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Apex released the New Unit claiming it was 100% ready and it has wifi connectivity issues which is one of its selling points. Everyone seems to be quiet about that. Not so much uproar ( just a few posts) or articles. Yet, you make an article about a product that hasn't been to any consumer to deter early adopters.
New products will have issues to work out. Look at Ecotech's Gen 1 of their Gyre pump had Design issues. Well so shall others. Which Apex controller would you prefer Gen 1 or Gen 3. I would bet Gen 2 for now. Give Vertex a break and time to work out their flaws. ok?So how about we wait until its actually out for a proper review?
Also, how can you mock the looks, claiming it is outdated, when the New Apex resembles the 1989 Gameboy:
Waterproof screen. If you watched BRS' video and their release video, you would have known. BRS specifically touched the screen with water their fingers; one of the release videos by Vertex mentions the drip prevention design on the rear of the module.marquis. This isn't an Apex v. Cerebra competition to determine who looks better. I was simply noting that the Cerebra isn't developed (ascetically) in line with present day smart technology, which is thin and sleek. It looks like a Game Cube. All that cool tech is awesome, but what happens if water gets on it? Touch screens are great, but they also are known to fail. What happens then? If your controller uses your phone or tablet as a display, replacing it if the screen fails is very easy and can be done for little more than $50-100 bucks. Native displays for aquarium controllers are really a thing of the past, because wireless tech integrates the controller with a mobile device. Also, I installed the new Apex several days ago on my own personal tank. I didn't encounter any wireless connectivity issues, and it seamlessly installed much like the original Apex. That's not to say that there aren't issues. BUT guess what - there are some features I don't like and I will be doing a full review of the controller sometime soon.
That may be Neptune's next market since they are making game controllers for displays. Maybe someone could connect an Apex to the Cerebra and use it as an Nintendo Enulator controller.OMG that's too funny! Do they have the LE pokemon edition that Santa brought me as a kid? LOL
I, also, wanted to let you know why Neptune decided to not use the Apex Gold name anymore. It is because they reserved it for there next module/system:OMG that's too funny! Do they have the LE pokemon edition that Santa brought me as a kid? LOL
I certainly wasn't suggesting that the Cerebra has any problems, and if you read the article closely I specifically say that. I am asking questions, questions that have yet to be answered by Vertex. I've spoken to Vertex directly and they were unable (or unwilling) to address my questions. When I asked about security, they explained in detail how Android uses a Linux kernel to function if software features begin to fail. That has nothing to do with my concerns, which are more rooted in Android specific malware and viruses that effect many Android devices each day. These malicious software protocols can slow performance, degrade features and turn a working device into a paper-weight. A third party OS designed solely for an aquarium controller is unlikely to have such threats, because no hacker/programmer/etc is going to take the time to effect such a small segment of the tech market. However, using a popular mobile OS opens the system up to such threats, unless Vertex has a protocol built in to protect it. I am not aware of one. The fact that Vertex penned an open letter to equipment makers and posted it on Facebook, to me signals that companies haven't reached out to them, to integrate their products with Cerebra. Maybe they are waiting to see how the controller performs in the market, or maybe they have similar concerns to mine.
If you read a bit about me, I am not just "some guy" posting on reef2reef, but I have a 15+ year background writing for a host of aquarium related publications. I sit on the content review/advisory board of one of the largest aquarium publications in North America. I was invited to reef2reef by the site's owner to contribute content. I am also not some ardent Apex fanboy that mindlessly supports anything Neptune releases, and if you read some of my past articles, you would learn that I have been critical and skeptical of Neptune's products. I've been in the hobby for over 20 years, and I've seen a lot of controllers come and go. All of you may have rallied support around Digital Aquatics Lifeguard when it was released years back, but as we all know, it ended up being a very over-priced flop that offered little real-world functionality. My only concern is helping aquarists make smart decisions, based on critical thinking and careful product analysis. The article many of you are upset with (and claim destroys my credibility) is simply speaking about some issues that COULD be present, given the Cerebra's profile that Vertex has released. It may be the next best thing, I don't know and have said, "Only time will tell." One thing that I've seen bring about more wasted dollars and hardship for reef aquarists is blindly rallying around a new product without first looking at specifics, asking questions and determining whether or not it's possible for said product to deliver on its promises. I see it again and again.
I get it, new products are exciting and Cerebra feels (at first glance) like a breath of fresh-air. But, I talk to various people who make controllers. I know the guys at Neptune, Fishbit and Digital Aquatics. I've spoken with the people at Vertex. I know the challenges associated with developing a new controller and also understand (through many conversations with controller creators) issues with reliability, usability and striking the balance between form, function and usability. I am not throwing this out at you as someone sitting back and nitpicking a product to encourage support for a competitor, but as someone that has spent 15+ years providing content for some of the largest aquarium publications around. A simple Google search of my name will show you that.
I haven't doomed Cerebra to failure, and in fact want to see it succeed. I also couldn't say that I've done my job as an aquarium writer, if I wrote some puff-piece about how amazing the Cerebra will be, and ignored the concerns I have as a tech savvy reef keeper. I am not giving Vertex a hard time, I am being skeptical and using critical thinking in analyzing an upcoming product. That's what I am supposed to do, which is cut through hype and bring this stuff to ground level. There isn't anyone on this Earth that wants Cerebra to succeed more than I, as I applaud and support anything that makes reef keeping easier and brings more people into the fold. I have concerns, and I have enough of them that I wrote an article to discuss them. You can throw darts at me all you want, or when you get your Cerebras you can address some of the concerns I've brought forth. I am not "disgruntled" at Vertex. I love their skimmers and a host of other products they make. I would fathom a guess I have more Vertex products in my fish-room than many commenting on this thread. The fact is: the Cerebra has spent 6 years in development, and demos of the system primarily focus on web content and Android games. That should raise an eyebrow for any reef keeper. That fact isn't inherently good or bad, just questionable.