We're Not Psychic: Please Include Your Email Address When Contacting Us

[Jason Dunn]

Pardon the directness of this message, but a fellow named Phoenix has been emailing us for the past few weeks, asking questions, and he never includes his return email address so we can't respond to him. Sadly, this is a fairly common occurrence, so here's a request from us: if you want us to respond to your message, please include an email address, or we won't be able to.

In response to Phoenix's three email messages, the reason why we haven't posted on L Computers because I have yet to read or hear from anyone who's actually bought one of these things. They have some amazing technology - where else can you configure a $20,000 USD laptop - but I've been hearing "we're shipping soon" for over a year now and I'm simply not inclined to believe anything they say until I read a real review, and I know for sure that the general public can order one of these systems.

[Jason Dunn]

Pardon the directness of this message, but a fellow named Phoenix has been emailing us for the past few weeks, asking questions, and he never includes his return email address so we can't respond to him. Sadly, this is a fairly common occurrence, so here's a request from us: if you want us to respond to your message, please include an email address, or we won't be able to.

In response to Phoenix's three email messages, the reason why we haven't posted on L Computers because I have yet to read or hear from anyone who's actually bought one of these things. They have some amazing technology - where else can you configure a $20,000 USD laptop - but I've been hearing "we're shipping soon" for over a year now and I'm simply not inclined to believe anything they say until I read a real review, and I know for sure that the general public can order one of these systems.

[Phoenix]

Ahhhh, you got me! ops:

Sorry about not leaving my email address, but I wasn't asking questions - the first two times I was submitting info about a product and the third time I was merely sharing something I discovered regarding my submission. I didn't expect a response from you guys from any of the three times I had messaged you, which is why I didn't post my email. I figured you'd be able to PM me if you needed to get in touch with me for whatever reason since I'm registered here and have also contributed to several front page discussions since DMT began.

I submitted info on that product only two times - the second time was only because after some time, I thought perhaps you ultimately hadn't received or had missed my initial submission for some reason - I thought the technology was amazing and worth a second submission. But just to clarify, the third time I messaged you guys, was not to resubmit the info, but only to mention that I had recently learned from someone else that L Computers has a poor reputation, and that I never would have submitted info on what apparently is considered to be a shady company if I had known that's what they were.

But just to make a point, a company announcing a product that isn't available yet, wouldn't be reason enough alone not to post info about it, considering we've all seen many posts on these sites regarding products that were in development or had been announced or promised long before they were ready, many of which still aren't on the shelves yet (OQO anyone?). But for some reason, this company apparently is held in contempt by many people (for reasons I, myself, am not exactly clear on). And if this is truly founded, then posting product info on a company of this nature is another story altogether and I would entirely understand avoiding doing so.

But no big deal - it's not as if my feelings were hurt that my submission wasn't chosen. :P But I hope that clarifies a few things.

I do have to say, though, that the story on this company - L Computers (or whatever name they go by exactly) - is very odd to me. A company announcing product, even long before it's ready, alone wouldn't be reason enough, IMO, to attract the type of scorn I've heard from others, due to the fact that this is not an uncommon occurrence in this industry. But the problem with L seems to go beyond that, and I'm just not entirely sure why. I'm sure I'll have a better picture of everything over time. Strange, indeed.

[Jason Dunn]

Caught you! ;-)

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Sorry about not leaving my email address, but I wasn't asking questions - the first two times I was submitting info about a product and the third time I was merely sharing something I discovered regarding my submission. I didn't expect a response from you guys from any of the three times I had messaged you, which is why I didn't post my email. I figured you'd be able to PM me if you needed to get in touch with me for whatever reason since I'm registered here and have also contributed to several front page discussions since DMT began.

Ah, but there's the rub - I didn't know that Pheonix was your username. Our form automatically populates the username AND email address if you're logged in, and since we never got the email address, I was assuming that you weren't a forum member. Regarding responding to you, the first time you submittted the news about L I would have responded and told you why I wasn't going to post about them. ;-) I suppose in retrospect I could have looked up the account and sent you an email saying "Hey, are you same Pheonix that contacted us about L Computers", but I have so much on my plate right now I don't have time to chase things like that down.

Anyway, this was just a good example of why it's useful for us to have an email address when people contact us. :-)

Originally Posted by Phoenix

A company announcing product, even long before it's ready, alone wouldn't be reason enough, IMO, to attract the type of scorn I've heard from others, due to the fact that this is not an uncommon occurrence in this industry.

