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So you are saying this company is worth 30 million dollars? Even if the wheels weren't falling off it?
Why?
Or by pound it do you mean UNLOAD?
This lock lasting the whole trading week does not bode well for this extremely over valued company. The only encouraging news is that they still seem to be willing to sell product via their website, but there are grandmas selling sock puppets via web sites and well... They don't have market caps in the millions.
Sure, sure, I know I am comparing usb chargers to yarn, but keep in mind the grandmas also don't have a DTC lock and a founder who is a felon convicted of fraud. Okay, okay, I suppose if you looked hard enough some of them have cheated at bingo.
If I had to guess, and of course I am willing to, this stock is useless for longs until they start posting 10Qs. For a long there is little reason to gamble here, and even if the lock lifts buying in advance of anything is a gamble, which is best left for day traders.
Bottom line, there is ZERO support for a price on this stock being above .005 and even less is realistic based on numbers. If you are betting this is the e-cig of the future and the company will be cleared of any additional chicanery, then seeing this stock rise like a phoenix out of the fire is just day trader penny micro stock hype.
I still was working out concerns about just who the product would market to, and the fact that it seemed like a small and very shared segment of quitting smokers.
Ideally, the company will be cleared, and they fix the product so that it markets better to smokers wanting an indoor alternative. They do a few reverse splits, start reporting and PREPARE to become a real company. Just because pinks do not have to do these things, doesn't mean that if one is sincere on becoming a RE/AL company that they can't do these things in advance. In fact, ones that are legitimately trying to DO!
I guess even though they have a marginal product, I still don't trust that SFIO isn't just trying to act as a money battery. Using deceptive tactics to promote a stock they cash in and out of in order to fund their luxury homes, cars, and vacations. I mean, I have begun to feel that I am dealing with an AMWAY-esque kind of company. Not to knock AMWAY, as it does seem to make 5 folks extremely rich, while only taking "small" amounts of cash from thousands if not millions of dreaming young adults.
This company is coming off as "slick" like that, and I for one am glad that the stock is locked. There is a vetting process that needs to be done so all the day traders can't keep screaming this is a legit company without some real and confirmed proof. I mean when 90% of those claiming to be longs have bought in and sold this stock a multitude of times, something has got to give.
Too many questions surround this stock, but hey, I stick around for the drama. So keep the SFIO soap opera going, because though I have not posted in a while, I still read this board daily. Like the sports column, or better yet the FUNNIES!
And yeah, maybe I like to stir the pot as much as the rest of you do.
Enjoy your SFIOtradeLESS weekend!
So after reading all this, what I see is that ST and Nite are protecting themselves. Based on the stocks listed in those links, it looks like they were smart to stop trading them. By extension, they kept investors from buying in and getting stuck holding extremely overpriced shares they would get stuck holding. Now one could argue, we cannot sell our overpriced shares back to them when a perceived rally ensues and thus it is unjust. However, not seeing a single successful stock in that list (as far as a sustained PPS) and many completely defunct, leads me to believe that ST and NITE did your average investor a huge favor by preventing them from buying anymore.
Now for day traders, this is a problem, as they are not looking for long term investments. They love to trade shares, period. Nothing fundamental with a company truly drives them. They are trading based on momentum and this is not illegal, as long as they are not behind the over hyped, misleading, or down right false information pumped to message boards all over the internet (excluding this one of course.)
The rub on this stock (SFIO) is that there is a product that appears entirely legitimate (I even own one and have tested it among many smokers.) However, history even proves that can be misleading, and over valuation of PPS can be easily acheived. Some would argue that is exactly what has happened to SFIO, some would arge SFIO is different. Looking back in history, one could come to what would appear to be an obvious conclusion. That SFIO is...
Well as Denny Green once said, "they are who we thought they were!"
In the end, ST and NITE will allow the stock to trade again. My only question left unanswered is why couldn't NITE (I believe this is more a NITE thing than ST, as I believe NITE shutting it down leaves ST no choice and say in that matter) just choose to honor trades based on what shares they really own? Or is it the fact that they have no clue which shares are real? Oh wait, that is exactly what the problem is. So I guess I am more surprised that any MM is allowed to trade this stock, as it seems more than obvious no one knows exatly what they actually hold.
Well, I do own a RE/AL but we've used up the last of the filters. Not buying anymore at this point, though I wouldn't mind seeing how the menthol tasted. The reviews on the product remain unchanged, and to close it out my son finished off the remaining filters said they were nice for when he was sitting at the PC. However, not so much so he's going to buy anymore. Kind of like me with buying the stock.
It's interesting owning shares, but when they are gone, I just won't feel like buying anymore. I'm just not a penny stock guy, and really just bought in because I thought this thing was not going to be penny stock much longer. In the end I think I am going to be right, except not only will it not be a penny stock much longer, it may not be a stock period. I hope I am wrong, as I think the product really does have a shot long term in a niche market. No matter, additional soft filter options will surface using their own patented technology.
