Is There A Christmas Discount/sale This Year?

Question

Hi there, as far as I remember there was a nice discount on the developer kit last year around christmas. Is/will there be a nice chistmas-/New Year's Eve deal again? Greetings Bill

jstarne1 · Answer

That is the pre order , which is going now. The previous ezb was 135 just for the board so the price "may" go up after pre order is over. I'm not a employee of ez robot. Get it while it's cheap

billcipher · Answer

Where can I preorder it? link plz Is the deal only for the board or also for the developer kit that includes the board,and additional stuff like servis, camera...?

stibaer · Answer

How long is preordering possible? Up to which date?

Dave Schulpius · Answer

Take a look under the "Buy" tab at the top of the web page on this site. You can brows through everything they have to offer for sale. Everything is Pre Order right now as nothing is being shipped for a month or so. When you click on the Details button of something offered for sale it will say "Ships in 5-7 weeks" It's been saying that for months now. EZ Robots had a hold up when they changed their vendor as the old one couldn't keep up with demand. Not to worry though, They will ship as promised. Just not sure when. Here's the link to the kit and stand alone EZB board: synthiam.com/Shop/Default.aspx?CatId=5

Sudo the Banned · Answer

So does that mean that the EZ-B v4 should start showing up at our doorsteps soon?

stibaer · Answer

So $229.00 USD is the preorderprice (christmas-sale-price) for the EZ-Robot Developers Kit and $99.00 USD for the EZ-B v4 WiFi Robot Controller? What would the regular prices be? I wondered, that I couldnt find any information on the website unlike last year, that you can get certain articles cheaper thanks to the current christmas-preorder-sale-thingy.

jstarne1 · Answer

https://synthiam.com/Shop/Default.aspx?CatId=0 the developer kit and the ezb v4 are both less expensive than the ezb v3. The V3 regular price was 135. Considering the v4 comes with a case , connectors , rechargable battery and more it is a great deal. Compare it to buying the most powerful arduino board , then buy a case , and a lithium ion battery and now you have spent more than the ezb v4 without all the awesome features and support.

DJ Sures · Answer

All our prices are preorder and will be going to regular pretty soon. We will also be taking our store offline because we think it'll be fun to do a kickstarter and reach a new demographic - people who didn't know they could have a robot

jstarne1 · Answer

Edit

jstarne1 · Answer

Lol , jinx!

hoolagen1 · Answer

so wait and get a 4v via kickstarter?

CardboardHacker · Answer

I think I'd have to agree with Anthony on this one. Kick starter is... well... for kick starting a company or idea. The thought of having an already successful company doing a kick starter might not go over so good. You might almost want to keep the store open.

Antron007 · Answer

While I agree with you guys, I too thought Why Kickstarter and I've been pondering it for days. I think it may be due to overwhelming response. With a kickstarter it may be easier for them collect orders over a period of time and I'm sure the more they have made at once makes it a little cheaper. It will help keep the next batch of all of the orders in a more orderly and scheduled fashion. I think that right now they are scrambling. They blew up and are struggling to meet the demand so in the long term it's a 1 step back for 5 steps forward for them. That's just my theory.

Dave Schulpius · Answer

OK DJ. You hooked me. I used my $50 USD credit towards another EZB board in fear that the store is going to be shut down and prices are going up.

Rich · Answer

As DJ said, it will reach a new demographic. While typically kickstarter may be to give new projects and ideas a kick start why not use it to "kick start" or boost the V4 and/or the Revolution robots and EZ-Bits? I can't see why this would create any concern to new and existing customers, what are you concerned about?

Rich · Answer

Are you honestly concerned over the companies stature? I disagree with pretty much all of that. Arduino has the majority of people following and using them. And while EZ-Robot is now well established and has progressed from a basement to an office space there are still a lot of people they haven't yet reached. There are a lot of people who, as you have said, dismiss the EZ-B. The recent, current and future magazine exposure will take care of some of that as will Kick Starter. It's an additional outlet at the end of the day and surely that can only be a good thing? The V3/V4 part, why would you class the V3 as entry level and the V4 as advanced? The V4 is more advanced but it isn't only for advanced users. It works very much in the same way as the V3 works. It's point, click, drag and you're done, the V4 is just more feature rich, provides a much more stable communication method and has extras built in, in a smaller footprint. I guarantee the V4 will be as easy, if not easier to use than the V3. How will Kick Starter take it all away? I cannot see that whatsoever.

