#4 FOURSEVENS Quark Smart QSL !

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Thanks for the investigative efforts, Hondo. It doesn't make sense that David would use technology that isn't widely available.

~ Chance

 

[snake_doctor]

Can we have some specs on the AA version along with the expected launch day? Pricing?

 

[wle]

From my brief research, BLE support, or Bluetooth Smart as it is now called, in any phone we are likely to own is at most an issue of having the latest operating system software installed. My Galaxy S5 has it, and S4 supports it with latest OS. I found this on a 2 year old Q&A, but could not duplicate the search:

As per Wikipedia (Bluetooth low energy), the following Android phones with Android 4.3 support BLE :
Samsung Galaxy : S3, S4, S4 mini, Note 2
LG Optimus : Optimus G, Optimus G2, Optimus 4X & Nexus 4
I believe most of the upcoming high-end android phones will support BLE.

So I will turn wle's comments around and say that only the most archaic (by cell phone standards) smart phone, or older phone which has not had OS updates would not be able to support Bluetooth Smart.

 

[wle]

ok
it IS something to be aware of
yes, a software upgrade may be necessary, BUT..

if BLE is not built into the hardware, that won;t be enough

as you [and i] said 'high end phones' will have it-cheap ones will not, and do not
wle



wle

 

[wle]

you have to have iphone for the current app

you have to check to see if your phone has BLE built into the hardware
newer phones, older ones may if they were high endish

it isn;t something to assume, then find out later you need a new phone for app/features to work

wle

 

[Hondo]

I very much agree, the buyer should check to see if their phone supports Bluetooth Smart. Moreover, the product description should mention the requirement, even if very few phones in use now don't support it. With their huge customer base, someone out there will be using a very old phone and expect it to work. I'm sure there is a current list of compatible devices in the Bluetooth SIG pages, a link to that would be a giant customer convenience.

Did not mean to :touche:

I just thought your first post sounded a bit to dire, like only those with bleeding edge technology would be able to actually use the feature. Smart phones are the epitome of designed obsolescence, and hardware support for this goes back several generations, so long as the OS is kept updated. Most users have contracts that let them upgrade phones every two years or less, and we usually need to because they attract damage like tornadoes to a trailer park. But we usually want to so as to enjoy the better performance and features of newer models.

Again, I agree, and add that there should be at least a note to warn the minority old phone users to check if they can support the feature.

By the way, I would not even call the Apple app "current", neither one is out yet for install. I am sure the Apple version will be available first, since it was submitted for approval a while ago. But I'm sure they are burning the midnight oil to finish the Android app, and if their approval process is more efficient, well, stranger things could happen.

:buddies:

 

[guesserit]

According to http://appreviewtimes.com/ the average app approval time for iOS is currently 6 days.

 

[Jambo]

So in summary, the tail cap doesn't work properly with CR123A's and the app isn't even available yet? If I'd had known this I wouldn't have ordered one. I don't use rechargables, and I'm in the UK so exchanging the tail cap is going to be a royal pain in the balls for me, involving several weeks without use of the light.

 

[guesserit]

Why not letting the customers try the app by using the TestFlight option made available by Apple?

 

[rockminer]

Patience, grasshoppers...

I think this bears repeating.

 

[snake_doctor]

Can the indicator leds be disabled?

Will the light alert the phone it is low on power?

Would it have made sense to add a usb plug?

 

[guesserit]

Seriously, what's up with the app? Care to communicate Foursevens?

 

[4sevens]

Seriously, what's up with the app? Care to communicate Foursevens?

I'm still staring at the apple connect panel waiting for it to be approved. There's nothing we can do except wait. We're at the mercy of Apple's approval team.

My guess is any company who submits their first app is being scrutinized in more detailed. I'm anxiously twidding my fingers too. Sorry I wish I could do something to hurry it up too.

 

[guesserit]

Thanks for the update.

 

[Jambo]

What's happening with the tail cap exchange program please David? I'm in the UK, and despite pre ordering, my quark smart isn't even here yet. Am I going to be looking at several more weeks wait to send the defective tailcap back to exchange for a modified one?

I've been behind you for a long time, even before foursevens. I don't think I've ever bought anything but Fenix, and now foursevens lights. But I feel with the app and the CR123A issue, this light is quite a disappointment. C'mon, no one thought to try out CR123A's before you put the light on sale? It really does feel like we're beta testing a unfinished product for you here.

 

[4sevens]

What's happening with the tail cap exchange program please David? I'm in the UK, and despite pre ordering, my quark smart isn't even here yet. Am I going to be looking at several more weeks wait to send the defective tailcap back to exchange for a modified one?

I've been behind you for a long time, even before foursevens. I don't think I've ever bought anything but Fenix, and now foursevens lights. But I feel with the app and the CR123A issue, this light is quite a disappointment. C'mon, no one thought to try out CR123A's before you put the light on sale? It really does feel like we're beta testing a unfinished product for you here.

Of course we tested with more than a dozen cr123a's and tried to accomodate all of them.

You will not need to send back your tailcap, we'll send those out upon request. They're being made as we speak.

Thanks for your support and patience.

 

[BudmanNC]

Of course we tested with more than a dozen cr123a's and tried to accomodate all of them.

You will not need to send back your tailcap, we'll send those out upon request. They're being made as we speak.

Thanks for your support and patience.

When and how should we request the updated tailcap? How's the Android app coming along?

 

[4sevens]

When and how should we request the updated tailcap? How's the Android app coming along?

I'll post here when the tailcaps come into our warehouse and are ready to go out. I'll provide an email or perhaps a google form for you guys to put in the request. Until then please don't contact us to ask because we we'll just say please wait and it slows us down processing requests.

I promise I'll post here when they are ready.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Nobody likes having to deal with problems, especially with their new flashlight. Asking yourself this question might provide a little more ability to be patient.

How many owners of manufacturing companies are you able to directly communicate with? That ability is one of the things that make our hobby so unique. :twothumbs It's a guess, but I think FourSevens is probably the largest flashlight company that provides that level of customer service.

~ Chance

 

[Jambo]

Of course we tested with more than a dozen cr123a's and tried to accomodate all of them.

You will not need to send back your tailcap, we'll send those out upon request. They're being made as we speak.

Thanks for your support and patience.

Thanks for the reply David. I was pretty happy when I got home last night from work, and believe it or not my Quark Smart was sat waiting for me. However, it was DOA out of the box. I tried a combination of different cells, including the two out of my old Quark 2x CR123A just to make sure, but nothing. Completely dead.

Afthere about half an hour. I was putting the original foursevens CR123A back in the Quark Smart to put it back in the box, when curiously it instantaneous decided to start working. Well, in a way. The modes are sporadic, jumping around. I can't get beacon mode at all. It cycles through moonlight, low, medium and high way quicker than the YouTube video David posted. Sometimes it cycles through moonlight, low, medium and high of it's own accord with me pressing anything.

Needless to say, I'm going to have to contact foursevens and send the light back from the UK - US to exchange it, then wait for another light to make the journey back from the US - UK.