Discontinued The RBT Milaana (unregulated single 18650)

[AJS]

I still don't get the mindset going on here. So everyone is ok with this device leapfrogging the Zion? Why is it that any critical talk is frowned upon here or anywhere in FC for that matter? Just kudos, and pats on the back are acceptable. Pretty over it.

If he built every Zion before he started Milaanas, we'd be in this thread for a year. Obviously this is the most effective, Timely method, to get every order of Milaana and Zion out as fast as possible. There is no "leapfrogging" it is part of the process that almost everyone should've been aware of before jumping on board. The Milaana is simple, he can have rats make them. Why not buy and train 2 rats to make Milaanas as he does Zions. Oh wait, that is what he's doing.
I'd be pissed if I had to wait for every Zion before I got this simple piece of wood, steel and wires.
The airplane isn't gunna wait for the slow ass mf'er to go on, it's gunna start boarding when it's ready, and to get as many people on as possible. The feelings of 30 in line is more important than the 2 people saying "waah I was here first." This isn't directed at anyone in particular, this has just been popping up quite a bit.

Also, just as people are allowed to voice their criticism one time, people should be respectful and not say "why isn't rbt doing this? Or that? Or why doesn't he handle this like that's? Or I wish RBT would chime in with this. Or that..." constantly. Voice your opinion, that's fine, but don't argue over the situation. Everything is speculation.
Hearing this once is fine. Hearing this multiple times, on repeat, for the past few days gets annoying.
Just...wait...for...the...update.
As @jim-bob said, if you are upset, get a refund.

As it's been said, perspective is huge. There's probably a hundred of us waiting patiently, eagerly...happy to be on board the train. "Happy handing your money off to someone who doesn't talk about or give an update or show any sign of progress?" YES! It's exciting!! If it's not exciting for you, you're probably in the wrong place?

@MrPeanut
Truly appreciate you showing up, I know it's not your responsibility and it can be difficult to dangle a worm over a pack of hungry birds without causing distress to some. It's completely understandable why you don't make updates for someone else. There is no need to pamper us, we're adults (ironically me being one of the youngest most likely). I worked about 50 hours at near minimum wage in order to buy these units, and it makes the wait that much better, because I know my work will pay off.
We deserve no more from RBT than a Milaana on our door once it is made and perfected. That is it, nothing else.

 

[seaofgreens]

It has been a long development, but it had always been my understanding that this and the dual unit were to be in prototype phase only until the Zion had been released. They were 50 unit limited production runs. Not a new open ended sale on Milaana's that has now been occurring with news that these units will now... leapfrog the Zion.

That is brand new and not welcome news. Not something that seems reasonable to me at all just because the Milaana is "simpler."

It also gets annoying getting told that this was always the plan when it was not for those who have been around and were reading stuff last year...

 

[AJS]

It has been a long development, but it had always been my understanding that this and the dual unit were to be in prototype phase only until the Zion had been released. They were 50 unit limited production runs. Not a new open ended sale on Milaana's that has now been occurring with news that these units will now... leapfrog the Zion.

That is brand new and not welcome news. Not something that seems reasonable to me at all just because the Milaana is "simpler."

It also gets annoying getting told that this was always the plan when it was not for those who have been around and were reading stuff last year...

He has a team making the Milaanas. I doubt they take much away from Zion production.
Can't know til he updates.

 

[nondarb]

but he has his own way of doing things.

If you guys expect him to sit by a calendar or remember exactly when 30-31 days has passed you are not going to get that from RBT.

This is called common courtesy. If he doesn't have it he needs to hire someone who does. (He checked and edited his site BTW, just to remove information this time). People miss dates, I expected it honestly. Everybody fucks up, the measure of a man (and in this case a company) is shown post fuckup. Own it, explain, get back to work. His silence is what has left a bad taste in my mouth. He's got our money, what he owes us is a vaporizer but after missing his own dates (not by a little either, he said ALL millanas shipped..) our money ought to be worth an explanation as well.

RBT seriously needs to hire someone to handle public affairs. His demeanor and current means (or lack thereof) of communication is provng extremely detrimental to his business before he is even off the line.