Also, vapor e-cigs are catching on, maybe even enough folks will be able to start using them indoors. Vaping is a term that is catching on with the younger crowds, so my kids say. There are always other stock chances, but yea, I gotta stay away from the pennies. I'm not here to play games with other investors money, I just wanted a chance to make a new investment on a chance to profit long term along with fellow investors who liked the potential of this product. I envisioned we'd be in this together and ride this company up. Not try to make it's chart whipsaw so I can jump in and out cashing in on the outsiders. Not that I hold anything against those who do this, as now I understand that is what the penny market and pinks are about. They are not about investing, they are about playing a game with real money, like poker. Only thing is at poker, at least I know I am gambling, and if I bluff the other players it's part of the game. I foolishly thought bluffing on the market even pennies was illegal. If it is, nothing is stopping that from happening in the microcap/penny markets.
So I am done... Or am I? LOL
Seriously, I have enjoyed the past couple of weeks. I even got a kick out of conducting my own market research for SFIO and the RE/AL product. I'm not bitter, didn't have enough in to be, but I know some did and I think it sucks for them that they didn't understand this is a penny stock for a reason, and that pennies are not simply just start ups, they are games to be played.
Good info, thanks Donnymost this sounds very plausible and makes the most sense of any attempt to explain the situation and why it's taking so long to sort out. The kind of post that actually helps folks learn something.
Yeah, you just convinced me. Thanks
Yea, he knew how big of a loser he was. Must of been the reason why he accepted the CFO position. Number one rule of job hunters, find the biggest fool you can work for. It's great for the resume, and better yet, you might even get to inherit their s*&t storm.
Also, what name were you posting under previously when you were telling everyone what a star CEO this TS fella was. The lingo in your posts make it obvious you've been around here for a while regardless of what name you are posting with now. Why do you change your name? Hmmmm.
Was a fool, was. No sob story either, I knew it was a gamble when I bought in. What I didn't know was how much bs hype gets dished out here. However,it led to me doing homework on penny stocks and traders like the homework I did on the product. So for that I got something out of this experience and hey, guys like you got paid by another "fool". The best part is there's a new sucker born every minute and well I was just trying to share my time as the fool thinking maybe I could help them learn a few lessons free of charge.
Here's my take on this situation, my opinion, and sure to get buried. However, it is my reivew of the situation and just as worthy of a stickyas getting buried and ripped apart on this board.
Malvern is right, and the death of pennies is the loss of the original CEO prior to the patent selling off. Read about the history of penny stocks and you see that the CEO (TS) resigning (oh because he allegedly commited fraud with THIS company's stock by the way) is pretty much a death sentence for the very reason Malvern points out. Deals lined up often never get realized, and sometimes it because the new CEO has no clue who is who and what is what. Six weeks with the company? It is unlikely he has enough knowledge of the overall situation.
Then there is the question of manipulation of this stock on Friday. By all accounts this stock should have continued to suffer the stigma of a resigned, and accused of fraud CEO. Announcing a successor by no means should have lead to the volume and price climb we saw, maybe a leveling off of the PPS. Something is fishy there, and the stock dipped initially Friday and then someone buys shares at prices that lead to what in my opinion was fictional momentum, but yet the trades kept flying and the price paltueas and stays as the volume continued to fly high. Why? Someone was dumping shares and shares into this very questionable rally. They couldn't let it get too much higher or we'd all try to sell off and cut our losses and the PPS would tank too rapidly for them to sustain the dumping of shares. I may be wrong, and my logic flawed, and my assumptions many, but as I try to think out of this I keep coming back to my this suspicion.
Then I hear from someone that there was an attempted 100,000,000 million sell off at market close that could've buried the price and made Thursdays close look pleasant compared to the carnage that could've been realized had the stock not been suspended by the DTCC. My understanding though is because this is a pink that trading can still occur outside regulated channels. So as much as this is potentially a complete rumor, or certianly an exaggerated one, it still seems plausible on some level. Scott Trade wasn't shorting anything, they have no position on these kind of stocks, their Risk Management would not allow it. So they only have closed this down for transactions because DTC has made it so. Sure, there may be a numbers imbalance that gets worked out, but typcially this stuff is worked out after market close even if we had folks up until 3 AM. So the thought it is a minor imbalance to me is unlikely, it'd of been unlocked by now.
So IF those channels continue on Tuesday to trade this stock, folks may FEEL left out if there broker does not let them buy. As far as selling goes, you most likely wouldn't sell as your order won't fill when it plummets. They have so much float out there that you won't sell your shares until that stock drops well past whatever limit you would feel comfortable selling out at for a loss.
There is a strong lieklyhood those of us duped into being longs at prices above a penny (look at the capitialization of this stock, I should have done so weeks ago, but I did not know as much then as I do now) are never going to get our money back. Big deal, live and learn, but to try to keep those now depressed about their losses thinking this stock is not dead for at least a few months if not year or even forever is technically illegal but who's gonna prove it or find who is just being naive versus manipulative. Keep in mind though that ignorance is not going to save you from the law if they decide to find a few of the masterminds behind this mess.
Is SFIO legit? Maybe, they have a product, and I have bought it. That is all I know for sure, everything else is unknown. Even if they do get the US Patent and sell it and the Euro one, what is that worth to a company? A few million? Maybe? So they do sell it, and we all still loose our investment after all is said and done as the share value will be well below a penny.
Finally, if they do keep agreements, they still have nothing that will affect main stream smokers. They have a niche product for those trying to quit, at best something some smokers would be willing to use as a sub in certain situations. However, before all that happens they need the distribution channels which may desolve. With the questions aroung the litigation that have not even been asked yet, they may have voided existing agreements unwittingly.
