What happened to FourSevens?

[4sevens]

In a nutshell, FourSevens realized they could make more money through high volume instead of high quality. There's 7 billion people on earth, they all have to deal with nighttime, and most of them don't really care (or know about) high-quality lighting and wouldn't pay for it even fi they did.

Thats one broad sweeping generalization and major presumption from someone who has no experience in the R&D and tooling costs. For every product that we make there are more than 5 that were shelved. I have a shelf full of prototypes that have never seen the light of day. The recent launch of 5 new products represents elements from all those prototypes. Just the preon I have 5-6 prototypes between the previous version and this new version.

Your statement has now factual base and is indeed trollish as Greta as observed. I will not take the bait to debate against such a baseless statement. Mighty find of you to speak for and insult 7 billion people in one sentence. LOL

 

[Woods Walker]

Check the video at the eight minute mark. David changed the tail-cap function from Pro to Tactical using the app on his phone. oo:

~ Chance

Oh geez how did I miss that. Nice! Now I am nearly out of things to complain about. I will hold off for the reviews but guessing this might be my next 4/7 gear item.

 

[4sevens]

Oh geez how did I miss that. Nice! Now I am nearly out of things to complain about.

I'm sorry it won't toss salad and scramble eggs

 

[Prepped]

I just pre-ordered the crap out of that Smart Quark. I'm so excited to get it. Looks absolutely amazing. Please release an 18650 version!

I can just see all other the other manufacturers that lurk the forums calling their tech departments telling them to make something like this. Late to the game. Foursevens will forever be remembered as the one who did it first!

 

[Burgess]

In case anyone else needs it,

HERE is the LINK to David's video # 4 !


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoI3qBTB3tk



:thumbsup:

:twothumbs

:goodjob:

_

 

[Burgess]

VERY impressive capabilities !

Certainly on the Forefront of flashlight technology here.

:thumbsup:



David --

I would want to "program" my Smart Quark to

(for instance) ONLY use modes Moonlight and Medium !


Don't even cycle through anything ELSE !
Just those two modes !


Can we accomplish ? ? ?

 

[Prepped]

VERY impressive capabilities !

Certainly on the Forefront of flashlight technology here.

:thumbsup:



David --

I would want to "program" my Smart Quark to

(for instance) ONLY use modes Moonlight and Medium !


Don't even cycle through anything ELSE !
Just those two modes !


Can we accomplish ? ? ?

I agree. If we can reach this level of customization I'll be elated. My main gripe is that I have to press the mode button or tail cap twice to change modes. I wish I could change that!

 

[sidecross]

I'm curious which supplier is that?

We're cutting back on web-only-garage-operation dealers who are there to turn a quick profit rather than service the customers the way foursevens takes care of their customers. We would rather support more brick and mortar dealers who have REAL overheads to maintain - you know roofs over their heads, electricity bills, employee salaries... Some brick and mortars have asked us to support them and limit the undercutting of some of these shade-tree dealers. Not saying all of them are like this - just most of them. So the one who is no longer selling may be because we stopped supplying them.

Illumination Supply answered my e-mail inquiry notifying me they will not be selling what I wanted and Going Gear has it on back order for at least one month. I wanted the Maelstrom MMU-X3 because of its simple but rugged interface; this is opposite of the direction of using a blue tooth interface. I still hope to see manufacturers create more 26650 flashlights. :thumbsup:

 

[Burgess]

Note to David --

Couple more questions . . . .


Can we enable / disable the Memory Mode in Smart Quarks ?

That would be * WONDERFUL * to have that flexibility !
< hint hint >


Sometimes I want my light to Always start in Moon-mode.

Sometimes I want it to remember my previous setting.

Best of Both worlds !



and . . . .


Does this use PWM to achieve its " infinite dimming " capability ?


If so -- What is the PWM Frequency ? ? ?

Hope it's VERY fast !
< wink >



_

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Snip ....... I wanted the Maelstrom MMU-X3 because of its simple but rugged interface; this is opposite of the direction of using a blue tooth interface. I still hope to see manufacturers create more 26650 flashlights. :thumbsup:

sidecross, May I inquire why you don't just order one from FourSevens?

~ Chance

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Burgess,

Those are great questions and suggestions. Perhaps posting them in the Quark Smart Light thread, where the light has generated a lot of excitement, so more members could read them.

~ Chance

 

[Burgess]

Oops !


Didn't know there * WAS * at Quark Smart Light thread !



:sigh:
_

 

[Beamhead]

Oops !


Didn't know there * WAS * at Quark Smart Light thread !



:sigh:
_

Happy Thanksgiving weekend Burgess :wave: this thread is polluted to begin with so post where you want.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Oops !


Didn't know there * WAS * at Quark Smart Light thread !



:sigh:
_

No oops! Nothing to oops about. No need to sigh. Carry on. :laughing:

~ Chance

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

In a nutshell, FourSevens realized they could make more money through high volume instead of high quality. There's 7 billion people on earth, they all have to deal with nighttime, and most of them don't really care (or know about) high-quality lighting and wouldn't pay for it even fi they did.

