The Top 10 Crowd Funded Projects People Have Been Duped By?

[Kean]

Some that I've been following that are either outright scams, seriously misleading, or just are technically not possible (with the requested or even final levels of funding):

Soap Router (mentioned above) https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/soaprouter/soap-first-smart-router-w-touch-display-powered-by/
and their current IGG campaign https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/soap-one-device-to-rule-them-all-touch-screen-intelligent-router
Kickstarter doesn't normally see Loss Leaders, but worse was their faked prototypes and over-the-top feature list with very short delivery times
They justified the additional IGG campaign because of "interference" on their KS campaign (KS dropped them off the search for a week while investigating complaints)

Smarty Ring https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/smarty-ring--3
and their "upgrade" campaign https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/smarty-ring--4
I challenged them a number of times in the comments (as did many others), and yet they guaranteed they'd have it finished in April

iFind (currently in progress) https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/yuansong84/ifind-the-worlds-first-battery-free-item-locating
Inver square law (cube law?) makes this just ridiculous - you'd have to regularly leave the device directly on top of your WiFi router - that isn't a device that doesn't need charging!

TellSpec https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tellspec-what-s-in-your-food
Very suspect demos, and now they've completely change technologies
I just hope their competitor SCiO (who I've backed) is genuine - I just want to reuse their tiny spectrophotometer sensors

LiX 3D pen https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lix3d/lix-the-smallest-3d-printing-pen-in-the-world/
Just silly - wouldn't get hot enough with USB power to melt plastic fast enough to be very useful, and yet would likely get too hot to hold

Carbon Watch https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/875790568/carbon-the-only-watch-that-can-charge-your-smartph/
Not at bad as some of the above, but: clearly faked photos (laser printed watchface?) - such a tiny cell isn't going to collect any significant charge, so you're reliant on manually charging the tiny battery, and may as well carry one of those cheap USB chargers you can buy for peanuts - plus if the "winder" is repurposed as the power socket, how do you adjust the time on the watch movement.

For more info and analysis on some of these (and others) check out Drop-Kicker http://drop-kicker.com/

[janoc]

4 years for OpenViszla but it does look like they are actually delivering?

The last I heard they are delivering some sort of devboards to people interested in writing firmware for it. That's probably not what the people signed up for when they have put money in it - that's why I have listed it. However, better than nothing, that's sure.

[marcan]

4 years for OpenViszla but it does look like they are actually delivering?

The last I heard they are delivering some sort of devboards to people interested in writing firmware for it. That's probably not what the people signed up for when they have put money in it - that's why I have listed it. However, better than nothing, that's sure.

Bare-PCB backers already got their rewards, and at least some have ordered the parts, put it together, and reported success on the mailing list. $1000 backers have all received their final, tested working pre-production boards. An update is imminent regarding the rest, but spoiler: modulo a couple of minor delays, things are going as (finally) planned. Check the existing KS updates for the story so far and watch for an imminent one.

Most delayed Kickstarter project ever, perhaps. Multiple management epic fails, sure. But people are finally getting what they pledged for; I'd say that's hardly duping people.

Admittedly the software/firmware is bare-bones and incomplete, but fully open source, exercises all of the hardware, and can actually sniff USB packets.

(Disclaimer: I'm an occasional volunteer developer for the project but not involved in manufacturing or distribution. Yes, I have a prototype and it works.)

[BurtyB]

4 years for OpenViszla but it does look like they are actually delivering?

Yup they do exist

[8086]

I wonder if they have permission to put Altium etc on the PCB...?

[tmbinc]

Yes, the project was actually - back then when it was still all shiny and glory - supported by Altium; for example they supported it with a free license, in response to appearing on the product. Whether the association in the end was worth it may be a different question.

OpenVizsla actually works:

