Author Topic: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*  (Read 57386 times)

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Offline MyCo

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #25 on: June 07, 2013, 06:50:16 am »
I really like that relabeled Apple charger... That makes the whole thing trustworthy  :-DD
 

Offline Corporate666

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #26 on: June 09, 2013, 07:17:17 am »
So according the Orsto guy, they have not been able to post the video they said they were working on several days ago (based on the real parts they have working) because "they are struggling to get a nice clear view because the frequencies of the display are conflicting with their camcorder".

Yeah, sounds legit.  I bet Dave here at EEVBlog deals with that issue all the time, and had to jump through some serious hoops to be able to video those LCD displays.  NOT.

Also, based on the creator's comments, it appears PayPal has locked their account - he says it was a similar issue to Lab Zero Games.  LZG's PayPal account was locked because PayPal was concerned with the high probability of chargebacks.  So based on that, it would appear PayPal is concerned that this project is never going to happen and they are going to get stuck with a bunch of refunds.

Well, at least they posted a picture of their prototype... any comments on the pic? 

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/orsto-x1-the-ultimate-smart-watch?c=activity
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Offline lemmegraphdat

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #27 on: June 09, 2013, 07:34:50 am »
So according the Orsto guy, they have not been able to post the video they said they were working on several days ago (based on the real parts they have working) because "they are struggling to get a nice clear view because the frequencies of the display are conflicting with their camcorder".

Yeah, sounds legit.  I bet Dave here at EEVBlog deals with that issue all the time, and had to jump through some serious hoops to be able to video those LCD displays.  NOT.

Also, based on the creator's comments, it appears PayPal has locked their account - he says it was a similar issue to Lab Zero Games.  LZG's PayPal account was locked because PayPal was concerned with the high probability of chargebacks.  So based on that, it would appear PayPal is concerned that this project is never going to happen and they are going to get stuck with a bunch of refunds.

Well, at least they posted a picture of their prototype... any comments on the pic? 

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/orsto-x1-the-ultimate-smart-watch?c=activity
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Offline tom66

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #28 on: June 09, 2013, 08:57:59 am »
I like some of the errors in the specification showing he really does not know much.
For example 516MB is the memory on the prototype. And capitalising "GHZ" and "MHZ".

In addition, the aspect ratio of the screenshots in the "manual" repeatedly change.
http://www.orsto.com/orsto-x1-manual.html
 

Offline amyk

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #29 on: June 09, 2013, 11:42:10 am »
So according the Orsto guy, they have not been able to post the video they said they were working on several days ago (based on the real parts they have working) because "they are struggling to get a nice clear view because the frequencies of the display are conflicting with their camcorder".
:palm: :-DD

Quote
Well, at least they posted a picture of their prototype... any comments on the pic?
The shape looks like the innards of a standard GSM phone... like this one.
 

Offline tom66

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #30 on: June 09, 2013, 11:59:18 am »
They also seem to believe 5mA is enough for an"interactive game"...

http://www.orsto.com/compare-smart-watches.html

100 uA (e.g. Bluetooth Chip at Idle, or, a Typical Watch Dial App).

600 uA (e.g. Typical Very Low power App)

5,000 uA (e.g. An Interactive Game App)

 

Offline Corporate666

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #31 on: June 10, 2013, 04:02:26 am »
Well, at least they posted a picture of their prototype... any comments on the pic?
The shape looks like the innards of a standard GSM phone... like this one.
[/quote]

Yes!

I couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong with the picture, but that's it... if you were building a prototype dev board that was (obviously) not the final design, why would you put (what looks like) a MicroUSB jack, speaker/mic and vibratory motor on separate small PCB's connected by wire? You wouldn't.  You would just put it all on one board.  They would only be on sub-boards connected by wires if you needed that flexibility to mount in a housing.  And if you built it to put in a housing, you would show off the housing.

Unless the housing it came from was an off-the-shelf device you don't want people to know about - like... oh... a mobile phone!




In other Orsto news, someone mentioned a square version, and the project creator replied "Yes, we were looking into that option, how much interest is there?" - very lackadaisical and casual response to what would undoubtedly be a major product redesign requiring several months (if you do it at a very accelerated clip) of prototyping, testing, board revisions, etc.  Not to mention an entirely new housing with new tooling. 

