My views

With the new E2 being released soon and also the aftermath of MTC lawsuit and maybe the SCAL lawsuit - people I met have asked me my view on both.
So let me try to go for an unbiased civilized opinion (note: opinion - my opinion not a critique)
I kind of want to lay low on the 2nd one as frankly to me Cricut is a TOOL just like my nail cutter or iphone 4 etc though honestly regarding my iPhone lol except for the fact as to how I wish they had an external memory card slot I have almost no complaints about.
So let's go to new E2. About time they came with touchpad on Cricut. But would I be buying it at this time. Ahhh  looking at the track record - NO. Not only does the price of PC's recent  products drop down phenomenally after 6 months lately but their electronic gadgets with the exception of cricut do not work well out of the box and by the time we get it to work and I mean not work phenomenally just the basics -it's more than 6 months anyway. I am talking from my experience being  the owner of a Gypsy and Imagine and a Cake. Gypsy worked decently after about 6-8 months only after the Christmas update. But still cuts wonky with shapes especially the Gypsy Wanderings. In mine I cannot cut a square just a quadrilateral. George & Basic shapes is a little better and that's why I use it. And the speed control and multicut feature are pretty dicey and with latest updates you cannot move the image larger than the mat size (or even smaller size) if it protrudes on 2 side of the mat (I have shown this in video I think long ago).
Of course I like the G even though it is faulty but would prefer not to have to check each and every update for glitches . I love the G for the friends it brought me in MB.
But I cannot say the same about the Imagine. Me and it barely tolerate each other - Grrr.... Well I am kind of biased after the back problem I have with sending this 2 times because it conked. Let me tell you this is no featherweight to keep sending for fix!
Present one I am on - fingers crossed .
So coming to  the Imagine - - hmm - mine and I believe lots of others too (and I am on the 3rd and all the 3 behaved this way) do not cut well at all on the lower ends of mat how many ever times I calibrate & not to mention the Russian Roulette with updates both the G.
Still not welding with Imagine and there is lots of paper wasted. I have not tried linking the Imagine cartridges to G as I do not want to slow down the G and since I cannot weld anyway what's the point ? I know we can share files but right now that's not a big plus for me to link up cartridges. So I will wait a bit more. Oh by the time I wait they might come up with G2 :)
(Have I mentioned before I hate cricut sync and liked G sync much better? )
Well that about sums up the G & I. So No I will not be BUYING E2 anytime soon unless someone gifts me with it or I win it. (I would love to win an E2 - who wouldn't?)

Well as to my opinion on boycott cricut.
I think I have invested too much in PC's products and it would not be a wise move  to boycott. I do like the cricut and G with all their flaws and some cartridges are way too cute especially some of the recent ones. But personally SCAL and MTC not being used was a blow to me. I have not used them as when I got the cricut which was not that too long ago within 2 to 3 months I got the G so I do not even use the CDS as my scraproom is upstairs and I have my laptop downstairs and easier carrying the G upstairs.
But since I have started making layouts and have learned how to make my own digital elements - yes it is a blow for that was one of the reasons I got the cricut then instead of other die cutting machine. Best of both worlds and such. I will not go into if PC is justified in making lawsuit etc etc as frankly I do not KNOW as I do not have all the facts  though there is a pang in my heart for compared to CDS these programs are way awesome as far as I have seen and even though I have not cut with them same way I have not cut with new Craftroom too their programs are much better and seem easier and friendlier to users.
So even though I will not comment on the lawsuit itself without all facts as an end user it affects me like this -  "Oh Shucks! Now I have to go and buy another machine to be able to cut my own designs."
As I said before to me these are all just inanimate tools and a tools worth is how far it is useful to me (Ha ha I think that is so true to both animate and inanimate objects too isn't it?)
For now that Sassy has made me love making layouts frankly there are not much paper options or image options (considering my ethnic background lol) to scrap most of my photos. Only paper I have seen till now is Taj Mahal by DCWV. But unfortunately the Gazelle or Cougar or whatever comes new has to wait for a long time (maybe next year or 6 or more months down the line)  as my budget this year for scrapbook items is zilch! My camera takes priority for a while. I need lenses and flashes for the baby . By baby here I am referring to the camera - the way I handle that camera and make all that noise my son says I love the camera more than him and since he is the model for most of pictures I sort of make a vague protest  :) ( wink ).
So that's what my views are!

Oh and I wanted to say before I forget - The Bug Bytes is in for a change in April - we have designers designing almost everyday throughout the month and boy are they talented! Just a bunch of everyday friendly neighbourhood scrappers who love to share their passion for Papercrafting & Altered art and inspire us with their talent!
So do drop by and check out daily and leave comments . Comments are always treasured and mean so much!