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[YB]

We would love to hear your reactions to unboxing, playing around with it, etc.

Please post your reviews here: http://forums.x10.com/index.php?board=132.0

[piznigley]

No anxiously waiting for my confirmation email

[Tesla]

I got mine today. 6 business days to Texas. Double-boxed and packed well.

Nice new unit with the peal-off anti-scratch clear plastic on both sides. Also comes with user's manual, charger, USB cable and ear-bud headphones.

Seems to be working fine. Touch screen works good and over-all speed seems fine. We are a Windows shop, and this is my first Android device of any kind. Right now I'm just learning this new OS, config, and installing apps I need.

Along with the usual activities (that I usually use my laptop for), I would like to stream my media from my local Windows server to it and look into some kind of intergration with MediaPortal. Long-range maybe some HA stuff ... this unit would make a great control panel or whole house remote control. I'm looking at HomeSeer and LinuxMCE. For a protocol/controller, maybe Android@Home will come to the rescue since ZigBee didn't show up to play in DIY field (and I've never been too crazy about Z-Wave for some reason).

[q711179]

I was notified of shipping on Monday and received the Airpad on Friday...to Hawaii! Good job!  I have posted a unboxing video on the review discussion, here is the link;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_EImGGWFiY

[dhouston]

...since ZigBee didn't show up to play in DIY field...

• http://www.simplehomenet.com/proddetail.asp?prod=ZigBee_INSTEON_X10_Interface
• http://www.ciseco.co.uk/content/

[Tesla]

...since ZigBee didn't show up to play in DIY field...

• http://www.simplehomenet.com/proddetail.asp?prod=ZigBee_INSTEON_X10_Interface
• http://www.ciseco.co.uk/content/

So that looks like the computer interface. So, are you saying there is a full set of Zigbee devices or ecosystem that will allow a DIY HA user to build a HA system similar to what is available for Z-Wave? They both came on the scene around 2007. The last time I checked, HomeSeer still doesn't support ZigBee. I read somewhere that only the custom (closed) system installers were using it (like maybe Control4 ... or a company similar to that).

[dhouston]

So that looks like the computer interface. So, are you saying there is a full set of Zigbee devices or ecosystem that will allow a DIY HA user to build a HA system similar to what is available for Z-Wave?

I haven't followed HA closely for the past 18 months or so due to health issues so I'm not sure what Zigbee devices are available. Nor do I know enough about their approach to see whether it overcomes the shortcomings of ZWave (with which I am unimpressed). The interface page I linked to says "Note: This device does not ship with a software package and is currently intended for developers that will be creating their own user interface or controller. " They do have documentation for some devices on the download page.

• http://www.simplehomenet.com/support.asp?page_id=supDownloads

EDIT: A little searching did turn up this...

• http://www.zigbee.org/Products/CertifiedProducts/ZigBeeHomeAutomation.aspx

The UBee dongle looks like it could work with Android tablets. The fact that Centralite has certified devices is especially noteworthy.

The Cisceco link was for a much more ambitious HA initiative. They have a ZigBee like RF device (XRF) with the same footprint as ZigBee radio modules but I'm not at all sure whether there's any real HA hardware or whether it's still pie-in-the-sky. I've exchanged email with the principal behind it but he's somewhat helter-skelter so I'm not clear on where they are. You'll need to look at it yourself.

I was impressed with their Arduino compatible approach and have taken it myself using ZBasic chips (which have built-in low level X-10 functions) and some PICs in a modular design. See...

• http://davehouston.org/Arduino.htm

It will handle almost any existing (or future) protocols (as long as they use serial comms for their interface) as well as IR/RF (and maybe ZigBee or XBee). However, it's still some months away and it remains to be seen whether I will finish it or it will finish me. I had a single board design that did much of this ready to ship 3 years ago when Tibbo withdrew the ethernet-serial module it was designed to use (probably because of patent issues with Lantronix XPort). I had to eat a lot of inventory - I really prefer my fiber another way. This new Arduino-like approach should prevent a repeat of that and gives me the flexibility to react to new developments without a total system redesign.