Excuses are like assholes, and after reading the last page or so I'm starting to feel like a proctologist.

 

[WakeAndVape]

If they are in fact that easy to make @AJS he can send me the parts and a set of instructions! Lol...hell...I'll assemble 15 to get one free!

@seaofgreens the politeness rule here can be challenging sometimes, especially when egotistical creators don't care if you spend your money with them or not and publicly state as much...

That being said, I see the need for the rule.
When I started posting here a senior member openly criticized me for the lack of cleaning of my vape.

I would have been discouraged from posting but the fact that there are these rules. I felt welcome.

RBT is not good at public relations, but I didn't buy this vape to make friends with him and once I get my vape, unless there is a warranty issue, he probably won't hear from me again.

On the other hand (imo) the best vape creator I ran across is @vapman....he knows how to treat folk well and the vapman gets more personal recommendations than anything.

If you want to strike back at RBT for the way he treated you...seek a refund and abandon the thread... traffic=exposure and all publicity is good.

 

[seaofgreens]

He has a team making the Milaanas. I doubt they take much away from Zion production.
Can't know til he updates.

Your Milaana should not have even been available for purchase before the Zion was to come out according to the original plan. So there is 0% possibility that this development does not take away from the Zion.

@WakeAndVape Nobody here is very polite I have noticed. They just have a roundabout way of saying Fuck you most of the time.

 

[nondarb]

0% possibility

Here we go again

 

[seaofgreens]

Nah, I'm done with this thread for a few more weeks. Go back to praising as usual I guess. Sorry for fouling up your good vibes. Enjoy your actual devices while I stew in my nihilistic bullshit.

 

[AJS]

Here we go again

 

[srama21]

at least he left us with this nice promo photo. doesn't it just scream versatility?

 

[Tommy10]

Just have to keep reminding myself that this is someone else's company and ideas, I can either be on board or get the refund. As far as the customer service goes, I have personally boycotted business for less on that front, but obviously I want one of these much more than their productions.

 

[WakeAndVape]

@WakeAndVape Nobody here is very polite I have noticed. They just have a roundabout way of saying Fuck you most of the time.

I think roundabout fucks are more easily received than straight forward penetrating fucks.

If those rules weren't in place, the last 5 pages of this thread would be bashing and unproductivness.

But I could care less what a stranger on the net feels about me or my ideals. I'm just glad there are rules that allow for alot of constructive dialog, not just pissing matches!

I beleive reddit may be more appropriate for a say what you want forum environment, peppered in with plenty of fuck you's and insults to go around.

There is even the 'fuck you' thread here (if your interested)...it makes me laugh from time to time.

Sorry you feel that way...feel free to PM me to vent the fucking of anyone!

The money I spent on milaana is money I spent...the financial burden has already been felt, now the only thing I feel anxiety about is the possibility of having to get a refund should the vape never see the light of day...I'm not too concerned about THAT...so I sit and wait for a next level vape!

Besides: @MrPeanut said he trusted RBT with his life...but never made mention of his money!

 

[grokit]

I also want to remind folks that he rarely if ever checks this forum anymore. I sent him a text and let him know that some ppl's patience is wearing thin and he should give you an update. He said he would when he had something worth saying.

Okay so he's not , that's good news. Thanks for the inside info

 

[DocGonzo]

RBT knew that giving dates was risky and that missing them would result in complaints, as he'd said himself before he left FC, so I have trouble cutting him too much slack on this one. He did give the 80% caveat, but to have none shipped by the posted date and to not have any sort of update on why beforehand, ideally, is asking for the kind of reaction he's receiving right now. I'm just glad that I wasn't lured into preordering the Milaana by the estimated ship date. Waiting for my Zion is hard enough.

 

[pakalolo]

@AJS: I understand what you're trying to do and I agree with most of your points, but please leave it to the moderators to direct the discussion. If someone breaks the rules, report it and don't respond in a public post. Use a PM if you think it's necessary. If the rules aren't being broken but you don't like the turn the conversation has taken, you can always express your concern to a moderator in private.

Nah, I'm done with this thread for a few more weeks. Go back to praising as usual I guess. Sorry for fouling up your good vibes. Enjoy your actual devices while I stew in my nihilistic bullshit.

