Inherit the Wind
I can just keep coming up with Wind puns ad infinitum it seems…
Anyway, for those of you following the continuing story, MSi missed two US release dates for their critically acclaimed Wind UMPC and finally said they would absolutely, positively be shipping on July 7th. The UMPC world held it’s breath in anticipation of…
…Why…that’s TODAY! <gasp>
According to sources on the MSi forums, MSi US did indeed receive a shipment of 300 Winds for shipment today and all of those are going out to preorders. A nice gesture by MSi is that due to the delays they apparently gave free overnight shipping to all the people who have been waiting. Classy. Next units available in the US, according to an MSi CSR, won’t be until late July or mid August so after these 300 are gone they apparently need to start making a new batch, like doughnuts. No word whatsoever on any units appearing in brick and mortar locations. No confirmation on shipping to customers as of yet either, so we will see.
If you are in the US and preordered a Wind, you may be in luck soon…if you didn’t preorder, it will be another month or so until you can get one.
New products are always fun, especially highly anticipated ones, but does it HAVE to be this hard to buy a single damn UMPC? It’s easier choosing a new Pope then getting a Wind it seems.
Follow the drama for yourself at MSiWind.net.
UPDATE ONE: These 300 units are just for people who preordered direct from MSi, if you preordered from Amazon or elsewhere, you will be waiting until late July/mid August it seems. Plus, word from MSi is now that they WON’T ship to customers on the 7th, but on the 8th. This is beginning to look less like a proper release and more like just getting a handful of devices out when promised so they don’t look like complete prats and lose orders. Spinning in the Wind?
UPDATE TWO: MSi CSRs are now apparently using phrases like “by Friday” when discussing when the brave 300 (MADNESS??? THIS IS MOBILITYSITE!!!!!!) will get their Winds. No word yet as to whether or not the check is in the mail, if the CSR will respect us in the morning or if these chaps make me look fat.
UPDATE THREE: The 6 cell battery version of the Wind has now been officially delayed by MSi until “August”.
No year listed.
UPDATE FOUR: Nothing shipped to customers thus far on the 8th. Someone who “doesn’t work for MSi” posted some pics from a warehouse showing Winds in shipping crates, including free MSi caps and apparently a readme page in English. The poster says they are from the US, no reason to assume they aren’t. The photos make the Wind forum happier, but they are getting more and more frustrated and more and more vocal about it. Sharp looking hats though.
As I predicted, this week is looking like a win for Asus.
UPDATE FIVE: It appears most of the stalwarts on msiwind.net forums received emails with tracking numbers, as well as some people who preordered from some resellers such as mwave…so it appears the pain is finally coming to an end, at least for the first wave of preorders.
Now, WHEN was the 6 cell supposed to be released?
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