Now keep in mind that each of these listings here probably have 50+ units… Clockworkpi is selling to scalpers, not us.
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I Hate Scalpers so much.
Clockwork gotta do something about this I still got 2 months and a half to get my Uconsole as they say 90 Business days, but I hope I can get it in October or a little before since there are less holidays during summer.
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“A picture is worth a thousand words,” and when I see something like this in front of me, my heart is shaken.
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I am at 90 business days with no notice, a month ago when I emailed I was told “next batch”…
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Even in Japan, so-called “resellers” have become a problem and are regarded as white-eyed. So I understand the feeling. But to some extent, it may be a “necessary evil”.
I just think that’s what happens when a small company is making such a great product and there is virtually no competition. I do still think that the pricing on Clockwork website is really cheap considering that and resellers/scalpers/whatever you want to call them saw that and took the opportunity. Like I said before, I wouldn’t have mind to have paid more since it’s a single order directly from Clockwork for support and not go with a reseller, but I guess it is what it is.
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This is very annoying that people have to wait past promised 90 days, while at the same time they give priority to large orders. Very unfair.
I mean they are free to give big orders a higher priority, but then they must also deliver on their 90-day promice. And don’t tell us bs about how they trying their hardest.
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Utterly disappointed. By the time the machine arrives it would already be outdated.
I have actually bought from this seller
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@PokwangKWAN
If you mean outdated in the sense of performance and processing power, then don’t worry, my friend!
You can simply swap the core to a CM5 down the road.
check this out:
I assume the release date would be within this year, and since crypto currency mining is no longer affecting Raspberry Pis, we might be able to get hold of CM5s next year.
I guess the CM5 would be equavlent to Intel core m3 7Y32 (which is what I have been using for the last 8 years for school, perfectly fine for Zoom calls, MS Teams, Office, Email, and also some light Python and C++ programming, even 1080P video editing with Clipchamp), slightly worse than N95.
So a lot of potential. And also, we can 3D print our own shells, design diffent extension boards and etc. As long as ClockWorkPi stays alive, or hack, as long as the community stays alive, we can expect uConsole to last forever (which is not necessary, but fun to think of it this way).
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And I was getting some hate for saying this too…
@AlexDuan during your next update could you address this concern that individual orders are second tier and priority seems to go to bulk orders?
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just thinking, maybe it is not a Clockwork failure, maybe… it is not Clockwork who sells to the scalpers - maybe… (MAYBE) the factory sells the final products to the scalpels and tell Clockwork that they do not have enough materials to fulfil their orders, or… maybe… since this product is OSH… maybe the scalpers making their own orders in the factory[ies] and “steal” the brand / making their uConsole mimimic the real product?
For me, it’s too many variables and lack of communication… Clockwork (Alex) should improve the communication… if Alex prefer “big orders” - maybe (maybe) we should cancel our orders and make something like “Groupon”-like order ((-;
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Or set up domestic resellers in US, UK, AUS, and EU, so cPi gets out of the direct sales business and places like Pimoroni and Adafruit (who may mark it up for being the regional endpoint, but nowhere near $500 like AliExpress has them) only sell them when it’s in stock.
Then stop selling from clockworkpi.com for those countries (set prices in Yuan and don’t offer shipping outside of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan). All other continents inquire with their resales partners. Responsibility lifted from Clockworkpi, domestic distributors can take care of the last mile shipments, and Alex can sell to companies directly and EMEA customers where they don’t have to worry too much about tariffs and delivery estimates.
That’s not the “easy answer” as a business deal is only as good as the numbers, and adding partners always reduces profit. And that is, if that is actually the case, and there isn’t a good faith explanation other than the current look of the extended wait times as “bulk orders first, individual sales fulfilled shotgun between bulk order batches.” But it does explain why cancelled orders are refunded no questions asked. (Thankful for that part; it could be far worse.)
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@JesseandGraceandCats Thanks for the suggestion but are you sure CM5 is compatible with CM4 electrical interface design for the uConsole?
To quote the webpage you mentioned:
“the form factor is expected to be the same as the CM4 to update the performance in existing designs. However the electrical interface will be different as its supports a four lane PCI Express 2.0 interface, than the current one lane in the CM4 …”
@PokwangKWAN I guess the worst case is that we need an adapter for that, which would probably cost less than 30 Euros.
I am more concerned about the wattage. Rbp 5 is 12w at heavy load. I am not sure if the mainboard of uconsole is capable of pulling that out.
But even if it couldn’t, clockworkpi would design one and we would be able to buy one.
Edit: and about the PCIE lane, I guess if ClockWorkPi makes new mainboard for cm5, we might be able to add a place for 2230 M2 SSD, there still are spaces inside the case.
That way, we could use the tf card slot for other purpose. And the whole experience would be better. But the battery life would not.
Emailed again, after I got an email mid april that said 3-5 batches…
now there are 2 batches before my order… I’m not mad, just disappointed!
@jessejallday
I guess that is what ClockWorkPi would never say.
I am not happy with it either. I don’t like to pay above fair price unless additional service is added or it is from my friend.
That is why I won’t buy from the resellers. But I am seriously thinking about it now. I probably would be moving to another country next year so…
But we cannot expect too much from a company with only 7 to 10 people. Managing cash flow is very difficult for a small company. That is why they need “resellers’” bulk orders and prioritize them.
They probably even have given the “resellers” a discount. Can’t blame them if they do, but it sure doesn’t make all of us happy.
On the one hand, I totally understand why they do it, but then again, does make me kind of frustrated.
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I trust Clickwork to just follow up orders as they were ordered. If someone ordered 100 units (which is possible and it had e.g. 22xxx as order number, they have legitly their order.
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I feel the same way. Even if it’s a little more expensive, if it’s readily available, I’ll lean towards it.
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I was told last month that they do 3-5 batches a month and 300-500 units per batch. That I was 2 batches away.
Today I have been told next batch.
The math doesn’t really add up to what they are saying…
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