1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you get in touch with technology? With 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: tech Stuff from how stuff works dot com. Hello everybody, 4 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: and welcome to tech Stuff. My name is Chris Poulett, 5 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 1: and I'm an editor at how stuff works dot com. 6 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: Sitting across from me, as always, his senior writer, Jonathan 7 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: Stricklind he thereoo do you do? Indeed, let's kick off 8 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: this podcast by talking about projects. Yeah, let's start things. 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: We're gonna talk about Kickstarter today, and Kickstarter is UH 10 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: in case you are not familiar, it's a way to 11 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: crowdsource funding a creative project. So in a way, Kickstarter 12 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 1: is not you could argue Kickstarter in itself is not 13 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: a tech stuff topic, but it is UH funded through 14 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:55,959 Speaker 1: a website. So there's your tech stuff there. A lot 15 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: of tech projects have been funded through Kickstarter, so there's 16 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: another connection. And there's some interesting projects that were UH 17 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: in various stages as of the recording of this podcast, 18 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,199 Speaker 1: and I should get that out of the way first. 19 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: We're recording this show on Friday July. That's important because 20 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: some of the stuff we're gonna talk about is related 21 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: specifically to information that's available today. So by the time 22 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: you hear this, that information is going to be out 23 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: of date. But we wanted to let you kind of 24 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: have a snapshot of what's going on right now. Yeah, 25 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: it's funny. We were recording these on July thirteen, I 26 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: mean Friday the thirteenth, and we haven't but get Yeah, okay, no, 27 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm kidding. Um. Yeah, Jonathan wanted to talk about a 28 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: couple of projects on Kickstart, and I said, you know, 29 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: I'm not sure everyone understands what it is. Um, it 30 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: is the kind of of I guess it's safe to 31 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: call it a company organization anyway that that really wouldn't 32 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: exist in its form without the Internet. Um. Yeah, the 33 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: Internet enables Kickstarter and and kickstar or enables other organizations 34 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: to do their thing. Um. Kickstarter does make some money 35 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 1: off of these projects. Yea, so um basically what they do. Uh. 36 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: In the nutshell sense, somebody says I have this idea, 37 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: I need to raise money for this idea. I would 38 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: like to post this on your website and publicize this 39 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: idea to raise money. And Kickstarter says okay, and they 40 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: like your idea, We'll post it on our website, and 41 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: they provide all the necessary pieces for you to be 42 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 1: able to do that. So let's say, let's let's just 43 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: go ahead and make an example. Okay, okay, And I'm 44 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,360 Speaker 1: going to make an example that's going to be uh 45 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: just generic. Okay, all right, So let's say that. Let's 46 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: say that Chris, you, Let's say you have got a 47 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: new band together and you want to you want to 48 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 1: do an album together. You guys have you guys have 49 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: played together for a while. You've got a unique sound, 50 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,639 Speaker 1: You've got something you want to say. But you don't 51 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: want to go through the the traditional route of trying 52 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: to get a record label to sign you on that 53 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: kind of stuff. You want to do it yourselves. But 54 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: that cost money. It's gonna require studio space, You're gonna 55 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: have some production costs. You're gonna have if you want 56 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: to if you want to press a physical medium like 57 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 1: a CD or a vinyl disc, that's gonna cost money. 58 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: So you need to be able to fund this, right yep. 59 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: And without a without a record label to fund that, 60 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: that's all going to come out of my pocket or 61 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: go on my credit card. And you may not have 62 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: the available credit or money to do this, so what 63 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: you would do accurate. Let's say, so then you go 64 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: to Kickstarter and you say, all right, here's what my 65 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: project is. And you have to have very specific parameters 66 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: for your project for you to be able to get 67 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: an approved Kickstarter campaign. So I would need to say 68 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: something like I want to press five thousand copies of 69 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: my desk, or even you could even go so far 70 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: as to say I want to record an album. You 71 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: can say it that way and not even have the 72 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: the required amount of like how many disks you plan 73 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,839 Speaker 1: on pressing? If you if you're all to specify this 74 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 1: money will go toward the production of an album, the 75 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: album is by this band, and and you're able to 76 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: give enough information you submit that the Kickstarter. You say, 77 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: I I estimate that I am going to need and 78 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: I'm just throwing out the number ten thousand dollars. I'm 79 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: gonna need ten thousand dollars. I want to have two 80 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 1: months to raise ten thousand dollars through Kickstarter. Kickstarter gets 81 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: your request, they review it if it meets the requirements 82 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: that Kickstarter has put into place, uh, which we'll get 83 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: into a discussion about that in a little bit. But 84 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 1: let's say if it meets those requirements. Kicks are then 85 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:44,280 Speaker 1: will approve your campaign. They feature it on their site 86 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: somewhere so it's searchable. Sometimes they'll actually feature feature it 87 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 1: so it's right there on the front page and you 88 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: can see it right there if you're lucky enough, that's 89 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 1: where it is, which means a lot of eyeballs are 90 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 1: going there. But generally you'll promote this through other means 91 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: like social media, Facebook, Twitter, that kind of thing. UM. 92 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: Then what happens is people can go and they can 93 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: contribute money toward that project. They're not donating their contributing, 94 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: they are investing in that project. It's very important part 95 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: of this. So when they invest, they're using an Amazon 96 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: payment method to transfer money to this or to pledge 97 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: money really to this project. And it's not unless the 98 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: project actually meets its goal, that that money gets pulled 99 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: from the contributors. Right, So, if you say, say somebody 100 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: is asking for ten thousand dollars from fans for example, 101 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: like like this record that we are talking about UM, 102 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: and people contribute say five dollars each, and they only 103 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: raise eight thousand, five dollars over the two month period, 104 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: it doesn't go then you're not out five dollars or 105 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: whatever you keep. You keep your money. The project does 106 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: not get funded, you keep your money. Kickstarter does not 107 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: make anything, So it's actually in the Kickstarter's interest to 108 00:05:57,400 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: make sure to do as much as it can so 109 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: that these projects get funded, because that's how Kickstarter makes money. 