Messages

1

Astro Slide - General Discussion / Re: Help me choose between the Pro1 and the Astro please !

« on: October 09, 2022, 07:52:54 am »

Gymbo,
I also doubt than any one will benefit from continuing this conversation much longer. But just to let you know, I am pretty well versed in European consumer protection matters. Countless marketeers, involving all sorts of businesses, have over the years been reprimaned or fined by consumer authorities across Europe for misleading advertising designed to make potential customers or investors falsly believe that only a very limited quantity of XYZ are availabe at a discouted cost, thereby psychologicaly pressuring them to act quickly.

I can attest that the Astro Slide early bird remaining offers count was repeatedly reset with the same price/discount, leading potential backers to falsely believe that they would miss out unless they sign up promptly.

And assuming that you reside in Norway, as your profile seems to indicate, I would be extremly supprised if exactly that sort of regulations are not also implemented in your national consumer legislation.

2

Astro Slide - General Discussion / Re: Help me choose between the Pro1 and the Astro please !

« on: October 09, 2022, 05:38:49 am »

Hi gymbo,
I just checked up, and actually, you are correct. In fact i did not place my contribution in May 2020, but already March 30 2020. From my recipient email:

Subject:
"Indiegogo contribution #99x receipt for Astro Slide 5G Transformer"

Part of email body:
"Contribution ID
99x
Contribution Date
March 30, 2020"

Btw: US keyboard EU charger.

I cannot know if my device (locked since June 2022) has really been produced or not, but if it has, then the only plausale explanation I see, is the Planet Computers has failed to pay the factory.

In any case, I am as keen as anyone to get my hands on it, and get hacking, but at the same time I would feel bad about not warning other potential buyers/contribtors about what I see as an unacceptable bussiness practice. -Even if it would slightly increase the likelihood of me ever receiving my device.

As.for.perpetually resetting the number of remaining campaign special offers, I admit that it may be legal in some jurisdictions, although not in mine (the EU). But that aside, I find it less than hounest.

If you doubt my contribution to the project is real, I will be more than happy if we can find some bulletproof but secure way for me to prove this in this forum.

3

Astro Slide - General Discussion / Re: Help me choose between the Pro1 and the Astro please !

« on: October 07, 2022, 03:59:44 pm »

I am a backer of the Astro Slide project at Indiegogo, and have been since May 2020, so I am a pretty early backer, with a contribution ID in the 900s.

I would be extremely reluctant in recommending backing or ordering the Astro Slide phone at this point, as communication from Planet Computers has been grossly misleading for a very long time, and from the very beginning they have been resetting the count of remaining "early bird" or "special offer" devices available every time they reached zero.


For at least half a year they have claimed that devices were now manufactured, tested and would ship to backers over the next few days, and have subsequently "locked" the contribution on Indiegogo..

However I have still not received any tracking number, and neither has any one else (apart from 2 or 3 questionable posters in their comment section).

Given this and the nature of this device, and given the notable absence of any "nerdy" reviews and independant unboxing reports, I am less and less convinced that more than a few prototype devices have actually been shipped to any real backers or customers. I now doubt that any significant  amount will ever be delivered...

Sorry for the putdown, but thats my hounest impression now.