stibaer · Answer

I must admit that I had to read DJs text a couple of times to be sure, that it isnt meant in an ironic/sarcastic way. Shutting down a well working shop is a waste in my eyes. I suggest to kickstart another ez-robot, so more people learn to know about the existing and working website. Until which date will the shop stay open and the preorder be available at least? I need some time to finish my planning for some new robot(s). Unsure yet, which parts I need in total. I would like to avoid the neeed of a 2nd delivery because of 1-2 servos or other small stuff. The shipping fees to Germany are just too damn high ^^ I wonder if the customs office will charge additional tariffs and how high they will be. I need the parts for the education of my pupils. Does someone know a good way around customs duties and taxes? For ecample a declaration on the outside, so the the customs office employees know, that the stuff inside is for educational purposes?

stibaer · Answer

!Agree. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Nomad 6R · Answer

can you do bolt store and kickstarter.twice more luck

jstarne1 · Answer

What Aameralis is saying , just keep selling ezb v3 and XX price and the ezb V4 at a higher price which makes sense. Maybe they might do something like that in the future.

Dave Schulpius · Answer

In my humble opinion the only thing the V3 has to offer over V4 is the on board regulators. Other then that it's old world. Too bad EZ Robots couldn't design a regulator into V4.

Someassembly · Answer

Hi I have been building with Arduino for a while now and was about to make a journey into the EZB world, thought I might drive down later this week. I wanted to pick up a bunch of stuff so I could really get going in a big way. BUT after reading DJ's statement that they will be shutting down to do a kickstarter, I don't think there is much value in it. While I can understand that they want to grow bigger, have they forgot those that made them what/where they are now? I get the feeling that with the closure of the online store they do themselves a disservice in a big way. I ask myself should I start into this when they are going to close and leave me hanging? What assurances will There be that they will continue to support thier current customers? This happens so often these days, a group starts a great business idea then gets too big for those that supported them before they were anywhere. Just saying... Well at least the beggining of my day was blessed with dreams. Happy New Year all. Mike

Bobbob21 · Answer

I don't understand. What will be kickstarted? A physical store, online store, the EZ-b v4 board, software development? Are they looking for investors? I thought Kickstarter is used to fund development of a project. I thought the product was already developed but being enhanced. If they are looking for user exposure to their product, the move vendor stores/websites they get to sell their product the better. Certainly, there is lots of positive articles in large magazines lately which helps get the word out. None of my business but things can get financially challenging with no sales for several months. I believe in their product and just ordered a ez-b v4 board.

jstarne1 · Answer

Kickstarter.com is a place to pitch products but often people use it to pitch a lonely idea. If you notice the ideas alone do not do well on kickstarter. There needs to be real tangible product you can see working well before people will invest money to buy one. Ez robot is still a start up in many ways and was much more successful in the sales than expected. The members who support ez robot have been screaming for a kickstarter for over a year. I was one of these original members suggesting it. I can understand the arguments on both sides of the fence. Now that there are tangible products and videos to watch ez robot revolution stands a great chance of doing phenomenal in the kickstarter sales pitch. At the very least it is a great area of advertisement to get the ez robot moved from a new name to a known name in consumer electronics industry.

Dave Schulpius · Answer

Well, when you put it like that.....................

jstarne1 · Answer

@someassembly , I'm sorry to hear you feel left out. The purpose of the pre order is to give members a chance to buy in at a reduced rate before the kickstarter is kicked off where the prices will go back up to normal. I can tell you that the V3 ezb was $132 by itself before v4 and you can pre order the v4 at a lower price. This is the chance for those members who have been around a while contributing to the overall spreading of ez robots success to get a great deal. Then they will close down this store for the kickstarter. I am not privileged to have any ideas of how the kickstarter teirs will be organized but what I am sure of is the prices will be higher than now.

hoolagen1 · Answer

i didn't know the 99.00 tag was preorder tag.....if I remember correctly it was increased to 99.00, so now there is a second increase coming? bummer.... ive been waiting to buy a v4 because of what I thought was backorder issues. Most Kickstarters give you a great deal on the product before they go on sale....will ezb do the same? and yeah, I agree, I think its just a little weird that the co. is up and running and is now shutting down to re start? I mean I get it, if its better for the co. overall then do it.....but, at the cost of current loyal customers convenience" I don't know man. p.s. please do not take this as me being critical of this co. (I love it too) just speaking my mind.

