Looks like this radio should be released in just a few weeks. It's not exactly what we want (25w manpack-esque rig) but they're heading in the right direction with 10w output, integrated tuner, USB port, low current draw, internal rechargable lithium batteries, 5-20v input voltage, etc. It's pretty close in price to a KX2, but on first glance looks more rugged and field ready. Time will tell how the performance is compared to Elecraft. Looking forward to hearing more about it as it gets in the hands of users.

It looks interesting.
After reading your post, I tried to do a little research on it. But of course there is not a lot of information other than the company's press release.

All that being said, I probably won't be buying one. But this is the type of thing that I really like: small QRP radios. However, I already own so many that it would have to really be something special for me to end up buying it. Especially at that price point. I have a KX3, and a KX2 and an 817 so the price doesn't scare me; but obviously it would have to be better than what I already have in order for me to lay down that kind of cash. For another couple hundred you can have an IC-7300. I realize they are two totally different catagories of radios primarily intended for two entirely different things: but the point is that at that price they are talking about,  that kind of money can buy a full featured/state of the art base station radio. So it's feature set better be pretty good. Obviously I considered the KX2 to have that kind of feature set.

Interesting.....  I'd also like to hear about any issues.   I'm one of those who has a HUGH dislike for Multifunctiontwistydial operations. But at least the instruction won't be translated from bad Chinese.

I really wish manufacturers would implement "soft" buttons that can be setup for any function.  Often times, manufacturers think some options are more important than ones I use more often.  For instance, on a lot of Yaesu mobiles, the Tone frequency is in the menu, where is should be a button, like the Tone Squelch mode.  Being able to setup, say, 6-12 buttons for whatever functions you want on the front of the radio would really make it friendlier to more people.

looks good

wonder if it has a built in keyer

It appears that it does have an internal keyer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCmlkl7x6Ck

After spending a few fruitless months with a BNIB KX2 I'm pretty certain-that at this point in my life-QRP radio isn't for me...I do think the CTX-10 is a pretty sweet looking rig tho!

Looks like it uses menus for just about everything.

What problems have you had with the KX2? I am thinking about gettng a KX2 or Yaesu 817nd.

price reported as just under $1,000

If you want on, better get one before they go out of business.

Patience!
sitting outside in SC in July with 10w into a mag loop antenna just wasn't my thing-not to mention it was my first go at QRP.  
No probs with the radio at all (it was an Elecraft loaner).

lol.. I am interested in doing SOTA and having a travel rig. I read just read some FT817 - KX2 comparisons and it sounds like the KX2 is the way to go. I can use an HT if I need UHF/VHF. Now I need to decide if I buy the fat tire back or KX2 first. Or just get both..

One thing to consider when you are talking about VHF/UHF and just using an HT: the FT-817 does all modes on VHF/UHF which may or may not be something that interests you, but it is a consideration.

I have both
But, I bought the 817 years ago. Probably 20 years ago. But, I never got rid of it because it is a terrific radio with a great set of features. Although I almost never use it for anything.

For HF, the 817 and the Elecraft KX-2 arn't even in the same ball park, league, or sport. The 817 is a 20 year old radio. The KX-2 is pretty much state of the art for a tiny radio.

If I had it to do over again, knowing what I know today; I might just buy a KX-3 and that would be my only radio. But, instead, I have a basement full of radios.

At this point in the solar cycle is probably a more accurate description. I'm having plenty of success with Data modes and milpacks at this point though. Voice, fuggedabouit, even with 150W...

Change your antenna.

Get a 18' painter's pole. Mount a 4-1 balun on a paint roller stick that screws to the top of the pole, put 44' of wire on one side and 88' on the other . guy the pole on 2 sides and add about 10' of rope to the wire to stake down the ends.

Quick and cheap homebrew Windom. Goes up pretty fast and stores about the same as the mag loop.

Good Advice.  I would prolly use one of my Packtennas and it's mast; that said-the KX2 is long gone back to the Valley....Mag Loop gone to Upper-West Coast as well

QRP will be fun when bands open up, when we get near the top of the next solar maximum. You'd be pleasantly surprised to see what 10 Watts can do when 10 meter band is open.
Right now it's best to have a 20-40m Yagi and a kilowatt (or two).

Ok, just throwing this out there, but there are still contacts to be made during the current solar cycle - let's not get too pessimistic...

Just about every afternoon I can make contacts on 20m SSB with my IC-7100 @ 20 watts, and a 3ft mini-hamstick. I often have a pipeline into Oregon/Washington and am being heard with honest 5x7 to 5x9 reports. On my way home from work (10 minute drive) I turn on the radio and it's rare when I don't make a contact.

Yeah, I'm not sitting there banging out back to back contacts into Europe or Asia, but I'm still making contacts anyway...

Absolutely.
Yes, we are near the bottom of the sun spot cycle. But that doesn't mean HF radio is dead. It doesn't even mean that QRP is dead.
It does mean that you have to use a band where you are going to get reflection off of the ionosphere. But, over the last few weeks I have made contacts on 15 meters and lots of contacts on 17 meters running QRP. And I made a fair number of contacts using a mag loop sitting on my porch. The remainder of the contacts I made were using temporary antennas, again, on my porch. I was trying to get ready for yesterday, which is the Ohio NVIS antenna day. For the last 7-10 days, I have taken out all my portable antennas and made sure they were all correctly tuned to resonance and functional. I did this by tying to simulate portable operation by using my small portable radios, battery power, and antennas I just put up at very low heights (max of 15 feet). While I was at it, I used these antennas on digital modes and on CW.

I made approx. 100 FT-8 contacts running my KX2 at 5 watts from battery power using sloping end fed dipoles with the feedpoint at 15 feet, an LNR mag loop antenna sitting on the porch, and a vertical for 30 and 40 meters bolted to my front porch railing.

And this is one take-away point of the whole thing: If you are running QRP, and if you are running one of the most inefficient modes we have in ham radio (SSB), and you are using a very small antenna; at the bottom of the sun spot cycle............you are really tying one or possibly both arms behind your back.

All that being said, at the actual NVIS Antenna Day event yesterday, we operated from a state park and we tried about five different antennas, and running portable off of batteries, we pretty much talked to everybody we could hear running SSB at 100 watts (I got to try out my new FT-891). I was 15 over at the state EOC. A fun day was had by all.