Remember Hybridgear.net? It appears that they've been reincarnated as PCMW - UPDATED

[Justin@XoticPC]

PCMW is a company, they can't just close up shop, have all these orders in, without SERIOUS repercussions. I can't see them closing any time soon, at least not before I receive my laptop with accessories at an amazing price

Deathwinger, Some of this needs to rest......Flawless Computers (Brian Smith) was as much as of a company as PCMW/HybridGear before they folded up. Bottom line is before they vanished they took allot of peoples money and left many without warranty they purchased. (some including 3 Year Warranties)

PCMW has obviously been down the road; not traveled by most legitimate dealers...

[wxkid23]

Im glad I bought from XoticPC and didn't fall for one of those "sales." I coulden't be happier so far with my system.

[Deathwinger]

Careful Deathwinger...you are getting your people mixed up. The Executioner is by Mark at Killernotebooks, not Neil at Kobalt. Now that IS Libel. While it may be true that Mark is essentially a one man operation, at least he is a hard working legitimate business. Kobalt is also a legitimate business.

Further, how do you know how many people work at PCMW? If you carefully read what Shyster1 posted, and you Google that address you will see that it appears to be an apartment complex that backs up to a mobile home park. Maybe, just maybe...and only if you open your eyes you will see that PCMW is not the "company" that you think they are. They have already stated that no one can visit them because they are not "open to the public" and they have no storefront.

Once a guy has already closed up a company with a history like Hybridgear.net, and opens another one in another state with a fancy website showing pictures of a conference room and lab that are clearly not theirs, but works it out of his apartment, what possible "SERIOUS repercussions" could there be when he disappears yet again?

Hybridgear.net was a sole proprietorship that Matt O'Byrne owned according the the Better Business Bureau report, but PCMW is a corporation that Matt O'Byrne owns (he just got more careful this time). When a corporation goes away it is like a poof of air...there is nothing left and there is no personal liability to the "owner"...er, um..."operator" in this case.

So what would you say to all the individuals who bought a system with PCMW and have it and those who pre ordered from them? Tough luck.

Please, what stops Mark from closing up shop and leaving his customers in the cold. What stops Xotic PC or Powernotebooks from disappearing as well. What has not happened in a million years can happen in one second. I will be careful, I will ensure I get everything I want from PCMW in the event they do 'disappear'. Hell, I'll even take out insurance from that site you recommend if that is the case.

But seriously, at this point, they have proven themselves as an excellent after sales company. Why go through all that effort if it were a scam?

[paladin44]

And on an interesting note, on the "why us" portion of PCMW's site, it said" "Pushing the boundaries of technology to the limit and beyond is our specialty", says Founder and CEO of PC MicroWorks Corporation." In stead of actually stating the name of this founder, they just slapped some random titles. Maybe the name Matt O'bryne isn't credible enough to use?

A point very well made.

I too noticed that neither the Hybridgear.net website that you can link to in the early dates of the Archive.org site nor that PCMW site are there ever any names used.

I also noticed that none of the emails from PCMW that have been posted here ever have any names on them...they only say PCMW Sales Team, and talk about their R&D Team.

I don't even recall anyone talking about any particular person by name with whom they have spoken at PCMW.

[paladin44]

So what would you say to all the individuals who bought a system with PCMW and have it and those who pre ordered from them? Tough luck.

Please, what stops Mark from closing up shop and leaving his customers in the cold. What stops Xotic PC or Powernotebooks from disappearing as well. What has not happened in a million years can happen in one second. I will be careful, I will ensure I get everything I want from PCMW in the event they do 'disappear'. Hell, I'll even take out insurance from that site you recommend if that is the case.

But seriously, at this point, they have proven themselves as an excellent after sales company. Why go through all that effort if it were a scam?

What I would say to those individuals who have pre-ordered from PCMW is to protect yourself at all times, and now that this guy has been exposed you should wake up to the reality that Hybridgear.net lasted for about 3 years before closing up shop and leaving people dangling...PCMW has only been operating for about 2 years. If the pattern follows he could be pulling the plug very soon. After all, don't forget that he has been taking people's money on these special "sales" with all kinds of too good to be true promises and warranties since May...and no one will be the wiser until probably some time in August when all the Sager orders have been delivered and those the pre-ordered from PCMW are still waiting.

Deathwinger, there is no way you can "...ensure I get everything I want from PCMW in the event they do 'disappear'. XXXX, I'll even take out insurance from that site you recommend if that is the case." If he disappears to another state under a different company name again before you get what you paid for there is little you can do, and the Accidental Damage insurance will be of no help. Heck, you can't even buy it until you have your serial number.

Wake up man, and quit shooting the messengers. This guy is an operator that has done it before and will do it again. His behavior has already proved that he has no integrity whatsoever.

