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An open letter to TrekStor | Availability of vibez f

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2013-04-17, 20:58 by Einkoro
In the near future the forum will be going read-only and registrations will be disabled as the Rio IP is pretty much dead and buried and forum activity has slowed to almost nothing.

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RubenNYC 2009-02-27, 13:13 #1
User title: vibez junkie
Member since Jul 2006 · 1045 posts · Location: North Jersey
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Subject: An open letter to TrekStor | Availability of vibez f
Here's an email I just sent to mail@trekstor.de .  Part of this email was inspired by Kenny G's post HERE.

[hr]

Dear TrekStor,
 
I am a proud owner of a 12 GB TrekStor vibez mp3 player that I firmly believe is one of the best mp3 players on the planet.  And there are others like me, especially those of us who also owned the Rio Karma upon which the vibez firmware and interface is based.
 
Ever since the announcements at IFA 2007 that TrekStor would be releasing a flash version of the vibez, I got very excited that TrekStor was keeping the vibez line alive.  Then the Beta firmware updates started coming out and I became even more convinced of TrekStor's commitment to its flagship mp3 player and that the announced improvements really would become a reality.
 
While I was disappointed that no new vibez was released, I was greatly encouraged by the announcement at IFA 2008 that, not only would there be a flash vibez, but it was going to be available in 16 GB and 32 GB capacities!!  And available by the end of September!!
 
Well, another five months have passed and I'm really worried that Amazon.com and JR.com in the US are no longer taking orders on the flash vibez. Both sites have completely removed all mention of the vibez. Even Amazon.de stopped listing the vibez a few weeks ago.

I think most of us who really love the vibez have concluded that the flash vibez will never be released. Is this the case?  As of right now, TrekStor is quickly developing a bad reputation around here of failing to communicate with its current and prospective customers.  Further, it appears disingenuous for TrekStor to continue to advertise 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB vibez f players on your public web site when nobody on the planet is actually selling them.

So, I'm writing to ask you for some clarity as to what will really happen with the vibez f.  So many of us have been waiting for almost a year and a half, and now so many of us are convinced that the vibez f is truly vaporware. 

Is this the case?  I hope not.  It would be truly sad for such a wonderful device with such a rich heritage (empeg, Rio Karma, etc.) to simply disappear.

I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Ruben C.
vibez owner since March 2007
obarriel 2009-02-28, 13:47 #2
Member since Oct 2007 · 15 posts
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Very good email.

Let us know if you get any response.
My site:
http://www.mp3dap.com/
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MicSan 2009-03-01, 11:05 #3
Member since Jan 2007 · 51 posts · Location: Delmenhorst, Germany
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Hi there,

I just read Rubens letter. Very good - hope he'll get any answer whatever it looks like.

This evening I was looking around in the web and found this one at Trekstor
http://www.trekstor.de/en/products/detail_m…?pid=66&…

Seems that there had indeed been a device in this galaxy that had been tested by a magazin named stereoplay (http://www.stereoplay.de).

For the non-german members a quick translation:
Test excerpt: "But the new edition of the Vibez, now equipped with Flash memory, brilliances with interesting audio features it's the only test candidate with an user exchangeable accumulator, a parametric five band equalizer as well as a LINE input for direct recordings with good quality."

I don't got this issue of this magazine (no. 1/09). Is there anybody out there who may sent me this article?

Nevertheless I just wrote a note to Stereoplay and trekstor and asked for what's on there - just for fun. <_<
The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "Eureka!" but "That's funny..." (Isaac Asimov)
Kenny G 2009-03-02, 08:00 #4
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In reply to post #1
RubenNYC,

That is an excellent letter - there's nothing more that needs to be said. We await a reply with interest!
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MicSan 2009-03-03, 09:31 #5
Member since Jan 2007 · 51 posts · Location: Delmenhorst, Germany
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Hello again,

I got a reply from Trekstor - just 3 hours old. Here's a translation from the german:
Thank you that for your request to the TrekStor service team.
Thank you for your interest in the TrekStor vibez Flash. The TrekStor vibez, winners talk DOT Design Award, is a much considered component of our product range. From there we regret much that it is unfortunately not possible for us by unforeseeable circumstances, which withdraw themselves out of our influence to deliver the TrekStor vibez Flash.
A supplier on an important construction unit for the TrekStor vibez was in such a manner strongly concerned of the world-wide financial crisis that he is not any more able to keep the regular business concern upright and manufacture this construction unit. There is at present no alternative on the market for this complex construction unit. By these circumstances we unfortunately have to abandon the introduction to the market of the TrekStor vibez Flash.
We regret much that we must disappoint the large interest in the TrekStor vibez for the reason mentioned. Yours sincerely

No comments...
The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "Eureka!" but "That's funny..." (Isaac Asimov)
forcepub 2009-03-03, 10:37 #6
Member since Jan 2007 · 13 posts · Location: Cambridge, UK
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Sounds depressingly final.  Guess it's time to resign myself to getting a Sandisk and praying for the Rockbox port...
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Peregrine 2009-03-03, 13:09 #7
User title: Endangered Species
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At least we finally know for sure...
 :-/
I rock a lawsuit when I'm going to court, a white suit when I'm getting divorced
   A black suit at the funeral home, and my birthday suit when I'm home alone
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RubenNYC 2009-03-03, 16:45 #8
User title: vibez junkie
Member since Jul 2006 · 1045 posts · Location: North Jersey
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I got the same email.  Very sad.

