Author Topic: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?  (Read 97537 times)

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Offline mamalala

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #200 on: January 14, 2015, 03:34:56 am »
When I read that I thought they were saying that it's an opportunity for those who are disillusioned to drop out. By implication that would mean that if you are still interested you would contribute to the new funding, if not you won't. What's already been paid is gone, and if you don't cough for the new funding you will see and get nothing.

But there's the mention of a refund, so maybe it is as y'all say after all.  :-//

Well, i think the crucial part is "... people who no longer wish to support Soap and we are going to be processing returns for those people. The final campaign will allow this to happen easier ..." I fail to interpret that as anything else than they wanting to use the new campaign money to reimburse those that  withdrew from the old campaign.

But who knows, english isn't my native tongue, so ...

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Offline suicidaleggroll

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #201 on: January 14, 2015, 04:51:00 am »
Well, i think the crucial part is "... people who no longer wish to support Soap and we are going to be processing returns for those people. The final campaign will allow this to happen easier ..." I fail to interpret that as anything else than they wanting to use the new campaign money to reimburse those that  withdrew from the old campaign.

But who knows, english isn't my native tongue, so ...

It is mine, and I get the same impression as you...
 

Offline dext0rb

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #202 on: January 16, 2015, 10:47:45 pm »
There were at CES and I was curious how much it actually costs to get some space there:
http://www.inc.com/ilya-pozin/what-it-costs-to-exhibit-at-ces.html

They probably spent at least half (eh, maybe not half. still a waste of a lot of money that could have gone to development....)(edit2: actually, probably a paltry amount compared to the money collected. Still....a good investment???) the crowd-funded money on going to CES and showing up with nothing more than bars of soap. :wtf:

They have to have some very gullible external investors also on the hook for this. :palm:
« Last Edit: January 17, 2015, 10:05:38 pm by dext0rb »
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Online tom66

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #203 on: January 16, 2015, 11:50:16 pm »
CES could cost them at least ~$70k? And all they do is hand out some silly soap bars?

These people are more stupid than I previously thought. I had thought that perhaps they were just naive but that's just plain stupid.
 

Offline madires

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #204 on: January 17, 2015, 12:23:53 pm »
CES could cost them at least ~$70k? And all they do is hand out some silly soap bars?

These people are more stupid than I previously thought. I had thought that perhaps they were just naive but that's just plain stupid.

If they would be such stupid they wouldn't have managed to collect all the money via Kickstarter and Indiegogo. It looks more likely to be a new business model, i.e. how to extract money from "investors" using clever marketing and never deliver anything.
 

Online tom66

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #205 on: January 17, 2015, 04:58:51 pm »
I don't think they intended to scam. But, they were clearly well over their heads. I'm guessing they expected that designing a PCB would be easy - that they wouldn't need anything more than basic electronics knowledge.  But then they go and spend $70k on CES, which makes me think they are even more naive.
 

Offline Rasz

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #206 on: January 17, 2015, 08:06:28 pm »
most likely at this point there is some VC behind them, and PR spending like CES is a no brainer when your exit strategy is selling 'hot innovative iot/home automation startup' to a bigger sucker
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Online Kean

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #207 on: January 17, 2015, 09:44:49 pm »
Please stop talking about $70k - Soap Inc definitely didn't spend anything like that to attend CES.

According to the news page on http://www.soapapp.us
Quote
Soap was featured in Eureka Park at CES 2015
And as mentioned in the article linked earlier about CES costs:
Quote
If you're just starting out and the above costs are out of reach, another option for first-time exhibitors is Eureka Park, a space located in the Venetian hotel (not the convention center) dedicated specifically to start-ups. There, a 10x10 foot booth will run about $1,000.
Just to be clear, I am in no way defending their behaviour - this has been a total train wreck from the beginning.
As engineers we should be sticking to facts, although some added humour always helps.
 

Offline dext0rb

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #208 on: January 17, 2015, 10:02:06 pm »
Please stop talking about $70k - Soap Inc definitely didn't spend anything like that to attend CES.

According to the news page on http://www.soapapp.us
Quote
Soap was featured in Eureka Park at CES 2015
And as mentioned in the article linked earlier about CES costs:
Quote
If you're just starting out and the above costs are out of reach, another option for first-time exhibitors is Eureka Park, a space located in the Venetian hotel (not the convention center) dedicated specifically to start-ups. There, a 10x10 foot booth will run about $1,000.
Just to be clear, I am in no way defending their behaviour - this has been a total train wreck from the beginning.
As engineers we should be sticking to facts, although some added humour always helps.

Thanks for posting this. I went pretty overboard in my assumption. Big mistake; I'll admit it.
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Online Kean

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #209 on: January 17, 2015, 10:08:51 pm »
Thanks for posting this. I went pretty overboard in my assumption. Big mistake; I'll admit it.
No worries.  It is quite eye opening how much is spent by companies at exhibitions.

It would be good to see some accounting of how Soap have spent the money, as suggested by several backers in comments.
Of course, I doubt that will ever happen - even if/when they finally admit they can't afford to refund everyone or ship physical product.
 

