytools as they just gagged someone else on their forum for pointing out that they bought a product they were told was done and ready for production, and that when you buy now you still get told the same. This is surprising considering the large amount of known lead time at Waytools. If WT can't tell you whether the component they have just had to remake does or does work, they can't say that the product is ready.
Hell, as far as we know on the 30th WT said that they haven't even sorted out the mould lines on the new Nano-stand.
They said the replacement PCB units for the Wings of the Coathanger are arriving this week. It's Thursday, if they were coming in the next three days they would know, because of shipping times. So, announcement?
If they said that the "MF CHIPS are on the MF PLANE!" That would be something. If they have already landed and are being hastily jammed together by trained squirrels a "Hey you guys! Chips have arrived at Minitru." would be in order.
Otherwise we just get silence followed by the usual ad post facto non-apology delay announcement with a 300 word monkey-excrement throw at another tech company.
It is Q4 now. Q4 is the estimate. Where is the product? they should be able to give an reasonable guess as to when it won't done by. Other elsewhere had pointed out that managing expectation by issuing the latest date they can't complete by would be useful.
Those people are banned on the WT forum now.
R
for the record, the user wasn't "gagged". Did get reduced posting privileges. But not for the reason given above. Not that I would have done it anyway.
Last edited:
Gagged vs reduced posting privileges is just semantics. And what WAS the reason?
And now that the censorship question has been answered, would you answer my question about whether WayTools ever apoplogized for canceling people's orders without permission, or did they just reinstate them without apology?
He had to edit his last post to communicate at all due to his Admin ShadowBan. He was communicating due to the loophole which allows Admin gagged users to edit previous posts. Not so much now as he has been Suspended for a year.
So, censored.
WT once more extending a middle finger to anyone asking for some justification for their self destructive customer service.
R
Not going to go into detail. For that you'll need to go through the thread yourself. What matters to the context here is that it wasn't the subject itself, but more about misrepresentation. So we really still don't have an example of a banned SUBJECT.
And as i said, I wouldn't have reacted as WT did.
As for apologizing for cancelling orders, I don't think so and don't think they think one is appropriate. I don't think they should have canceled them. I once saw an explanation for it but don't know that it was logical or not.
Okay, update on the new firmware. I reported a rather significant problem where I would get an erroneous character. As I've mentioned before, this can be hard to test because often when I thought I was hitting the key properly, I'd occasionally manage to get the error and still stop with my finger still on the key. Usually I found it was my error, rather than the TB, but in this case I was able to see that the TB was messing up. It was only on the newest one they sent me.
Testing more, sending them logs and trying different things they suggested, we found that the new hardware was giving a stronger signal than the old (a good thing), but it required an adjustment to the firmware too. Since I reported the issue and seemed to be able to replicate it the most.(as far as I know), they sent me a pre-release of the update last night. Came after I went to bed, but I heard the phone beep for the email and I went ahead and installed it and did some quick testing. Have done a little more today.
I can report that I've been able to type without the problem popping up so far. At the same time, it seems everything else is a bit better. For example, I often would get a T rather than W (this is on a dvorak layout so T is right above W). The errors were mine, but apparently the balance between the keys is also better because I'm not getting that error nearly as much. Oh, I can still miss it, rarely, but I already know that sometimes I'll hit much too high and that's on me - maybe aggravated by being old and my fingers can get a little spastic from time to time.
I do not know if this was a gating issue since I don't know how widespread it was. If my experience was typical for the new hardware, I would say it would gate release. Either way, so far it looks fixed.
As much as I liked the TB before, I like it more now. It's like going from a really nice car to a sports care where everything is just tighter.
Hopefully soon they'll have the update for other testers to confirm. Meanwhile, I'll keep testing it myself to see if anything else comes up.
Testing more, sending them logs and trying different things they suggested, we found that the new hardware was giving a stronger signal than the old (a good thing), but it required an adjustment to the firmware too. Since I reported the issue and seemed to be able to replicate it the most.(as far as I know), they sent me a pre-release of the update last night. Came after I went to bed, but I heard the phone beep for the email and I went ahead and installed it and did some quick testing. Have done a little more today.
I can report that I've been able to type without the problem popping up so far. At the same time, it seems everything else is a bit better. For example, I often would get a T rather than W (this is on a dvorak layout so T is right above W). The errors were mine, but apparently the balance between the keys is also better because I'm not getting that error nearly as much. Oh, I can still miss it, rarely, but I already know that sometimes I'll hit much too high and that's on me - maybe aggravated by being old and my fingers can get a little spastic from time to time.
I do not know if this was a gating issue since I don't know how widespread it was. If my experience was typical for the new hardware, I would say it would gate release. Either way, so far it looks fixed.
As much as I liked the TB before, I like it more now. It's like going from a really nice car to a sports care where everything is just tighter.
Hopefully soon they'll have the update for other testers to confirm. Meanwhile, I'll keep testing it myself to see if anything else comes up.
Last edited:
Things still going well today so I updated my old TB to the new firmware. Wanted to see if the adjustment to make the new hardware work better somehow screwed up the old hardware. Just started but so far looks good.