I make stuff infinitely simpler than that watch, and taking a product and putting it into a whole new form factor is a big deal.

Not for Orsto, apparently... just need a few people to request that option and they can do it!  :-DD
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Offline MFX

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #32 on: June 12, 2013, 09:42:19 pm »
One thing that really bugs me about Indiegogo is that unless you are a contributor your comments are "private" meaning only the campaign owner can see them so it's impossible to warn prospective punters that it's likely a scam/no hope project.

Martin.
 

Offline notzippyTopic starter

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #33 on: June 26, 2013, 03:45:49 pm »
I had a thought, maybe the owner posted this impossible designed "round watch", and now is moving toward the more square design due to "the number of requests" perhaps this was his end goal all along .. and the final design will end up looking like the the simple android knock off watches.. Below is the redesign "cad" drawing



Todays update was funny as well
Quote
Hello everyone.

Thanks for the continued input, especially with questions about the functions of the Orsto X1 & 2.

We are using that information to pinpoint exactly where we have obviously gone wrong, with explaining what the Orsto Watch really is.

As everyone can see there are two main Watch Campigns on indiegogo: a base model Mini Campaign & also a Ferrari Campaign.

At the moment, amazingly people are opting for the Mini, but when you look at how the mini is promoted ‘smoke and mirrors’ you will realise why it is as popular.

Personally I think that indiegogo should look at that campaign in detail. But it is not our job to dwell on that.

We will just stick to the truth. No misleading information or video that plays on the lack of technical knowledge of contributors.

The "mini" I am guessing is a realistic project http://igg.me/at/kreyos/x/1733288
The "Ferrari" I am guessing he is referring to his campaign

 :-DD
Nz
 

Offline rougeaux

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #34 on: June 26, 2013, 06:32:39 pm »
The round one and circular one are pretty different looking, but I'm confident in saying the bulk of his design decisions have been related to which awful font he should use in promotional material.  The next version of "his" "watch design" will probably incorporate Comic Sans.

Quote
As everyone can see there are two main Watch Campigns on indiegogo: a base model Mini Campaign & also a Ferrari Campaign.

At the moment, amazingly people are opting for the Mini, but when you look at how the mini is promoted ‘smoke and mirrors’ you will realise why it is as popular.

Personally I think that indiegogo should look at that campaign in detail. But it is not our job to dwell on that.

We will just stick to the truth. No misleading information or video that plays on the lack of technical knowledge of contributors.

Wow, what an enormous douche.
"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be Spock."  -The Truth
 

Offline tom66

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #35 on: June 26, 2013, 08:42:11 pm »
Is it legal to name your watch Ferrari without licensing the trademark from the famous Italian supercar company?
 

Offline Corporate666

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #36 on: June 26, 2013, 11:20:02 pm »
This guy is a real piece of work.

First, it is always a bad idea to try to elevate yourself by putting others down.  To bash a more successful product and company makes him look petty and vengeful.  What will the reaction be when people have legitimate gripes with the product (that he'll never deliver)?  Why would anyone think his reaction wouldn't be equally as petty and spiteful?

Second, the guy fails to understand why the other project is so successful.  It looks nicer, it's more useful, and it actually had a chance at being made.  they have invested (likely tens of thousands of $$) in injection molds.  They have professional photography.  They have real actual parts they have shown.  The Orsto guy has none of that.  He has a string of failed companies.  He has rendered images.  And he has a pathetic video (for someone asking for tens of thousands of pounds of people's hard earned money).

Speaking of the video, his explanation is bullshit.  He says "for some reason" the video is squeezed horizontally, making it look narrower than it is.  I presume he is trying to say his video is of the real screen (which is wider than it is tall), and to ignore the fact that it's taller than it is wide in the video.  So someone who possesses the expertise to implement this project is incapable of figuring out video formats and screen sizes?  bull!

The guy oozes grift... nothing is ever his fault... it's PayPal's fault that the project is failing... it's the customers fault that they don't understand why his project is the better one, etc, etc.

What a horrendous businessman.  And I know he's reading this forum but hasn't addressed any of the issues raised, because he has no answers for them. 
It's not always the most popular person who gets the job done.
 

