Scam?

[irukandji]

http://retro-computers.co.uk/where-are-the...o-mrsic-flogel/

Has anyone actually seen Cosmo?

I would imagine it is not very hard to pay a few "influencers" to do some fake reviews, images etc. and to me cosmo looks like you would take apart cheap
smartphone and one non smart, do some chasis and put both together into same casing. Due to the fact that there is some place left on left and right side of
display, i doubt there is some real meat under the keyboard. And if nothing else you can still put some external keyboard into lower chasis.

I will be really sorry if this is a scam, not so much about the money but due to the fact that I would really love to have such device.

[Zarhan]

If it's a scam, then this video is a very well made one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZZ3zm3-xr8

For me, the key reason I paid for Cosmo is essentially due to the fact that Gemini PDA is a real thing (I've seen it it use, but didn't obtain one since I wanted the phone stuff to be there as well).

[irukandji]

If it's a scam, then this video is a very well made one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZZ3zm3-xr8

For me, the key reason I paid for Cosmo is essentially due to the fact that Gemini PDA is a real thing (I've seen it it use, but didn't obtain one since I wanted the phone stuff to be there as well).

Well, I bought it from same reason, but now I am getting worried. I am well familiar with situation in Croatia and based on the article (http://www.retro-computers.co.uk/janko-mrsic-flogel/):

"Janko's father, Zdravko Mrsic, was one of few men in charge when Croatia was born (1990-91). As a member of the HDZ party ("Croatian Democratic Union") close to the president Franjo Tu?man, he became the 1st Minister of Foreign Affairs."

HDZ party had pushed the Croatia into f* up state as it is now and has robbed country ownership trough wild privatizations and so on. It has also created a toxic atmosphere with all neighbour countries where
Croatia is in conflict with every one of them. For sure his family has some nasty history behind it. And based to that site, I can see the apple doesnt fall far for the tree although I recognize that
the site might be biased as it was created from bunch of pissed off people. Maybe it was just bussiness went bad and people interpret it as a scam. But still... worried.

[Charlie Stross]

I backed the Gemini and it shipped. It's sitting on my desk next to me.

I will note that Planet Computers' communications and updates were just as bad during that campaign as they are now with the Cosmo. Also, the Gemini arrived about 9 months late, if I remember correctly. The Cosmo, going by the progress updates, is coming along faster: it looks likely to be only 6-7 months late. Not surprising, as it's essentially an updated Gemini with extra bits added (new keyboard, upgraded chipset, and the external screen/camera/fingerprint reader).

As for the recent silence ...

At about this stage in the Gemini release, initial assembly and packing had been completed. Then the first batch of a thousand or so Geminis spent a week or so being processed through warehouses before finally making it onto a flight to the UK. Then they spent another week getting cleared by Customs, before being shipped out to customers. It was a rather tense wait because, with nothing to report, Planet "went dark" on the Indiegogo campaign page. (They really need better communications!)

But no, this isn't a long con.  If it was, the time for the bust-out passed about 18 months ago when the Gemini was the product.

[Grench]

I backed the Gemini and it shipped. It's sitting on my desk next to me.

I too use my Planet Computers Gemini daily and have had no problems whatsoever with it.  I consider the Gemini to be a great example of a crowdfunding success.

No, the Cosmo is not a scam.

Whoever wrote that 'article' clearly has character assassination, not information, on their mind.  Whoever is posting links to it is either the author or a witting or unwitting puppet to help spread this misinformation and FUD.

[shinkamui]

Definitely not a scam.  My Gemini is now in a close friends hand, and the cosmo was delivered to me today, a generally excellent upgrade all around.  Don't let your imagination run wild in the absence of information.  Especially when your theories require extraordinary proof and you lack any trace of it.

[Grench]

Definitely not a scam.  My Gemini is now in a close friends hand, and the cosmo was delivered to me today, a generally excellent upgrade all around.  Don't let your imagination run wild in the absence of information.  Especially when your theories require extraordinary proof and you lack any trace of it.

