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TransWarpGS Clone Preorders open!

smp

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2011
Messages
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Location
Bedford, NH, USA
Just to be sure that the word is getting out, a fellow who goes by the handle Conrad has announced pre-ordering of a brand new TransWarpGS clone card for $180 Canadian.

Here's a link from over on the Google Group:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.sys.apple2/WQS9qFjfrF0

This sounds very exciting. He is hoping to be shipping units by the end of February.

Now, if somebody would just do the same with an AppliCard...

smp
 
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Just to be sure that the word is getting out, a fellow who goes by the handle Conrad has announced pre-ordering of a brand new TransWarpGS clone card for $180 Canadian.

Here's a link from over on the Google Group:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.sys.apple2/WQS9qFjfrF0

This sounds very exciting. He is hoping to be shipping units by the end of February.

Now, if somebody would just do the same with an AppliCard...

smp

I'm not sure if he has any left, but here's an Applicard clone, complete with gerber file for making the PCBs, using a Xilinx FPGA: http://alexfreed.com/FPGApple/Applicard.html

Maybe someone should point it out to Conrad and ask him if he wants to take on another Apple II project?
 
I'm not sure if he has any left, but here's an Applicard clone, complete with gerber file for making the PCBs, using a Xilinx FPGA: http://alexfreed.com/FPGApple/Applicard.html

I have been in contact with Mr. Freed about potentially making another run, and he expressed little interest in it. He was very polite and answered my questions, but he felt there would be few people who would be interested in purchasing an Applicard if it were available today.

Maybe we should take a poll to see how many folks might be interested in this?

smp
 
Just to be sure that the word is getting out, a fellow who goes by the handle Conrad has announced pre-ordering of a brand new TransWarpGS clone card for $180 Canadian.

Here's a link from over on the Google Group:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.sys.apple2/WQS9qFjfrF0

This sounds very exciting. He is hoping to be shipping units by the end of February.

Now, if somebody would just do the same with an AppliCard...

smp

Hi

Wow, the announcement sure got ugly on comp.sys.apple2! Poor kid, I know the feeling and it is hard to not take it personally when someone stomps on your baby.

Be nice out there folks, it is really easy to crush someone's dream with a few unkind words. Then everyone suffers.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch
 
Hi

Wow, the announcement sure got ugly on comp.sys.apple2! Poor kid, I know the feeling and it is hard to not take it personally when someone stomps on your baby.

Be nice out there folks, it is really easy to crush someone's dream with a few unkind words. Then everyone suffers.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch

It sure did! I've stayed out of that thread altogether, but I've seen the conversation turn for the worse. I understand why people are apprehensive about putting $180 down for this though:

1) Conrad is not a highly active member of the Apple II community so I guess he doesn't have "street cred" yet, although I think someone mentioned we worked with Reactive Micro.
2) There was a recent IIGS accelerator project that promised the world, but failed to deliver and left many unhappy.
3) The process has been framed very simply and straightforward by Conrad and with such a low price point, some are wondering why no one has done this before if it is so easy and relatively cheap.
4) There are no pictures, schematics, or videos of a board actually in operation.

Still, Conrad seems to know his stuff and I personally think it's legit and worth the risk. If I didn't already own an accelerator I would definitely pre-order this.
 
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I'm new here, but after reading through that thread, I have to wonder why he wouldn't be able to get a production sample to photograph and show off to potential bidders, especially if he is friends with the people at the company.
 
Hi
Yes, I fear Conrad has over-promised for the situation. He has set the expectations very high without much track record behind it that I can see. I recommend he take it slow and do a round of initial prototype boards first. Let some experienced builders get involved and hash out the design. Sending out PCBs only is a cheap option and will let others help assess whether the project is feasible or not.

Maybe Conrad has done all of this by himself so far but I can also understand reluctance to get involved with something that has so little information. I recall the whole "IMSAI II" incident where someone promised the moon and just could not deliver. Not bad intentions it is just that real life has a way of changing your plans when you don't expect it. A small free website and/or mailing list would go a long way in resolving the concerns though.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch
 
This is one of those situations where you've got to walk a fine line between faith and skepticism. I wish Conrad all the best. I do pre-production hardware testing for a number of Apple II products out there now - I'd definitely sign up to help him with QA. It sure would be great if this pans out. It would have been great if the GS Barn Door project did too. Or the A2GS-L01. Or... the list goes on and on. Vapor does not a product make. This would all be so much simpler if an announcement of availability, rather than a pre-announcement for pre-orders, were made. If it eventually comes out - and is not $500 after fixing all the production problems - I'll be in line with my money. Until then - pass the popcorn.
 
I understand why people are cautious of shelling out $180 for something they haven't even seen a picture of, but then again, anyone can mock up a realistic-looking photo so I'm not sure what that would do. But to come down on him in such a vehement fashion for his effort says a LOT about those responders - the same people who haven't said diddly-squat about the IIGS-LOL and Barn Door projects or any of the other failed efforts from members of the google clique.

