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Comment by nrp | Hacker News Reader

I'm happy to answer any questions folks have around this product. We've released all of the main specifications at this point, along with documentation and CAD on GitHub for the new module systems.

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Gotta say I like how the images on the left change to whatever component you're selecting as you scroll down the configuration, very nice :)

Will production units be shipped to review outlets ahead of the first batch? I was really impressed with the keyboard options! Is the keyboard also going to be programmable?

On a completely unrelated note in the factory tour it was shown that the DIY versions are disassembled. I'm curious what the process is for the parts that are removed. Do they get put back into the production like, sent back to the manufacturer, or?

We've historically aligned our press review timing to use production units and have reviews go live just before we start shipping the first batch. We'll also have additional pre-production hands ons happening throughout the year.

The parts that are temporarily put on a DIY Edition for system testing are cycled repeatedly within the factory.

I think I remember seeing in an LTT video, mention of possibly using the expansion slot as an additional battery input. I didn't know if that was a possible direction considering the tech specs mainly focus on the 8x interface. Having bought a thinkpad for that exact purpose of an extra swappable battery, that would be a big boon if it was possible (even if you can't comment on a specific road map).

We've designed the Expansion Bay module system to be able to handle power bi-directionally. One of the main reasons for this was to enable secondary batteries. This specific module isn't something we've shared any plans around, but it's something that either we or a third party would be able to build.

https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionBay

Does the empty expansion bay shell have provisions for mounting other things inside, like an m.2 expansion?

Or would those have to come as a separate expansion module?

The Expansion Bay Shell has an open area in the center for additional modules. We shared a preview of one of the modules that we're building, which is a dual M.2 storage carrier.

Looks like the site and store are getting the hug of death. People really want this!

Is your manufacturing going to be able to keep up with demand?

Apparently!

Part of why we do pre-orders is to get a good read on demand early enough to adjust our production capacity. Our main manufacturing partner is Compal, who is one of the three largest laptop manufacturer in the world, so we have headroom to be able to continue to scale up.

Finally got the system to accept my pre-order, but landed in Batch 2. Oh well, worth the wait I'm sure!

This is really amazing. You're the only laptop giving Apple a run for their money.

Why is it taking so long for Framework's products to become available in other countries? It's been more than two years and three product generations + an entirely new product, and you still can't even pre-order in the vast majority of regions.

There are plenty of electronics products on Kickstarter that can be ordered from dozens of countries even while the product is still in development, so why is this so difficult with Framework?

We shared in an earlier blog post some of what goes into setting up infrastructure for new countries: https://frame.work/blog/scaling-up-infrastructure

On Kickstarters specifically, I have worked in a company that made the mistake of not limiting country availability, and ran into the massive downstream problems with that afterwards: products blocked at customs due to missing certifications or registrations, along with tax issues and penalties.

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