Yep, I have accepted my investment in SFIO is gone forever. Fine, I mentioned I can hold this stock until it poofs officially. Hell, I may even gamble as I keep up on the companies website. IF it keeps selling product and the price gets to miniscule levels, sure maybe I will buy more in the hopes of getting something from nothing as the cost to hedge my current lost bet would be a weekend at Bernie's. Which would be poetic, as this stock is just like Bernie... Dead and being shown off at all the parties as if it was not only alive and kicking, but the life of the fricking party!
GLTY ALL
P.S. Thank you all for the lessons I have learned on this board, honestly, it's probably worth what I lost on this stock. So I am not bitter, and I have a cool story to share with my friends at the bar.
If this is not a company thing, why in the PDF are they listed?
EXCHANGE COMMISSION, )
)
Plaintiff, )
v. )
)
THOMAS SCHROEPFER a/k/a ) THOMAS SCHROEPFER BAETSEN, )
CHARLES FUENTES, and )
SMOKEFREE INNOTEC, INC., )
)
Defendants.
That's got me a little worried. If it bounces back up, I will be one relieved sob, but I don't like them being listed as defendants very much at all. It does almost feel like someone has it out for this company, and if they do, how much of a chance does it have? Hopefully, I am just over reacting, but I am not selling like most people. There is no point to, so this thing probably has seen the bottom already. Where it most likely will sit, and we'll just have to watch and see if these shares I have become more than a bad lesson in investing. Maybe I will dollar cost average and buy some on the dip, I dunno... /shrug
Oh and this link is to a Las Vegas news source stating the company is included in the filed suit.
www.vegasinc.com/news/2011/jun/30/sec-fbi-hit-las-vegas-firm-and-ceo-fraud-charges/
Also seeing the last name of SCHROEPFER BAETSEN is a first for me, maybe nothing, but after this news everything makes we wonder now.
The bashers want cheap shares? I take it in bashers you mean the SEC and FBI? LOL
Who the heck are you kidding? "Could you imagine this being pumped and dumped?" This is exactly what HAS happened, can you read a chart?
We've got folks on this board who have been bent over hard, and CJ warned us and now we all have to think of ways to recover. Dollar cost average is not an easy call at this point, this thing may disappear before it even got a real chance.
With something like this we can't even be sure what they are doing. I have an e-cig here that I bought from them that I was terrorized for writing an honest review on. Now, I am left wondering just who's e-cig I was really reviewing?
This company was still fragile and now this???
I'm not saying the sky is falling, but do I have to?
I'm gonna hold, because what good is selling it when the proceeds won't even cover comission? However, I am sure some of you will find this as reason to SHOUT out to the board that everyone is holding firm because this product is awesome rather than the truth... There's no use in trying to sell.
Do we have any recourse as stock holders? Post that info, I know guys who've invested a heck of a lot more than me into this. It'd be nice to share with them an option that perhaps legally they can get something back due to being defrauded like this.
Do we even know the real amount of shares out there? Does the fraud stop at this CEO and this one incident? Maybe they have parallel deals with others who are not FBI doing the same damn thing? Seriously, this is no joke and to have folks talking about come backs, and bounce. Pfft. Maybe I can dollar cost average at .001 and hedge my bets that there is something still real under all this. Even if there is though, do we really have a clue what a fair PPS is? Maybe .001 is over valuing it as do we really know what is out there?
MANY MANY THANKS to the posters who shared the SEC paperwork today, now I get to have some bad conversations with a few friends. Maybe they can salvage something.
Finally, I remember saying why are we doubting CJ? Well, damn myself for doubting too. My gut said, there is a reason CJ did such a serious 180. So though I did not listen, thank you CJ for trying.
Because there is enough real info on RE/AL that you are not getting the "hype" as so much attention has been focused on this company due to the obvious potential it has. We are now able to see through to the facts MUCH better than before as well as have much more research about the product, the company, and the available shares.
You should also note that there are few posts anymore about this stock going back to sub .001 either. While I am no veteran of pinks, I do think what is occuring is that this company has reached a maturation point where it is ready to become a productive company that will be producing real financial results.
Now we just wait and see just what kind of financial results are acheived. We need some sales data for that, and that's still months away. I suspect most longs are positioned accordingly, and most shorts will be finding greener pastures if they have not already.
This stock has alot going for it, and the PPS you mention is totally acheivable now, but it's really up to SFI at this point. What they do with this very promising product they have developed over the next few months will determine that IMO.
Then I wouldn't be sharing with those on this board who have helped me to this point with their reviews. If they do not want to read my review they are certainly more than able to skip to the next post. If they dislike my reivew they are more than encouraged to respond as have you. Matter of fact a few very intelligent responses that disagreed with my post Friday were EXTREMELY helpful in me raising points and asking added questions to my Saturday/Sunday batch of testers I did not get to ask of my Friday testers. So I value opposing viewpoints.
Unfortunately, with this batch of testing (I realize I have called it first, when in fact it is the second batch, just the first group with my starter kit) I have noticed common opinions among these testers even asking the added questions. Though the points raised with the Saturday/Sunday group did lead to futher thoughts about the usefulness of the product "as-is" which was for someone trying to quit actively, and possible in conjunction with reagular tobacco cigarettes (like prior to a meeting they don't want to smell like smoke in and would be willing to use an alternate inhilation technique in that instance.)
