Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What have you backed on KickStarter?

mwa said:
I help fund the Gecko Tag - which was an awesome idea, but has been a complete disaster: The accompanying app is barely functional, crashes, REQUIRES an internet connection to even boot up (had I known I would never have given them money), and won't work on anything but an iPhone 5S (neither pieces of information having been provided beforehand). I have a model older iPhone plus an iPad... so I'm up the creek. The gadget's response (to shakes and movements) is very inconsistent as well. $25 I could have been more useful being flushed down the toilet, literally.



Crowdfunding is iffy imo. The people who do those things have no legal responsibility to actually put the money to use; Kickstarter and Indiegogo both say "we take accountability very seriously... blah blah... if the project doesn't end up being fulfilled we may close their account... blah blah... contribute at your discretion..." which isn't a guarantee at all. And some ideas are downright dumb. Crowdfunding movies made by famous actors who already have the ability to make the movie regardless doesn't make much sense to me. There are needier things to spend money on. :/
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've backed one Kickstarter project, and it was a disaster, IMO. The guy who started the project seems like a genuinely nice person who was very enthused about his project, but he also seemed to have an IQ of 47. It was clear that he did not do any research, or any basic level of thinking, before launching the project.

The project I backed was this bicycle helmet: Torch

Awesome, right? If you ride bikes, it is.

He said the helmet would be shipped 6 months later, but I didn't receive it for 2 years. Heck, I just received it 2 weeks ago (July 2014). Pledging closed in May 2012.

Let's see what happened over those 2 years:

  • Moved to a new house
  • Got engaged
  • Got hit by a car while cycling (would have been nice to have the helmet then...)
  • Moved to a new apartment
  • Got married.
  • My wife became pregnant. A pleasant surprise, but a surprise nonetheless.
    .
    .
    .
  • Got the helmet.

The guy who launched the project was genuinely surprised to find that his battery-powered bike helmet with integrated lights had to meet electrical safety standards in the US, and the basic standards for a bike helmet. Oh, and apparently, a helmet's interior mould's design was important, as was waterproofing, the choice of battery, charging said battery, and even the straps. Who knew it would take more than a few weeks to design and manufacture a brand new product? He didn't.

When the helmet finally started shipping (approx. 8 months ago), I didn't get mine quickly because I lived outside the US. I suppose that's OK, but I probably could have ordered one off a US retailer and received it quicker. When he finally sends it, I find out that he forgot to include my street number (pretty important), he misspelt my suburb name (no biggie), and screwed something else up. I forget what it was, but it doesn't surprise me.

I didn't get the helmet. Then they ran out of my preferred colour. I waited longer.

I got it 2 weeks ago.


This was my 1st Kickstarter experience, and my last.
 
Huntn said:
My son works with a guy who has "invested" several hundred dollars in Star Citizen.
Click to expand...

I totally forgot about Star Citizen. I backed that as well ($100, if I recall correctly). However I have since sold my monster gaming rig so I won't be playing.
 
Abstract said:
Yeah, I've backed one Kickstarter project, and it was a disaster, IMO. The guy who started the project seems like a genuinely nice person who was very enthused about his project, but he also seemed to have an IQ of 47. It was clear that he did not do any research, or any basic level of thinking, before launching the project.

The project I backed was this bicycle helmet: Torch

Awesome, right? If you ride bikes, it is.

He said the helmet would be shipped 6 months later, but I didn't receive it for 2 years. Heck, I just received it 2 weeks ago (July 2014). Pledging closed in May 2012.

Let's see what happened over those 2 years:

  • Moved to a new house
  • Got engaged
  • Got hit by a car while cycling (would have been nice to have the helmet then...)
  • Moved to a new apartment
  • Got married.
  • My wife became pregnant. A pleasant surprise, but a surprise nonetheless.
    .
    .
    .
  • Got the helmet.

The guy who launched the project was genuinely surprised to find that his battery-powered bike helmet with integrated lights had to meet electrical safety standards in the US, and the basic standards for a bike helmet. Oh, and apparently, a helmet's interior mould's design was important, as was waterproofing, the choice of battery, charging said battery, and even the straps. Who knew it would take more than a few weeks to design and manufacture a brand new product? He didn't.

When the helmet finally started shipping (approx. 8 months ago), I didn't get mine quickly because I lived outside the US. I suppose that's OK, but I probably could have ordered one off a US retailer and received it quicker. When he finally sends it, I find out that he forgot to include my street number (pretty important), he misspelt my suburb name (no biggie), and screwed something else up. I forget what it was, but it doesn't surprise me.

I didn't get the helmet. Then they ran out of my preferred colour. I waited longer.

I got it 2 weeks ago.


This was my 1st Kickstarter experience, and my last.
Click to expand...

How can someone enter the Health & Safety industry and not consider safety standards? Perhaps your estimation of a 47 IQ is being overly generous. :/

...congrats on being a dad also! There are no mistakes, just happy accidents. In this case like 20 mins of happiness followed by an accident. :p
 
I've backed 32 projects, mostly tech stuff, with the last three being
1) InfiniteUSB
2) Coolest Cooler
3) LegionMeter

There are a couple of my projects I never got and at least two I expect never to receive. In that latest three list, only have not gotten the InfiniteUSB yet, but I was told it was because I picked USB-C.
 
I have done a few and all of them have been good except for one.

Exploding Kittens Card Game
Empty Zone Comic Book
PowerUP 3.0 smartphone controlled paper airplane
Ruin Comic Book - Never shipped
Obituary Album
The Goon movie
 
I think I've only backed one project, Napa Valley Bitters Co (Kickstarter) and got the Coffee-Pecan Bitters. It wasn't the best $20 I spent, but it was reasonable, and I like to support more options for bitters (plus, I discovered it makes a delicious Manhattan, even if the old-fashioneds aren't great)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back