~/ov_ftdi/software/host$ sudo python3 ovctl.py --pkg ov3.fwpkg  sniff ls > log
FPGA: Bitstream timestamp 2014/06/06 13:58:18
FPGA: sending configuration bitstream
FPGA: CRC OK
FPGA: configured
^Ctmbinc@debian:~/ov_ftdi/software/host$ python3 ~/ov_analyze/v1/analyze.py log  | grep -v CLAIM | grep -v TIMESTAMP
<2 ERROR >
<32 Control: time=4 Addr 0 EP0 bmRequestType=80 bRequest=06 GET_DESCRIPTOR wValue=0100 wIndex=00 wLength=40 data=12010002000000083c411230014301020001>
<40 Transfer: time=16..16 OUT Addr 0 EP0 >
<56 Control: time=19 Addr 0 EP0 bmRequestType=00 bRequest=05 SET_ADDRESS wValue=0025 wIndex=00 wLength=00 data=>
<86 Control: time=25 Addr 37 EP0 bmRequestType=80 bRequest=06 GET_DESCRIPTOR wValue=0100 wIndex=00 wLength=12 data=12010002000000083c411230014301020001>
<94 Transfer: time=37..37 OUT Addr 37 EP0 >
<117 Control: time=40 Addr 37 EP0 bmRequestType=80 bRequest=06 GET_DESCRIPTOR wValue=0200 wIndex=00 wLength=09 data=09022200010100a032>
<125 Transfer: time=49..49 OUT Addr 37 EP0 >
<169 Control: time=52 Addr 37 EP0 bmRequestType=80 bRequest=06 GET_DESCRIPTOR wValue=0200 wIndex=00 wLength=22 data=09022200010100a0320904000001030102000921110100012234000705810305000a>
<177 Transfer: time=70..70 OUT Addr 37 EP0 >
<193 Control: time=73 Addr 37 EP0 bmRequestType=80 bRequest=06 GET_DESCRIPTOR wValue=0300 wIndex=00 wLength=ff data=04030904>
<201 Transfer: time=79..79 OUT Addr 37 EP0 >
<252 Control: time=82 Addr 37 EP0 bmRequestType=80 bRequest=06 GET_DESCRIPTOR wValue=0302 wIndex=409 wLength=ff data=2e03440065006c006c00200055005300420020004f00700074006900630061006c0020004d006f00750073006500>
<260 Transfer: time=103..103 OUT Addr 37 EP0 >
<283 Control: time=106 Addr 37 EP0 bmRequestType=80 bRequest=06 GET_DESCRIPTOR wValue=0301 wIndex=409 wLength=ff data=0a03440065006c006c00>
<291 Transfer: time=115..115 OUT Addr 37 EP0 >
<307 Control: time=118 Addr 37 EP0 bmRequestType=00 bRequest=09 SET_CONFIGURATION wValue=0001 wIndex=00 wLength=00 data=>
<323 Control: time=124 Addr 37 EP0 bmRequestType=21 bRequest=0a  wValue=0000 wIndex=00 wLength=00 data=>
<381 Control: time=130 Addr 37 EP0 bmRequestType=81 bRequest=06  wValue=2200 wIndex=00 wLength=34 data=05010902a1010901a1000509190129031500250175019503810275059501810105010930093109381581257f750895038106c0c0>
<389 Transfer: time=154..154 OUT Addr 37 EP0 >
<1207 Transfer: time=156..478 IN Addr 37 EP1 >
<1213 Transfer: time=481..481 IN Addr 37 EP1 IN=000000ff >
<1716 Transfer: time=483..681 IN Addr 37 EP1 >
<1722 Transfer: time=684..684 IN Addr 37 EP1 IN=00fffd00 >
<2350 Transfer: time=686..934 IN Addr 37 EP1 >
<2356 Transfer: time=937..937 IN Addr 37 EP1 IN=00f9fa00 >

(Disclaimer: I'm an occasional volunteer developer for the project but not involved in manufacturing or distribution. Yes, I have a prototype and it works.)

[janoc]

Well, good to hear that at least that works. However, the device is quite far from what was promised in the KS project (yeah, I know the history).

[tjb1]

Check it out

http://hackaday.com/2014/06/26/the-ifind-kickstarter-campaign-was-just-suspended/

[marcan]

Well, good to hear that at least that works. However, the device is quite far from what was promised in the KS project (yeah, I know the history).

Is it? Little more than an open hardware and open firmware USB 2.0 (LS/FS/HS) analyzer was promised as far as I can tell. While the design did change quite a bit from the first shot (switched to a more modern FPGA, got rid of the XMOS which made no sense to begin with, simplified, removed a ton of feature creep), it still does buffered*, realtime USB sniffing and can be extended via unused I/Os on a .1" header. While the original had a ton of overkill stuff like a dedicated debug USB port, LCD screen, SD card slot, high-speed expansion connector, VBUS current meter, and a few other things, I don't think any of that was promised in the KS project description? Please correct me if I'm wrong. We did our best to go back to the basics and deliver something that works as promised, trying to trim things that were overkill to begin with. There's still room for quite a bit of functionality (e.g. rather complex filtering/triggering) in the FPGA, which anyone can hack on since it's open source. And, for example, even though the current meter IC is gone, there is a link you can cut to tap into the VBUS line, so you could add that as a very simple shunt+ADC module and plug it into the spare I/O port. The design is meant to be reasonably extensible.