Dear Ruben,

Thank you for requesting information about the TrekStor vibez Flash. The TrekStor vibez, winner of the Red Dot Design Award, is a product for which we have received great popular acclaim. Therefore we deeply regret that, due to unforeseeable circumstances that are beyond our influence, it is not possible to launch the TrekStor vibez Flash.

A supplier for an important component of the TrekStor vibez was affected by the worldwide financial crisis so badly, that they are no longer capable of maintaining normal business operation and are therefore unable to produce this component. Unfortunately there is no substitute for this complex component on the market. This forces us to cancel the launch of the TrekStor vibez Flash.

We deeply regret that we are forced to disappoint the great interest in the TrekStor vibez.

Thank you,

Support Team

support@datastation.us
epithetless 2009-03-03, 18:43 #9
Member since Sep 2006 · 198 posts · Location: Boston, Mass
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In reply to post #6
Quote by forcepub:
Guess it's time to resign myself to getting a Sandisk and praying for the Rockbox port...

...which is what I just did. A used 8GB v1 Fuze is on its way as I type...

Still crying inwardly for the demise of the Vibez. :-(
gomtuu 2009-03-03, 18:51 #10
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Wasn't there some news recently about Sigmatel being acquired? Could that be the supplier they're talking about?

Edit: I also found this on Wikipedia:

On February 25, 2009, Freescale laid off 70% of the former Sigmatel team as part of a company-wide reduction in force. No new products under the old Sigmatel design teams will be created. A 'skeleton crew' was chosen to stay and support existing OEM customers that are using the existing chips until the chips are 'End Of Lifed'.

(Forgive me if that was posted here earlier and I missed it.)
This post was edited on 2009-03-03, 18:55 by gomtuu.
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RubenNYC 2009-03-03, 19:06 #11
User title: vibez junkie
Member since Jul 2006 · 1045 posts · Location: North Jersey
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Quote by gomtuu:
Wasn't there some news recently about Sigmatel being acquired? Could that be the supplier they're talking about?

Edit: I also found this on Wikipedia:

On February 25, 2009, Freescale laid off 70% of the former Sigmatel team as part of a company-wide reduction in force. No new products under the old Sigmatel design teams will be created. A 'skeleton crew' was chosen to stay and support existing OEM customers that are using the existing chips until the chips are 'End Of Lifed'.

(Forgive me if that was posted here earlier and I missed it.)

Wow, that must be it.  Sucks.
Kenny G 2009-03-04, 01:19 #12
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This post was edited automatically to correct display problems.
Subject: Market forces
That's extremely sad news. Go into any music/ electronics store and you can't move for the hordes of iPod variants and iPod compatible accessories. All we wanted was a reliable DAP which carried on from the Karma in terms of GUI, sound quality, gapless etc. It just shows that most users aren't really bothered about those functionalities and just want a trendy device - and in that case the manufacturers aren't going to make any more effort than they need to.

One point however: the lay-off by Freescale of the former Sigmatel team in February 2009 doesn't per se explain why the Vibez f wasn't available six months ago as promised at IFA 2008 - and had it been, perhaps there would have been sufficient sales and revenues to avoid the collapse. It must have been close, given that Amazon was taking orders, so perhaps Trekstor were trying harder than their wishy-washy client service messages made it appear.

Despite my comments above, I am sure that we'll get what we want one day, although who knows how long we'll have to wait. In the meantime, what Forcepub and Epithetless have done is the way forward. Sansa Fuse 8GB is available to those in the UK for about £60 on Amazon (£52 if you can get to a Dixons tax free store in an airport). I seriously thought about a Cowon D2 last week which was on special offer - 16GB expandable + DAB radio - but unless anyone knows different, I doubt whether that will ever get a firmware upgrade to gapless etc or join the Rockbox list.

I'll keep looking at this forum for other ideas - I'm really grateful and impressed that peoplefind the time to share their ideas.
Kenny G 2009-03-04, 09:12 #13
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In reply to post #8
My copy of the Trekstor "Dear John" email has just arrived. Their website hasn't changed, however...that will probably take another six months.
epithetless 2009-03-04, 19:12 #14
Member since Sep 2006 · 198 posts · Location: Boston, Mass
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Quote by Kenny G:
My copy of the Trekstor "Dear John" email has just arrived. Their website hasn't changed, however...that will probably take another six months.

Amidst all the grave news, that made me laugh out loud. Thanks.
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