[NewDuke]

Ears, sadly you're feelings will be lost here. A hardcore in this thread is determined to defend this player and MP4Nation to the last, and fair enough perhaps, you've all invested time and money into it. But they will always blame Teclast for the minor hardware niggles and firmware despite this really becoming a Nationite player (and nothing to do with Telcast) the moment it was rebranded. For example, would you send a broken S:flo2 back to Teclast directly to fix? No, because it's a Nationite product and they hold end responsibility for it. MP4Nation is just not committed enough to hire a developer to work on the firmware, why do that when you can shift the blame to the original manufacturer and rely on a forum community at zero cost. A shame because I bought an S:flo2 from Ebay (so no money went to MP4Nation) and it really is close to total awesomeness, just needs a bit more development attention.
 
I'm one of the few who cancelled their order simply because of the poor attitude of MP4Nation who shocked me in almost every communication. But don't count on them ever changing because it's just one guy with a permanent chip on his shoulder and a couple of his 'assistants'.
 
I'm going to unsubsribe to this thread now to avoid repeating myself. I do hope everyone enjoys the player, the would almost make the shambles that is MP4Nation worth it. Chao.

 
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So everyone's ok with this product and MP4 Nation's top tier customer service eh? I didn't think so.
 
I am a business person. I've been in this game for a long time and have plenty of life experience to know what I'm talking about. You can run a business with a crappy product and outstanding customer service, and you can run a company with an outstanding product and crappy customer service. Both companies will appear to function but will never realize their true potential and may eventually fail
 
Looking at MP4N. Right here is a company with a revolutionary product. A portable music player with unsurpassed sound delivery. I'm not sure exactly who puts the guts in the thing, if it's MP4N or Teclast or another party but someone close by does it. Someone else designs the thing and perhaps someone else or a board approves that design. However it's done one thing is clear: the end result is a product on the brink of portable audio nirvana. So close it has to be worth finishing the job. Apple did and the ipod was born.
 
There is no product like the sflo2 currently on the market. There are plenty of others with broad feature sets which combined come very close in an overall points test. However for me the real value is in Sflo2's potential. A rough diamond isn't worth a lot, in relative terms, when compared to its cut and polished brother. However this little gem is half cut and is looking very,very promising.
 
MP4N, it's time for a reality check. You are currently in a superb position to bring to the people a product of historical significance. All that is required is for you to iron out the firmware issues, give us a little extra battery life, and change your attitude towards the sea of customers gathered around you. Add a little to the cost if that's what is takes (though don't take the piss). Just know this, if you don't complete the job another company will. They will be courteous, upfront and honest with their customers and will appreciate that collectively these people are what make a business a business.
 
At that point your opportunity will be lost...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Hero Kid]

Yeah I never purchased a s:flo2 for the simple reason of mp4nations appalling customer service.

 

[clou91]

I can honestly say that the SQ I'm getting from my S:Flo2 is worth all the downsides of the frustrating UI and communication issues with MP4N's CS. I tried listening to my bro's Sony S545 via lod to my Alo RX and it pales in comparison to the LO of the S:Flo2. I'll probably get another one when this dies and hopefully the UI will be better by then.

 

[Ears]

Quote:

Yeah I never purchased a s:flo2 for the simple reason of mp4nations appalling customer service.

You and many others

 

[ClieOS]

A (which actually are two) bigger battery(ies) is out of question. All the space in back of the s:flo2 motherboard has been filled with two giant batteries with combined >3000mAh capacity (IIRC, close to 4K actually. For contrast, iPod 5th Gen battery is around 850mAh for >15h music playback). During the early phase (pre-launch) of s:flo2, there was discussion on MP4N's forum about asking Teclast for larger battery, but turned out to be impossible to do without making a new custom back plate which will increase the size, weight as well as cost for the s:flo2. It is just impractical, not to mention that s:flo2 hardware is simply too power hunger that a little increase in battery capacity will not help much. From Teclast's (the original hardware developer / manufacturer) stand point, s:flo2 (plus their own T51) only represents a small portion of their production in a relatively short phase of product life cycle. They are trying to make the best player they ever made, but not the perfect player - it will be a T52, T53 and so on (in fact, T52 is already on their road map, according to Teclast's PR) in near future, just like there will be iPhone 5 next year, and iPhone 6 the year later, regardless of how good (or bad) iPhone 4 is.
 
