19: Public opinion storm

Time flowed slowly, and the first batch of 200,000 Red Star Generation 1 units were finally all shipped within a week. Consumers in cities like the Beijing, which were close to the Langcheng factory, quickly received their phones.

At this time, all users who had purchased or were considering purchasing the Red Star Generation 1 really wanted to know if this phone was truly as Chen Chen had described at the launch event.

At the launch event, Chen Chen had completely crushed the Rival Company, and regarding charging, he even shouted that slogan: "Far ahead."

"What a deal! It's such a great deal! Although this phone's aesthetics can't compare to the Apple phone, at the price of 1998, it's a better deal than the mi 1!"

"Holy crap! How did you get yours so fast? Mine shows it just shipped. Quick, test if that charging speed is real!"

"I've already started testing. I just watched a few hours of video on this phone, and the battery isn't even empty yet. Forget the charging, I'm already in love with this big battery alone."

"Sigh, looking at your Red Star Generation 1, I suddenly feel like the mi 1 in my hand isn't such a good deal anymore. But since I've already bought it and I'm one of the first batch of users, I'll just stick with it."

With the delivery of the red star 1, review videos also began to appear online.

Most digital bloggers were relatively fair because, at that time, few manufacturers paid for reviews; everyone was reviewing the phone quite objectively.

However, soon a video titled "Old Zhang Talks Phones" caught everyone's attention.

"Everyone is only talking about the pros, so I, Old Zhang, am going to talk about the cons of this phone!"

"In my opinion, the fast charging of the red star 1 that Chen Chen praised to the heavens at the launch event—if you didn't know better, you'd think it was some black tech from Zenith Star. In fact, companies like Fruit and Samsung have such technical reserves, so why haven't they used them?"

"Because they feel that current fast charging technology is not mature yet. Safety hazards are more important than charging speed. That is true people-oriented design."

"Do you think Fruit, Samsung, and HTC don't want to do this kind of fast charging? If they wanted to, they could bring more efficient and faster charging at any time."

Fruit: You're right, I'm doing it for safety!

Samsung: Don't talk nonsense, I really don't have such fast charging technology.

"What's more, batteries are replaceable now. It only takes me 20 seconds to swap a battery. No matter how fast you charge, can you be faster than me swapping a battery? So this 'black tech' fast charging is completely useless, it's good for nothing."

"After talking about charging, let's talk about the design. Look at the shape of this red star 1; its back cover is actually curved, the frame is plastic, and the three function keys are actually symmetrical. That shouldn't be! A phone should be square and upright like Fruit; that's design, that's technology."

Chen Zhen: I suspect you're referring to me.

"And that Lingxiao Processor Chen Chen bragged about at the launch—what use is just a processor? Aren't the IPS, Baseband, and RF still USA technologies? Don't you still have to honestly pay patent fees?"

"So stop bragging about 'domestic.' These domestic phone trashes, what else can they do besides start price wars?"

"After talking about the phone, let's talk about the company Red Star. As everyone knows, didn't Chen Yunlong's Red Star start by imitating and making shanzhai clones? Ten years have passed, and this company is still cloning other phones, with no core technology of its own at all."

"To put it bluntly, it's just an assembly plant. Stop bragging about being a national enterprise or whatever. Shanzhai is shanzhai, and it will be shanzhai for a lifetime!"

After posting the video and the long article, Zhang Fugui stretched his wrists.

"Keep calling me Old Eight, see how I blast you guys."

"Can you say I'm not being objective? Or that I'm hating on Red Star?"

"Impossible. Batteries are replaceable; what's the point of fast charging!"

"Even if you designed the Lingxiao chip yourself, you still have to use other people's patents for the supporting solutions. That's also the truth."

"I really am a little genius!"

"Unless Red Star brings me tea and snacks, there's no way I'm deleting this post."

"This is called compensation for mental distress."

Zhang Fugui's idea was to muddy the waters; Red Star would definitely be affected and would have to step forward to clarify, but since everything Old Zhang said was "fact," they wouldn't be able to explain it away.

However, after this little essay was posted, things did not develop as Zhang Fugui had expected.

Anyway, the comments below were all "1998!"

"Old Zhang, I thought you were an objective blogger, but I didn't expect you to be full of hot air! This phone is only 1998, what more do you want? I'm asking you, what more do you want!?"

"As for charging being unsafe? Do I care? This phone is 1998; if it explodes while charging, I'll even praise it for exploding faster than other phones!"

"Exactly, it wasn't easy for another China enterprise to start independently designing and researching chips, and you just made it sound so worthless?"

"But the blogger is also right; the Lingxiao Processor's Baseband and RF still use foreign technology. It's a fact that they need to pay patent fees!"

"Old Zhang upstairs, use your main account to speak, don't sneak around on an alt!"

"What the hell, the buttons are actually symmetrical? Why don't you say the Red Star Generation 1 can actually make phone calls too? Comparing it to a Apple phone that costs over 5000—from the moment you made that comparison, I decided I'm definitely buying this Red Star Generation 1!"

Lei Jun was also a bit angry when he saw this little essay. Although he did place quite a bit of emphasis on marketing, his original intention was indeed to bring different products to China.

There was no hating on that point.

"If you smear Red Star like this, what if Chen Chen thinks I, Lei Jun, instigated it?"

"Of course, it can bring traffic and sales to our Xiaomi!"

Chen Chen looked at Zhang Fugui's video and article and just laughed it off.

People like this exist at all times. What the hell, claiming Fruit and Samsung could pull out charging faster than 18 watts at any time.

"Why don't you have them pull one out and show us?"

Never mind Cook, even if Steve Jobs himself came, he couldn't pull out anything faster than our Red Star!

As for the comments saying Lei Jun instigated it, that was even more nonsensical.

Chen Chen still trusted Lei Jun's character.

At least the current Lei Jun was someone Chen Chen definitely trusted.

However, what Chen Chen didn't expect was that most of the comments below were defending Red Star.

They formed a neat queue to spam "1998."

Exactly, it's 1998, what more do you want.

Can't you see I only make a dozen or so yuan per phone!

Oh, it's dozens of yuan now, because as production capacity increases, various costs are also decreasing.

After two days of fermenting, the consequence of this video was actually netizens coming to Red Star's Official Weibo to urge for more stock.

This was something Chen Chen hadn't expected.

"Hurry up! You Red Star better not learn from Xiaomi. The mi 1 I ordered before hasn't shipped for over a month now. I've already returned it and bought your red star 1 instead."

"Exactly, as the saying goes, 'even a broken ship has three pounds of nails.' Hurry up with production; my big blade is already thirsty!"

"I have no problem with the flash sales, but can you put out more stock? Last time during the flash sale, my internet just lagged for a second, and it was gone!"