[msknight]

The AK70 seemed to be brand new and have a future... now, it's site is showing it discontinued and I can't source a firmware update.
 
Does anyone know what happened please?
 
I'm sourcing a firmware update after having to reset the unit at times because the touch screen goes unresponsive... I do a jogging session, then press the power button to "wake up" the screen... and if I touch any of the other buttons before holding down the power button to get the, "Power off" dialogue... then the touch screen won't respond and I've got to reset the unit.
 
But.... I go to AK's site and find... "No longer available."
 
Does anyone have their ear to the ground, and a line to gossip central on this?

 

[msknight]

From what I've been told, A&K have a reputation for agressive turn over of kit.
 
Personally, when I pay a good price for something, I do expect some longevity regarding support. I was expecting the AK70 to last many years.. and it still might.
 
But this does mark the last A&K I'll buy. I do feel a bit cheated and abandoned. No more firmware updates, no accessories... I'm just stunned.
 

 

[franzdom]

Thank you for the warning!

 

[msknight]

In an interesting turn of events, I'd posted on their Facebook page. They basically said, "We do not and will never plan on dumping a product and leaving our customers in the cold. The latest firmware is v1.30 which was launched yesterday. " ... and said for me to hook it up to wi-fi and auto-check.
 
I've asked them for a link to the firmware.
 
I also asked them to have a word with their communications department about their... er.... communications.
 
The only reason I found out that the AK70 was no longer in production is because I did a search of their web site (the search option is at the bottom of the page, rather than the top).... and then scrolling down to the bottom of the AK70 product page itself in order to find those magic words.
 
I've suggested they have a "discontinued products" section of their web site, where people can at least go and get firmware updates, and are immediately left in no wonderment that their beloved device is now out in the cold.
 
I am now waiting for them to come back to me, and insist once again that I hook up the AK70 to Wi-Fi... at which point I'll ask them if they've ever heard of Adam Orth and why he no longer works at Microsoft. ... at which point I might then have to explain the detail of his attitude to customers who couldn't hook up to always-on broadband, and what happened when a groundswell of customers, "politely," disagreed with him.
 
Then again, they probably still won't get it. I've asked them for a link to download the latest firmware. *sigh* - stay tuned.

 

[msknight]

I honestly expected better than this from these guys.
 
Firstly they tell me that the AK70 was not discontinued, so I went back through the steps to find the page pictured.... to find that they have removed the "AK70 is no longer available" text from the web page... and THEN they try and tell me that their firmrware is not available to download.
 
Excuse me, but how do they think I got the firmware update when I first bought it?
 
RicherSounds came to my rescue by providing a link to the parent company where I can get the download, but sadly not the 1.30 yet that they mentioned - http://www.iriverinc.com/download/downloadList.asp?selectPart=cateCode&findWord=02
 
So... A&K's customer support are feeding me utter trash. Not what I'd expect from a premium company.

 

[msknight]

Sadly... we are now going down the Adam Orth route.

 

[msknight]

OK - so, I don't have a copy of the firmware on my laptop... and it was more than a month ago.... but I have to take a deep breath.... their insistence that I must consume their product... their way... has got me very angry, and that's something I must step back from.
 
I was seeing so much red that I missed this in the exchange...
 
"Thank you for notifying us of the error. It seems that there is an error on our AK70 blog post. We will correct the error ASAP. "
 
...they did rectify the error, and very quickly, which is why I couldn't find it.
 
I have my reasons why I don't want to hook up the AK70, along with other equipment, to my home Wi-Fi. I take my firmware on downloads and manually install it. Not everyone can, or wants, to do things their way.
 
So it looks like I'm going to be stuck on the early version of the firmware forever, because I have a funny suspicion that the wi-fi only update is probably how they've engineered the unit... probably thinking it would be most convenient for customers.... well, I think they've got that one wrong

 

[msknight]

So... why no WiFi?
 
Basically, it comes down to trust.
 
I had a nasty episode with the Jawbone UP. Basically, it was sending all my personal health information to their servers. Also, they were sharing that information with third parties. (stated in the terms and conditions) Not only that, but their terms, once read very carefully, noted that if you put in a formal request for your data to be deleted - (which I did, and stopped using the device... but never got a formal confirmation from them) - but they can not guarantee that their third party partners will delete the data either.
 
So what's the big deal you might ask?
 
Long story short, this data can even be sold to insurance companies. There's no guarantee that it might not be tampered with on the way, as security is laughable. http://www.imedicalapps.com/2014/08/health-apps-insurance-companies/#
 
The concept has been around for a while, but the NHS is selling patient data to insurance firms now, and although it is supposed to be anonymised, various people have already shown how individuals can be identified - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/10906390/Millions-of-NHS-records-sold-to-insurance-firms.html
 
So... devices that I don't control... don't get wi-fi access.
 
We are being watched and controlled. Microsoft even patented the ability for their camera unit, the Kinnect, to determine how many people were sitting down to watch a film, and deny them if it thought too many people were watching - http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/139706-microsofts-new-kinect-patent-goes-big-brother-will-spy-on-you-for-the-mpaa
 
To some people, this data sharing doesn't matter... it hasn't impacted them yet. But unless people question it and put up a fight, then it will become the norm, and companies will profile us, note what we're doing, where we're going, what we are watching and listening to.... and will use that to control us.
 
If I don't know what it's doing... it doesn't get access. Full stop. End of story.
 
That goes for the AK70 as well.
 
Extra - and you know the spookiest thing... after I posted this explanation on the Facebook conversation.... they deleted it.

 

[Brcinskij]

Hi man,
I have another problem, maybe you saw it in thread. I have now 3rd AK70 in a row with update error problem, cause the MOOV app doesnt exist in Store Menu and wants to be updated.
It is so strange, nobody with this problem in the whole world, but maybe some people have this problem too and when they posted it, Astell&Kern deleted it. Who knows.
I am now waiting for 4rd device and if it will have this problem too, I will go for Onky DP-X1.

 

[Brcinskij]

And OK, OTA update is fine, but they could give the possibility to download firmware from their site too. In the secret menu, I think there is an option to load firmware file to device.

 

[denony]

Hello,
 
Quote:

  So... why no WiFi?
 
Basically, it comes down to trust.

 
If the only way to update the firmware is Wifi, but you don't want IRiver (or third parties) gathers information about you, why you don't revert your AK70 to factory default updating ?
 
For example, perform theses steps :
1. Remove the microSD card
2. Delete music stored in the internal memory, if any
3. Perform a full factory reset (wipe memory)
4. Go to a Cyber Coffee or a restaurant with wifi (so they will not trace your true IP / location)
5. Connect to the wifi
6. Perform the update
7. Disable the Wifi

 

[msknight]

That... is actually a good idea.

 

[Brcinskij]

Thanks for help, but I actually bought 4th device from another reseller and finally is everything OK.
But now I have another dilema called Cayin i5...