I don't know what thread you mean, but it can't be this one. With the exception of a couple of beta testers, this thread is a litany of complaints and gripes about the delays. If our rule about one kick at the can were strictly enforced, this thread and the Zion thread would be noticeably shorter.

Just as we've covered many times in the Grasshopper threads, this is not a thread where everyone gets to tell RBT how he should run his business. If you don't like it, you get to express your displeasure once. After that, please restrain yourself. Our rules are meant to prevent the use of FC as a platform to bully or blackmail vendors and manufacturers. As a result, we get constant criticism about our perceived bias, and even accusations of simply being shills for certain companies. I can't speak for other moderators but I don't care about that. My job here is to enforce the rules in a manner that is fair to everyone. It's natural that some will disagree about the boundaries, but ultimately when you registered you agreed to abide by the rules as interpreted by the moderators. We've actually been lenient but if you've expressed your criticism or complaint already in this thread, please think carefully before you post again.

 

[seaofgreens]

I said I was done. You have/had no reason to keep ribbing me/rubbing in your stance to prove some moderator point. Just wanted to throw in that extra jab I guess?

*edit* Not to mention I never complained in this thread about the delay on this device, I came here (for the first time) after just realizing this device is no longer a 50 unit limited run prototype that was supposed to be developed AFTER the fucking Zion... Not to mention this stupid shitshow of RBT missing his own leapfrogging.... LOL on that one. Didn't even know till I came here.

That is the only reason I came here, and you seem to have just lumped me in like the rest of the chaff. Which I get the feeling is what you consider me.

Don't worry, I can hear the sigh from here.

 

[WakeAndVape]

but we should all know soon enough, this weekend perhaps?!

Can we get an update about the update from RBT this weekend?!?!
(Sorry, couldn't resist lol)

 

[little maggie]

He has a team making the Milaanas. I doubt they take much away from Zion production.
Can't know til he updates.

People keep saying he has a team working on the milaana. Seems like there was a post explaining that the "team" is the same 2 people working on the Zion. So where is the info saying that there are more than 2 working on the milaana?

 

[AJS]

People keep saying he has a team working on the milaana. Seems like there was a post explaining that the "team" is the same 2 people working on the Zion. So where is the info saying that there are more than 2 working on the milaana?

Well considering it was just him making both, having people on the Milaanas so he can worry about the Zion is pretty good. And shitsnacks said he believed, or thought, that was the same team working on the Zion. We know for a fact, through RBTs website, that "both production workers are learning the process quickly". Nothing about the Zion.
Just trying to clear this up.

 

[hippogriff]

People keep saying he has a team working on the milaana. Seems like there was a post explaining that the "team" is the same 2 people working on the Zion. So where is the info saying that there are more than 2 working on the milaana?

Oh my thread, my wonderful thread! Valid point, LM, but a valid point on top of guesses and speculation, so what satisfaction is there to be had? RBT isn't posting here and has no "official" spokesmen here and the Z-team doesn't know. Anyway, it's always been possible that the simpler Milaana moved ahead of the Zion, and getting a new knob likely includes lot's of waiting in between decisions, and it's all behind the development curtain anyway. Seems like there's room for it all.

I'm sure I'm breaking rules here, I apologize, I think we're in kinda a new world of manufacturers going this public before they have actual products to sell, where we need to be patient and enjoy the ride, and manufacturers need to stay in the conversation and accept they can't avoid/answer all criticism.

 

[TheDudeNextDoor]

As an original Zion beta member, I wish I could offer "inside information" to help alleviate early adopters' concerns, but I have no more information than others who have already piped in. I cannot speak for RBT and won't speculate on anything that I can't back up with first-hand information; however, for what it's worth, I can say with absolute certainty that everyone's patience will be rewarded.

I was one of the "beta members" of the Infinity, and anyone who was involved in or who kept up with that one knows what a fiasco it became and how the person behind that vape misled and outright lied to everyone. This is NOT what is going on here. I don't know exactly what the hold-up is, but I do know for certain that both the Zion and the Milaana will ultimately arrive at the door of everyone who has put their money down, and based on the still-impressive performance of my beta Zion, I feel very comfortable saying that those who can stay patient will be happy that they did.

