Steorn posted another video on Facebook today, with some further details about the OCube. The video is centered around a demonstration that an Orbo power cell can be short circuited for over a half hour, and then immediately return to outputting the same voltage as it did before the short circuiting. This is in contrast with a normal battery, which would discharge while being short circuited for a prolonged period, and so would output a lower voltage after being short circuited for half an hour. CEO Shaun McCarthy explicitly states that while a standard battery is an energy storage device, the Orbo is an energy generating device.
In other news, it’s confirmed that Steorn has been sending out invoices and accepting payments for OCube orders. Frank Acland wrote on Dec. 8th:
As for my own Ocube order that has been generously supported by some ECW readers, there has been a delay in getting payment and shipping information from Steorn, but I have finally received an invoice today, and I hope that I will be able to place an order this week.
In addition, I’ve received my invoice as well as a terms & conditions sheet today. The invoice is very standard, and includes routing information for Steorn’s bank, Allied Irish Banks, so that payment can be wired there. The terms & conditions sheet includes a lot of standard boilerplate as well. There are a few bits that might interest readers, however.
No contract exists between us and you until we notify you that we have accepted your order, we have received payment and your order has been shipped to you. We are not obliged to accept your order and we may cancel your order for any reason. If we cancel an order after you have made payment we will provide a full refund.
Please note that delivery of your order may take up to 6 weeks for the ocube and up to 12 weeks for the ophone and in placing any order you acknowledge that you have been made aware of this and accept this timeframe.
Note that I was told today by Steorn that “lead time is 6/7 weeks,” and a reader reports that they were told “the ocube won’t be shipping until late January at the earliest.”
Once you have paid for your order it will not be possible to cancel it.
Warranty
We warrant that your Product will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for twelve (12) months from the date of delivery to you. This warranty is non-transferable from you, except where such exclusion is prohibited by applicable law. This warranty gives you specific benefits and it is in addition to, rather than instead of, any other statutory rights you have dependant on your jurisdiction.
This warranty does not cover any issue resulting from (a) normal wear and tear; (b) defects caused by misuse of the Product including, but not limited to, improper care of the Product (such as dropping or compressing) or usage outside the Product’s defined specifications (such as incorrect electrical connection or exposure to extreme temperature, moisture or the like); (c) disassembly, attempted repair, and/or modification of the Product by anyone other than Steorn or its authorised representative. This warranty will not apply if the product’s serial number has been altered, removed, defaced or rendered illegible.
If you believe your Product to be faulty you should notify us as soon as possible; details on what to do should you need to submit a warranty claim will be provided with your order. In the event that you return your Product to us and it is found to not be faulty we may charge you transport and actual costs incurred.
Force Majeure
We shall not be liable for any failure to perform, or delay in performing, any of our obligations where such failure or delay is a result of circumstances beyond our control.
One would hope that the laws of thermodynamics don’t count as “circumstances beyond our control” for these purposes.