A lack of clear communication
At least when it comes to much of the rest of the tech world, the majority of companies tell you when your pre-orders will arrive. And if something unforeseen takes place, then you’ll likely see an update about it, whether via an email, press release, or a post in your RSS feed.
But as I was hopping between different Discord servers, I noticed that someone was keeping a running track of the issues found with the Pocket DS. Here’s what the list includes so far:
- High-pitched fan noise
- Sticky buttons
- Non-functional buttons
- Non-functional joysticks
- “Acceptable light bleed”
- SD card slot not working
- SD card ejecting on its own
- Firmware updates result in controller not working
- Faulty lid sensor
- Flipped Gyroscope
- Hinge makes cracking noise when closed
- Strong burning electronics smell when charging
- Boot loader looping (out of the box)
Too much, too fast
But I digress. It’s clear that AYANEO is trying to do too much too fast, resulting in quality control issues, poor build quality, and shipping delays with seemingly no end in sight. For as fast-paced as the industry moves, it might be time for AYANEO to take a step back and reinforce its foundations first before it’s too late.
No, this isn’t meant to be a “hit piece” about AYANEO, but it’s really a plea for the company to do better. When the company is firing on all cylinders, it makes some of the best hardware that I’ve ever seen and used. Sadly, it’s become apparent that a couple of those cylinders have lost power, and a trip to the mechanic is needed before it’s too late.
As the great Ron Swanson once said, “Never half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing.”
