What’s the difference between production FloJack and development prototype?

[I-FanMember]

What the different of the pre-order flojack and the early prototype? What’s the difference?

What’s the status of the FloJack project now?
When will the FloJack put into  mass production?
Can the FloJack write the RFID tag?

Thanks for your answer.

Cheers,
Tick

[RichardKeymaster]

Hi Tick, FloJack production units will not ship until the week of April 22, 2013 (more info here).  We offer the option to purchase early FloJack prototypes for $500/ea.  The prototypes come with direct support from our engineering team to integrate the FloJack SDK into your iOS application.  Furthermore, the prototypes have a JTAG header for customers to reprogram FloJack’s firmware (buy programmer here) as we push out updates.

Look to this post for project status and production schedule.  The FloJack can indeed write to an ISO15963 tag (sometimes referred to an “RFID tag”).  The payload we can write are small (less than 64bytes), but for most applications this is plenty.

Hope that helps.

[ChuckParticipant]

Hi Richard,

Ok, so while waiting for my order (which as I understand seems will still take a while before you guys sort out stuff as you said HERE, which is disappointing), I decided to try keep busy and get familiarize with your company and the product. Some interesting stuff/product you guys have going on here, and I guess its kind of whats keeping me excited a bit, going through your forum. Some questions:

1- So in your post above, when you say “Prototype”, what do you mean? Does it look pretty much the same as the current product or its like BIGGER (since prototypes usually are BIGGER than the final product)? How much BIGGER is it? Do you have pictures?

2- Above you said we have an option to purchase the “early prototype” (so I guess, it will be just like being able to brag that I have the “initial-first/original makes of the product basically”, and then I can play around with it since its a prototype), but you said its at $500 EACH? Is that FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS? Wow, thats quite a lot (if you meant $500)! What would be the benefit of getting the “prototype” (apart from the things you already mentioned above)? Also, what is the latest price? ($500 is quite much, and I imagine that since the final product is already now here ALMOST, the prototype pricing should now be lower).

3- Also, if I were to order the prototype (if I’m excited enough, and want to start playing with the product now basically), you said above, that it would  “… come with direct support from our engineering team to integrate the FloJack SDK into your iOS application …”. I have my iPhone and I have an Android too, so I imagine the support will extend to Android not just iOS if I decided to order it?

4- Continuing from the previous point-3 above, you said “…Furthermore, the prototypes have a JTAG header for customers to reprogram FloJack’s firmware as we push out updates…” , so I imagine that the benefit of this (i.e. of ordering a prototype) is that I will also be able to modify the firmware to my taste to make the prototype work like I want it to (so playing around with it basically, and then anytime I can always then just decide to make it work exactly as you guys intended it, by just then re-flashing with the exact unmodified firmware which you’ll send).

5- Are the prototypes available NOW? And they will ship NOW/IMMEDIATELY if I ordered?

I’ll expect your reply. Thanks.

 

[RichardKeymaster]

Hi Chuck, as of May 1st, 2013 we officially ran out of FloJack prototypes and discontinued that product in place of production units.  The price of prototypes was indeed $500 since these were built entirely by hand.  With over 60 parts, it was a very time consuming task.

We are working on a FloJack Development program that includes a JTAG flex connector to modify the FloJack firmware to your specific needs.  This program will require a license and include a tiered Service Level Agreement (SLA) that covers different support needs from customers.  Stay tuned to our blog to hear when this release is ready.

Richard and the Flomies.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by  Richard.

[ChuckParticipant]

Wow, the prototypes sold out since May? Wow, Haha… There goes that option. I was thinking that not many people would have bought the prototypes (since the final product is almost ready/here, and the prototypes are quite costly at the $500 tag). I actually dont/didnt want to buy a prototype as a First option (as you know I had already placed an order for a couple of the normal production units but you guys are having issues and so products arent shipping), but I want to start using the product now, I wouldnt have minded buying a prototype which I thought would be available now (and then for the extra bucks, its not that bad to have a little hobby to play with as far as playing with the codes, and using it with my arduino and doing some fun stuff). But I guess they’re gone/not available now.

Thanks anyways. You guys should push “hardest” to solve the current casing/packaging issues (and other issues), so that we customers can get our orders soonest. Thanks.

[RichardKeymaster]

@Chuck, good input. Will do.

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