Update!

Hey Folks, lots of info to hit today, so let's get to it!

Testing Explained

I have had numerous questions and concerns about this round of testing and why it is necessary before releasing units.  

To clarify:

  • There is no specific error with the relays or power system. It is still extremely important to verify that in specific instances that the machine does not become dangerous to the end user.

  • There are numerous failure types that were tested during development, but these two specific ones  were not tested. This was my mistake and should have been on my list from early on. 

  • I do not expect that there will be any deal breaker issues with the existing set up, but we still need to be able to say with 100% certainty that Mugsy will not fail in dangerous manner.

As mentioned in an earlier update, the specific failure types are: 

  • What happens if a leak dumps water into the relay modules? 

  • What happens if the water level sensor in the boiler fails and the boiler is running on empty?

I get that the timing sucks and it's yet another blocker in a long line of them, but it is something that must be done. This testing will be completed in the next 24-48 hours and results will be shared in the next update.

Shipping Updates

First Kit Directs

Over the last week or so I have been talking/working with two backers(North America) to get direct units shipped and into their hands. As of today I have brought in a third backer from the UK to fill out this batch. 

I'm feeling extremely nervous/anxious about shipping a large number of unit's all at once right now and being able to properly handle support requests, documentation and making sure the kit is received in a state that makes the user happy/satisfied. In order to make sure the rest of this process goes smoothly, this first batch will only include these 3 kits. 

Some important things to note about this batch:

  • These backers are some of our most active community members across all channels.

  • Once received, they will be sharing information about the kits with myself and the community at large so we can finally have some verified proof of Mugsy's getting out in the real world. 

  • Once we confirm that the kits came in good working order and without issues, we will open up the remaining shipments. 

The three kits will be going out in a staggered shipping schedule. The first one will be out by Thursday or Friday, the second one next Tuesday/Wednesday and the third will be heading to the UK a couple of days after that. Shipping time for all of these unit's is 1-3 days so we will start seeing some good news early next week.

I am using EasyShip for these directs instead of going through UPS. Here is the shipment info(with personal info removed) for the two North American shipments:

directs.png

I will also be doing a test with two assembled units, both of them in North America. I do not have a date yet for the shipment, but am currently working towards the end of next week. 

Everything Else

All remaining shipments have been imported into EasyShip and are awaiting final processing and label creation. 

The following image shows a batch of 202 units(25 units on page) from a single reward tier ready to be submitted for final delivery. A small number of them require additional processing including:

  • bad address info

  • incorrect ship from locations

easyShip.png

Any additional processing will be handled over the next 2-3 days. Also, the selected courier may not be the actual last mile delivery provider for your region.

I also want to clearly state that all of these units are not yet "pending shipments" as the labels have not been created. When I am ready to push the actually delivery out, I select the unit and submit the shipment for delivery. All other reward tiers and web order types have been imported and are ready for final processing.

I will be revising/completing Deep Dive ETAs over the next several days. I will not be touching them until at least tomorrow so you will not see updates tonight. Most ETAs will be pushed back 5-10 days depending on order type.

My goal right now is to provide the most accurate and timely info possible, even if it is not the best news for everyone's ETAs. I understand that seeing a test batch round is annoying but I do believe it is necessary to make sure the remaining shipments go smoothly. Seeing these kits in real backers hands will be a win, even if it's only for a small selection of backers to start. When this batch goes well it will be much easier to build on that foundation and increase momentum until we cross the finish line.

Other Bits

  • I am working on a breakdown of previously shipped units, their locations and their specific ETAs separate from the new EasyShip rundowns. I was not able to complete this in time for this update but will do so once I have some breathing room in the next day or two.

  • The next update (Thursday or Friday) will have pics of any kits shipping and tracking update confirmations from the backers themselves.

  • I have not hit the manual since last week. Will touch on progress in next update.

  • Key create bug on CloudControl is still unresolved, first chance to hit will be on Saturday

  • I've made a big dent in tickets but there are still a bunch of languishing ones. I will be jumping back on them tonight and tomorrow evening until complete.

Ok, that is it for right now. I will be on day job calls for most of the day/eve/night today so may be slow to respond to new contacts/questions until tomorrow. Anything I can't respond to tonight will be hit at some point tomorrow afternoon. I appreciate everyone's continued support and want to especially thank the backers who have recently taken on a more integral role in making sure I have the help I need to successfully finish this project.

Cheers,

-m

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