In my communications with Conrad, he seemed decent enough & so I sent him $180 for my order. If it pans out, fantastic and if it doesn't, I'm out $180. No big deal - I loose a LOT more than $180 in a given year buying Apple II items on eBay that turn out to be pure trash. I look at it as a way to support a development activity. He wasn't involved in the vaporware projects David described above and he's not part of the clique, so he has that going for him in my book. (I don't want to prejudge him based on the poor behaviors of those involved in those failed projects.) I have personally invested in start-up companies in the past, and you do so knowing that you may gain or you may loose. That's the nature of the game. Like the stock market, don't use money you can't afford to loose.

Ken
www.Apple2Online.com
 
Any further news on the TransWarp GS clone project? I'm curious how this effort will turn out in the end.

-Glen
 
Latest update last week, Conrad has been ill with the flu. The cards are on their way from China, but are being shipped via slow container ship, so it may be a couple weeks before he has them in hand.
 
Hi everyone, this Conrad here. Thanks for everyone's support and I really appreciate the constructive criticism! Here is a repost of a post I just made on CSA2, an update on the project for everyone:

Hi Everyone! Sorry for falling off the map for a while. I was fighting a nasty and rather persistent flu. Have no fear, the project is still on track. Shipping is just taking a rather long time. Some information on how things are done for those who have never done bulk production orders with overseas companies before. The process goes something like this, although I've simplified things and left out all the lingo cause it can be a bit confusing!

Once you have determined the details of your agreement such as the quantity, price per unit, and so on, you go to your bank and have them draft a letter of credit, which basically says that the funds are there and will be transferred to the seller upon delivery of the goods. This letter is sent to the bank in the foreign country. The seller transfers the goods to the shipping agent and receives whats called a "bill of lading" from the shipping agent. This "bill of lading" serves two purposes, it serves as a receipt that the goods have been received by the agent and that they take responsibility for them, and it also serves as a title to the goods, whoever holds the bill of lading is the legal owner of the goods. The bill of lading is then transferred by the seller to the overseas bank. The seller's bank then transfers it to my bank here. When the goods arrive here, I will inspect them, determine that they are of the required condition and quality, and then I inform my bank, who will inform the seller's bank to release the funds and will release the bill of lading to me. I then take the bill of lading and claim the goods. Currently, the stage we are at is that the goods are currently en-route to Canada on the boat as of a short while ago after being held at port for a short time. The banks are in possession of the funds and the bill of lading. As soon as things arrive in Vancouver I will go inspect the goods and take photos for everyone, and soon after that I will take possession, at which point they will be passed on to everyone. Apparently this is the way most overseas transactions are conducted because it provides absolute security for both the buyer and seller. The buyer cannot deny funds and take the goods, and the seller cannot deny the goods (or provide an inferior quality product) and take the funds. My seller actually released the goods to be shipped before the letter of credit was with their bank, because they trust me, otherwise things would have probably been delayed an additional week or two. As it stands now, things should be falling within the initial shipping date I set which was the end of February +/- 2-3 weeks. If things really drag on it could possibly be a week later than that, but that is not likely, I would just rather provide a longer estimate and deliver early than to provide a short estimate and deliver late. Sorry for those who were worried, I didn't mean to make people concerned!

@Steven: I have not received anything from you in quite some time. Perhaps I'm losing it in spam or something. Please resend any messages and I will keep an eye out for them!

Also I would just like to point out that there are still 9 preorder spots available for anyone who is interested! Best regards everyone!

Conrad
 
Hi everyone, this Conrad here. Thanks for everyone's support and I really appreciate the constructive criticism! Here is a repost of a post I just made on CSA2, an update on the project for everyone:



Also I would just like to point out that there are still 9 preorder spots available for anyone who is interested! Best regards everyone!

Conrad

Conrad, glad to hear you are feeling better!

I would be seriously interested in one of the units, once they have been delivered and tested, but having been burned in the past for almost $500 on a TranswarpGS, I need to wait till I have seen other peoples success with these before I could commit money to it, I am fine having to pay a higher, non-preorder price for it once its been through the paces.
 
I just got an email from Conrad yesterday (he's been having mail-receipt problems of late on top of everything else) and he indicated that he hopes to have them out to the pre-order customers starting the end of this month (I just checked his email again to be sure I got that time frame correct). They would have been in his hands already except for a Customs hold-up.

As an aside, I am interested in learning more about all this from him directly, since I am investigating having some Apple II cases replicated by a Chinese company, and I would love to know beforehand what to expect in terms of timing, Customs, banking, etc.

For whoever is dieing to see a photo of one, I will take a couple of photos of my unit when I get my fat little fingers on it and share the photos with you here.

Ken
www.Apple2Online.com
 
I just got an email from Conrad yesterday (he's been having mail-receipt problems of late on top of everything else) and he indicated that he hopes to have them out to the pre-order customers starting the end of this month (I just checked his email again to be sure I got that time frame correct). They would have been in his hands already except for a Customs hold-up.

As an aside, I am interested in learning more about all this from him directly, since I am investigating having some Apple II cases replicated by a Chinese company, and I would love to know beforehand what to expect in terms of timing, Customs, banking, etc.

For whoever is dieing to see a photo of one, I will take a couple of photos of my unit when I get my fat little fingers on it and share the photos with you here.

Ken
www.Apple2Online.com

I would love to see photos of yours once you get it in hand, and if he didn't sell out on pre-order, I would totally put in an order with him for one at that time.
 
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