Thursday, August 29, 2013

Power Button Challenge and Guaranteed Solutions


Power Button Challenge
and Guaranteed Solutions

A small percentage of customers (around 1%) have reported an issue with BulletTrain SAFE Wallets from the first production run, where they experience a challenge with the Sleep/Wake button which is located on the top of the iPhone not functioning properly. This issue only relates to BulletTrain SAFE Wallets shipped-out before October of 2013.

The great news is that there is a 100% chance for overcoming this issue. First, a little background.

We thoroughly tested the first production of BulletTrain SAFE Wallets before we shipped them out. I received 8 randomly selected samples from the first production run, and I personally tested all of them, and they all functioned flawlessly. 

Then a small number of customers began mentioning they were having challenges with the Sleep/Wake Power button not functioning properly. Specifically, they reported, if they pushed the Sleep/Wake Power button on the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet it would not do anything, or would work intermittently, or that the "Slide to power off" screen would show up on their screen. This would drive anybody crazy, including me :-0. 

Results from customers have lead me to realize there are several options that will resolve this issue:


Option 1: 30 Second Hard Press. This option is hit or miss, but it is worth trying first. Snap in the botton left and right corners of your iPhone 5 into the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet, and make sure when you do so that you have your rear wallet door closed. Then, place your right thumb on the top edge of the iPhone, in the middle of the iPhone, next to the Power button, but NOT touching the iPhone power button. Press and slide down the iPhone as far down toward the bottom of the case as it can go, then snap in the upper left and right corners of your iPhone. 

Next, grab the Ring/Silent mute switch, and aggressively pull it toward the iPhone screen 10 times harder than you would expect to. This will ensure the Ring/Silent mute switch on the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet will successfully ramp up and over the Ring/Silent switch on your iPhone.

Next, press the top Sleep/Wake Power button on and off. Often times just following the instructions above will work, but if it does not, get a good grip on the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet, and press down as hard as you can on the Power button, and hold it down for 30 seconds. After you hold it down for 30 seconds release pressure, and the power button may just work perfectly after that. If it does not, let your iPhone 5 sit installed in the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for a half hour, then check to see if it is working properly. Sometimes just letting the Case adapt to having your iPhone installed will work. If this does not work, try Option 2:

Option 2: Flat Head Screwdriver Solution. You can see the flat head screwdriver solution by watching the video below. This seems to work perfectly for most people, but if you try it and it does not work, Option 3, which is below this video, is gauranteed to work.



Option 3Gaffers Tape & Duct Tape. A customer mentioned that he cut a piece of gaffers tape that was a little less than a quarter inch, by a quarter inch, and taped it to the inside edge of the BulletTrain SAFE wallet, just above the Secret Stash, and it worked perfectly. If one piece of tape does not work, adding a second layer of tape is guaranteed to do the job. Make certain NOT to put the tape between the iPhone Sleep/Wake Power button, and the top power button on the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet, as this will not work.

Option 4: Wiggle Solution. Another costumers mentioned that if he grabs the upper right hand corner of the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet, between his thumb and index finger, and wiggles it back and forth, he will suddenly feel the Sleep/Wake Power button seat properly and then work.

As previously mentioned, we have already adjusted for this issue in the second production run, so this only pertains to BulletTrain SAFE Wallets delivered before October 2013.

If for any reason this does not work, or if it seems confusing, please contact Support@BulletTrain.com, or call (415) 440-1400.


Sunday, August 25, 2013

REVIEW: Is The New iPhone 5 SAFE Wallet The Greatest iPhone Case Ever?


The First Detailed Review of 
The BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5

REVIEW: Is The New iPhone 5 SAFE Wallet The Greatest iPhone Case Ever?

I just came across the first detailed review of the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet, and I highly recomend you check it out.


