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Ginsu knives, psychic hotlines and a $90 tablet: the story behind the Matrix One (update: more details)
On December 5th, Direct Merchandise Marketing (DMM) released a long-awaited statement that was supposed to explain just what had gone wrong in shipping its Matrix One tablet, a device we thought we might never see. The company cited part delays and Google Wallet troubles that left it with no choice but to allow refunds. However, that's not even half of the story. As you'll see in our investigation after the break, the company itself hasn't been on the level with its customers, even as it became clear that operations were coming apart at the seams.
Matrix One pins troubles on part delays and Google Wallet freeze, says refunds coming
We've been following the saga of the extra-budget Matrix One tablet almost since its birth, and there's been mounting concerns as the company (or rather its parent, Direct Merchandise Marketing) went silent not long after reporting a customs freeze on shipments. At least according to a new letter to customers on the company's front page, we now know why. The firm claims that glass and processor supply trouble at the relevant factories triggered delays, which in turn led to Google Wallet shutting down its account after customers complained regarding unfulfilled orders -- it couldn't complete or even refund purchases, no matter how much it wanted to. There's a potential ray of sunshine, however, as Google has reportedly confirmed to Matrix One that refunds are going out to affected shoppers. New orders will supposedly be possible, but only after initial refunds go through and the company is "well stocked" with inventory. We have many reasons to be skeptical when Matrix One doesn't mention the customs issue, is known to have been unresponsive to customers and even reported itself as closed, but this news at least gives us hope that buyers won't be left hanging. Read the full letter after the break. [Thanks, Stephan]
Matrix One tablet goes on sale for an even more frugal $90
Direct Merchandise Marketing might not have the most alluring name as a tablet maker, but it still raised a few eyebrows with its Matrix One in June: it hoped to crack the $100 barrier while still producing a device you'd still be proud to take home to Mother. The 7-inch slate is going on sale ever so slightly past its late July target, but with a surprise price drop to $90 -- more or less, considering that shipping costs a minimum $10. Whether or not that extra Hamilton bill's difference is an illusion, you're still getting a surprisingly competent device for the money, with a 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A8 chip, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of built-in storage moving Android 4.0 along at a decent clip. The 2-megapixel front camera, full-size USB and HDMI also help reinforce that it's more than just a no-frills slab. Having said this, we'd be brave enough to crack the triple-digit barrier and spring for the considerably more future-proof $130 edition with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of space. The feature gap is still wide enough that Nexus 7 owners won't experience buyer's remorse; at this price, however, it's not hard to imagine handing out Matrix Ones to family members like so much candy.