I used to think they were going in that direction, based mainly on the fact they refuse to sell anything except cool white (because only flashaholics supposedly like neutral or warm), and that they hadn't made improvements to their lineup in awhile. They seemed more interested in mass-market stores.

But, recently they have come out with all kinds of very weird lights. I find it hard to imagine those designs have broad appeal, whether to Joe Sixpack or to flashaholics. So, I'm stumped.

I'm guessing they lost their original designer, who was responsible for all their great light designs in the past. But, I have no idea. All I know is that they have taken a right-angled turn in the past year or two, and not in a direction I find good.

Thats one broad sweeping generalization and major presumption from someone who has no experience in the R&D and tooling costs. For every product that we make there are more than 5 that were shelved. I have a shelf full of prototypes that have never seen the light of day. The recent launch of 5 new products represents elements from all those prototypes. Just the preon I have 5-6 prototypes between the previous version and this new version.

Well, perhaps you should go back to the basics. Design flashlights that are useful tools, with just enough features to make them useful tools. Design isn't about coming up with wild ideas and throwing them all at a target. A good design is about paring down features until it's perfect. Apple understands this: simple design, yet useful and elegant. (I'm not an Apple fanboy, I'm an Android fanboy, but I admit my iPad is better than all my other tablets.)

 

[4sevens]

Well, perhaps you should go back to the basics. Design flashlights that are useful tools, with just enough features to make them useful tools. Design isn't about coming up with wild ideas and throwing them all at a target. A good design is about paring down features until it's perfect. Apple understands this: simple design, yet useful and elegant. (I'm not an Apple fanboy, I'm an Android fanboy, but I admit my iPad is better than all my other tablets.)

The Quark Click and the New Preon does exactly that - functionality has been paired down to simple utility. On the other end of the spectrum the Quark Smart sits with all it's bells and whistles.

Innovation isn't about sticking the newest LED in their lights - and not even picking a specific LED (ie. nw) - anyone can do that. True design is taking a novel idea and taking it from ground up and coming up with an awesome product and that takes lots of consideration and time - more than you can every imagine - it's also an iterative process that spans across lots of time. The collaborations that we've chosen to run with are novel and have features we deem useful for certain segments - and as with anything new it will always get criticized.

We have never claimed our products will meet everyones need and never will. There is no such thing - you yourself are a prime example - you say you are an android fanboy but why in the world do you have an ipad? I am the original designer of foursevens and remain so. Every product we've every come up with solves a specific problem - something that the current market does not have a solution for - every product has at least one or more aspects that has a focal point with which the entire development process is centered on.

It's easy to make broad sweeping guesses in a forum anonymously - many of which just give me a chuckle because it shows how the poster has no idea what exactly goes into a product by the time it hits the market - at least products that have been designed with purpose, vision, and passion.

Happy Thanksgiving guys

 

[sidecross]

I'm guessing they lost their original designer, who was responsible for all their great light designs in the past. But, I have no idea.

I too have no idea why Four Sevens have moved away from their 26650 battery Maelstrom series of lights; it was a no frills design, and if produced with care would be a work horse flashlight.

I think it is a mistake to abandon the Maelstrom design; I have read others like myself posting an interest in this type of flashlight.

As far as the 'blue-tooth' light and the development of the software to make it work, it is reason enough why the owner of Four Sevens wants to pursue this kind of enterprise. This still leave room for others to develop a work horse flashlight to full the vacuum that the demise of the Maelstrom has left open.

 

[4sevens]

I too have no idea why Four Sevens have moved away from their 26650 battery Maelstrom series of lights; it was a no frills design, and if produced with care would be a work horse flashlight.

I think it is a mistake to abandon the Maelstrom design; I have read others like myself posting an interest in this type of flashlight.

As far as the 'blue-tooth' light and the development of the software to make it work, it is reason enough why the owner of Four Sevens wants to pursue this kind of enterprise. This still leave room for others to develop a work horse flashlight to full the vacuum that the demise of the Maelstrom has left open.

I don't understand where this is coming from. The Maelstrom MMU-X3R is 26650 and is in full production. it's still a killer light and is selling like hotcakes.

 

[sidecross]

I don't understand where this is coming from. The Maelstrom MMU-X3R is 26650 and is in full production. it's still a killer light and is selling like hotcakes.

The current Maelstrom Regen MMU-X3R is a move away from from a robust light. It uses a propitiatory battery, internal addition electronics for charging, and the five different modes that now makes this new version exceedingly more prone to break down than a more simple two stage push or lock down switch.

I am glad it is selling like 'hotcakes' and I wish you and Four Sevens the best; I am just writing to express an opinion. :thumbsup:

 

[4sevens]

The current Maelstrom Regen MMU-X3R is a move away from from a robust light. It uses a propitiatory battery, internal addition electronics for charging, and the five different modes that now makes this new version exceedingly more prone to break down than a more simple two stage push or lock down switch.

I am glad it is selling like 'hotcakes' and I wish you and Four Sevens the best; I am just writing to express an opinion. :thumbsup:

Now I think you're just whining. We're definitely not moving away from Maelstrom, Regen, or 26650.