Let me get out of the way right now that I’m specifically talking about projects that are producing a physical product of some kind. It should be relatively obvious looking at a software or creative (music/video/book) project and determine whether the individual(s) involved has the proper skill set and tools to get it done if given an infusion of cash.

Back to the matter at hand. It’s easy to see how a potential backer could get confused since you are throwing down some cash and in many cases the project has a slick video showing the very item that you want. Even if the creators have managed to produce a prototype that looks pretty good you need to remember that making a single thing given infinite time and mass producing a product on a deadline are wholly different propositions.

This takes me to another crucial point and that is to get a sense of both where the project stands at present and how clear a path they have to completion. Kickstarter’s guideline changes should help you with this as project creators are forced to disclose this information, but it’s still incumbent on you to carefully read and consider what they reveal there. The key is really just to not get caught up in a wave of excitement after seeing the project on some website or in a tweet saying “Ermahgerd berst Kercksterter Erver!” and then clicking “back this project” before the pitch video finishes playing.

A good project should give you everything you need in the post itself and if you see a number of unanswered questions regarding what they are going to do and how they are going to do it then chances are they either haven’t thought everything through properly or they are deliberately witholding problems and either way that isn’t something you want to throw money at (unless you are a secret millionaire in which case have at it). I’m not saying don’t back those projects, but I would definitely put them on the spot in comments and see how they respond. All of the successful Kickstarter projects that I’ve seen to date have been highly responsive to feedback be it praise or criticism.

I’ve backed half a dozen projects on Kickstarter spending about $215 to date and have received three of them, two are still being worked on five months and four months after their projected delivery dates and one was not funded. Only one of the projects that I backed actually made their delivery deadline so I’d always tack another 3-4 months onto whatever the creator tells you and then you can be pleasantly surprised if they kick the trend.

Once again the key to a good Kickstarter experience as a backer is to be more focused on the project than the product. If you carefully review everything about the project you will probably have a solid success rate on getting those products, but if watching the project creator work toward delivering that product isn’t at least half the experience for you then you should just wait for that thing to hit the store shelves.

Always Innovating has a slightly new spin on the idea with their wee quadcopter above known as the MeCam. So what sets this lilliputian flying machine apart from its larger cousins?

First of all the MeCam isn’t controlled using either a traditional remote or by pairing it to a phone app. If you gently toss the MeCam into the air it will simply hover in place. From there the user can opt for voice commands or a standing follow-me order to keep their flying companion in line.

The central function of the MeCam, as the name suggests, is as a camera and the resulting video can be streamed to an Android or iOS device and then shared out to the social network of the users choice.

The last major differentiator is that Always Innovating believes that the MeCam could be brought to market for around $49 which is seems like a steal when compared to the $299 AR.Drone. The catch is that they aren’t planning to release the MeCam themselves so final say on the cost isn’t up to Always Innovating and the earliest they anticipate someone getting it on shelves is early 2014.

Certainly the MeCam isn’t going to be for everyone, but it’s one of those things that just sounds like a hell of a lot of fun to play around with regardless of practical utility. Always Innovating also stresses that it is built on open source software and hardware so I’m sure a community could quickly sprout up to squeeze every last ounce of functionality out of its diminutive form.

• Source: Always Innovating
  Via: The Verge

I started the blog writing mostly about Android, which led to my job at Android and Me over two years ago. Naturally I stopped writing about Android here at that point and never really locked down where I was going with the blog after that.

The posts I did get around to writing were usually projects that I was working on, but that led to my only posting every couple months and really what’s the point in that. So I’m starting over fresh to use this as just my general outlet for any tech related musings I have that aren’t specifically Android related, but are more than 140 characters.

My goal is to share one cool thing I find every day whether that’s a website, an app or hardware. I started this site because I love all things tech and this new direction seems like the best way to ensure I keep sharing and expanding my own tech horizons.