Congratulations!

I too have physical proof that this is not a scam sitting on the desk next to me in the form of a Planet Computers Cosmo Communicator.  So, for the FUD spreaders, consider this information double sourced.

[fluffypony]

Just read through that site - it sounds like Janko was thrown into things after fundraising was complete and two founders left. There was probably only so much he could do. Given that the Gemini was successful, and I have both of my Cosmos in front of me (and they're amazing), it seems weird to continue to punish him for a failed business venture.

Also, fundraising through sites like Indiegogo or KickStarter is like investing in a company, it's NOT like buying a product. If you invest $500 in a company and they go bankrupt that's a risk you take. If you buy a product on eBay for $500, and they don't deliver it to you, then you have a legal claim you can make. I don't understand how people don't seem to understand this.

[shinkamui]

Just read through that site - it sounds like Janko was thrown into things after fundraising was complete and two founders left. There was probably only so much he could do. Given that the Gemini was successful, and I have both of my Cosmos in front of me (and they're amazing), it seems weird to continue to punish him for a failed business venture.

Also, fundraising through sites like Indiegogo or KickStarter is like investing in a company, it's NOT like buying a product. If you invest $500 in a company and they go bankrupt that's a risk you take. If you buy a product on eBay for $500, and they don't deliver it to you, then you have a legal claim you can make. I don't understand how people don't seem to understand this.

People are stupid.  Read the indiegogo cosmo forums for a taste.     I really hope that specific demographic doesn't find its way here in droves.  We've already suffered a few now and in the gemini days.

[fluffypony]

People are stupid.  Read the indiegogo cosmo forums for a taste.     I really hope that specific demographic doesn't find its way here in droves.  We've already suffered a few now and in the gemini days.

Ah yeah - it's called "Eternal September", and invariably happens when something gets a little popular;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_September

[mmbika]

Guys ... I ordered HDMI cable on Planet Website on 4th Jan 2020, order was confirmed and they generated internal tracking which is not a postal tracking. Since than, there has been no update. Went to PayPal and tried to call Planet from PayPal and the number is disconnected. I wrote and email and they did not bother to respond.

Why and what they gain from such an attitude? Are they bankrupt or what? This gives a strong sense of unethical business and sham, shady practices if not an outright scam.

I am clueless what will happen to my order.

[Dickon Hood]

Well, they've just released a firmware upgrade for the thing, so I doubt they've gone bust.  I hope not, anyway.

[iusethis]

Guys ... I ordered HDMI cable on Planet Website on 4th Jan 2020, order was confirmed and they generated internal tracking which is not a postal tracking. Since than, there has been no update. Went to PayPal and tried to call Planet from PayPal and the number is disconnected. I wrote and email and they did not bother to respond.

Why and what they gain from such an attitude? Are they bankrupt or what? This gives a strong sense of unethical business and sham, shady practices if not an outright scam.

I am clueless what will happen to my order.

They're a very small company and I wouldn't be surprised if it's just one person handling all the logistics. They're probably trying to get all the existing Cosmo orders sent from China first before the Chinese New Year break. Chinese New Year starts on 25 January so they'll probably catch up with the other stuff then.

I really wish people would stop being dramatic and making statements here like ARE THEY BANKRUPT?? We don't want this to turn into the Indiegogo comments section.

[ArchiMark]

They're a very small company and I wouldn't be surprised if it's just one person handling all the logistics. They're probably trying to get all the existing Cosmo orders sent from China first before the Chinese New Year break. Chinese New Year starts on 25 January so they'll probably catch up with the other stuff then.

I really wish people would stop being dramatic and making statements here like ARE THEY BANKRUPT?? We don't want this to turn into the Indiegogo comments section.

+1 !!!

And as an Admin here, I can help prevent that from happening.....

 

Mark

[spook]

hello@planetcom.co.uk has always gotten a fast response for me.