No harm no foul with this post, and I will be sharing this opinion with the company. Though BOTH the units we've tried have worked identically, it is possible (though unlikely) that both the units are not working correctly and thus require an abnormal amount of force on an initial inhale.
If that is the case, guess what? I'll post an additional update to my review, stating everyone may want to buy not only additional shares, but a starter kit for all their loved ones they'd like to see quit using real tobacco cigarettes.
It's not a repost, it's an additional post about the additional testing I did Saturday and today, with various testers who simply all seemed to say the same things about the product. I guess I want to point it out because I have appreciated the reviews of others on this board and want to return the favor.
Lord knows I have seen the absolutely negative reviews get buried on this board.
Then the completely positve, almost mind numbingly ones get repeated ad nauseum without a chirp about why they keep reposting.
I merely share truthful reviews, to balance it out, so folks can make an informed decision. However, more importantly so word spreads to those who know SFI management, so that they can discuss these things.
My testers and my opinion are by no means the end all be all sum of reivews on this product. We understand this product may appeal to everyone else on the planet as is. GREAT! Then I can make money on my investment as is and none of my friends who tested this will buy the product. I can live with that. However, I think if investors and SFI can accept a little constructive criticism, then they will only improve their product and our investments.
Now if folks are looking to benefit from false positive or false negative reviews to help create turmoil in the stock (as being a former employee on Wall Street I know all to well as much money is made going us as going down) then I am sure my review is ABHORRENT to them. As my reivew is a big fat HOLD, and that kills quick money makes on it. However, it is still a pinkie, and a penny, and I don't see any single post having that major of an impact, so come tomorrow this review will be lost and buried and the stock will rise and fall with the wind of most of the hot air posted on this board.
So to sum it all up, I wrote this review mostly for personal satisfaction and the hopes SFI sees enough honest reviews to make further advancements in a VERY promising product.
Sorry for being completely honest, but I do enjoy sleeping at night.
All my testing this weekend, just reinforced my original product review from Friday (which I am replying to here, so hit the re: link to review it.)
A few points to add, the heating makes a HUGE difference, it certianly promotes the release of something, if NOT the nicotine then the nanobeads. I suspect it is the nicotine based on the sensations experienced, that or we're gonna need to know what effects heated nanobeads have on the human body because there is a noticalby difference when you inhale with the LED lit.
The smokers who tried it the most, insisted that you can't require that quick hit first inhalation to trigger the heating element. It's irritating and they end up OVER lipping the filter. By the time they were done the filter looked like a mess, so the airflow and/or seal MUST be improved so a normal inhilation will light the element. I can see now after 3 days of tests on SMOKERS that this is critical.
That being said, I have given the unit to my son to use with the remaining filters. As he wants to quit and has tried a few other methods unsucessfully. He wants to give this a shot and due to his desire to quit he is not nearly as troubled by the inhilation technique alteration required. So he will probably be ordering more filters for this effort once they are available.
So in it's current form (agian read my Friday post for current form review) the product basically has failed my base round of testing with currently active smokers (all have been smoking for many years) YET each said it certainly has PROMISE. The biggest complaint, again, is the failure to heat easily on an intial normal drag in. They simply do not want to alter the way they have smoked for most of their lives. It makes sense and for us non-smokers to insist they learn a different way is going to fail. I see that already in my tests.
HOWEVER, if they are looking to quit (as is my son) I see a willingness to TRY and do this. So we look to have a possible market among younger smokers looking to quit who are less affected by the "old dog new trick" requirement of changing how to drag on these to get satisfaction. That being said, I don't see that type of market being big enough to catch on like it would need to in order to bring this company to the level I think it can acheieve if it starts to appeal to all smokers as...
An alternative for smoking indoors or when they would rather not "stink" like smoke. One of my most thorough testers was a lifelong friend who is in his early 40's. He said if they fixed a few things he'd consider using them while at work, especially before going to business meetings where he's even bothered that he smells like smoke. The two things that bother him most were 1. the inhilation required to get the heating element to light (which triggered the LED which oddly led to his other complaint.) 2. He is one of the few who liked the vapor idea, and the lighting tip on the end of other E-cigs, as he was looking for a sub-concious (all though technically he meant concious but just barely) confirmation he is accomplishing something. The vapor or light at the end did that for him with previous E-cigs. THOUGH he understood with SFI's product he could stay indoors with those others he probably could not. So what he recommended (and other posters in the past have also stated this) is moving the LED to the end of the battery, and at the very least the end of the heating unit furthest from him so he could see it and get that odd confirmation that his inhaling is accomplishing something. Simply a visual cue, and oddly enough he said the blue led is ok, but he actually would prefer it were red or orange as he thinks that would be even more mentally satisfying. I think the blue led is ideal, but I agree it should be moved so that it is easily visible to the user. (Long term, maybe various colors, as I know some would actually buy multiples for different looks. Laugh now, I am just telling you it will happen.)
As my reivew Friday mentioned, these points are not meant to say this product is a failure. To the contrary, these comments are from hard core smokers not actively looking to quit, who would find themselves suddenly giving it real thought to switch to these. We are talking very subtle changes to a product that could potentially lead to many customers. REPEAT ones too, those not looking to quit after using the product for a few months to ween themselves from smoking, but rather smokers who understand that not taking in carcinogens, and not taking on the smell of an ashtray would decide this is a good long term alternative. As one tester said, at the very least it is something he could use while at work (again if they did not make the inhaling such a chore to trigger the led.)