[Petrov]

I really think Shyster's post should be highlighted elsewhere - it is almost wilful blindness on our collective part not to highlight these connections so at least potential purchasers can make informed decisions about dealings with the company in question.

I would support having this post on the front page, personally. It seems only factual to me - and no-one should fear the facts, right?

Petrov.

EDIT: Would it be too strong to suggest a wiki entry for PCMW with some of this information in the OP?

[Justin@XoticPC]

Deathwinger - There will be nothing you can do if they go out of business. Your pcmw warranty would be null and void. You are right people do go out of business just like that. But what separates mosts companies is the track record or history. Companies with a track record demonstrate that they are equipped with the fundamentals on how to operate a stable and consistent business, which their track record demonstrates. (for Donald and myself, nearly a decade now)

You can only be a fanboy for so long before you need to throw in the towel....

[Shyster1]

The same can be said with all the other resellers.
Interesting information. But from what I've been seeing, PCMW, if any of this is true, has been going strong and their customers are happy. For the very least, the person in question learned from his past mistakes. For the most, perhaps he is the OWNER, but has hired efficient business managers, etc. to run the operations. So there is honestly no reason to fear, at least right now, not based on reviews, resellerratings or accounts on PCMW.

In my opinion, they are becoming a formidable competitor to the resellers on this forum.

I am a firm believer in second chances, and that concept is woven into the fundamental fabric of American society, hence the Bankruptcy Code, for example. So I certainly hope that, to the extent the findings indicate cause for concern, the folks involved have learned from the past and made the necessary changes. However, I'm also a firm believer in that old saying from the days of the Cold War: trust, but verify, or, as the Russians would say: Доверяй, но проверяй ("doveryai, no proveryai"); the past can be forgiven, but should not be forgotten or, as elegantly written by George Santayana,

Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.

--George Santayana, Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason, Vol. I (1905-1906)

And, I will say, based on the reports that have been posted here from members who own PCMW systems, e.g., Doodles, Wu Jen, and a number of others, that they do seem to have changed for the better, although they do still seem to be somewhat disorganized and a little...premature...with some things. If the posted findings are correct, it may be a simple matter of prior disorganization having got the better of otherwise well-intentioned people.

Ultimately, you need to inform yourself about the company you do business with and the people who own and operate it, carefully evaluate what you've learned, and make the decision that best comports with your own best interests (provided, of course, you've inspected those as well, because the old Socratic adage that "the unexamined life is not worth living," (Plato, Dialogues, Apology) applies with equal force to commercial transactions - the unexamined purchase is not worth buying).

If, after digesting the evidence, you reasonably decide that following through with your original plan is still in your own best interests, then that is what you should do; however, you should also realize that others may not agree with you - not because they're wrong and you're right, or because you're wrong and they're right, but because they came to a different evaluation of the available evidence, an evaluation that is entitled to as much respect as you deem yours to be.

EDIT: On the issue of warranties - yes, companies can, and do, go out of business, even the most efficient and best-run sometimes fall victim to circumstance. That fact, however, only highlights the importance of considering a service contract with an independent third-party provider; typically, service contract providers are regulated in the same way as are insurance companies, and must generally have the same sort of prudently invested reserves, commensurate with their contractual obligations, as are required for insurance companies. As such, there is frequently less risk of loss with a third-party service contract because the servicer's obligations under that contract are largely secured by the servicer's required reserves.

[sujinge9]

You can only be a fanboy for so long before you need to throw in the towel....

Ha, tell that to the alienware fanboys.

But I suppose if you've already got a stake in PCMW through pre-ordering, then its only natural that you don't want to admit you've made a faulty decision. I know I don't like to say I'm wrong, especially on a 2k plus purchase. By all means, stick with it. Your experience can be a document to whether or not PCMW is a decent business.

[flipfire]

Good research Shyster1, some solid stuff.

Just wondering where your sources are for this:

PCMW has been saying they have been in business for about 6 years, since 2002

I was just going through the website and it stated 2006. Hybridgear must have accounted for those 6 years since 2002. You might wanna check out their website too.

PC MicroWorks is an OEM computer manufacturer situated in the heart of the Silicon Valley dealing exclusively with ultra performance computer systems including consumer desktops and notebooks, workstations, rack-mount and blade servers, digital signage, and other customized professional grade computing solutions. All PC MicroWorks units are fully assembled, tested, and supported at the 20,000+sq/ft PCMW Silicon Valley headquarters. Not only does PC MicroWorks offer the highest performance customizable units, but also service and warranty coverage plans that are unmatched in the industry. All PC MicroWorks units are based on an open architecture and when combined with the unique PCMW user-upgrade policy, the flexibility and ease of transitioning with newer technology allows for an unparalleled consumer experience.

Truth to this? (20,000+sq/ft PCMW Silicon Valley headquarters). They do state their HQ address in their website which is different from your findings.