Three reasons:

1) They're products are so insanely cool they seem almost too GOOD to be true, and since they're not shipping them, it all looks like a big hoax

2) They've invented a whole bunch of new marketing-ish computer terms and have a general air of "we're better than everyone else" about them, yet ship no real products

3) People want their stuff so bad that when they can't get it, it makes them angry

[Chris Gohlke]

Cool stuff, even though I don't know what some of the stuff they list even is! I was able to price out a laptop that costs more than $36,000 8O

HGC Hollywood Gold Custom $3,999.99 $3,999.99
Logo: Rock_Signature $129.00 $129.00
Hollywood_Display: 17inch_high_res $639.00 $639.00
CacheFlow: Built-in $299.00 $299.00
SuperBIOS: Built-in
CPU: P4_3_4GHz_Extreme_800MHz $1,405.00 $1,405.00
L2_Cache: 512K
Memory: 2GB_ddr_400MHz $1,399.00 $1,399.00
Hard_Drive: puram_extended $9,479.99 $9,479.99
Graphics: ATI9700_Pro
2nd_Hard_Drive: puram_extended $9,479.99 $9,479.99
Optical_Bay_1: DVD_PLUS_MINUS_R-RW $529.00 $529.00
Hollywood_Speakers: 4x
media_bay: battery $179.00 $179.00
Digital_Audio: Built-in
Video_Out: S-Video_Out
Card_reader: built_in
Multi-Monitor_Connectivity_Pack: Multi_pack_Four $3,999.00 $3,999.00
tv_remote: Tvremote $39.00 $39.00
External_PCI_Card_Connectivity: PCI_card_four $2,999.00 $2,999.00
CCD_Video_Camera: Built-in
Firewire: 1_1394aPort
USB2: 3_Ports
Modem_GigaLAN: Built-in
modem: 56k_modem
InfraRed: Built-in
Wireless: Built-in $149.00 $149.00
Bluetooth: Built-in $99.00 $99.00
Battery: 8-cell_4400mAh
90w_ac_adapter: Extra $139.00 $139.00
car_inverter: extra_car $139.00 $139.00
Keyboard: US_English
Carrying_Case: Premium $139.00 $139.00
Warranty: 3_Extended $399.00 $399.00
RAID: raid_0_1 $195.00 $195.00
dvi_connect: dviconnect
HDTV: prem_hdtv $129.00 $129.00
ext_floppy: extfloppy $99.00 $99.00
Booster: Booster_Pack $89.00 $89.00
DVI_VGA: dvi_vga_adapter $59.00 $59.00
Total: $36,210.97

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

Caught you! ;-)

Ah, but there's the rub - I didn't know that Pheonix was your username. Our form automatically populates the username AND email address if you're logged in, and since we never got the email address, I was assuming that you weren't a forum member. Regarding responding to you, the first time you submittted the news about L I would have responded and told you why I wasn't going to post about them. ;-) I suppose in retrospect I could have looked up the account and sent you an email saying "Hey, are you same Pheonix that contacted us about L Computers", but I have so much on my plate right now I don't have time to chase things like that down.

Anyway, this was just a good example of why it's useful for us to have an email address when people contact us. :-)

What? How dare you talk to me that way! :lol: Nah, I'm just jokin' around, man! I completely understand. I will remember that from here on.

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

Three reasons:

1) They're products are so insanely cool they seem almost too GOOD to be true, and since they're not shipping them, it all looks like a big hoax

2) They've invented a whole bunch of new marketing-ish computer terms and have a general air of "we're better than everyone else" about them, yet ship no real products

3) People want their stuff so bad that when they can't get it, it makes them angry

I see what you're saying. And laptops for $20,000?? $36,000?!? :crazyeyes: OK, now I'm really starting to see - that is just completely ridiculous. What company in the world has a right to charge that much for a laptop? For anything? The military doesn't spend that much on their rugged laptops. $36,000. Yeah, I'm sure they're selling those left and right. :?

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Looking at the specs will tell you it's a big con. A little common sense and knowledge of the PC industry will tell you that a) these things don't exist, since if they did, someone would be making them, and they would have been running big ad campaigns or publicity programs about these technologies, and b) no small two bit startup has the necessary R&D to make these things happen.. most of the time they're just buying the stuff that's available in the market and rebadging them with marketing speak. =P

[Gary Sheynkman]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

it all looks like a big hoax

that sums it up really....

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng

Looking at the specs will tell you it's a big con. A little common sense and knowledge of the PC industry will tell you that a) these things don't exist, since if they did, someone would be making them, and they would have been running big ad campaigns or publicity programs about these technologies, and b) no small two bit startup has the necessary R&D to make these things happen...

Uh, OK. So I lack common sense and knowledge of the PC industry? :lol:

Don't take any of this the wrong way, but I have a few comments regarding what you said:

First of all, just looking at their site alone wouldn't automatically indicate that they aren't being made - there are many proprietary products out there. I'd have no reason to believe right off the bat that this company was any different.

Second, there are also many companies that don't run big ad campaigns or publicity programs of any kind with their products.

And third, what about their site indicates that it's a "two-bit startup"?


Personally, I didn't bother to run over their screen specs with a microscope - I just skimmed over most of it and picked out the main things that were important to me like resolution, response time, etc. I also didn't price out any of their computer systems.