Also, someone mentioned the heating element does not re-heat if it is already hot enough, and that is a good thing. But the first pull to start the device can't require a difference from the standard drag they will be doing. So I really hope they tweak it to improve the devices ability to trigger on a normal inhilation.
We also need to know more about these nanobeads and possible long term risks with them if any. Perhaps there is already some information on this, please share it if you have any. I am especially concerned since I read a post saying the nanobeads dissolve into the air (I really hope that is false.)
So as an investor I am standing pat, for one this stock has a ceiling anyways based on the quantity of shares out there. Plus, they need to improve the product, I have no doubt about that now, if they are going to attract your average smoker. If they are only going after those trying to quit, that dramatically reduces the potential this company has to grow and become viable. It competes with too many other alternatives to just be an aide to quit smoking. I again am standing pat and not selling even if it dips, because I do think the supply chain will improve, I do think they will make the needed tweaks to the device over time (repeat over time, NOT over night.) Then and only then do I think they should start actively or at least aggressively marketing the product (they can start small grassroot efforts to get the work out, just don't go commercial advertising yet.) Doing it too soon could lead to far to many first impressions being LAST impressions and sink this thing before it gets a fair chance to float, then sail, and finally cruise into the marketplace.
There, I did all this free of charge for SFI. I am sure they have folks monitoring these boards, where lots of great reviews positive and negative should be helping them hone this device. It is close, but no cigar... cigarette replacement just yet. Soon though, very soon.
Oh yea we figured that out, I think I mentioned that in a later post.
Bingo! Spot on sir.
Also, my review can be termed negative, but what it really is pointing out is how close this product is to being an absolute homerun.
Your post is actually dead on except for in our case, everyone is having trouble getting it to light period on a normal draw even an initial time. We've tried 2 seperate base units same results. Absolutely though, it HAS to shut off at the critical temp or things would melt/burn/BE A MAJOR PROBLEM if it didn't. So from that aspect I definately have seen it work marvelously, and thus another reason I am encouraged.
The quick toke, then slow draw method increased our success rate some, but not enough and when I took this back to my smokers here at work they balked and stated they did not want to have to put that much effort into it. They just want to drag and enjoy. I've considered boring a bigger hole which also was mentioned, but I think that would affect the nicotine intake. I think the o-ring idea is down the right path as I think an improved seal would at least help, maybe a larger intake hole though some have said covering it up has helped. For me that seemed to impede things making it even more difficult.
Again, this is all going to be rememdied, and I even believe in time there may be enough desire to use these over real tobacco that folks will be willing to learn alternate inhalation techniques. I just think this thing has exponentially improved chances if they work it out so that it is intuitive.
Also, news of Menthols... AWESOME!!! Opens to the door to more potential customers long term, and at least a few new testers for me including the ex-wife, ROFL! Finally, she may be worth something to me!!! Guinea PIGlette time.
Going to be a fun and interesting few months to see how all this progresses.
The light comes on when the element heats up, so it is important that it comes on. Also the draw feels much better, as there is a warmth and that warmth is obviously needed to activate or release the nicotine as I get a much different feel when it does heat up and the LED comes on.
Hiding the flaw rather than improving the seal and/or air flow would be a horrible idea, which would backfire and ruin the company.
They'll get this all worked out in due time, it is still a first release, infant of a product that they are just now getting real life user acceptance testing on.
If all these reviews are viewed as bad news, I am not sure what kind of an investor you are. As these intial reviews I expect will lead to alterations and improvements to what is obviously a product generating some real buzz.
My unit failed smoker user acceptance testing at this initial stage, but did enough in my opinion that warrented me increasing my position. This product is for real or dare I say RE/AL, and one thing I failed to mention...
The entire second portion of my test phase was done at my cubicle at work. You can't test a real cigarette at your cubicle at work!
Product Review
Originally I accidently posted this information as a reply to the closing of SFIO today and the subject line is misleading.
I just returned from a "smokeFREE" break with 3 of my testers. All 3 gave bad reviews and we did not see ANY LED action, we even thought they were airholes after we wanted to give up.
I then brought it inside sadly disappointed, as my next batch of testers lined up for tomorrow were supposed to be my nastiest critics and are my most hardcore smokers.
While sitting here at my desk failing to work, I set about trying to troubleshoot the issue, as that is how I make a living (thank GOD I don't do it via investing.) So while troubleshooting I was unscrewing and reseating the battery unit to the heating unit and Lo and Behold a damn blue light emitted from one of the perceived airholes.
Of course, being the professional problem solver that I am I set about investigating further. I WOULD NOT ADVISE THIS, but I carefully have inhaled directly from the heating unit with 90% lighting rating of the LED. However, once I add the filter, I struggle to get it to light. I then tried numerous "grip" techniques trying to create a greater "seal" of the filter to the heating unit and was able to generate roughly a 10% lighting rate. When it did light, I honestly felt something more than just the tea flavored filter (Virginia blend, and the flavor I actually find very pleasant.) The feeling was a tingling on my tounge, at the front on the top of the first 15% of my tongue and slightly on my lips. So the heating of the coil is CRITICAL for proper use of the unit, CRITICAL.
Here is the rub though. Either the seal or the filter simple do not function properly with my unit. I find the 90% LED lighting rate acceptable as it is improving as I get more familiar with the unit, unfortunately without the filter. As far as the pathetic 10% rate of success in getting the heating unit to light up and provide a successful inhalation, I am greatly disappointed.
