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About LinkBacksRead more.Device is said to be “the world’s first PC keypad with analogue Aimpad technology”.
Read more.Device is said to be “the world’s first PC keypad with analogue Aimpad technology”.
Still really bothers me when fully functional, globally shipping, profitable companies "need" crowdfunding to make a product.
Jonj1611 (13-10-2018)
I don't think it is a matter of need, more one of reducing financial risk and seeing if the idea may be popular.Originally Posted by Ozaron
This is what marketing departments are for, surely? They don't just do the marketing, they also do the market research for new products.
This, what I'm typing right here, is 'the world's first' internet post in which a Ttaskmaster has used the word 'Cattywampus'...... Doesn't mean it's any good.
I'm surprised they didn't try some other typical marketing BS cliches.... like, "The ULTIMATE in RGB backlit peripheral keypad controller experiences"
They should, yes.... and the idea of KickStarter is that, because enough people pledge money to a product, that is sufficient evidence that it's a worthy investment in what will be a successful product.
It's more evidence-based that previous market research, which has sometimes gone horribly wrong and only became apparrent after the company had spent loads of money bringing the endeavour to market.
For example:
Nintendo Virtual Boy.
Edsel cars.
Qwikster DVD rental.
Amazon Fire phones.
Colgate frozen meals
The London Dungeon's "Dead Prostitute" adverts.
Hitler Ice-Cream
Kodak, Kodak, Kodak......!!!
While I like the idea... I think it would work better with 'displays' under the keys so they can be changed according to the app, bit like the art lebedev optimus aux keyboard , rather than needing to change key caps all the time.
It's also not really a 'new' idea, art lebedev came out with theirs back in 2008 and belkin/razor have had the nostromo out for years.
I think Kickstarter makes sense for small companies or individuals with a good idea. Bigger companies using it to offload risk onto their customers isn't ethically right in my book. The whole point of this kind of business is that risk brings reward.
I don't think big business doing what they do (in this case producing bits for PCs) should be using Kickstarter. As the customer I'm now taking the investment risk and the risk that the manufacturer will stop support if it's a flop. The manufacturer's risk? Well, let's see... erm, some time (which is paid for) and the reputational problems of being seen to need to crowd fund rather than use existing cash reserves or flow. As a proper investor I'd be asking questions about why this needs to happen.
CAT-THE-FIFTH (12-10-2018)
It's not being presented as a new idea.... just a device with some features that no-one else has done yet.
OK, I'll tell our millions of customers this same thing, and see how quickly I get shot, yes?
Better yet, I'll take millions off you in investment, and then do something risky with it, see how happy that makes you...
As is, computery things are probably so expensive now because (in part) they need to raise funds to pay for the new stuff, so either way you pay to offset their risk. In the case of certain graphics cards, they can afford to make things ridiculously expensive and withstand them flopping, because their previous stuff was so overpriced already.
Pledge a dollar now and risk the product not being popular enough, or spend a lot more dollars to buy the product later and end up utterly stuffed when it turns out to be cack and the company can no longer support it...?
Or the reputational increase from being seen to ask actual people what they actually want, instead of assuming we all want funky angled glass cases with RGB and 'GAMING BRAND' stamped across it....
It depends how you want to present yourself.
As a proper investor, you're being offered quite minimal risk, along with quite valid proof of demand from actual customers who've already paid money to get the product.... rather than risking your investment on some marketing exec's best guess on what people might want.
I see no problem with them using Kickstarter at all. It makes good business sense and offers more sound market research. I just wouldn't buy the product itself.
And for that reason, Susan, I'm out.
Two entirely different ways of looking at the same thing. Always fun.
Instead of whining about the marketing, how about paying attention to the product.
I for one loved gaming with my Belkin n52 gaming pad until the drivers for Windows were forever broken.The pressure sensitive movement keys are a nice touch and I like the idea of the keycaps, especially if they have some texture to the icon.
Only way I can see the RGB LED being anything near useful is if you can control the LEDs to under-light just a single key, or program sequences. If it's just flashing RGB, meh, turn 'em off.
We already did that.... and we felt it to be very unworthy of any particular note, merely a slight variation on products that have already done this far better and with more design consideration.
As did I..... but always wished I'd gotten the Logitech one, instead!!
The new Razer reinvention (rather than the remarketing of the existing N52 as the Nostromo) is not bad, but typical Razer flimsiness.
Which is what RGB is supposed to be in the first place.... and to be fair, often is, but marketing always just leave it on default Disco Demo mode.
it's a matter of moving the risk to the consumer and finding out if they can find enough naive ppl to boost company's profits...I don't think it is a matter of need, more one of reducing financial risk and seeing if the idea may be popular.
They won't profit much if, say, only 500 people Kickstart this.
But they will have enough to gauge whether to make lots of them, and I believe the Kickstarters generally come with various legal stuff that means backers have to get X amount of whatever was promised to them, so they're not being that naive or risky either...
The kicker will be when Star Citizen collapses and all those backers start demanding some kind of compensation. That might break things somewhat...
Why do keyboard makers insist on such *TERRIBLE* placement for keys??? This board has 24 keys, intended to be used by five fingers, with almost zero tactile sensation or placement offered to indicate where, exactly, your fingers are at. It's super easy to get "lost" while using it... Maybe using special keycaps could correct this, like some gaming keyboards offer. (Such as shaped, rubberized, textured keycaps for ASDW, like Corsair packs in its mechanical keyboards.)
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