Most of my testing will be on the new one though since that is closer to what should ship.
Most of my testing will be on the new one though since that is closer to what should ship.
Last edited:
Brief update from WayTools but some useful information:
we're installing the new flex pcb's using our new assembly fixtures. That's looking good so far.
Separately, we also found a nice improvement we can make with the assembly update, which provides increased sensing performance for two pad locations, on the pinky and index keys respectively.
We've been testing these improvements with some TREG customers, and the sensor improvement looks like a good win. We're now validating the firmware config to match these refinements to the physical assembly, and are shipping out more to test those with more customers. If those look good, we'll include this sensor mod in a our main assembly process for all customers. It's a minor local assembly adjustment that does not require replacement of any key components.
We knew they had developed a better assembly method that avoiding the stress that caused problems and we knew replacement pcbs were being made. This is, I think, the first announement that they have sent such units out and will be sending more (which they mentioned in another post). I don't know if the additional ones are to existing testers, new ones, or both.
My question is whether or not the new treg units also have the new, stronger keyblades. That's the only other hardware change that has been announced outside out the stands. But since the stands wouldn't affect usage, I'm not concerned about those. I just want to hear that ALL the TB hardware is the latest.
we're installing the new flex pcb's using our new assembly fixtures. That's looking good so far.
Separately, we also found a nice improvement we can make with the assembly update, which provides increased sensing performance for two pad locations, on the pinky and index keys respectively.
We've been testing these improvements with some TREG customers, and the sensor improvement looks like a good win. We're now validating the firmware config to match these refinements to the physical assembly, and are shipping out more to test those with more customers. If those look good, we'll include this sensor mod in a our main assembly process for all customers. It's a minor local assembly adjustment that does not require replacement of any key components.
We knew they had developed a better assembly method that avoiding the stress that caused problems and we knew replacement pcbs were being made. This is, I think, the first announement that they have sent such units out and will be sending more (which they mentioned in another post). I don't know if the additional ones are to existing testers, new ones, or both.
My question is whether or not the new treg units also have the new, stronger keyblades. That's the only other hardware change that has been announced outside out the stands. But since the stands wouldn't affect usage, I'm not concerned about those. I just want to hear that ALL the TB hardware is the latest.
It's equivocal. Neither of their recent post states clearly that "TREG users are testing new flex PCB components in the next release, or phased refresh." It only clearly says the local sensor change is being shipped to TREG. They are not clearly stating "Flex PCB, here in Santa Monica,, Being tested, ready for bundling with other incremental updates for TREG customers." Experience shows us that you must carefully read and re-read WT updates, as the absence of specific claims usually betrays the truth.
An update that is independent of key components does not require, for example a new version flex PCB to be tested and/or sent to TREG.
According to their previously stated schedule, Flex PCB units should have been at their US premises for at least a whole week. "Newly manufactured Flex PCB's are here in Santa Monica." is a single sentence update, nothing like it is in the current corpus of WT communications.
Where specifically is the "Assembly fixture" in the world? I can find no mention of it's physical location.
Let's not get into "looking good" as a description as it claims nothing other than a aesthetic impression.
R
Just learned the new keycaps are included in the new treg units. Also that it will include both existing treg testers and new ones as well.
True, WT is often less than clear. And like anyone else they can says things in such a way that doesn't reflect what they mean. But let's look at this for the most consistent meaning:
>we're installing the new flex pcb's using our new assembly fixtures.<
So that's an ongoing process that already started. Then we have:
>Separately, we also found a nice improvement we can make with the assembly update, which provides increased sensing performance for two pad locations, on the pinky and index keys respectively.<
How is this to be counted? Because it matters for the next part:
>We've been testing these improvements with some TREG customers, and the sensor improvement looks like a good win. We're now validating the firmware config to match these refinements to the physical assembly, and are shipping out more to test those with morecustomers. If those look good, we'll include this sensor mod in a our main assembly process for all customers.<
Note the plural word, "improvementS". Also words like "these" and "those" and "refinementS". So the plural is not a typo. Which brings us back to how you count.
I took it as referring to the PCB improvement as one and the sensing improvement as the other. Or someone might say that since the sensing improvement covers pinky and index finger keys, that makes the sensing improvement plural all by itself.
Which is more logical?
Well, their second statement I quoted does describe it as separate - as in "we did this thing and then also this other thing. More likely to mean both items are what makes it plural. They describe one. They describe a second one. THEN they refer to "improvementS".
At the start of the last quote above, they refer to the plural and then immediately refer to the sensor improvement in singular form. So it doesn't look like they see it as being more than one thing. It only is when combined with the PCB improvement.
They talk more about the sensor because it isn't something they talked about before. The PCB change has a longer history so gets less detail in this report.
Seems that both are included. The only mystery about what improvements were involved concerned new keycaps, but they did a follow up to say they were also included.
It is an important step. No, it doesn't guarantee there will not be new problems, but it is clear shipping can't happen if all the changes to deal with problems haven't all been put together as a unit for testing!
Now they are which leaves the annoyance of whether they pass testing, but at least they are being tested and there have been no new hardware issues in quite awhile so maybe this is the last big step.
- Status