The good news... Yes, there is good news. My previous posts mentioned with our first unit we had concerns about possible airflow or quality assurance testing. Well, since this unit is actually mine and not a friends, I have already put it through rigorous tests and feel that it is not an airflow or even heating unit quality issue. It goes back to an original assessment I did not make but recall another poster making. The filters, which I believe to be identical in stucture to the Smoker's Option filters, hamper the airflow to a noticable degree when the nicotine filters are applied to the heating unit.
Again, with no filter I light consistently, and with a filter I light seldom (tried various inhalation techniques as well with no noticable change in success/failure rate... But the good news is the heating and battery unti work great. It CAN work with the nicotine filters as I have witnessed 10% of the time. I am "assuming" the non-nicotice filters light the LED more consistently as I am also assuming the addition of the nicotine to the nanobead filter alters the density of the filter and inhibits airflow enough to interfere with proper ignition of the heating coil so the LED of the heating unit does not come on.
We can say I have a flawed unit, AGAIN (as our other unit not in my possession had the same issue.) However, this means we have a definate quality issue as we have one unit from prior to them being sold out and one from this new shipment, both bad. However, I think that is a misleading statement as I can get the unit to light consistently with no filter. Yes, that too could mean an issue with the heating unit but I suspect it is functioning as expected and thus not flawed, just not ideally designed to work with nicotine filled filters.
I am overall encouraged by my testing, as I see these as flaws that CAN be fixed, but MUST be addressed by SFI. For my smokers are sadly disappointed, and I can't convince them to retry testing because the light is simply not coming on consistently enough and I would consider my testers unduly frustrated.
I go back to my assessment from a couple of weeks ago, there is a need for minor modifications to improve compatability between the nicotince infused filters and the heating unit.
Description (Grade) Notes
Battery unit (B) To early to tell for sure, but the battery seems fine.
Heating unit (D) Needs to be modified to function better with nicotine infused filters.
Charger (A) Small, easy to use, works
Filters, Virginia (C) Great flavor to this user, but may inhibit airflow too much.
Could be poor seal, but most likely overall filter density inhibits proper airflow.
Shipping (A+) Quickly deliever, and FREE
Packaging (C+) Flimsy, but looks great. Overtime folks will actually use permanent cases anyways.
Yea, if they can work the bugs out on the airflow issues (which I can see as totally workable) I can bring this back to the first batch of testers. YES, I will be contacting customer service in the off chance they feel I have another defective unit, but I find this unlikely due to the rate of ignition with no filter applied.
P.S. Now for those who did not get the humor in my post yesterday, you will be totally miffed about why I posted this lengthy review. I post it more in the hopes that those close to SFI on this board will take our negative reviews back to your contacts at SFIO so they can use them constructively.
Closing even (techincally down) is not a strong close and I just returned from a "smokeFREE" break with 3 of my testers. All 3 gave bad reviews and we did not see ANY LED action, we even thought they were airholes after we wanted to give up.
I then brought it inside sadly disappointed, as my next batch of testers lined up for tomorrow were supposed to be my nastiest critics and are my most hardcore smokers.
While sitting here at my desk failing to work, I set about trying to troubleshoot the issue, as that is how I make a living (thank GOD I don't do it via investing.) So while troubleshooting I was unscrewing and reseating the battery unit to the heating unit and Lo and Behold a damn blue light emitted from one of the perceived airholes.
Of course, being the professional problem solver that I am I set about investigating further. I WOULD NOT ADVISE THIS, but I carefully have inhaled directly from the heating unit with 90% lighting rating of the LED. However, once I add the filter, I struggle to get it to light. I then tried numerous "grip" techniques trying to create a greater "seal" of the filter to the heating unit and was able to generate roughly a 10% lighting rate. When it did light, I honestly felt something more than just the tea flavored filter (Virginia blend, and the flavor I actually find very pleasant.) The feeling was a tingling on my tounge, at the front on the top of the first 15% of my tongue and slightly on my lips. So the heating of the coil is CRITICAL for proper use of the unit, CRITICAL.
Here is the rub though. Either the seal or the filter simple do not function properly with my unit. I find the 90% LED lighting rate acceptable as it is improving as I get more familiar with the unit, unfortunately without the filter. As far as the pathetic 10% rate of success in getting the heating unit to light up and provide a successful inhalation, I am greatly disappointed.
The good news... Yes, there is good news. My previous posts mentioned with our first unit we had concerns about possible airflow or quality assurance testing. Well, since this unit is actually mine and not a friends, I have already put it through rigorous tests and feel that it is not an airflow or even heating unit quality issue. It goes back to an original assessment I did not make but recall another poster making. The filters, which I believe to be identical in stucture to the Smoker's Option filters, hamper the airflow to a noticable degree when the nicotine filters are applied to the heating unit.
Again, with no filter I light consistently, and with a filter I light seldom (tried various inhalation techniques as well with no noticable change in success/failure rate... But the good news is the heating and battery unti work great. It CAN work with the nicotine filters as I have witnessed 10% of the time. I am "assuming" the non-nicotice filters light the LED more consistently as I am also assuming the addition of the nicotine to the nanobead filter alters the density of the filter and inhibits airflow enough to interfere with proper ignition of the heating coil so the LED of the heating unit does not come on.
