In reply to rgold:
True. I know of 3 instances myself where people got dropped by the belayer using a Smart. One resulted in serious injury. Reconstruction of the incident (I interviews those involved) did not lead to valuable insights in how to avoid future accidents. Which doesn't happen often.
I don't know how your German reading skills are, but the current issue of BergundSteigen contains a letter by Walter Britschi, from Gaswerk in Zürich. He has done some research into hand positions before and during a leader fall. It appears most potentially critical actions during belaying have no consequences when the leader falls. Or less then previously thought.
I mostly climb with twin rope technique so paying out either rope alternately does not happen that often. Euro-multipitch style... You are spot on with your observations, off course.
The Alpine Up is way to complicated, heavy and bulky. Most people can't figure out how to operate the Up without a Manuel. I've seen people struggle with normal ATC Guide style devices when tired. The Alpine Up is overkill. We are teaching our current instructeurs in the correct use of the different belay devices and how to advice their clientèle. I used to take an Eddy and an Alpine Up but stopped after realising I'd better focus on the devices people will actually use.
Looping forward to the Revo. Looked/felt good at the trade show. Curious about acceptance by the public though. Grigri+ Looks a bit to complicated.
Bottom line: advising which type of belay advice to use for modern (I.e. No tradional climbing background/100 % consumer) gym climbers isn't easy. A least not when you look at the whole scheme of things and wan't to minimize risk and subsequent liability. Had a hard time rewriting the German/Swiss/Austrian/etc. advice on 'Halbautomaten' for our 'market'.