110 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: So if that ten thousand dollars did go through, let's 111 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: say that you know that you you just hit that 112 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 1: ten thousand dollar mark within the time frame, you would 113 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 1: get ten thousand dollars minus Amazon payments cut and Kickstarters cut. 114 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: They both get a cut of that. It can be 115 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: up to as much as ten percent, So it might 116 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: be that you only get nine thousand instead of ten 117 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: thousand because of the cuts that Amazon and Kickstarter make. 118 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: But and Amazon's amount is dependent upon where you are 119 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 1: and other factors, so it can't really give a solid 120 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: figure on that. But Kickstarters is five percent, so at 121 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: least five percent it's gonna be taken out. Uh, So 122 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: you need to take that into account when you set 123 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: your goal because you're you're like, all right, well, if 124 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: that's how much I really need, I'm going to get 125 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: five percent less than that if I just meet this goal. 126 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: Now you can make more than what your goal is 127 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: and of them have. Yeah, and it's and you don't 128 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 1: get access to that money until the period is up. 129 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 1: So if it's a ninety day period and at the 130 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: end of ninety days you have uh more than five 131 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: times what you were asking for, that's when you get 132 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: it all. And of course that that appeals to Kickstarter too, 133 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: because they take that five percent off the total, not 134 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: off what the goal was. So if your goal was 135 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: ten thousand, you make fifty thousand, they get that five 136 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: percent off the fifty thousand, not the ten thousand, which 137 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: great business for Kickstarter. Uh So, I mean it is 138 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: a business. You know. They're not completely altruistic, nor should 139 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: we expect them to be, because it would cost money 140 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: and resources to run this site. So I'm not I'm 141 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: not trying to cast dispersions on Kickstarter for trying to 142 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: make money. If they didn't, this thing wouldn't exist and 143 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: a lot of people who have had projects get funded 144 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: would not have had that money, right and uh, you know, 145 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: of course it's it's paying the bills and it's paying 146 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: for people to to work at the site, so that's important. 147 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: So uh, we're talking about how they're contributors, not donators, um, 148 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: the contributors. Part of that, part of that relationship is 149 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: that when you contribute, you should be able to expect 150 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: something in return, right, So, if you contributed to the 151 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: release of my faux band's new album, you should get 152 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: a copy of that record, assuming your contribution meets a 153 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: certain level. You can think of it kind of like 154 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: and and it's only in the sense of if you 155 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: contribute a certain amount, you get a reward. You know, 156 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: like when a pledge drive happens on something like NPR 157 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: or PBS, where if you pledge a certain amount of 158 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: money you get rewards in return. It's similar to that, 159 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: except again you're not donating your contributing. So if when 160 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: you create a project, if you want to create a 161 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: project for Kickstarter and have a Kickstarter campaign, part of 162 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: what you have to do, besides setting a time limit 163 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: and a cash goal, is you have to set up 164 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 1: rewards for contributors at different levels, and ideally those levels 165 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: should relate to the reward should relate to how much 166 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: money is being donated. So in other words, uh, if 167 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 1: if you donate twenty five dollars to Chris's project, and 168 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: that would get you a a special version of the 169 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: CD that has maybe a track on it that the 170 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: normal c D doesn't have, so you get a bonus 171 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: track for twenty bucks. Let's say that you do fifty bucks. Well, 172 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: you wouldn't want just to have two copies of that CD. 173 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:37,439 Speaker 1: That might not be a great reward. But perhaps it's 174 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: a copy of the CD that's autographed by the entire band, 175 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: and maybe some other swag like a poster or some 176 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: stickers or stuff. And depending upon the complexity of the project, 177 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: the size of it uh and the the ability of 178 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: the the person who's running the project to deliver upon 179 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: these they can get pretty elaborate. Like I've seen ones 180 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: where if you contribute a very large amount of money 181 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: towards a big project, you end up getting You might 182 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: get a producer's credit on something like let's say that 183 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: someone contributed a thousand dollars to your band's project. You 184 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: might include their name in the liner notes for the 185 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: the album saying this is a producer for this album, 186 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: because essentially they are they're they're they're contributing a significant 187 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 1: amount of money. Yes, that's gosh. I love them producers. 188 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: I love you. Get in touch for me anyway. So 189 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: the MP three, you'll have my digital signature. I can't 190 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: imagine how that could go wrong. So so anyway, Yeah, 191 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 1: that's that's the whole basic idea of Kickstarter. On the 192 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: on the project leaders side, you have these returns that 193 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: people get in in uh uh as a result of 194 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: them contributing to you, and if you get the you 195 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: don't have to worry about giving out the rewards unless 196 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: the project hits completion. Now let's talk. I'm sorry you're 197 00:10:57,200 --> 00:10:58,599 Speaker 1: about to say something. Well, I was gonna I was 198 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:02,079 Speaker 1: gonna say that just in the in the general outlining 199 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: of of what Kickstarter is, um Jonathan mentioned that it's 200 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: for creative projects, and yes, that's that's pretty much exclusive, 201 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 1: semi exclusively what it is. I mean, going alphabetically on 202 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: the website, you see art, comics, dance, design, fashion, film 203 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:24,559 Speaker 1: and video, food, games, music, photography, publishing, technology, and theater 204 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: and tech is really sort of the standout odd uh category. 