The PM function is still available, you click the little chat bubble in the top right if you're on the desktop site. If you're on the mobile site there should be a menu feature that allows you to access it.
I can understand your disappointment at not receiving exactly what you ordered. My entire order was also changed, but the rings still perform and I still use them to unlock my android device, start my car and will be hacking on a door unlocking device soon (and modifying my electronically locking gun safe when I get a chance).
The changes and the reasons behind them were well documented here, on kickstarter, on the blog, and @johnyma22 has spoken at length about them on #nfcring freenode, and the frustrations involved.
So if you want to react this way and walk away from a functional device that performs well because your own particular order wasn't perfect that's fine - I can completely understand why you would turn other 'hackers' away due to aesthetic irritation.
