A Kickstarter Rant: where's the real innovation?

 I am a superbacker on Kickstarter, as I like gadgets and scifi, so I backed a LOT of things. But in recent years, I've noticed some trends that to me, feels a bit... off. 

1) Companies using Kickstarter to launch new product line

MiPow (it's pronounced My-Pow) using Kickstarter to launch its ultra-thin BT folding keyboard, claims to be the thinnest ever. 

Keychron uses Kickstarter to launch each of its new models before making them available for general sale on its own website. 

I am NOT knocking them on their products. I backed the Keychrone 96-key a while back and it's a good keyboard. I also backed the MiPow as I do need a folding BT keyboard (I have one and it's not as good). 

But it sort of takes away the origin story, about how Kickstarter (and IndieGogo) are for inventors who need funding to finish their project. 

2) Lack of innovation or dubious claims

The latest battle for wearable seems to be in SmartGlasses, and even Razer had joined the battle with Razer Anzu, while both Amazon (Echo Frames) and Bose (Tempo Frames) but most of those are just regular Bluetooth bone conduction speakers mounted to glasses, with a few improvements. The cheaper bone conduction BT glasses from China have already dropped under $50 on Amazon (while Bose and Amazon entries are about $200-250, and Razer Anzu as low as $150, but usually $200. They don't claim a lot of battery life though. Razer Anzu claims 5 hours. Bose claims 8 hours. Amazon is a bit cagey but relents that Echo frames get 4 hours of continuous playback. 

So when a company claimed they have BT bone conduction glasses that have 12 hours playback on Kickstarter, one should be skeptical, esp. if they also claim to be lighter than their competitors, AND does simultaneous translations. AND the early bird price is under $100. 

And so far, the team is a bit cagey showing their faces... Or reveal what is the company and team... 

Instead, they are more enthused to present the boxes and packaging. 

I don't need the translation feature, but it's kinda interesting to have. I am mainly interested in 12 hour playback without recharging. Not that many neckband headsets can claim that, muchless eyeglass BT headset. All this from an unknown team? I'm a bit skeptical, esp. when their biggest schtick (aside from the claimed translation capability with no detail) is "now with 7 different lens options!"

Dust over on Indiegogo, on the other hand, relies on a different schtick: the LED can be manually controlled to provide different levels of shade. And Bluetooth is optional. 

But really, why do most of these frames look so f-ugly? Not only are they thick as f***, they are almost all based on Wayfarer or such. More people should do what Razer does: not only 2 different frame styles (square vs rounded) they also have 2 different sizes for each style, and swappable lenses, rather than have 6 or 7 different front-frames. 

Also, I have a large head, which is why I ask if there's a large frame size or spring-hinged temples. But with arms that can't be bent, fitting will be a MAJOR issue. 

Instead, I am going to try the JLab JBuds, which are basically two Bluetooth modules that can be clipped to ANY pair of glasses. At $50 USD, it's quite affordable, but reviews generally call it "horrible sound quality". We'll see for ourselves. 

Wikileaks: really making government more accountable?

Image via WikipediaWikileaks supporters are claiming world-wide conspiracy to shut down Wikileaks for embarrassing governments worldwide. They claim we all should save Wikileaks because it is making governments more accountable.

But which governments needs to be held more accountable? Compared to hundreds of other governments and organizations, the US government is positively wide-open and transparent even BEFORE Wikileaks leaked out all this ****.

Everybody knows that when you attack a problem, you attack it where it does the most good, not where it do very little good.

For example, let's say there's a certain type of preventable accident that kills about 30 people a year, vs. 30000 people a year. Which type of accident should you try to really prevent, if it's about the same cost? The 30000 people kind, of course. Any one who go after the 30 people type will be ridiculed for being crazy and stupid.

Yet that's what Wikileaks is doing: making an already quite-open US government "accountable" when there are bazillion governments and agencies that NEEDS to be held accountable. Government in China, Iran, and so on needs some exposure. Who really makes the decisions there? What lead to those decisions? Who really ordered the Tiananmen Square massacre? What is the real GDP of China? Who really won the election in Iran? Who ordered the crackdown? What are the casualties during all those protests? Etc.

What Wikileaks really is: a media bully with delusion of gradeur.

Wikileaks: Does nothing useful except controversy

So called WikiLeaks and Julian Assange's efforts to leak huge amounts of US documents only serves to make US look bad, and does nothing really to help the situation.

While I agree that US must have accountability for its actions, much of the leaked documents only serves to embarrass US and allies, and  therefore, does not really improve the situation.

In fact, only Western countries would allow such leaks to continue. All the leaks do is destabilize the situation.

I'd be far more impressed if he managed to leak North Korea documents, or Iranian documents. As is, he's just a gossiper who managed to dig up some juicy stuff.