Although after Goldkey priced out one of their laptops, and anyone could realize that they're ridiculously priced, which of course raises concern, I guess what confuses me about this company is how they make any money if they're not making or shipping anything. Doesn't anyone else wonder about this? I mean, from their website, their products look pretty real to me. Doesn't look like a Photoshop job. So what's the point of putting up a website with a bunch of products that don't exist? One could say that they plan to take someone's money and then close down and disappear, but their website has been up for a very long time now, and if they simply were thieves, I have a hard time believing that they would just keep their website up and running.

Apart from the possibility of phantom-ware - a trait which many other companies out there share, I still haven't seen any concrete evidence of why these guys are considered villians of the tech industry.

Originally Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng

...most of the time they're just buying the stuff that's available in the market and rebadging them with marketing speak. =P

Which is all I would consider it to be, which after carefully wading through the all the marketing lingo would hardly be harmful in the end, and which pretty much sums up what most every reseller in the world does to some extent.

This company is all very weird to me. :?

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Uh, OK. So I lack common sense and knowledge of the PC industry? :lol:

no, but many do, so they get taken for a ride.

First of all, just looking at their site alone wouldn't automatically indicate that they aren't being made - there are many proprietary products out there. I'd have no reason to believe right off the bat that this company was any different.

Second, there are also many companies that don't run big ad campaigns or publicity programs of any kind with their products.

And third, what about their site indicates that it's a "two-bit startup"?

Ok, I generally meant that in a generic way, but back to this company, firstly, info on ground breaking proprietary stuff will spread pretty quicky. Think Foeven when the news first broke out. So I have a lot of doubts with technology that's from nowhere that claims to do so much.

Secondly, they will. Even if they don't, word will spread very fast. I know of VoodooPC and Alienware even though they don't run any publicity programs here.

Lastly, any two-bit startup can hire a professional web designer for not too much and look professional enough.

Doesn't anyone else wonder about this? I mean, from their website, their products look pretty real to me. Doesn't look like a Photoshop job. So what's the point of putting up a website with a bunch of products that don't exist? One could say that they plan to take someone's money and then close down and disappear, but their website has been up for a very long time now, and if they simply were thieves, I have a hard time believing that they would just keep their website up and running.

They just haven't hitched a big enough paycheck, so to speak. A bit like the efilm fiasco.

Apart from the possibility of phantom-ware - a trait which many other companies out there share, I still haven't seen any concrete evidence of why these guys are considered villians of the tech industry.

Because I just don't like companies that don't give good value, and I absolutely hate companies that attempt to hype themselves while trying to make it like though they're offering premium products when they're not. Incidentally that's why I don't like any desktop computer manufacturer, and reserve special venom for Apple and Dell.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng

Ok, I generally meant that in a generic way, but back to this company, firstly, info on ground breaking proprietary stuff will spread pretty quicky. Think Foeven when the news first broke out. So I have a lot of doubts with technology that's from nowhere that claims to do so much.

Secondly, they will. Even if they don't, word will spread very fast. I know of VoodooPC and Alienware even though they don't run any publicity programs here.

I don't disagree with you, but this isn't what I was addressing. I was merely saying that although we can stand around and discuss the merits of whether or not a product actually exists, just a few quick looks on their website alone is no indicator that it doesn't. I was also merely pointing out that not every company runs big ad campaigns. Word of mouth is another matter altogether.

Originally Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng

Lastly, any two-bit startup can hire a professional web designer for not too much and look professional enough.

True, but this isn't to say that a professional website is indicative of a two-bit startup.

Originally Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng

They just haven't hitched a big enough paycheck, so to speak. A bit like the efilm fiasco.

Perhaps, but the nature of online scams is to collect money fast, and split faster. Their website has been up for a long time now, and at the prices they're charging, not only are they not going to make a load of quick sales, I would be more apt to believe that it would take only one person to lose money on a very expensive product before the gig was up. Anyone with that kind of money to spend on those products would also have money to sue, and L's site, I would think, would have been down long ago if they were stealing $10,000-20,000 at a time. Also think "Class action lawsuit".

Originally Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng

Because I just don't like companies that don't give good value, and I absolutely hate companies that attempt to hype themselves while trying to make it like though they're offering premium products when they're not...

Hey, I don't disagree with you here one bit. I can't stand companies that do this either. And even if a company's products are fantastic technically speaking, it gives them no right to ignore price point.


I'm not a proponent of L - never have been. Although I won't personally shop from or agree with the business practices of a company that advertises their products with a bunch of weird lingo or that charges crazy prices, I don't want to label a company harshly merely because of this. That would be reserved for true scam artists or thieves, and perhaps L is such a company, but so far, I haven't really seen proof of this. All of this talk about L, to me, has just been to reason through who they are exactly and what they're about, and why people are scorning them so much. For me, I never thought that the displays that L was selling were a great value - they're ridiculously expensive - I just thought a huge four panel display with some of the basic specs was pretty impressive. The rest of what they offered, I didn't even look at.

But if you want to see a company that has "Scam" written all over it (at least IMO), take a look at this: Click Here - Jackito