Hi - I’m a Teracube noob but have been using mobile phones since 1991 and have been toying with all kinds of devices for years. The way I look at it, if you want regular, predictable software updates you get yourself an iPhone/iPad and be done with it. My experience with Android is a decidedly mixed bag with most smaller handset manufacturers rarely if ever providing any updates so to have Teracube promise 3 years of updates is extraordinary. Given Teracube is a tiny startup, I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a consistent update timeline. I just got my Teracube One yesterday and am overall satisfied with it’s performance though the battery life is underwhelming and I’m having issues with getting the APN settings from my carrier (VISIBLE, a small Verizon MVNO) so I can consistently do text. I think a lot depends on your expectations and so far I’m suitably impressed overall. I look forward to good things and am willing to be patient.
As someone who has interned at startups and backed Teracube on Kickstarter, I think they’ve done well with keeping us updated and in the loop. I personally think it’s better to give us regular updates of what’s going rather than leaving us in the dark; this will simply result in a lot of us asking more questions and wondering what’s going on. They won’t have the backing that bigger companies like Motorola, Samsung and Apple will have; like the others said it’s not realistic to expect a consistent timeline and COVID-19 has thrown everyone out of what is normally planned.
Likewise from a business and marketing perspective they also have to focus on making a profit as well - while I do agree that yes, it’s important to work out the bugs and issues people are having in the initial device, they can’t provide updates if they fail and they can’t work on fixing bugs if they fail and can’t provide for themselves. So yes, without us there’s no Teracube. But without them because they run out of profit there is no updates for the very issues. As a result you’ll now be back at square one. Think about it.
I’m not having any issues other than cellular connection. However, I recognize this is based on my location and not the device or the company, so there are many factors at play here to the issues you are having.
I backed Teracube initially because I believe in their mission of providing an affordable product that will last for years, and I would rather support a company that wants to work toward sustainability and other important issues I personally care about. I also like their messaging of, “Hey, consider us if you’re looking for a new phone!” which is much different than the pressure of “Please buy this.” Also having 3 years of updates is honestly impressive considering most average 1-2 OS upgrades if any and then another year (if even) of security updates.
Ultimately like GaucheChicago said, a lot of it comes down to your expectations. As a customer who backed through Kickstarter, there are risks to backing, and there’s always a risk backing a startup.
Sorry for the late post. It’s been a long day and finally I get a chance to check-in our community forum.
First and foremost, please allow me to express my gratitude for your pledge follow by an apology for your disappointment with us. I understand your frustration, believe me. I am a consumer and I have my own set of expectations as well.
However, please allow me to explain ourselves here. At the beginning of the year, immediately after we shipped our phones, we have been working hard with our manufacturing partner on the software update. Alas COVID caused a lot of issues and delays upon delays. It was in around late February that we have decided to take the plunge and wanting to acquire the source codes so that we can take over the software update development. Being new to the Android ecosystem, there was a lot of things that we didn’t know. But one thing that stuck us the most, is the politics of acquiring the source codes. It was a complete oversight for us and to that, we apologize.
Needless to say, after months of back and forth, we have finally obtained the source codes needed. And, at that point, Teracube team started to branch - one team, lead by Sharad, focus on the software update, while I spearheaded the second team on the prototyping and marketing on the 2e. Our internal software team is fully focused on Teracube One Android 10 and are close to the complete port (Camera and NFC pending).
Your comment “why they don’t put all the effort on solving the current problems on Teracube One before working on releasing a new one?” is totally valid. As a previous-developer-then-program_manager-then-finally-a-business-man, the linear approach is logical and traditional. But, we are not that, and that’s why we are Teracube. We are here to make a breakthrough, to create something that most people tell us it’s impossible. I won’t deny the tough, rocky roads ahead but that’s why we are here - to make a difference and to make our world a better place (as much cliche as it is, I borrowed that line from “Silicon Valley”… lol).
Sorry for the long winded message. However, trust @Sharad and I that we have the desire and we have the perseverance to make things right. All we ask is a little patience and work with us. Your feedback is everything where the rubber meets the road.
Sincerely,
Anthony Tsim
Thank you for the explanation Anthony. I like many others am limited in my work and daily activities by my phone. It is regularly unresponsive and I have to restart it several times a day. Including at the moment I have incoming phone calls. We are all here because we believe in the original mission but (going back to “effort on solving the current problems”) it is failing if users don’t have a functional phone so I humbly ask that the company prioritize this.
**note that I am trying to go from S1_05 to 6 or 7 and have been waiting for customer support. File is downloaded and located on phone but I’m new to android and don’t know how to run it.