205 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:33,199 Speaker 1: I mean, most of these are most of these are 206 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: intangible and in the sense that you know a film, 207 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 1: you know it's it's you would have the film, or 208 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: you would have a copy of the video, or the 209 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: copy of the comic book. It's also interesting that the 210 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: Tech one has the single largest funded campaign in Kickstarter 211 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: history to date. Although well, no, it'll still be tech 212 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 1: but I think that there might be a there's a 213 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: contender to take over the helm on that, depending on 214 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: how much more momentum it as. But we'll get into that. Yeah, 215 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: you don't. You don't see the kind of stuff that 216 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 1: you see advertised on TV, the as seen on TV 217 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: type things. Uh. Technology is is the the category where 218 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: you know they have come up with an idea for 219 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: this invention. Yeah, it's kind of this whole like crazy 220 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: prototype stuff that can that can get funded through this Um. 221 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: The company was founded by Perry chen Yancy Strickler, and 222 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: Charles Adler, and it's located out of Manhattan. That's in 223 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:37,959 Speaker 1: New York. There you are, Perry, There you are, Perry. Um, 224 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna do it. I keep on wanting to 225 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: go into duven Sharts every time. Curse your Patty, that 226 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: Kickstarter founder. Um. So they they've created this company. Uh, 227 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 1: here's some some things to keep in mind with Kickstarter. Um, 228 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: because this is a service that they're running, they've done 229 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 1: some work to protect Kickstarter from problems. But there there 230 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 1: are things you've got to keep in mind with Kickstarter, 231 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: and and this is not to cast dispersions upon the 232 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: service or upon anyone who uses it. Well, one of 233 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: the things that you mentioned early on in this podcast 234 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 1: was these projects have to meet a series of requirements 235 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 1: in order to be considered. And that's part of it. 236 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 1: These these requirements you have to be uh, you have 237 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: to at least have you know, as far as they 238 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: can tell. You know, there are people who have to 239 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: vet these things to make sure that they're legit. And 240 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 1: because Kickstarter doesn't want to get burned, and they also 241 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: don't want to lose their credibility, and it is important, 242 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: um for them to go, Hey, we've checked these guys 243 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: out and they appear to us to be real enough 244 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: for us to post them online. If it looks like 245 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: if people got burned by enough scams on Kickstarter, no 246 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: one would go there to find projects. And for Kickstarter, 247 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,559 Speaker 1: that's that's bad news. First of all, because people will 248 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: stop using the service and go away. And second of all, 249 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: I mean they really want to help people. I mean, 250 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: that's the really the point, um. And without making sure 251 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 1: that there for real um, you know, than uh, than 252 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: Kickstarter fails. Yeah, yeah, and so, but that is one 253 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: thing you've got to worry about, is the fact that 254 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: with yourself in their shoes. Yeah, with with a Kickstarter campaign, 255 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: if you're looking at funding one, keep in mind that 256 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: there's nothing that legally binds that project leader to use 257 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: the money for what they say it's going to be 258 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: used for. So if it's like, hey, this sounds like 259 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: a really cool project, I want to be a part 260 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: of it, and you put money towards it, there's a 261 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: chance that even if it gets funded, that project never 262 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: actually happens. And that could be for multiple reasons. It 263 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: might be that the person swindled you, which is awful, 264 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: it's a terrible thing. Hopefully that doesn't happen because, as 265 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 1: you said, Chris, if it happens frequently enough, no one 266 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: uses Kickstarter and then we lose this this service, which 267 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: I think is very valuable. Uh. Or it could be 268 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: of much simpler and more innocent but naive problem in 269 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 1: that the person who was the spirit that this was 270 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: spearheading this project underestimated how much money it was going 271 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 1: to take in order to make the project become a reality. 272 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: So it may be that they say, oh, oh, I 273 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: could do this for ten thousan dollars and they get 274 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: the ten thousand dollars and they find out as they 275 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: work that it's way harder than they expected, and the 276 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: ten dollars runs out and the projects not complete. Yeah, 277 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: they they use the money, they start working on a prototype. 278 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: The prototype doesn't work exactly the way they thought it would. 279 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: It's gonna need some re engineering. They're going to have 280 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: to build a new prototype. And meanwhile they're burning through 281 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: the money. Yeah, and they take it to somebody, and 282 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: it's going to cost more than they thought it was 283 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: going to to manufacture. So you get to a point 284 00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: where you're just like, well, crap. That just means that we, uh, 285 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: we we've burned through. And this happens with companies, whether 286 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 1: they're crowdsourced or not. So so this is not unique 287 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: to kick starter projects, but you know, sometimes that happens 288 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: where a project ends up being I always tell people 289 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: overestimate how much you're gonna need, because stuff is gonna 290 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: happen that's going to eat up money that you did 291 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: not expect. Well, let's let's compare it really quickly, because 292 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: we want to talk about some actual projects, but really quickly, 293 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: let's compare it to let's say another a regular type 294 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: tech project. So somebody has an idea and they take 295 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: it to a venture capitalist and the venture capitalists gives 296 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: them two million dollars. So the venture capitalist is putting 297 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: forth all of the money for this project to go forward. 