James Auerbach, who wrote the detailed review of the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet wrote:


iPhone 5 SAFE Wallet Public Reaction:
Over the past 3 days I have had no less then 5 people ask me point blank where I purchased this case and to show them how it worked.  They have never seen anything like it. The funniest example was a trip to the local grocery store. When asked to pay at check out I took out my phone and turned it over to open up the back “safe” compartment. The cashier honestly (and innocently) asked me how my phone was going to pay for my items. I burst out laughing slid up my credit card up and out of the back of the phone to pay. This led to the cashier wanting to learn more about the case and how it worked.
iPhone 5 SAFE Wallet Case Summary:
I have used the iPhone 5 SAFE Wallet Case on my iPhone 5 for almost 3 full days now and so far I am VERY pleased with it. I am a person who is almost always in contact with my phone. It drives my family crazy.  I am also constantly on the go for work, family, and other stuff. This phone case literally simplifies my life. Sounds silly, but it is one less thing I have to carry or think about each day.
If I am going somewhere that needs more business cards or another specific card I simply swap out what I have in the “safe” compartment.  I also have used the case/phone at the gym while listening to music and working out with no issues at all.  As mentioned above we will see if the iPhone 5 SAFE Wallet Case without an inner lining between the case and the phone has any issues with scuffing over time. I do not think that this will be an issue as the case barely touches the actual iPhone 5, but we will see after several months of continual use.
While this case literally is just becoming available this week I am already looking forward to see how future versions change or what new things will be added. I will add future comments on how the case itself is holding up to the normal wear and tear of daily life.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Progress Report & Update... BulletTrain SAFE Wallet Prototypes


...Progress Report & Update...

BulletTrain SAFE Wallet
Scheduled To Ship Out Soon!!!

The first production run of BulletTrain SAFE wallets for iPhone 5 just landed in the U.S. over the weekend. They are currently making their way through U.S. Customs, then will continue on to our Southern California warehouse where they need to be check into our inventory, so they can be shipped out to all customers who pre-ordered them. My best guess is they should begin shipping around August 10th, but if U.S. Customs takes longer, they could end up shipping as late as August 18th. 

All customers who pre-ordered a BulletTrain SAFE Wallet before July 25, 2013 will receive a shipping confirmation email, when their order ships. My team and I all worked very, very hard to ensure every detail on the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet was perfect, and I am very excited for you to all enjoy and significantly benefit from them!




...Progress Report & Update...

Final Production Models

Originally Posted July 26, 2013


I just received this photo of all the production model which will soon be shipping out to all Kickstarter backers as well as everyone who pre-ordered a BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5 on BulletTrain.com before July 25, 2013. 

This photo also shows a previously unannounced BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5 model, which is currently not available for purchase, and it is formally named the "Series 2" BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5. 

The current version seen and offered on BulletTrain.com and Kickstarter is named, the "Series 1" BulletTrain SAFE Wallet, and the "Series 2" is identical in every way to the "Series 1" except the entire case is one solid color on the inside and on the back of the case, so if you look at the two white SAFE Wallets located in the bottom left hand corner of the photo, you will see on the far left, the Series 1 in Arctic White, and the second white one next to it is the Series 2 in Polar White. (Think Panda v. Storm Trooper ;-)


Also the Series 1 has a black premium soft-touch paint on the entire door, and on the back of the case, whereas the Series 2 has a micro-bead-blast finish. When will the Series 2 models be available for purchase? I am not certain yet, but I know we will not be offering them is mass production for at least a couple of months, but we make offer them for Pre-Order in a month or so. 

While the Series 2 pictured above are made to production specifications, they are really meant for testing and proof of concept, and we will likely add and offer them in other colors that what is seen in the photo. As soon as I have more information on the Series 2, I will post it here on the BulletBlog.


...Progress Report & Update...

BulletTrain SAFE Wallet First Production Complete & Sold Out

Originally Posted July 26, 2013


It is hard to believe, but the first production of BulletTrain SAFE Wallets for iPhone 5 is complete, and they are just being prepared to fly to the U.S. Ironically, just as the first production was wrapping-up on July 25th, we completely sold-out of pre-orders for the first production run, which means if you order a BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5 now, the earliest it will ship would be in early September.

Here is a photo of an actual production unit of the BulletTrain SAFE Wallets for iPhone 5 in Arctic White. It is not the best photo, but I clearly shows exactly what you should expect to receive. We probably spent more time on developing our packaging than most of our competitors spent on designing their product ;-)






...Progress Report & Update...

BulletTrain SAFE Wallet First Production Underway

Originally Posted June 26, 2013


After overcoming many engineering challenges, I am proud to finally be able to say we are moving full-speed-ahead in production, and we have every reason to believe all BulletTrain SAFE Wallets for iPhone 5 pre-ordered before July 15, 2013, will be shipping out by the beginning of August, 2013!!!

