Very intertesting thread, from the differing points that are being put forth....

I think you will very much see a reluctance with manufacturers to announce what they are working on until it is close to being shipped. In a lot of ways, it doesn't make good business sense to let the cat out of the bag too early. For one, it creates speculation and lets competitors know what is going on (they should always assume the other is working hard). The element of surprise is sometimes best, but catches many in the frey. I've bought very expensive software packages ($3k) only to have a new version out in less than two months and unable to upgrade (ok, I knocked hard enough and they gave in. heck, it was only a cd). The sales engineers told me that they aren't told when the software is being released. Anyways, to me, that is a part of life and we sometimes get caught by it. Tell me the new computer that you just bought hasn't already been obsoleted? But, of course, that computer does what it was advertised to do when you bought it, with no future promises.

I had never used a multiplex radio until recently when I became involved with a project building a flying dinosaur. Bob Parks (most in jet land know of him) recommended using the multiplex profi radio because we needed many channels and obscure mixing. For most, these radios are rare in the US (used overseas) and are not like the "flashy", aesthetically pleasing radios around in the us market. Many use them in trays and they aren't totally comfortable to hold. However, they are based on functionality and innovation over form. Example - you can mix anything to anything, and can assign any channel to any control on the transmitter (stick, slider, knob, etc). They have been around for a long time too. Once I figured out their programming thought process, I came to love its flexibility and overall capabilities. There's a lot of aftermarket add-ons like a single stick knob, stick top switch, etc that can be added. While not available for 72MHz, they have a 35MHz scanner module and some other neat gadgets. But, this radio isn't for everyone and has a different thought process to it in programming. It was built for a specific market and users that needed its features. At this point, I personally would consider buying one of these over all other radios on the market, because it fits my needs, and not wants.

The R/C hobby has many different levels. Some may need a simple radio. Others may want the 14MZ, 10x, etc, but IMHO, most tend to buy things that they will never use, based purely on marketing....

Michael