298 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: Um and uh, he or she is is basically the 299 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: loan stakeholder other than the person who came up with 300 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: the idea in the first place. Um, so you or 301 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: I here about it. They bring it to c E 302 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: s they go, you know, Jonathan talks about it in 303 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: the blog and says, look this, and you go, man, 304 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: that would be cool. I'm going to buy one of 305 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 1: those when it comes out on the market. While all 306 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: of this stuff happens, they find out it can't be 307 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: done for that much money. The VC goes, I am 308 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: not giving you anymore dough because you can't make this 309 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: happen in a cost effective way. There's no sign of 310 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: the burning through cash ever ending forget it. I'm done. 311 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: And and because of this, the person can't get any 312 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 1: more funding and they go back to their job working 313 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:31,719 Speaker 1: in a computer store. In Kickstarter, the people funding this 314 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: project are you and me, and we've all contributed a 315 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: hundred dollars each. We're like, we're like venture cabalists on 316 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: a fraction of what a venture cabalists actually does. Yeah, 317 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 1: and so we've donated money and we are contributed money. Yes, 318 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,679 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm in my head. So we 319 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: are are contributing our share of the money. There are 320 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:55,239 Speaker 1: a few hundred of us or a few thousand of 321 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: us who all want to make this project succeed instead 322 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 1: of just one person and the enture capital donating it all. 323 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,120 Speaker 1: So none of this is behind the scenes. It's all 324 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:06,679 Speaker 1: out here on kickstarted out on the table, and we 325 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: all are waiting for our thing. That we have contributed 326 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: money towards rewards, because that's because it happened. There's no 327 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:17,919 Speaker 1: there's no guarantee that the rewards that are promised are 328 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: going to come out either. So it may even be 329 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,359 Speaker 1: that the project gets funded and it happens, but that 330 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:24,639 Speaker 1: the person who was leading the project flakes out and 331 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: never sends out whatever the rewards were supposed to be. 332 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 1: That's also danger. So one of the things you should 333 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: look at is when you're funding one of these projects 334 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,120 Speaker 1: of thinking all right, am i am I? All right? 335 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 1: With the notion that if I contribute to this project, 336 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:40,919 Speaker 1: there is a chance, depending upon the reliability of the 337 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 1: people in charge of this project, that I will not 338 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: get the reward promised me. If that means that the 339 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: project still funds and the thing still becomes a real thing, 340 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 1: because sometimes that might be all that's important to you. 341 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 1: You might not. You might say, oh, the reward is nice, 342 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,120 Speaker 1: and that's cool and all, but I really just want 343 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: to see this thing become a real thing. So if 344 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: you're all right with that, then you might not. That 345 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:06,239 Speaker 1: might not worry you at all. But if you're if 346 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: you're more like, look, I am contributing, and at the 347 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,160 Speaker 1: level that I'm contributing, I'm expecting to get this thing. 348 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 1: That's another thing to keep in mind. You know, it's 349 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 1: also helpful to talk to people who have funded various 350 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: Kickstarter campaigns and just talk about their experience about you know, 351 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 1: did you did you actually get the rewards you were promised, 352 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 1: was it timely? What what should I expect? And keep 353 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: in mind their experience may not at all apply to yours, 354 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: because these are all different people who are applying for 355 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: these campaigns, so you never you know one person's experience 356 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: with one project is totally different from any other project 357 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 1: that's out there. That being said, I was going to 358 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 1: talk about the other problem that can happen, and this 359 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: relates to one of the stories that wanted to talk about. 360 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: If that's okay, let's let's do that. A specific story 361 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: is as the recording this podcast. A big story in 362 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:04,959 Speaker 1: tech is this uh yeah, gaming console. And the gaming 363 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 1: console is the concept. It's going to be a nine 364 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 1: dollar gaming console running on essentially an ARM based processor 365 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: uh Android operating system derivative. The idea being that it 366 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 1: could run various games that were originally designed for mobile platforms, 367 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:22,160 Speaker 1: but to do it on a television, and it could 368 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 1: also emulate or run an emulator to run other types 369 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 1: of games as well. And beyond that, the game model 370 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 1: is the ideas that you would you would download games 371 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: or stream games, so you are not buying lots of 372 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 1: physical media, You are buying stuff through the internet, and 373 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 1: you would be able to play a lot of these games, 374 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: at least on a trial basis for free, so you 375 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 1: wouldn't just be buying stuff blind. You get a chance 376 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: to play this. Uh. This resembles all other game systems 377 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: that are have similar business models, like on Live. It's 378 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:55,679 Speaker 1: not a whole lot different from that, although in this 379 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 1: case it's not a subscription based service. You're buying a 380 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,719 Speaker 1: console and then you're buying into the dual games. Uh. 381 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: They launched a Kickstarter campaign in July with a goal 382 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: of nine hundred fifty thousand dollars. I think after the 383 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: second day they had more than two million dollars. As 384 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,719 Speaker 1: of the recording of this podcast, it is currently funded 385 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:22,159 Speaker 1: at four million, nine thousand, two d seventy eight dollars 386 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: with twenty six days left to go. More than thirty 387 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 1: four thousand people are backing this project, so they've already 388 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: more than met their goal. You know, their goal was 389 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: less than a million dollars. Now they've got four million dollars, 390 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: so their their their project is funded. Uh. They won't 391 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,239 Speaker 1: get that money until the projects over. Of course, by 392 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: the time this podcast goes out, it will be a 393 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: lot closer. In fact, it may already have happened. Um. 394 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,639 Speaker 1: But they're going to get more money than what they 395 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 1: asked for. That might not necessarily be a great thing. 