Someassembly · Answer

I don't feel left out! I feel glad that I have not yet invested in a company that is uncertain ( future/commitment ). While there are some great potential here I think that too much youth is in control and there is no direction for the company. I for one will not be investing where all could be lost in a moment. This is a great idea, but the direction the company is moving makes me want to build it myself. I don't want to have the rug pulled out when ever they want some vacation money. Their current customers must wait even longer before they can get product, but that may not be a concern for them. Kickstarter takes time and many will move along and not wait for this fledgling company to get stable. Most small start ups don't make any profit for the first five years. I wish you all the best. All I can say is "It's not for me, and I will do for myself". @jstarne1 Your attitude is one of respect, I applaud that. Pre ordering a product that as yet is not even in existence/available with a company that threatens closure is not where I feel any security. When they get their act together I may look again, but I think there will be many options by then. Mike

hoolagen1 · Answer

daaaaaaaaaaam Mike (expect some hard core brown nosers to be super mad with you, even if this is an open forum)..... I don't feel that strongly about it. but I do have my issues with it. lets get it together. the store is open, then its not, no one in these forums is really clear on pricing. homepage shows support for both android and apple os, but we barely get a hint of anything going on with the updates. I do get a feeling of the co. saying "well, we have a cult following, but we need more" and I get that. that's cool, it's just....again, I say this with love. your making it kinda hard on us. and by us I mean the average guy who just got into robotics because of this simple amazing board.

jstarne1 · Answer

@Hoolegan , there will be support for both I-phones and android devices. Android devices are much easier to code for and honestly most of the users reported by a landslide in a survey they already used a high end android device. The staff had to order special equipment to make coding for the apple app practical. They had to buy a mac book pro because it makes it easier to develop and compile the X code. Because the apple following is large so it makes sense to have a mobile app for both. They are coming but Android first I'm super excited about the android app , it makes demonstration of robots away from a computer much more practical.

Someassembly · Answer

Thanks @hoolagen1 I am just Disappointed. I will back away now and leave all to peace. All the best Mike

hoolagen1 · Answer

Yo. I get that. What I was pointing out are the inconsistent info we get. Again its a bummer and I roll with it. Just not as mad as other might get. I don't think its too much to ask for postings on the home page to be accurate.

Nomad 6R · Answer

what does this all mean.there are no parts ?

Dunning-Kruger · Answer

@nomad18.08 They are still in the process of manufacturing them.... As mentioned before the new delivery date of the EZB4 is around mid to late January 2014.....

Nomad 6R · Answer

does that counts for the servo's too.

Dunning-Kruger · Answer

Probably not, but what good are the other items in the store without an ezb controller? The servos are generic so you can get them just about anywhere... Yes, some people (myself included) have ezb3 version, so having some peripherals to sell right away would make sense.... However, if I needed a another camera or servo right now I can just get them on eBay...

Rich · Answer

I believe everything is delayed until the V4s ship so servos too. The information given is not inconsistent and there are many updates about the V4s delays, android and iOS apps etc. both on the forums and via email news letters. The EZ-Robot team have explained the problems which have caused the delays. They have also explained about the price increases.

Nomad 6R · Answer

i ordered two servo's.thats why i asking.i need a flat camera .

Dunning-Kruger · Answer

Could have just bought the servos on eBay and got them right away... EZB4 uses a proprietary camera so you can't buy one on ebay. You must use the one that EZ Robot sells (will sell) in their store.... EZB3 can use just about any camera that windows can use so eBay would be a good place to get a camera for the old version of the controller....

Rich · Answer

Windows version of ARC can use any camera that shows up in Windows so the V4 isn't limited to just the V4 camera, the V4 camera is limited to use on the V4 EZ-B. In other words, if running from PC you can use any camera that Windows can see (via dongle, wired or IP)

Nomad 6R · Answer

i got the camera first one from ez.but he's too big for the head.and the other one the lens is in the wrong angle for me. i wanted to use an i-qbot cause he has allreddy pan and tilt in the head.

Dunning-Kruger · Answer

The new camera (wrong angle or not) won't be any good to you unless you have the V4 board, anyway.... If you have an ezb3 board you might be able to find a camera that will be small enough to work for you from Ebay or another store...

Nomad 6R · Answer

oh.i ordered the ez-v4.i need an ezb3 then.thanks

Rich · Answer

If you ordered an EZ-B V4 then you can use the V4 camera. You are unable to order a V3 board now since they are no longer available other than as second hand.

You would be better discussing this in it's own topic rather than one about Christmas discounts, that way you will receive more help as more people may view the topic. It would also then meet the forum etiquette.

Nomad 6R · Answer

i cant use the v4 camera ,its the wrong angle for me. you said i couldn make another topic. anyway this will not work for me cause i dont have enouch knowledge from englich language. my fault sorry.by

billcipher

Is There A Christmas Discount/Sale This Year?

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