As for the UI, it is Teclast's biggest problem - though not an unique problem to just this company, but the whole DAP industry in China. I have learn from insider info that Teclast, like many other companies in the same industry, simply can't find enough good programmers and works to do the job. Head hunter recruited most of good, experienced programmer for the big oversea companies and the local companies have been struggling to find qualified programmer that they can afford (that is, pay enough so they don't leave for better paying oversea companies). They also struggle to hire enough qualified worker since most Chinese factory workers are mostly ill-educated (as they come from very rural area) and often need a lot of training. By the way, though China has the larger population of people, they actually lacks qualified worker in huge number (i.e. Foxxcom, Apple major supplier, needs to hire >10k people monthly in just one of their largest China factory). For what I know, Teclast has been falling behind in their whole production schedule since the beginning of the year because the lack of skilled worker due to issue related to the current China economy (which forces many workers to leave the high living-cost coastal cities, where most factories are, for inland city). BTW, the firmware for s:flo2 is actually self-developed by Teclast, so MP4N has no control over it what so ever.
 
On to MP4N, I can't say they have the best CS ever, but it is not the worst I ever saw. All I know is that they are stressed out by the sudden popularity of s:flo2 and trying to do too much with very little control of the big picture, which in all likeliness will not be the last time this kind of situation happens to a company's business that outgrows its size and resource.
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I cannot buy a player with this battery life limitation. MP4N, please listen to your audience and shove a better cell in it, and make it user replaceable. Also please tidy up the interface, you must know that's an issue by now. But most importantly PLEASE sharpen up your customer service. Don't treat all these loyal people like mugs, they don't deserve it. Show some bloody respect.
 
I hope I've made my feelings clear. 
 

 

[Anaxilus]

 
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Chao.

I guess we know you're not Italian.  
 
To all those decrying 'fanboy' and what not.  I have my player.  It plays my music.  It doesn't crash or prevent me playing my music.  It sounds better than anything I have heard in a DAP.  
 
If these are unacceptable facts in the context of your preconceived notions feel free to troll the iPhone, iPod, iPad, iTouch, iSuck threads.  There's an App for that.  Better yet, get a Sansa.  I hear they are the best sounding DAP ever created.
 
I also second ClieOS on his his remarks about the practical considerations w/ regard to MP4nation.  I think a lot of you are spoiled by what the larger western corporations are able to provide you in terms of product and service.  My Sflo2 sat at HK post for more than amonth because someone forgot to put a return address on the package.  Oh well.  I paid $110 for the product, waited 2 months and got a free $50 Braiwavz M1 when it arrived.  Not a bad deal and not bad support IMO.  Comparing a company like Teclast or MP4nation to Apple is just ridiculous IMO.  I'm sure they appreciate the business advice.  I'm sure they've read Sun Tzu's Art of War, I think the Chinese wrote it.

 

[Young Spade]

Quote:

Yeah I never purchased a s:flo2 for the simple reason of mp4nations appalling customer service.

T51 from HouseofDap? That's what I did anyway. 

 

[Hero Kid]

 
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T51 from HouseofDap? That's what I did anyway. 

Yeah I've considered it. Although at this point in time I don't think it's the player for me, even though I can appreciate it's strengths.

 

[Young Spade]

Ah alright; well I'm sure you'll find the best player for you some day. I wish I had the money to try the HiFi man or something :/

 

[Hero Kid]

Ha yeah same! That 602 is really tempting but I literally can't afford it :/

 

[debitsohn]

so my s:flo stopped playing music again. not sure why. it seems when it gets to about 2 bars of battery, it wont play music. quite annoying. i ahve a ticket open but i am highly doubtful theyll be any help.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

so my s:flo stopped playing music again. not sure why. it seems when it gets to about 2 bars of battery, it wont play music. quite annoying. i ahve a ticket open but i am highly doubtful theyll be any help.

Can you hit stop and play again or no?

 

[violinvirtuoso]

Quote:

so my s:flo stopped playing music again. not sure why. it seems when it gets to about 2 bars of battery, it wont play music. quite annoying. i ahve a ticket open but i am highly doubtful theyll be any help.

Have you tried the Reset button?

 

[BlutoSlice]

Quote:

Have you tried the Reset button?

Just incase you did not spot, there are two reset pin holes, bottom and top left side the latter seems to fix my hang problems (caused by bad ID3 tags).  GL on a easy fix

 

[debitsohn]

yes everything works but no sound. yes i tried reset.
 
you wont believe what worked.... remember back in the 90s when you just kinda hit your nintendo or TV and it got working again? well that worked for my s:flo. i hit it and sound started coming out again.