Without working chips, they were never close to shipping.
They sure thought they were though, and every post prior to late October indicates their confidence in this fact. Once they realized their first batch of chips were bad, they then revised to the date they thought their foundary would be able to ship out a new batch. And that part keeps taking longer and longer.
That's what they want you to think. They know they can string you along with ship dates that are just around the corner.
Early Oct: "We'll ship this month."
Late Oct: "We'll have chips and ship next month."
Nov: "We'll have chips and ship next month."
Dec: "We'll have chips and ship next month."