396 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,199 Speaker 1: And the reason why I say that is because sometimes 397 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: when you get more money than what you need to do, 398 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: what you need to do you you might not behave 399 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 1: in as careful a way as you would if you 400 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 1: had just the right amount of money. You're not thinking 401 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: of all those lottery winners who blow all their money 402 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: and up in bankrupt I'm thinking a lot of startup 403 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 1: companies that got crazy amounts of venture capital balloon like 404 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: the dot com crash. That was part of the problem 405 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: dot com crash. One of the many problems was that 406 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: you had these startup companies that were getting lots of 407 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 1: cash injections from venture capitalist angel investors, that kind of thing, 408 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: lots and lots and lots of money, more money than 409 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 1: they needed to conduct business, and so they grew way 410 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 1: too fast without anything to show for it. So they 411 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: were doing things like buying lots of office equipment that 412 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,399 Speaker 1: they didn't necessarily need, hiring on people that they didn't 413 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: have work for yet, you know, going like, well, you know, 414 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: we were going to get a little office space at 415 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: the bottom of this one building, but now that we've 416 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: got all this cash, let's go for the penthouse that 417 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 1: kind of stuff, and buying pinball machines and all kinds 418 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:58,880 Speaker 1: of other stuff. And you could, even even if you're 419 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: not going extravagant, all right. Let's that's let's telling you 420 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 1: about you really lose sight of what you're doing and 421 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: you're going for extravagance. Let's say that this company avoids 422 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: that they don't go for this whole extravagant route, but 423 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:14,920 Speaker 1: instead what they do is they start developing this. They 424 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 1: might be willing to pursue a less than ideal pathway 425 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: longer than they would if they had less cash, because 426 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: they have cash to burn through. They have a safety net, right, 427 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:29,639 Speaker 1: so they can they can They have the luxury because 428 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: of the cash, to make a bad decision longer than 429 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,479 Speaker 1: they would if they had less cash. So there is 430 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 1: the potential that they can make some very very bad 431 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: choices and stick with them longer than they need to. 432 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,199 Speaker 1: And it's not ideal. Now that I'm not saying that 433 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 1: will definitely happen, because the people at Uyah may have 434 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 1: a real grip on this, and they might just make 435 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: not just this cool game console, but be able to 436 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: incorporate stuff they didn't even think of when they first 437 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:02,120 Speaker 1: launched this campaign. He could turn out that this project 438 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 1: ends up being a wild success. The game console could 439 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 1: end up being the best thing ever, and and everything 440 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 1: works out. We don't know if that's the case or not. 441 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: I'm just saying that there are dangers to actually over funding. 442 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:17,199 Speaker 1: You might think more money equals good, it does not 443 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 1: always equal good. Now that being said, that four million 444 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: dollars with with a nine is not and that's still 445 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: in process. That's not the biggest project that's been funded 446 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:33,640 Speaker 1: on Kickstarters so far. Before there was have you you've 447 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 1: heard about the Pebble right, Yes to watch and e 448 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: paper watch ink and it. The idea is that you 449 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 1: would connect this watch to another device, a smartphone, like 450 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: through Bluetooth, right, and it would display various things on 451 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: the watch that would let you see stuff that was 452 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 1: coming through on your phone. So it's kind of like 453 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 1: a phone watch phone without the but it connects to 454 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:03,719 Speaker 1: an existing device. And um they, the company behind it, 455 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 1: launched a Kickstarter campaign where they were trying to raise 456 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 1: a certain amount of money and boy did they. Uh. 457 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: I don't remember what there. I guess I could search, 458 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 1: but I don't remember what their actual um uh goal was. 459 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: Their original goals it Oh, they more than crushed it. Yeah, 460 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: all right, I'm actually pulling up the site now. Okay, 461 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:29,199 Speaker 1: So their goal was one hundred thousand dollars. That was 462 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:33,120 Speaker 1: what they wanted to raise. They raised ten million, two 463 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 1: hundred sixty six thousand, eight hut five dollars. Now that 464 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:41,920 Speaker 1: is an overfunded project. To go from one hundred thousand 465 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,679 Speaker 1: to ten million, I can't imagine, like, what do you 466 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,399 Speaker 1: do with all that money, apart from make more of 467 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 1: these pebbles once they're ready to go and send them 468 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: out to the backers. That's the only thing I can 469 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: think of, because we have ten ten million dollars. So 470 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: I've seen people uh already criticizing Pebble and oh, yeah, 471 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:08,679 Speaker 1: it's not really their fault. Well, I mean basically what 472 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,399 Speaker 1: they're saying is, hey, you may be funding these guys 473 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: and they may not actually be scam artists, but it's 474 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:17,960 Speaker 1: gonna feel like a scam when nothing happens for you guys. 475 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: And I mean that we're talking about people who are 476 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,360 Speaker 1: basically saying you've you just flushed your money and and 477 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 1: or or without, which I feel is probably a little 478 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:30,359 Speaker 1: bit premature because everything I've seen says that both of 479 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 1: these companies are honestly intending to do this and they're sincere. Yeah, 480 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:38,680 Speaker 1: they're being sincere. They really want to accomplish their goal. 481 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: They really want to make the Pebble Watch and the 482 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: and the we Are game console. But the uh, the 483 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: question is um and this I don't think that was 484 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: the point of the columns that I've been reading was basically, Look, 485 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 1: they don't know what they're doing. These are not seasoned professionals. Uh. 486 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:57,160 Speaker 1: You know, this is not uh Microsoft deciding it wants 487 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 1: to create a tablet with its name on it. Microsoft 488 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: knows about manufacturing because they learned with the Xbox. Um. 489 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,959 Speaker 1: You know, Google has already come out with a phone, 490 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 1: you know, essentially working with other manufacturers. They know what 491 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: kinds of things that they're going to have to deal 492 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 1: with it. They want to come out with the Nexus 493 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:18,639 Speaker 1: seven tablet because they have worked with hardware manufacturing before. 