The photo below shows first-article production prototypes of the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5, which I signed-off on. Also pictured below is a production prototype of the packaging for the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5.



A "First-Article Production Prototype" is a prototype which is identical in every way to what is being produced. The reason we produce first articles it to make certain all details are correct before we begin mass production.

...Progress Report & Update...

BulletTrain SAFE Wallet First Article Prototypes

Originally Posted June 26, 2013


It has been a long journey, and we are finally getting into production. Pictured below are First Article BulletTrain SAFE Wallets for iPhone 5 that have just been painted with soft-touch paint on the back. We are still working on perfecting this paint process, which we anticipate completing soon, then we will be going full-speed ahead with production.



In the photo below, we see the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet hollow core doors going through drying after they have been painted with soft-touch, and have had the SAFE Wallet designation pad printed on the door.



...Progress Report & Update...

BulletTrain SAFE Wallet T6 Prototype

Originally Posted June 5, 2013


I was in an Apple store a yesterday, and I took this photo of a T6 production prototype in BulletTrain Blue standing up on a table and it looks great!!! We experience some significant engineering challenges which resulted in delays, but now we are in the final stages of testing and modifying and plan to have all pre-orders shipped out by Mid July.





...Progress Report & Update...

BulletTrain SAFE Wallet T4 Prototype

Originally Posted May 11, 2013


We just completed our super-detailed engineering evaluation of the T4 Prototypes of the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5, and it continues to blow my mind with how amazing it is in every way!!!

Pictured below, we see a Ruby Red T4 BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5 on the far left, as well as in the middle, and along with the Stealth Black BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5 prototype on the far right. Please keep in mind, these are all engineering prototypes that are not finished. They lack several production details, but they are still very cool looking...


The T4 Ruby Red BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5 is pictured below standing up in portrait on my desktop. We expect to begin shipping this product in the middle of June, 2013.



...Progress Report & Update...

Originally Posted May 1, 2013

BulletTrain SAFE Wallet T2 Prototype

We are currently in the process of testing and modifying our tooling for the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5. We are on the 2nd generation prototype (known at T2) that is made from the production tooling and I am including photos below of the current T2 BulletTrain SAFE Wallet prototypes. We are underway on making T3 modifications. As we continue developing the production prototypes, I will post updates here on the BulletBlog.

This first image shows a fully assembled T2 I have been testing and using every day. I am working on developing a skinning system for the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet, and this image gives you an idea what it may look like. Also, we are considering, in the future offering models that might have the artwork embedded into the polycarbonate. Just to be clear, this first image is a prototype and if you ordered one it will NOT be skinned on the back. 


The image above and below show the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet standing up in portrait using its MagicStand™. The two images show my T2 Prototype, and this first one, shows it very comfortably holding two credit cards, a driver license and 5 business cards. I also have a $100 bill origami-folded away and stored in the secret stash as backup cash.


It is hard to tell from these photos, but the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet is EXTREMELY comfortable and all the details are so refined and the materials are so precise and high in quality and build construction, it is the only case I have ever seen or felt that does not look look or feel like a case in any way. When the iPhone 5 is installed in the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet, it looks and feels like an iPhone 7, or something else.


The next two images show T2 prototypes without the protective TPE Bumper and Button System installed.



Please note these prototypes are rough and lack the soft-touch paint on the back of them. Also the photo above and below show the all black version of the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet.





Thursday, August 1, 2013

Some Customer's Are More Vocally Demanding Than Others


Some Customer's Are More Vocally Demanding Than Others

Does The Square Credit Card Reader Work With The BulletTrain SAFE Wallet?


Does The Square Credit Card Reader Adapter Work With The BulletTrain SAFE Wallet?

A few days ago, a customer named Catalin wrote in and asked if the Square Credit Card Reader is compatible with the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5? She asked, and pointed out she uses here Square reader quite a bit, so it was important to her. I tested one out, and as you can see in the photo below it seem to fit perfectly!!! So not only is the BulletTrain SAFE Wallet for iPhone 5 the ultimate credit card holder, but also the ultimate Credit Card reader...



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