I always try to remember that this entire industry is still in its infancy, relatively speaking, and the Zion/Milaana is still in the early stages of development toward full production. RBT started this venture from his own home as a side-project to his "real job" and now has a dedicated factory and two dedicated employees, and he has rolled the dice on entering this venture full-time himself. He has much more invested in these vapes than any single one of us. I am not attempting to offer excuses for missed deadlines, etc., just trying to maintain perspective. He will come through. That I know. And in the end, we will all look back and realize the wait was very well worth it. That I truly believe.

Until then, abiding.

 

[GTAVaper]

Yup, Kickstarter and Indiegogo coming onto the scene has introduced a whole new world of speculative purchases. Some work out.....others don't.

I am not too worried about the Milaana being a little late. I doubt that it is an issue of producing whatever orders were placed up till now.......I think it is the whole issue of RBT now scaling up production capacity that is probably keeping him very busy.

I think that when the pre-orders are finally all produced and shipped..... that as per his guesstimates that next day shipping will be available very shortly afterward through a retailer.

But with respect to the speculative purchase thing......I just made one the other day ......basically out of the sheer love of gadgetry and the decadence of being able to spray my butter onto popcorn, toast, frying pans, people.....etc

So I really hope that I get my Biem Butter Sprayer in September as was promised .......it would really crush me to have to keep using the half brick of butter on the counter that sits in the butter tray

Last Tango in Paris anyone? You bring the popcorn.....I'll bring the butter

P.S. I'll qualify that "anyone" to be directed at any single, attractive female FC'ers......and you can change that city from Paris to Toronto

 

[HellsWindStaff]

On the topic of RBT's team, I actually thought Mr. Peanut was a company rep.

A bad assumption, but I can't be the only one who made it. I mean, he basically did join the forum as an unpaid customer service rep, to tout the wonders of the Zion. With TKW and RBT. Not like he joined and was asking questions about other vapes, he joined and was touting the Zion. Least that's how it came across, as a member of RBT's team a bit more informed on the Zion/Milaana. I could of read it wrong, I am very medicated always here

Whose the karma whore? Says "Manufacturer" under his name. Maybe that also contributes as to why I would lump all 3 of them together as a group, since 2 were denoted as manufacturers? Unless he's making another product I"m unfamiliar with? If not though, makes it seems like he works for him.

Was bad on anyone including myself to assume but that was always my impression.

I hope people aren't getting up in arms about him missing the 30/31st.....give him a little leeway in that regard. We can ultimately judge whether or not there was anything "worthy" of an update if/when he decides to give us one.....but....seeing as how he said he would give us an update, it's not up to SS to text him, or TKW or Mr.P to hit him up, but it us up to him to let us know that there is nothing new going or or no new developments.

No news is still news, when you say you'll update monthly. But I don't think people should get hung up on the fact that it was the end of the month, as that ultimately detracts from the point. Let his actions, or lack of, speak for themselves. If there is nothing worth saying, I can understand why he wouldn't update, but IMO that's a dumb move if he wants to qwell people worrying about it/him and maintain some level of transparency into the operation.

 

[spoutti]

I dont see an army of employee working endlessly developping and tweeking the technology. I mean, I thought the tech was developped and tweeked with the zion. And building the mileena using that already developped tech was supposed to be easy. I dont have a clue how manufacturing and all goes, but feeling I understand whats happening is securing.

I thought I understood why mileena were to be built before zions. 0 parts prone to fail, good and fast way to build cashflow having 0 problems to take care of after. But now, I start to lose that feeling of understanding and that makes me feel uneasy. What's the problem delaying rbt's own deadline? It would be so easy to simply report once a month and make all fc preorderer feel much easier, and respected.

Since I dont see an update and rbt's friends and faithfull followers cant relay whats really happening, I asked for a refund. Rbt didnt respect his own word and I dont like empowering that line of action with my money.

 

[little maggie]

I can see why people who preordered the Milaana have more reason to be optimistic than those who ordered the Zion.
Still, I wonder how many of those who are writing to be patient in spite of lack of communication have been part of beta testing or have a milaana or zion.