iCP2: They're throwing in the towel.

[sswam]

I meant every word of that update. 

"After lengthy discussions with the firmware developer & PCB designer in Canada, & the UK team, there is just not a way to move forward on this device without sinking more money into it"

I think someone should sink some more money into it, with other-than-Craig leading development.

There's an opportunity for an investor / developer to buy this thing, and make a lot of money selling the device to a lot of people.

You can't raise $200K for a bad idea, the idea is good, so I hope someone will take it on, do it right, and make something of it.

If I had a spare million I'd buy the project, debts and all, and get it done.

It seems the MWeston has done the hardest part already with the board and software, ED said even the nubs are working now.

 

[sswam]

so here's a plan:

- sell the rights to the iCP2 as it is now, including the parts - or get investment under new management

- use the sale price for full refunds (and possibly some profit)

- people who'd rather have an iCP2 than a refund can use their refund to buy one when they are made

I repeat, someone stands to make a lot of money by selling iCP2 devices to the many smartphone users on this planet.

I don't think it's acceptable to offer partial refunds WITHOUT trying to sell the IP, since you are not in that case making a best effort to raise the full amount.  (Although I don't hold Link responsible for this, of course.)

 

[ekianjo]

I don't think it's acceptable to offer partial refunds WITHOUT trying to sell the IP, since you are not in that case making a best effort to raise the full amount.  (Although I don't hold Link responsible for this, of course.)

What IP ? There's no patent or anything. There's not even a full working prototype, everything included.

A new company would be better off, financially, just doing everything from scratch. Your scenario does not make business sense. 

 

[ekianjo]

I repeat, someone stands to make a lot of money by selling iCP2 devices to the many smartphone users on this planet.

You don't know that. 200 000 Dollars is NOTHING. There are tons of other, way more profitables stuff to fund out there. Just like the Ouya, it's not because there's a niche willing to buy your product that the market is bigger than the niche. Ouya didn't sell millions after being released, as far as I know. Nobody talks about it anymore now. 

 

[ekianjo]

- sell the rights to the iCP2 as it is now, including the parts - or get investment under new management

And who's going to lead the discussions anyway, and travel to find the partners and sign the contracts, and hire lawyers and accountants to verify they are legit and so on ? You seem to be under the assumption that selling the project to another company is "free". That's not how things work IRL.

 

[vcoleiro1]

^ Actually what sswam said or is getting at does make sense.  There is nothing wrong with the product itself, it is appealing in that it has proven demand as per the successful KS funding.  Any company buying it would probably need to buy the IP for the PCB of MWeston, not sure on the case and holder.  Also, Link will probably have trouble selling the parts already on hand,. So getting a prospective company to purchase these, might be the only chance of turning those parts to cash for KS backers waiting a refund . Remember there is a worldwide shortage on those LEDs  .

 

[FaeMinx]

No community members want to step up and show craig how it's done?

I know at least a couple have deep enough pockets to take this on.

I think it would be quote poetic...

I would do it if I could, not for great profit, but for great justice!

 

[ekianjo]

There is nothing wrong with the product itself,

Nobody has seen "the product itself". I.e. the design is not even finished and functional. Only parts of it. I'd really doubt you'd convince anyone to buy this at this stage. 

 

[ekianjo]

No community members want to step up and show craig how it's done?

Who cares showing Craig how it's done ? I don't see what there is to prove here, "is there anyone else who could do it worse ?" is rather the question.

 

[sswam]

No community members want to step up and show craig how it's done?

How it might be done is to get a lot of people involved, buy the IP and thereby bail out the kickstarter refunds, and manage it in a completely open way - like blogging every step - so that any onlooker can say "WTF - why didn't you order that yet" or "you realise those boards will get rusty". I still think Craig suffers from incompetence more than malice, he's just not cut out to manage a big project like this, nor to be treasurer or PR for it, while he is very good at the promotional side. Yes, other people could do it better especially if they work together. I know that I could not manage it, nor handle the money, so I wouldn't try to do that part of it.

iCP2 rescue squad, sign up by liking this post

(fully expects to get no likes! haha)

It's a half-done project, probably some of the money has been misused. I don't think it's a lost cause to try to finish this.