494 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:21,960 Speaker 1: These guys are new to this, and so they're gonna 495 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: have to find out about all this stuff. And they're 496 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: not going to end up with enough money even with 497 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 1: these highly funded projects to do what they need to 498 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: accomplish because they just they just don't know what they're doing. 499 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: They're inexperienced, and you're gonna end up losing your money. 500 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 1: To be fair, a lot of the people who are 501 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: working on these projects have experience in the various industries otherwise, 502 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 1: I mean clearly, like I would not started kick started 503 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 1: campaign for a game console. I have no experience developing one. 504 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 1: I've played them. Yeah, that's about the limit of my experience. 505 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: I think that's why I think the these these naysayers 506 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:58,880 Speaker 1: are probably being a little unfair there. I think they're 507 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 1: being overly pessive this stick. But at the same time, 508 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 1: it's good to check your expectations because things can go wrong. 509 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: It could it could even be that the money is fine, 510 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 1: that the money doesn't burn out. It's just that their 511 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,360 Speaker 1: goal ends up being unreasonable, like they just can't. They 512 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: cannot meet the goal that they had set. They're they're 513 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: not not the money goal, but the project's goal. So 514 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:23,879 Speaker 1: sometimes that happens, and it's unfortunate when it does. But 515 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: that's another thing that you need to keep in mind. 516 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 1: Um whether or not these will be you know, cautionary 517 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: tales in the future, that remains to be seen. I'm 518 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 1: hoping that both of them, both the Pebble and the 519 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: end up being successful avengers, because one, I think they're 520 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: both cool ideas and I think it's neat to see it, 521 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 1: and too I don't want there to be this big 522 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,479 Speaker 1: red X over a Kickstarter because I think that it's 523 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 1: such a valuable service. I don't want something like that 524 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: too negatively impact the service. Well, there are so many 525 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 1: people with great ideas for projects, uh, they don't have 526 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:08,480 Speaker 1: the ability to raise the funding for them, uh necessarily 527 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 1: on their own. And this also, I mean this not 528 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:13,239 Speaker 1: only gives them a chance to get funded, but it 529 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: also gives uh, you know, the average person who doesn't 530 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,960 Speaker 1: have ten million dollars burning a hole in their pocket 531 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 1: to give to somebody with a cool idea. So you 532 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: have twenty dollars, you know, Hey, I've got twenty dollars 533 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 1: I can give you to make this project a reality. 534 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 1: I know I can't fund you by myself, but I 535 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: would love to contribute to to make this happen. Um 536 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 1: where how can I do that? This is really a 537 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: great tool to make that happen. Now, there are other 538 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: projects that already exist, and they're they're somewhat controversial too, 539 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 1: because this is I mean, for for these that we've 540 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 1: already talked about, they don't exist yet. Their their ideas uh, 541 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: and they've they've maybe come up with a prototype or 542 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: something that they feel like they can actually take and 543 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 1: have it manufactured. Now, Um, the biggest one I can 544 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: think of that that exists in this other world where 545 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 1: it already is of something that they want to continue 546 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 1: funding for would be Penny Arcade. Now, this is a 547 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 1: really controversial subject, and in fact, our site director Tracy 548 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: Wilson wrote a blog post about this on the house 549 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: Stuff Works blog where she shared her perspective, which I 550 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:25,880 Speaker 1: stuff on pop stuff stuff. Yeah, it used to be 551 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 1: called fan stuff. It's pop stuff Now. I'm stuck in 552 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: the past. So am I I have to keep reminding 553 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: myself whenever I talk about it, But I share her 554 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: perspective more or less her philosophy on this. Uh the 555 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:39,200 Speaker 1: here's here's the pitch. So, Pitty Arcade is a well 556 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 1: established web comic and entertainment company. Yes, they go beyond 557 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 1: web comics now to other things, but web comic is 558 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: sort of the heart and soul of what Penny Arcade is. 559 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: That's how they started out. Yeah, and when they started 560 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 1: they were funded completely by their audience. People would leave 561 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: donations for penny Arcade that'll donate button, and that's how 562 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 1: they made money. And so some months they would make 563 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: a pretty good amount of money and other months would 564 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:08,360 Speaker 1: be particularly tight, and that's how they operated for a while. 565 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: They eventually supplemented there that with web ads and then 566 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 1: eventually they got to a point of popularity where the 567 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 1: web ads were enough to support the business and they 568 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 1: now have lots and lots of of their Their audience 569 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:28,720 Speaker 1: is huge relatively speaking for the Internet. Right it's one 570 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: of the largest audiences on the Internet for for like 571 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 1: an entertainment webcomic type of approach. Well, they decided to 572 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 1: the Tycho and Gabe's that's their alter egos. Anyway, Tycho 573 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 1: and Gabe decided to UH to try and operate the 574 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:51,040 Speaker 1: site going back to their roots by having a crowd sourced, 575 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: crowd funded penning arcade which would allow them to get 576 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:58,320 Speaker 1: rid of their ads. So they talked about to decide 577 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 1: how much money would they need in order to run 578 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: their site add free for a year, and then came 579 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 1: up with the figure of one million dollars. Uh. Now, 580 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 1: their kick started campaign, if you were to go visit 581 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 1: that is not for one million, it's for two hundred 582 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 1: fifty thousand dollars. That's their goal, and that's their first goal. 583 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 1: The goal if they hit two undred fifty thousand dollars. 