We can say I have a flawed unit, AGAIN (as our other unit not in my possession had the same issue.) However, this means we have a definate quality issue as we have one unit from prior to them being sold out and one from this new shipment, both bad. However, I think that is a misleading statement as I can get the unit to light consistently with no filter. Yes, that too could mean an issue with the heating unit but I suspect it is functioning as expected and thus not flawed, just not ideally designed to work with nicotine filled filters.
I am overall encouraged by my testing, as I see these as flaws that CAN be fixed, but MUST be addressed by SFI. For my smokers are sadly disappointed, and I can't convince them to retry testing because the light is simply not coming on consistently enough and I would consider my testers unduly frustrated.
I go back to my assessment from a couple of weeks ago, there is a need for minor modifications to improve compatability between the nicotince infused filters and the heating unit.
Description (Grade) Notes
Battery unit (B) To early to tell for sure, but the battery seems fine.
Heating unit (D) Needs to be modified to function better with nicotine infused filters.
Charger (A) Small, easy to use, works
Filters, Virginia (C) Great flavor to this user, but may inhibit airflow too much.
Could be poor seal, but most likely overall filter density inhibits proper airflow.
Shipping (A+) Quickly deliever, and FREE
Packaging (C+) Flimsy, but looks great. Overtime folks will actually use permanent cases anyways.
Yea, if they can work the bugs out on the airflow issues (which I can see as totally workable) I can bring this back to the first batch of testers. YES, I will be contacting customer service in the off chance they feel I have another defective unit, but I find this unlikely due to the rate of ignition with no filter applied.
P.S. Now for those who did not get the humor in my post yesterday, you will be totally miffed about why I posted this lengthy review. I post it more in the hopes that those close to SFI on this board will take our negative reviews back to your contacts at SFIO so they can use them constructively.
You just gained major creed from me! ROFL I love the story, the pics are great, and damn it if I am not going to get me a sazzy new pen cap for mine to start off this weekends testing. Seriously, great story for ending the week!!!
I'm at cool calm and collected every minute of everyday. As they say here in Fluffyville, "FLogic is no fish!"
I read from a post by a guy who read a PR about a PR of a guy who says a PR is coming about a JV with a PR company who knows of a PR...
Seriously, is this board the most overused spot on the entire internet? I am surprised CNN and Fox have not broke coverage to mention how Ihub users have brought the internet to it's knees with constant banter of meaningless drool about a start up, repeating things over an over and re-posting news items from 2009 and general over reacting from sunrise until... Frankly FOVEVER!
Give this board a rest unless you have something new. No, trying your newly received RE/AL is not news worthy even on this board. Your opinion will show in repeated sales of the product, not telling me you think a smoker will like it.
So everyone please just CALM down, as I should have my reviews to post by Monday, along with news about a PR I will somehow know about before any of you because I talk to TS and Ken (probably not the same TS and Ken you all talk to, but still a TS and Ken.)
Sheez...
These are not that amazing that folks are going to go through the trouble to buy them overseas, as they are still considered contraband and could expose them to fines. Honestly though, you're all putting the cart way ahead of the horse. Just get the word out to your friends to try these, send them to the website to order them. With free shipping it is a great chance to try them out.
Once I get more feedback in my testing, I'll start my grassroots efforts on facebook and the like. I just don't want to send out word until I am satisfied with the product and the supply chain.
IT's kind of like comparing the US Markets to a flea market in Haiti, but I get your point.
Good point, because all my test subjects I have lined up are hard core smokers. I do think you are right with this being a product that may actually best fit those trying to quit.
However, with success, I think they will attract more of those trying to quit and especially the younger audience (smokers who perhaps just started in the last few years.) All still decent size targets.
I like your take on this and had not looked at that as the true target audience as my hopes are all my smoking friends try it and quit. Rather for me to wait for them to quit and then try it once they choose to take that approach.
Either way, I like this company's long term chances at success. They hung around this long, patiently, so I think it is only going to get easier for them from here. I'm cautiously betting they succeed. Not much to lose yet, as I'm not betting the farm, just the dirt drive way connecting it to the road.
I loved this "someone's bellybutton fuzz" as funny as it is there is plenty of truth to that too. At least at this stage, it certainly is a factor. Everyone needs to hurry up and wait as we used to say in the Marine Corps.
I don't think Smoker's Option has done much anywhere, and saying they are avaialable in Europe could mean many things. I still need a functional product, and I should have our new starter kit this week sometime. From the posts I see on here, I expect to see it Wednesday. Hoping it works better than our first one from the first release. Also, keeping my eyes open for avaiability of Deluxe Starter Kits, and filter refills. For now, I am encouraged that they obviously did focus on backorders first, and basic starter kits second. Showing definate signs of actual strategic planning by doing it this way. Again though, holding firm, not buying more till we see if this next one works better.
If not, we don't have the end of the world here, as I do think a first generation of anything gets improved on, even if it was perceived as flawless initially. Still a little leary of all the concerns over dilution, and the fact nothing is posted to prove it is meaningless to me as anyone aware of something like that is going to have a corps of lawyers telling them to keep their mouth shut while the case is built. So I am still a wee bit worried there, as I still find it hard to believe a former cheerleader for the product would go that rogue on us.