I'd love to have a tablet to interface with it via WiFi. Hmm, can the AirPad do peer-to-peer WiFi? That's not required but might be handy in some cases.

[backlash]

NO!
I have not received my Airpad.
Ordered on Sept. 2. Was told it shipped on Sept.6th.
Today I was told they think it might ship today but not sure.
So much for the 72 hour promise.
X10 is not off to a good start and I am not a happy customer.
Hopefully the Airpad will be worth it.

[DemDave]

NO!
I have not received my Airpad.
Ordered on Sept. 2. Was told it shipped on Sept.6th.
Today I was told they think it might ship today but not sure.
So much for the 72 hour promise.
X10 is not off to a good start and I am not a happy customer.
Hopefully the Airpad will be worth it.

Same boat here. I ordered mine on the 2nd and the website clearly said it was going to ship in 72 hours. Even assuming it was 72 business hours and there was a 3-day weekend in there, we're still about a week past the 72-hour mark. 

If x10 ran out of stock, as the website would suggest now, a simple apology e-mail would have been nice. One that stated when they were expecting our orders to actually ship and offering a refund if the delay were unacceptable.

Then again, we're buying cheap un-branded Chinese electronics. My customer service expectations were not too high.

[draythomp]

Well, I never even got a ship notification for my Sept 2 order.  Then, when I called customer service to check on it it was after they closed.  This was 3 PM pacific time.  Was this because I turned down the upsale phone call I got?

This little device had better be good or I'll be seeing exactly how good their return policy is; it won't be hard to wait another month or so for the Kindle tablet to come on the market, and we know they actually ship.

[draythomp]

Well, I tried to get to customer service again and it still said it was closed.  So I went to the normal sales number and asked them why service was closed and they told me customer service had new hours, they shut down at 3 PM Pacific.  Noon on the East coast.  Really?

So, I asked about my shipment, and sure enough, they haven't shipped it yet.  Their shipment was delayed and wouldn't even get to them until next Friday the 16th.  That's a bit too much disappointment for me.  Here I was believing their advertising and checking the mail hoping it would show up and nothing.  The really annoying part is that they didn't send me anything telling me.  Oh well.

I cancelled the order.

bye.

[DemDave]

Their shipment was delayed and wouldn't even get to them until next Friday the 16th. 

The website said 72 hours when I ordered it. So instead I have to wait 2 weeks?

Wow. And they haven't made any attempt to tell those of us on backorder when we could expect them.

I didn't expect much from this company, but taking over two weeks to fulfill an order (without stating that clearly up front) is just irresponsible.

I might be canceling my order on principle.

[Brian H]

I think the noon EST is incorrect.
The web site says Monday-Friday 6AM-3PM (PST) & 9AM-6PM (EST).

[draythomp]

You're right.  I was ticked off at them closing early on the West coast and screwed up.  It doesn't change the fact that the message on the phone still says midnight East coast or that they close before people can get off work and call them on the West coast.  Not a good thing for customer support, IMHO.  Plus, the 72 hours shipment promise that tempted me into ordering one only to wait until after it should have arrived to find out it wasn't going to ship for another week.......maybe.

[Chowder]

NO!
I have not received my Airpad.
Ordered on Sept. 2. Was told it shipped on Sept.6th.
Today I was told they think it might ship today but not sure.
So much for the 72 hour promise.
X10 is not off to a good start and I am not a happy customer.
Hopefully the Airpad will be worth it.

blacklash, SAME HERE.  Ordered on the 3rd of Sept.  Was told countless times that it will ship, soon, etc... even "guaranteed" to ship on a certain date.. nothing.

This is really starting to piss me off.  $220+ spent, it's now the 13th of Sept... nothing... no tracking, no confirmation of order shipping or soon to be, etc.

Here is the corp phone: 425-203-3900

I will be calling them tomorrow (14th of Sept, 2011) then going to BBB and calling my credit card company to get charges reversed.

X10, what is going on with your customer service?   Mind blowing in this day and age, the lack luster you show.