Hi backers, I am John, the product manager of ZimaBoard. The team encountered a little difficulty as well as some phased progress. According to our original schedule, the team should start mass production and shipment in June/July, which we have always kept in mind. Due to the current complex supply chain situation and the new version iteration (refer to Update #10), our overall project progress has an inevitable delay. Please rest assured that we are doing our best and using various methods to let you see the works we have created together as soon as possible.

This update mainly consists of three parts:

• Product development work progress in June
• Delivery preparation and freight collection
• New website (Blog / Shop and Products)

Product development work progress in June

PVT proofing delayed for three weeks

PVT’s proofing and production encountered various supply problems, and the proofing progress was nearly three weeks behind schedule. The main reason is the shortage of multiple chips. It began with a lack of CPU, RAM, and then network IC in the past two months. Electronics supply chain in this year clearly encountered one black swan after another.

Our reactions are also relatively straightforward. First, we have established direct connections with Intel and Realtek manufacturers and sole agents to get better resources. Currently, the team has completed the stocking of the first batch of Intel CPUs for production. Second, we are constantly developing 2-3 distributors or backup suppliers of various electronic materials to expand our supplier pools (if you see this update, you have any high-quality RAM and network IC suppliers/resources, please be sure to contact lauren@icewhale.org directly)

The raw materials for PVT proofing have been put in place successively this week. We expect to complete the last small-scale production before mass production within two weeks to accelerate complete testing and mass production preparations.

Test and confirm all PCIe expansion boards

The concept of the direct-plug PCIe expansion boards gives ZimaBoard plenty of room for imagination in multiple applications. To this end, we released the Dev Kit and selected five main expansion boards to cover mainstream functions such as WiFi, multi-USB, multi-SATA, and NVMe storage. You can get more info about the specific accessories on the new official website or the survey from Pledgebox. We have done comprehensive compatibility and functional tests for all accessories to ensure that you can run the expansion boards when you get them. Don’t worry if you are new to tinkering, and you can get started with the applications to build through the Docs to be released soon.

Mining with ZimaBoard? GPU + ZimaBoard?

From a technical point of view, we have been paying close attention to the dynamics of the crypto industry. Blockchain is undoubtedly the leading force in the development of decentralized technology. Recently, several users have also asked whether ZimaBoard can mine? It just so happens that we need to test the compatibility of PCIe to expand the GPU. and so

Please note that the mass production version of ZimaBoard does not require a PCIe x4 to x16 adapter. We will use slotted PCIe materials to make ZimaBoard directly compatible with x8 and x16 PCIe expansion boards.

However, the team is not particularly interested in building a mining machine, but it does not conflict with our curiosity about the practical applications that the blockchain ecosystem produces. If you have in-depth know-how on DApps, sustainable storage, and decentralized streaming, in that case, we look forward to hearing your insights on home-server-based blockchain applications to discuss our research and development direction.

Delivery preparation and freight collection

We are working on Add-ons / collection of freight and logistics information

We have started the docking work with third-party logistics companies to shorten the preparatory work for subsequent shipments. Yes, some backers have already received the PledgeBox survey sent by us a few days ago. PledgeBox is a Kickstarter verified survey and backer information managing software that offers an efficient survey status dashboard based on real-time data. Using the PledgeBox platform will solve the following problems:

1. ZimaBoard pledge shipping fee collection
2. I’d like to buy additional PCIe accessories
3. I have some new ideas and would like to get extra ZimaBoard(s) for the crowdfunding price (Backer Only)

Follow-up work

After all backers complete our survey, we will count the quantities of all accessories, complete purchasing/quality inspection of products as soon as possible, and start the docking with our third-party logistics vendor. If you have not received Survey from Pledgebox, please be patient. You will receive Survey emails within the next week. Please also check your email address for correction if necessary.

The new website is online

Richer and more intuitive information

We have added more sections and contents to the new website:

* ABOUT -> ZimaBoard

We had updated the detailed hardware parameters that have been asked before, added the Applications section, and embedded 3D models and other materials for visitors to understand ZimaBoard both intuitively and in detail.

* ABOUT -> Team

Some of our team members are shy and don’t often appear in public, but you can see them here and drop them emails.

* APPLICATIONS

We hope this section can help people who have just learned about ZimaBoard to understand more about what to create with ZimaBoard and how to deploy it. So you can join our community faster and explore more exciting ideas of Single Board Server.

We will further update the detailed documents and tutorials in the Docs section(yes it’s under construction). If you have some good ideas, I would be happy to discuss them with you.

* GALLERY

Here we have added some beautiful photos of ZimaBoard, and we will continue to upload more and more. You are also more than welcomed to share your pictures of ZimaBoard after you received yours. Together let’s expand this lovely album of ZimaBoard in the future.

* BLOG

We believe in transparent and open communication. So we will stay in touch with everyone here, similar to our Kickstarter updates, and share our progress, team dynamics, and some fun stuff, even after the crowdfunding campaign finishes.

* SHOP

We have launched pre-sales of ZimaBoard and tested peripheral accessories in the store. If you want to make additional purchases, please remember to do it in the PledgeBox Survey. The price in the store has less or no discount compared with Kickstarter, but for backers, you can get Add-ons or ZimaBoard for the Kickstarter original price, which’s a backer-only special offer.

Please be noted that although we’ve launched pre-order on the website, there is still a high probability that shipping starts from September. So if you or your friend want to pre-order ZimaBoard, you can subscribe through Subscribe and Receive our updates. After the mass production, we will deliver from the earliest order placed, first the KS pledges, and then pre-orders.

Follow-up for website and community

Although the official website is currently online, there may be some details that need to be adjusted. If you find any problems that need to be modified or optimized, please let us know, including the store experience. I and the team will make further improvements in the follow-up.

Our community, tutorials, and documents are still under development, and we will try our best to present them in a good way. You are also more than welcomed to provide ideas and comments. Or tell us some other communities and tutorials you think they have done well. For example, cool document system frameworks that you’ve used.

Thoughts on Angel Investors Wall

We were discussing website updates internally when Allen came up with the idea of an Angel Investors Wall page on the website as a signature of brand legacy.

Here is the design of the first version of Angel Investors Wall, and it has not yet been launched. It might well be a page with a pure black background and gold letters like this, with everyone’s name and constructive comments and ideas written. Obviously, your names will be displayed on the page for quite a long time, so not sure if you guys mind? Let’s put up a poll.

• If more for support, we go online (if someone does not want their name public, we will hide it)
• If more for oppose, cancel the idea. Nothing really happened.

Vote here: https://forms.gle/tE1XLXpUCPEKAvkX8

Please share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments as much as you want, or email me directly: john@icewhale.org

Best,

John & ZimaBoard Team