Offline cthree

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #37 on: June 27, 2013, 04:18:05 am »
Yeah, wouldn't touch this one. Looks like a bait and switch scam best case. He will never be able to deliver what he is promising.
 

Offline Corporate666

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #38 on: July 09, 2013, 11:33:01 pm »
The Orsto guy keeps going after that other bluetooth watch project - and suggesting that people don't "get" what his watch is - flat out refusing to believe that people do understand and just don't want that.  Who wants another cell phone to carry around?  I can pick the best-of-breed phone now and let a smart watch tie into the existing functionality of that phone.

He said a new housing was going to be machined, IIRC, 2 weeks ago and was being picked up over a week ago - but that never got shown.  He furthermore keeps missing his other deadlines... the new website will be up soon.  It will be up Monday.  Oh wait, it will be up Wednesday!  Oh, did I mention we're changing the whole project from a round watch to a square one?  And I have housings being made now, I'll have them in 2 days... then nothing for weeks after.

I feel very bad for those who have 'invested' thus far.  Baffling to me.
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Offline Legit-Design

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #39 on: July 10, 2013, 12:07:07 am »
I feel very bad for those who have 'invested' thus far.  Baffling to me.


Worst he could do is just ship one of these: http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/857185128/Android_2_2_GSM_muti_media.html



4.Screen: 2" TFT-LCD Touch screen with LED back light,QVGA resolution 240x320;

Maybe the trick is making people wait and wait. They could just start saying that this X2 version better and so on. "You can get this X2 one now or the X1 version, you actually ordered, sometime in the future. Or just cancel your order."

EDIT: This was already discussed on the last page  :-[
 

Offline Corporate666

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #40 on: July 11, 2013, 12:41:54 am »
Yet another deadline missed.

The website that was going to be uploaded Monday, but had a delay and would be uploaded at some point on Wednesday still is not there.

It continues to baffle me that anyone would give this guy any money. 

He puts all his effort into bashing people more successful than him, he shows of dark video where you see nothing, and explains an obviously different size LCD as being "something in the camera settings that distorted the proportions".  He also continually makes promises and misses deadlines..... like the fact that 2 weeks ago he stated the X2 model housing was being machined and would be picked up the following day, allowing him to assemble his prototype.

Of course, this X2 that "everyone wants" and appears to have surpassed the X1 in interest has never been shown anywhere.  But yet he supposedly has the housing and prototype parts assembled, but just won't show anyone?

Is there anyone here who will admit to giving money to this guy?
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Offline Legit-Design

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #41 on: July 12, 2013, 01:45:48 pm »
http://www.orsto.com/plus-+-watch.html
Is that the new website?

Oh wait... website has no info about the round/oval watch, instead we have something that looks similar to normal chinese android watch




I like how they chose to compare it to some really bulky normal watches.


I think this guy deserves a medal. Going from superthin revolutionary smartphone on your wrist to this bulky thing in just few weeks/months.

Ostro can spitout new designs like theres no tomorrow, If every company and engineers were like this, the world would be whole different place.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2013, 01:50:45 pm by Legit-Design »
 

Offline notzippyTopic starter

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #42 on: July 12, 2013, 02:40:40 pm »
What a scam, cannot believe this is the final product. These cheap plastic POS products are not what he originally advertised. If I had donated I would be pissed

Nz
 

Offline Legit-Design

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #43 on: July 14, 2013, 07:06:37 pm »
Quote
Orsto posted an announcement 7 hours ago
Hello everyone.

OK. Sundays update.

The PLUS+ Watch does have the same components as the X1.

The X1 campaign is to create funding for the machined titanium ellipse casings and wrist straps.

All contributors to the X1 campaign will be able to port their contribution to the PLUS+ Watch campaign if they prefer the PLUS+ Watch.

The X1 does not really have a brand name yet. We still just refer to it as the X1 for ease.

The X2 R&D project that we have referred to in the past is actually what is now branded the PLUS+ Watch.

Thanks everyone, I hope that helps to clear up some concerns that some contributors have with the little bit of confusion this re-adjustment seems to have caused.

Ultimately, we are just responding to requests from contributors and ensuring that our devices suit the majority of contributors.