584 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: They are going to take off the leader ad that's 585 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:29,280 Speaker 1: on the main page. It goes away that space gets 586 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 1: reclaimed to the actual site um and then if they 587 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 1: go over that, they have stretch goals at every so 588 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 1: often and until you hit a million, where penny Arcade 589 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 1: ends up being ad free for a year. As of 590 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 1: the recording of this podcast, they have thirty three days 591 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 1: to go on their campaign and they've raised two d 592 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: nine thousand, six hundred twenty eight dollars, so they haven't 593 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 1: hit the two fifty thousand yet, but it's they've got 594 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 1: they've got more than a month to go. Now, the 595 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 1: controversy that's coming up here is that one paying our 596 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: kide is well established. It already exists. It does not 597 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 1: need this money in order to operate, in other words, 598 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:09,840 Speaker 1: because it already has a revenue generating model, it's got ads. 599 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: It doesn't need to be kickstarted. It it is it. 600 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 1: It's an establishment, right, it's not a it's not a startup. 601 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 1: So that's one problem that people have. It is like, well, 602 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 1: you're already there, Why do you need to go this way? 603 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 1: How does it meet the requirements of kickstarterblished. That's the 604 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:28,239 Speaker 1: other one is that they feel that this is not 605 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 1: what Kickstarter is meant for. Therefore, this is a bad 606 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:35,600 Speaker 1: idea in the sense that it takes notice away from 607 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 1: the stuff that Kickstarter is meant for. Also, it opens 608 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: up the potential door for other sites that are ad 609 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 1: based to try and follow suit, which, in the minds 610 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:50,240 Speaker 1: of some people, dilutes the brand of Kickstarter. It it 611 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:54,719 Speaker 1: means that what Kickstarter is and what it's for gets 612 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:59,280 Speaker 1: diluted because something that was unintended pops up, becomes a success, 613 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 1: inspires other people, and then you've got way more static, 614 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:05,959 Speaker 1: right because you're talking about you want to find the signal, 615 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: you want to find the thing that you want to 616 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:12,359 Speaker 1: support within Kickstarter. This opens up the opportunity for all 617 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 1: these other companies and organizations and individuals to approach Kickstarter 618 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 1: in ways that it was not intended. It becomes even 619 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:23,319 Speaker 1: harder to find the stuff that you would actually want 620 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: to support within Kickstarter's realm. Yeah, okay, so there's that, 621 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,439 Speaker 1: and then it really comes down to to the people 622 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 1: who run Kickstarter and having them make decisions on what 623 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:40,440 Speaker 1: appears and what doesn't. Precedent will approach them, and they 624 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 1: can't say, well, we don't do this. They'll be able 625 00:34:43,120 --> 00:34:47,520 Speaker 1: to say, well you did. Why is that different? Exactly exactly. Yeah, 626 00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:51,320 Speaker 1: that's a that's a dangerous thing. Is always setting presidents 627 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:55,840 Speaker 1: is always dangerous, Um, not presidents. I mean setting a 628 00:34:55,880 --> 00:35:00,600 Speaker 1: president probably is dangerous too, but precedent the h So yeah, 629 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:03,839 Speaker 1: that's that's Those are the general objections to this. Not 630 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:06,640 Speaker 1: that penny Arcade wants to take ads off its site 631 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:09,320 Speaker 1: or go to a user funded model. There's no problem 632 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 1: with that. I don't have any problem with that. I 633 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 1: don't think anyone does. The problem is using Kickstarter as 634 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:17,520 Speaker 1: the platform when perhaps there's a different platform out there 635 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 1: that they could pursue that doesn't compromise what the at 636 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:26,720 Speaker 1: least perceived purpose of that service is all about. So 637 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:30,520 Speaker 1: that's a problem. Um. And again, it may turn out 638 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:32,799 Speaker 1: that it sends up being a non story and that 639 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 1: after this no one cares, but it definitely opens up 640 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:39,919 Speaker 1: some potential issues. Um, I can see why people would 641 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:42,720 Speaker 1: be upset about it. Yeah, I've got some interesting stats 642 00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:46,320 Speaker 1: about Kickstarter in general. So again, as of the recording 643 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:49,200 Speaker 1: of this podcast, this is what you can find on 644 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 1: the Kickstarter stats page about you know how many pain 645 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:56,880 Speaker 1: projects that there have been to date, Sixty three thousand, 646 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:01,880 Speaker 1: four ninety two projects were launched UH, with a success 647 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 1: rate of just under forty percent, so more than half 648 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:10,760 Speaker 1: of these projects were not funded. UH. In fact, thirty 649 00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:13,920 Speaker 1: three thousand, three hundred ten of those sixty three thousand, 650 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 1: four ninety two did not make it. Out Of those 651 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: unsuccessful projects, UH, twenty thousand, two hundred seventy two of 652 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:26,400 Speaker 1: them raised between one and twenty percent of their goals, 653 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:29,120 Speaker 1: So they just didn't get off the ground, right, They didn't. 654 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:33,320 Speaker 1: They didn't even get the The vast majority of the 655 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 1: unsuccessful projects did not raise more than of what they wanted, 656 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:41,960 Speaker 1: So it was pretty clear for those projects well into 657 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:44,760 Speaker 1: the campaign that it just was not going to happen 658 00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 1: unless someone really opened up their wallet. The the heartbreaking 659 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:54,440 Speaker 1: stat is one seventy two unsuccessful projects got between eighty 660 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:59,200 Speaker 1: one and funded, so they were within that last twenty 661 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:02,279 Speaker 1: percent where they just needed that last little bit and 662 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:05,320 Speaker 1: they would have been funded, and they didn't make it 663 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:11,240 Speaker 1: that much. Yeah, as for the successful ones, three thousand, 664 00:37:11,239 --> 00:37:15,400 Speaker 1: one forty of the successful projects were aiming at a 665 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: thousand dollars or less as their their goal, but eighteen thousand, 666 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:25,239 Speaker 1: one hundred fifteen were aiming at between one thousand and 667 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:31,080 Speaker 1: nine thousand, nine ars. So most of the successful projects 668 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:33,560 Speaker 1: were looking for more than a grand, but less than 669 00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:37,840 Speaker 1: ten grand UH three thousand, forty three, which is almost 670 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:39,960 Speaker 1: as much as the The people who were wanted the 671 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:43,520 Speaker 1: smallest amount went for ten thousand to twenty thousand dollars 672 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:48,120 Speaker 1: or nine if you want to be specific. So a 673 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,920 Speaker 1: good portion of them we're looking for around twenty between 674 00:37:50,960 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 1: ten and twenty grand as well. So that's kind of 675 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:58,520 Speaker 1: interesting that those were