* well, not yet, the RAM is there and well tested beyond the required speed, but not part of the USB datapath in the FPGA design yet.

[reubot]

SIGMO - talk and understand in more than 25 languages!! ($249,005USD
raised of $15,000 goal - 1,660%)

[8086]

SIGMO - talk and understand in more than 25 languages!! ($249,005USD
raised of $15,000 goal - 1,660%)

I don't see the problem with this one?

[reubot]

I don't see the problem with this one?

There are plenty of disgruntled backers in the comments.

[deth502]

heres my view of the future.

these scammers/well intentioned idiots will destroy this entire process. im reading these comments and all of these ppl are saying that they got nothing and they are filing chargebacks with their credit card company. i cant imagine the cc companies taking these hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses through these sites in stride, so im guessing it wont be long before they will not allow ppl to accept their cards on these sites. and that will kill the "crowd funded" activities.

[Marco]

If the CC's stop cooperating Kickstarter could still go on, they would have to setup a paypal like scheme (well outside the EU any way, in the EU they can simply keep the money in escrow because of the free money transfers). This would be good, would make them a bit more liable/careful and would make the impulse buyers go away. Win win.

[MrsR]

I think the most obvious is WINDOWS  their back down to Ver.8 if they keep going they will disappear up their own err!! Rectums.
Has anyone seen a better con job, Comes loaded on just about every personal computer made and from the day it's bought on the way home the first update &  fix is there to up load.

Rachael 

[8086]

SIGMO - talk and understand in more than 25 languages!! ($249,005USD
raised of $15,000 goal - 1,660%)

I don't see the problem with this one?

Like many Kickstarter projects they vastly underestimated the difficulty of what they are trying to do.

I must have not fully understood in that case, I thought they were essentially developing a bluetooth audio interface which would be used with a phone running a 3rd party app/service to actually do the translation. I assumed they weren't providing the translation themselves.

[deth502]

http://www.polygon.com/2014/7/5/5873325/kickstarter-potato-salad

[Mr.B]

I'm not sure anybody is being 'duped' with the Potato Salad KS.
The project is honest and not promising anything that cannot be delivered.
Vac-pack a couple of thousand tablespoons of salad and ship it... Logistically a bit of a challenge but not impossible.
If there are people out there that want to waste 20 bucks buying a tablespoon of potato salad, let them I say.
I personally would not invest, but plenty of apparent potato salad lovers are... 

[miguelvp]

Who will eat it anyways, after shipping if not refrigerated just spells salmonella! 
Unless his potato salad is not prepared with mayo or any egg based ingredient, but then it wouldn't be a potato salad!

[pickle9000]

Seeing as the "potato salad" thing worked so well, it's fair to assume there will be many more "silly" projects. I agree that in this case it looks like an honest guy having some fun. I personally have no problem with that. And of course there could be some really weird ones, exhibition type art stuff.

[Bud]

Did he say he is going to ship anything? I thought he said he will just "make" potato salad.

[miguelvp]

Did he say he is going to ship anything? I thought he said he will just "make" potato salad.

Pledge $3 or more
Receive a bite of the potato salad

so 1,357 backers out of 2,737 so far will receive potato salad

Edit: I don't know how is he going to do this:

$3000: My kitchen is too small! I will rent out a party hall and invite the whole internet to the potato salad party (only $10 and above will be allowed in the kitchen)! The internet loves potato salad! Let's show them that potato salad loves the internet!!

So far there are 575 with $10 or above. so I imagine a long line to see him make potato salad in his kitchen.

[MacAttak]

It does indeed look like a tasty potato salad though. Unless those photos are really just "artistic representations".

[LukeW]

The potato salad thing does not sound like a scam or a fraud - just people backing something silly, but not doing so based on unrealistic or fraudulent expectations of what their money is getting them.

Kickstarter is kind of like an open access scientific journal - the people running it do have to filter the content well, and have standards, and weed out the good stuff from the crap if it is to be taken seriously and not be a joke.

[miguelvp]

Agreed, it's all in gist because there is no way they can deliver a bite of potato salad and photo (not a picture) of him making potato salad, a thank you on their web page and him saying your name out loud while making a potato salad $3 won't cover it, but I bet most won't really expect the actual bite