Thanks again for all of your support.

Oh. Yes. also, very sorry for the (multiple, multiple) update yesterday. It appears that the same update was sent several times at once. Sorry about that, we hate spammy emails as well.

How can indiegogo let things like this slide?  Or maybe he still thinks titanium case is gonna eat that "5.5mm" of extra bulk. Hmm all the promises about previous specs have vanished. With these dodgy projects all updates and pictures should be archived into a safe place. Even the trusting backers of the project are getting suspicious
Quote
Why are the X2/PLUS+ specifications inferior to the X1?
1.2GhZ dual core VS 740MhZ
2GB vs 512MB memory
Android2.2 VS Android 4
« Last Edit: July 14, 2013, 07:10:55 pm by Legit-Design »
 

Offline Tost

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #44 on: July 14, 2013, 11:47:28 pm »
Interesting "Prototype"...

[1] vietnamese .alibaba.com/product-gs/watch-mobile-phone-watch-android-phone-smart-android-watch-phone-983529303.html
[2] www .indiegogo.com/projects/x1-2inch-colour-touch-voice-ellipse-smart-watch?c=gallery
 

Offline Corporate666

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #45 on: July 15, 2013, 01:24:22 am »
Interesting "Prototype"...

[1] vietnamese .alibaba.com/product-gs/watch-mobile-phone-watch-android-phone-smart-android-watch-phone-983529303.html
[2] www .indiegogo.com/projects/x1-2inch-colour-touch-voice-ellipse-smart-watch?c=gallery

This guy is a shyster... but shame on the fools who have supported this project.

It was obvious when he showed "his" prototype that it wasn't his... who would design a prototype with sub assemblies on separate boards anyway?

And the fact that he hosts the specs as image files linked from his server, and can and does change them at any time... total shyster.
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Offline amyk

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #46 on: July 15, 2013, 11:25:00 am »
That's how OEM works... normally we don't hear about it but here we watch the whole process of ripping off consumers.

What's interesting is how big the SIM socket is in comparison to the rest of the components on the board. They might be able to make it smaller if they changed the SIM type.
 

Offline Till

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #47 on: July 24, 2013, 09:53:59 pm »
I live in Durham, UK, and up to now I never heard of this man or his company - but perhaps that's because I don't work in the right sector, which would probably be law enforcement. I do know the Abbey Road Business centre - as you would expect, it's home to about a couple dozen limited companies, and offers "virtual offices" and mailboxes, starting from £30 per month. FYI, setting up a limited company costs about £20 in fees here in the UK and has zero capital requirements or auditing, so it's by no means a mark of respectability.

I don't think we have to discuss whether the "X1" watch / phone is technically possible. Fortunately, it seems pretty clear that Mr. Gill will not reach his funding target, but that may not be necessary to defraud his investors, as this is a "flexible" campaign, meaning he will still get all the money (£22,093 so far). He may deliver a cheap Chinese watch phone that looks nothing like what he promised, or he may deliver nothing at all - you could say that people should have known better, but that doesn't make it right to take their money.

I'm considering contacting Durham trading standards about it - unfortunately, I am not sure they understand crowdfunding, or the impossibility of Mr. Gill delivering on his promise. My hope is that his name and record will ring a bell, and that they can act to freeze and return the ill-gotten gains.

I would also hope that Indiegogo stop his campaign before it finishes - but they've let it run long enough that I have my doubts over whether they will act in time.
 

Offline Rufus

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #48 on: July 24, 2013, 11:27:08 pm »
I live in Durham, UK, and up to now I never heard of this man or his company - but perhaps that's because I don't work in the right sector, which would probably be law enforcement.

If you look at the third post in this thread you can see a string of companies he and presumably his wife have created and dissolved. He is the director of something at Unit 20, Dragonville Industrial Park, Durham for example - looks like a lock up garage on google maps.
 

Offline notzippyTopic starter

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Re: Full android watch - Ostro on indiegogo - *Dodgy*
« Reply #49 on: July 30, 2013, 04:52:06 am »
So now he has created a second campaign called the "plus watch"
http://igg.me/at/plus-watch/x/1733288

Wow thats an ugly watch..
 


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