I have read some of the older posts on other sites, and though I see some smelly bits here and there, nothing has seemed earth shattering to me, and I don't have any bad gut instincts going off. So all in all, I am an optomistic hold at the moment. With a few positive feedbacks from smokers I will probably bump to a slow accumulation as we wade through the final approval of a U.S. patent and perhaps a grass roots advertising campaign that follows a steady flow of product into a funtional distribution system. Though I expect them to fold back on some of this as they wait for user reviews to come in. There may even be a product revision prior to any of that. Why go global prior to working out the kinks on a much smaller scale?
We're probably months away from a real big bang, but I do believe that this is no longer going to be an ideal penny for flipping as it settles into a minor wait and see accumulation mode as most of us have a price point to grab more that isn't much lower than the mid .02's so I don't see it dropping further back than that price point. Though for a while I think we'll be treading in this upper .03 and lover .04 range for a while now. Even when the US patent comes in, I think the conerns on that are minimal, it's even expected. So lets see the supply increase, and the distrbution chain solidfy, and quality improve as well.
Then, once that is the case, then move onto marketing as doing so too soon can ruin a company. Remember first impressions mean everything (not with those of us understanding were still in the beginning stages, I just mean once they go viral or better with advertising.)
So patience is the word for now. Keep waiting for explosive PR and I think you're seeing this all wrong.
You guys already know, I like this company but often play devil's advocate with my post. On that list you might want to put out a few more...
11. Make Fluffy's shares increase in value.
12. You look futuristically retro, and celebraties will want to mingle with you.
Now for a CON's list.
1. You're spouse may leave you (because of the celebraties mingling around.)
Had to check in on you cheerleaders before Monday.
Also, people are able to ORDER a Basic Starter Kit. Not enough news to get me to add more SFIO stock come Monday as we were at these prices when we were in stock the first time getting mixed reviews. Get me to .02's again, and I did say I will HAVE to hop in regardless. The really encouraging part for me though is, I will have a chance to see how a base unit works from a completely different shipment and lot, so this one SHOULD work differently than the one we (my bother's) have that seems not too. IF this one works, then and only then I start to get excited. We need to have our smoker's tell us "I got that satisfying kick" or some similar statement. Again, the ones we had try the first one said it was interesting, like the soft filter idea, no fake vapors, but it just wasn't enough to make them switch from their death sticks of tobacco. (And please, don't reply with a claim how great it was for you and you are a former smoker. If you want to bury my post by saying that, please just do your own new post.)
So, round two of testing hopefully will begin by the end of this week. Fingers crossed, as that means I then buy a FEW more starter kits, and hopefully filters will be available to order by then too. Go go, SFIO!!!
And on that note I end my week with a smile. I didn't get to buy any SFIO stock or RE/AL starter kits today. Looks like I'm off to buy a real investment this weekend. BASEBALL CARDS!!! lol Does Topps make a nanobead card? Maybe cards dipped in nicotine?
No, I think they have a system in place, I mean they have been distributing Smoker's Option for some time now. Now as far as demand goes, I DO think 50 mil is likely as this is a nifty product with the soft filter. As I said, I have smokers lined up excited to try this due to the soft filter aspect of it. Now due to the fact they've done Smoker's Option for a while now, and the only difference in the nicotine in them, well I question how quickly they can ramp up to distributing 50 mil. Though, I have never done any business that requires that kind of volume and I believe TS and some of his gang have, so again I could be wrong and pleasantly surprised. Let me get to ordering some again and I guaratee my outlook will brighten on the 50 mil possibility.
Yes, I have run two businesses, so I see we see eye to eye now. And you are contradicting yourself by saying it'll take time, and that I am assumming they can't make 50 mil this year when I am not assuming that I am just questioning the figure. Yet you in this statement tell us all we need to give them time. I AGREE to that, and I also say 50 mil this year is asking too much too fast. Might they do it, I already said they could very well surprise. But we both see the same thing based on what you just posted here, yet somehow your sum is 50 mil and mine thinks realistically it is lower. Is lower this first year all that bad? Not if they are setting things up right.
I guess they could've been assuming too?
I don't think that, what I am saying is it's taken them almost a month to get these 19,600 to customs and outside of a few folks basically claiming they are getting their back order I really question how they can ramp up the shipping even if the production can be. Either way though, I have doubt on the 50 mil this year. I could certainly be wrong here, would love to be, but I'm trying to stay grounded on this and base it on what I have witnessed myself.
Again, at the right price I will accumulate immediately. Once I can order a starter kit again, I will bump that up. Once I get one that works better than the one we have, I'll bump that price I have in mind some more. Finally, I get reviews I am still waiting to conduct, heck I could go as high as .10 and accumulate this year.
Well, this is true enough I think. Fairly stated.
With where they are at today, and the time it'll take to ramp up I do not see 50 million as doable for them this year do you? Maybe they can really ramp things up, but they've taken a month to ramp up 19,600 that still have not allowed ordering to open back up. So 50 mil, I roll my eyes at it.
I tought dilution was occuring and we all decided we were okay with it? SO lets not let the world think one person influenced this stock that much. They have had sales, not piles of them, they have had product, but trouble distributing it. They have had good useer reviews, and bad user reviews. So if we are going to continue to say all it rosey, I am fine, but keep it to the facts on the positive side of this story too. They've been a company for more than a decade and have drug their feet before, so some of us are just looking for verifiable progress. We'd like a chance to buy at a fair price too once we verify some of these things.