Actually Hank, we have had the factory "estimates" all along, but have not passed them on publicly. Things always go slower than optimistic engineers claim. (I think you have some experience in this area if I remember correctly) Scott will return with a "hit list" and produce his own estimate based upon what he encounters over there. We can provide a general ideas, but often those estimates are interpreted as hard commitments and then if we miss everyone gets upset, including us.
Scott's trip is an effort to help speed things up. In addition, there is often a language issue where meanings of modifications become misunderstood. Scott's mission will be prioritize the bugs in order of importance in an effort to accelerate the entire process.
This is very hard stuff and the technology companies keep moving the goal posts. Our own goal is to deliver a product that does not need constant updates over a year or more.
And therein lies the rub with smaller firms outsourcing manufacturing to China. Even for relatively simple manufacturing (think auto parts or furniture), the environment is rife with fraud, dishonesty, and lack of efficiency. Now complicate that with "language barriers", a joke of a legal system (so there's little or no recourse for contract breaches...especially if the victim is a foreign entity) and a "just good enough" to pass initial inspection attitude. And that's for simple manufacturing. It gets much worse when you're dealing with more intellectual endeavors such as software development. Been there, done that. Good luck if/when this thing ships trying to get software bug fixes and updates. I don't wish Outlaw bad luck, this this has all the hallmarks of an epic fail, both for Outlaw and for consumers who wind up with the gear if/when it ships.
It would have made more sense, once they decided to go to the dark side of Chinese manufacturing, to partner with a deep pocketed (they're already in bed with D&M holdings so that would have potentially worked) who has the financial strength and the staffing to have assets on the ground 24/7 to manage the development process (like Apple and major consumer electronics manufacturers do).
Seems like we end every year with Outlaw "on the cusp" of releasing a long delayed product. I hope they manage to get this one right, but I'm (obviously) not very optimistic.
Happy new year to all. Xin nian kuai le!
Best,
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