 

[FaeMinx]

Sometimes, life is about giving energy to a higher good... restoring balance. The paradigm on this planet for a long long time has been driven by the need to expand by consuming... I.e. power/profit.

Things are changing... you will see more and more people / groups expanding by sharing acts of goodwill and the upliftment of all.

Like I said, I wouldn't do this for profit, but to balance out the tremendous amount of negative energy that Craig has generated by operating according to the old self serving ways.

I would do it to create a positive effect in the world, to empower and free people from limitation and to show them there is a higher good that tastes sweeter than the bitter taste they are left with now.

I would think that in this community, at least, there are many that would share this desire for the upliftment of all, and don't base their decisions / motivations on the profitability of a project.

I believe that any integrous person with their heart in the right place who took this on, would at least break even... probably with a little profit for their trouble, and the much much better reward of having changed the world for the better. Every little bit helps.

 

[ekianjo]

How it might be done is to get a lot of people involved, buy the IP and thereby bail out the kickstarter refunds, and manage it in a completely open way -

Good luck managing a project with 50 people involved Especially if you want to do it "democratically", it's a recipe for disaster.

ANyway, if you guys feel like working on this, why not. But you better get in touch with Link ASAP before he liquidates whatever was already done.  

 

[vcoleiro1]

Other controllers on KS have asked for far less , and received far less than the ICP2.  And those companies were happy to do it and plan to make a business out of it.

 

[Asmo]

If I were he I'd have spent the weekend drunk throwing darts at a board with Craig's picture on it.

But that's how I spend every weekend.

Sounds like a missed opportunity for an entry in the Crap Game competiton.

Looking at some of the stuff from the forums from 2008 makes for quite the read now, especially the banking fiasco business - and to think some wanted to grab their pitchforks and march on the bank for doubting Craig.

 

[ekianjo]

and to think some wanted to grab their pitchforks and march on the bank for doubting Craig.

There's less of these people these days, fortunately, but still too many for my taste.

 

[ramboky]

@sswam You didn't really need to post your idea on every ICP2 thread...

But to get my point across, here's what I replied elsewhere:

Who would pay for the design of a product with no working prototype and no testing whatsoever? The idea of the ICP2 is great but as Craig never produced a single unit we have no idea whether the design is actually any good.

That aside, if Craig holds the rights to the design, which I expect he does, and someone were to pay him for it, I have no doubt he'd keep the money himself and give nothing back to the backers he's screwed over. So we'd have to pay all over again. Craig wins again, we lose again. Fuck that.

People just need to get over this thing and let it die. Or if you're that keen on seeing an ICP2, design your own and perhaps start a new Kickstarter. 

It's nice to see you've finally accepted that Craig isn't some innocent victim here. It's not so nice you're still advocating giving that thief more money.

 

[ramboky]

How it might be done is to get a lot of people involved, buy the IP and thereby bail out the kickstarter refunds

To reiterate: This is the dumbest idea I've ever heard. Craig screws us all and you honestly think buying the (questionable) IP from him will somehow result in backers being refunded!? All it will result in is Craig getting more money for shafting everyone who supported him, backers will never receive a cent.

 

[Link]

I meant every word of that update. 

"After lengthy discussions with the firmware developer & PCB designer in Canada, & the UK team, there is just not a way to move forward on this device without sinking more money into it"

I think someone should sink some more money into it, with other-than-Craig leading development.

There's an opportunity for an investor / developer to buy this thing, and make a lot of money selling the device to a lot of people.

You can't raise $200K for a bad idea, the idea is good, so I hope someone will take it on, do it right, and make something of it.

If I had a spare million I'd buy the project, debts and all, and get it done.

It seems the MWeston has done the hardest part already with the board and software, ED said even the nubs are working now.

I'm might consult O'Reilly Media over the next few days.  They actually have a seed company as well.  There is hope.

 

[vcoleiro1]

^ That sounds like hope.  Fingers crossed.

 

[Annales]

Let's not get carried away. The current situation is still being reimbursed.


if there is even the remotest hope I'd rather see it as an unexpected surprise than something to really expect.