the successful ones. UM that between 676 00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:02,080 Speaker 1: one and and thousands seems to be the sweet spot 677 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:07,600 Speaker 1: for UH for ambitious projects, but that the ten to 678 00:38:07,640 --> 00:38:11,440 Speaker 1: twenty is not outside the realm of possibility. I would 679 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:17,360 Speaker 1: I would wager that the majority of those successful projects 680 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:20,120 Speaker 1: that range between ten and twenty, I'd wager most of 681 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 1: those are towards the ten thousand dollar mark, not the 682 00:38:23,600 --> 00:38:28,040 Speaker 1: twenty UM. And we've seen, like you said, we've talked 683 00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:31,920 Speaker 1: about oh yeah, and we talked about um UH the pebble, 684 00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:36,480 Speaker 1: both being projects that were overfunded. That can happen. I 685 00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:39,960 Speaker 1: know there's one particular Kickstarter project that several of my 686 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,760 Speaker 1: friends supported I've actually got friends who have had Kickstarter 687 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:46,320 Speaker 1: projects which are really cool. But there's one in particular 688 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:48,799 Speaker 1: that my friends supported that I see all over the 689 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:52,720 Speaker 1: place now, which is Cards against Humanity. I heard about 690 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:55,040 Speaker 1: this not much. Okay, have you ever heard of the 691 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:57,840 Speaker 1: game Apples to Apples? So in Apples to Apples for 692 00:38:57,840 --> 00:38:59,920 Speaker 1: those of you who don't know, the way the game 693 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:04,680 Speaker 1: is played is that someone is a player, draws a 694 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:10,240 Speaker 1: card that is uh, some sort of descriptive, the word, 695 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:13,439 Speaker 1: like an adjective, like it might be um, it might 696 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:16,320 Speaker 1: be fluffy. That might be the word. And then everyone 697 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:19,439 Speaker 1: else has words in their hand on cards that say, 698 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:22,600 Speaker 1: that's a noun, some sort of noun, and they all 699 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:25,080 Speaker 1: everyone plays a card face down, and the person who 700 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:28,200 Speaker 1: played the adjective word looks at all the nouns and 701 00:39:28,239 --> 00:39:32,200 Speaker 1: decides which noun most fits the adjective they played, and 702 00:39:32,239 --> 00:39:37,319 Speaker 1: then whoever whoever played that noun wins that round right. 703 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:40,839 Speaker 1: Cards Against Humanity uses a similar idea, except they're all 704 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:46,080 Speaker 1: really really twisted and evil and nasty, and uh they 705 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:50,160 Speaker 1: show you how wicked your friends are and how twisted 706 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:53,279 Speaker 1: their minds are. So it's a huge hit, and my 707 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:56,000 Speaker 1: circle of friends I understand. I know a lot of 708 00:39:56,040 --> 00:40:00,839 Speaker 1: actors and musicians, and we are a dark and twisted lot. Uh. 709 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:04,279 Speaker 1: And sometimes listening listening in on a game is just 710 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:07,239 Speaker 1: as much fun or more than playing it. Um. There 711 00:40:07,239 --> 00:40:10,680 Speaker 1: have also been some pretty some pretty nasty canceled projects 712 00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:13,280 Speaker 1: on Kickstarter where Kickstarter has stepped in or the project 713 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:16,520 Speaker 1: has has stepped in and canceled the project once it 714 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:20,440 Speaker 1: was revealed that not everything was on the up and up. Uh. 715 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:23,960 Speaker 1: There was one called the I three Camera Drone Helicopter 716 00:40:24,640 --> 00:40:28,799 Speaker 1: UM and part of it was canceled partly because it 717 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:32,960 Speaker 1: was using photos that were copied from other projects and 718 00:40:33,040 --> 00:40:37,200 Speaker 1: other products, so it wasn't original work, so that was 719 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 1: raising some red flags. Also, it apparently the project had 720 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:46,600 Speaker 1: made some promises that were unrealistic. Uh. And here's another 721 00:40:46,600 --> 00:40:48,520 Speaker 1: thing about the Kickstarter people. They may or may not 722 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:51,239 Speaker 1: be able to figure out what is or is not 723 00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:54,200 Speaker 1: a realistic goal. You know. It's kind of like, in 724 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:57,520 Speaker 1: a way, you can compare it to the problem that 725 00:40:57,600 --> 00:40:59,759 Speaker 1: people in the patent office have, where they get a 726 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:02,879 Speaker 1: path for something, they may not be able to objectively 727 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:07,399 Speaker 1: tell whether that patent is realistic. So it's I mean, 728 00:41:07,440 --> 00:41:10,080 Speaker 1: that's an issue, right you can't you know, So that 729 00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:12,920 Speaker 1: that was one project that got originally what got the 730 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:16,400 Speaker 1: approval and then was canceled. Um. There was an adventure 731 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:21,480 Speaker 1: game that also got canceled because it was copying stuff 732 00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:26,240 Speaker 1: from intellectual property from other projects. So there are projects 733 00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:29,240 Speaker 1: that have been canceled either by Kickstarter or the project 734 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:35,279 Speaker 1: leader because they did not measure up to kickstarters qualifications. 735 00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:38,480 Speaker 1: So that can happen, and they Kickstarter does try to 736 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:40,640 Speaker 1: jump on those quickly because again, just like we were 737 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:43,360 Speaker 1: talking about in the beginning of the podcast, those negative 738 00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:48,280 Speaker 1: experiences can really impact the service as a whole. Yes, agreed, 739 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:52,359 Speaker 1: But by and large, I think, uh, it's it's going 740 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 1: to turn out to be a very valuable uh forum 741 00:41:56,239 --> 00:41:58,839 Speaker 1: for people to to get these projects funded when they 742 00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:01,960 Speaker 1: might not be able to other wise. Um, and it 743 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:07,239 Speaker 1: will probably launch careers. I would think it already has. Yeah, 744 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:10,640 Speaker 1: it's yeah, it's still a fairly young service, but yeah, 745 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:13,240 Speaker 1: it'll be It'll be interesting to see over the course 746 00:42:13,239 --> 00:42:16,880 Speaker 1: of time what what sticks. Yeah, And I'm I should 747 00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:19,600 Speaker 1: soon have an experience on my own with one of 748 00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:21,560 Speaker 1: this and then I can at least tell you what 749 00:42:21,560 --> 00:42:23,440 Speaker 1: my experience of using Kickstarter was like, I'm not going 750 00:42:23,480 --> 00:42:25,360 Speaker 1: to talk about the project because that's not the place 751 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:28,279 Speaker 1: for it, but I will. I will at least at 752 00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:30,360 Speaker 1: some point have an insider's view of what it's like 753 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:33,439 Speaker 1: to lead a project on Kickstarter, all right, So that'll 754 00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:36,279 Speaker 1: be interesting to see once that turns out one way 755 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:40,000 Speaker 1: or the other. Um, I honestly don't know what to expect. 756 00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:42,760 Speaker 1: You never can tell. All right, guys, Well, that wraps 757 00:42:42,840 --> 00:42:46,160 Speaker 1: up this discussion about Kickstarter. If you have any suggestions 758 00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:48,800 Speaker 1: for things that we should talk about in the future episodes, 759 00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:51,080 Speaker 1: please let us know. You can send as an email 760 00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 1: that address is tech Stuff at Discovery dot com, or 761 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:57,480 Speaker 1: send us a message on Facebook or Twitter. Are handled. 762 00:42:57,480 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 1: There is tech Stuff h sw and Chris and I 763 00:43:00,719 --> 00:43:04,560 Speaker 1: will talk to you again really soon for more on 764 00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:07,080 Speaker 1: this and thousands of other topics. Is it how Stuff 765 00:43:07,080 --> 00:43:13,520 Speaker 1: works dot Com brought to you by the reinvented two 766 00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:16,080 Speaker 1: thousand twelve camera. It's ready, are you