Hi Heather - I see that you are able to move forward with the SW6 install. Feel free to post on the SW6 thread or message me directly if you are experiencing any issues after the upgrade.
Maybe a different thread is a better place for this but I think it is valid based on some recent questions and comments. Is the 2e supposed to be just v2 of Teracube? Or is this a slightly lesser version of the original?
The reason I ask is a few reasons, we have seen a lot of phone companies lately release cheaper phones with not as good of hardware with a letter after them, like you have done with “e”. It also has a cheaper price tag than the original. What has me questioning that assumption is the Teracube was heavily marketed as a 4 year plus phone but you are also marketing to people like myself who bought the original that we should go out and back you second project and I haven’t even had the phone for a year. At $99 it’s somewhat tempting with some of the features I see it’s being marketed with like a removable back to get to the battery. On the contrary if my Teracube one is supposed to last for 4 years and has better hardware (for the most part) than the 2e then why would I switch? Is the new 2e better? I know that might be relative/opinion but I more mean is this an upgrade from a hardware/experience perspective or just a play for you guys to hit a lower price point and possibly a different market share?
I think my question really stems from what some folks have said above about releasing this phone while we are still stuck on Android 9 and I appreciate the explanations/rationale above, just wanting to understand with that in mind if I should consider replacing my one with my 2e at this lowest backer price.
The 2e is a budget/entry level phone, similar to an iPhone SE compared to the normal lineup.
I don’t think most people should switch to a 2e if they have the One, since it is a step down in nearly every way except for removable battery and more eco-friendly materials. If that is what you value most, then upgrade.
I regard the Early Bird kickstarter pricing as an incentive to purchase upgrade devices for family and friends who might be in need of a new entry-level device. I can’t swing multiple $300 phones for others, but I can handle a few $99 phones to help family and friends who need it.
Also, as noted, this isn’t a zero-sum game. Even on small teams there is room for subteams to be doing two things at once.
And further, the assumption that working on the ROM for the 2e won’t benefit the ROM development for the One seems a bit pessimistic. I’d be surprised if both ROMs were completely independent of one another, with no customization, development, and improvements shared between the two.
Thanks man, great answer, exactly what I was looking for. Wasn’t trying to knock you guys for moving your company forward. Thanks again, cheers!
I’m not part of the company, but thanks 
Hopefully you have a better idea of the 2e’s positioning so you can avoid the new gadget fidget for a bit haha. And if not, maybe you know some folks who could use one!
Or you could just do what some others do and buy it as a backup device or a device to take on occasion bc of fancy. Just a different perspective. Then, if two phones are too much maybe give the one you like least to someone or sell it for a profit. Remember, our warranties are transferrable so that could be a great selling point if you did decide to sell your phone (still helping it stay out of a landfill too).
I don’t seem to be able to update my last post. I had been on build 5 and so far 6 is working fine for me. Go Teracube!
Any updates on the update?
It’s been more than 2 weeks…
That seems missing the sustainability point by a wide mark! So it has to be functional for the basic mission to be achieved.
Any answer?? Where’s the update??
The software team is making great progress. I won’t steal @Sharad 's thunder but he has something ready to share this weekend. Personally I am excited about the progress, especially given the fact that we haven’t had the source codes very long. As you can imagine, each version update is significant and therefore the time requires to tweak, test, making adjustment is also a delicate process. However, I’ll assure you that we are working hard at it.
Thanks for the response Anthony!
We’re not asking for the update because we want our phone to look prettier, we just want it to function properly. Right now I cannot multitask while I’m on a call, which I’ve always done previously. Hopefully Android 11 release will go smoother…
HYPE
Can’t wait to see
Thanks for the light of hope @anthony , but it appears, it’s still not cloudy where @Sharad is, as we haven’t heard the shattering thunder news yet!
Hi Everyone,
The developers have been making steady progress. Here is the latest development update on Teracube One Android 10 (T1-A10):
Working:
- Basic boot-up
- Camera and camcorder
- Audio
- Modem
- RiL (Calls, messages, IMS/VoLTE/ViLTE/etc)
- Media playback
- Sensors
- Media encode and decode (video-audio playback, and recording for eg)
- WiFi
- Bluetooth
Work In Progress:
- Preloader + LK (bootloaders)
- TEE
- Fingerprint (to do with TEE)
- NFC (to do with missing dirs and TEE)
- Multicolor LED
Along with the Android 10 build, the team also worked on making the (linux) kernel public. Glad to announce the open source availability of our kernel.
Can they check into NFC Card Emulation?
https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/nfc/hce#:~:text=When%20NFC%20card%20emulation%20is%20provided%20using%20a,from%20the%20reader%20directly%20to%20the%20secure%20element.