Offline BlueBill

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #210 on: January 17, 2015, 10:48:38 pm »
The Soap Router is pie in the sky, it'll never see market. The whole project is smoke and mirrors. Get your money back if you can...
 

Offline snoopy

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #211 on: January 18, 2015, 03:01:31 am »
I believe that's the textbook definition of a Ponzi scheme. :-DD

Berni Madoff ?
 

Offline SeanB

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #212 on: January 18, 2015, 11:52:31 am »
I believe that's the textbook definition of a Ponzi scheme. :-DD

Berni Madoff ?

He was the fall guy, they were all doing it, but Bernie was the smallest one so got the whole lot landed on him.
 

Online PA0PBZ

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #213 on: January 18, 2015, 12:14:12 pm »
Meet Charles Ponzi, the inventor:

Keyboard error: Press F1 to continue.
 

Offline dext0rb

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #214 on: January 20, 2015, 10:26:36 pm »
3rd times a charm?

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/control-your-home-network-devices-from-your-phone

 |O

Videos are bullshit mockups. Again they claim all these features, works with XYZ, does everything. Yup.  :bullshit:
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Online tom66

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #215 on: January 21, 2015, 12:10:34 am »
I reported it to Indiegogo, worth a shot, eh? Maybe if they get enough reports they'll take it down. I hate to see more people ripped off by another scam.
 

Offline Rasz

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #216 on: January 21, 2015, 02:17:05 am »
I reported it to Indiegogo, worth a shot, eh? Maybe if they get enough reports they'll take it down. I hate to see more people ripped off by another scam.

+1, also reported it, but I doubt they will take it down, even scam campains make them money (like haelbo)
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Offline madires

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #217 on: January 21, 2015, 11:54:11 am »
The new soap router is a mini ITX running OpenWRT? How exciting  :-DD
 

Online Kean

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #218 on: January 21, 2015, 12:17:48 pm »
The new soap router is a mini ITX running OpenWRT? How exciting  :-DD
Not mini ITX, but a repackaged AxiomTek NA341.  Boring!  :=\
And no touch screen, which was one of the big draw cards for many backers along with Android (not that anyone with sense would run Android as a router).

I don't think anyone has linked to this new article about the new "management talent"
http://www.cepro.com/article/exclusive_board_member_on_soap_home_automation_third_indiegogo_campaign/

Unfortunately what Soap is doing with their latest campaign is unlikely to be considered prohibited by IGG's terms, so they'll be happy to just let it run its course.
 

Offline dext0rb

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #219 on: January 21, 2015, 04:48:14 pm »
The new soap router is a mini ITX running OpenWRT? How exciting  :-DD
I don't think anyone has linked to this new article about the new "management talent"
http://www.cepro.com/article/exclusive_board_member_on_soap_home_automation_third_indiegogo_campaign/


Quote
Soap determined, based on Lundwall’s recommendation, that it shouldn’t be in the hardware business, competing with the likes of Cisco. Instead they should do something unique, like creating a software-based home automation platform

Right. Because remember when they had all those hardware "partners" and secret meetings with "big players" in the router industry?  :blah:

Quote
By the end of CES, he says, more than 120 manufacturers had talked to Soap about integrating their products into the Soap ecosystem.

This is the case, he says, despite Soap’s not having Beta software to show these presumed partners.

This is the biggest load of bullshit ever. No sane manufacturer is going to invest development time and money on some unproven "product" that isn't even able to be demonstrated...nobody is earnestly going to join you guys because you made a video that shows some icons and push buttons. Unreal. These guys are hard bullshitters or super naive weirdos...either way, here they are, vacuuming up more money.   :-//

Same fluff as before. 
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Offline Smokey

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #220 on: January 21, 2015, 05:31:58 pm »
HA!  I just saw the new indigogo campaign only has a goal of $1000 USD!!!! Way to aim low guys!
 

Online Kean

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #221 on: January 21, 2015, 05:40:33 pm »
This is the biggest load of bullshit ever.
Well said!  Nicely sums up all that is Soap Inc.  This new guy is made of the same cloth...
 

Offline Rasz

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #222 on: January 21, 2015, 11:41:39 pm »
HA!  I just saw the new indigogo campaign only has a goal of $1000 USD!!!! Way to aim low guys!

Its actually quite 'clever'. "$1000 Fixed Funding", meaning it actually works like Flexible Funding after you manage to get first $1000 - brilliant.

http://www.cepro.com/article/both_owners_of_indiegogo-funded_soap_filed_for_bankruptcy_recently

here is a picture of Soap router:
https://archive.today/ffWmC
haha
« Last Edit: January 21, 2015, 11:56:10 pm by Rasz »
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Online tom66

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #223 on: January 22, 2015, 12:39:47 pm »
Well, luckily they haven't suckered much more than $1,000 yet. It sucks that people have to lose even that much, but it's not as bad as another $100,000 scampaign.

I got a standard bullshit reply bad from indiegogo, saying how they will be "closely monitoring" the campaign. Closely monitoring it to make sure they get their fees, I'm sure.

Quote
Hi there,

Thank you for checking in about this campaign. At this time, the campaign, is under review to ensure that it adheres to our Terms of Use (http://www.indiegogo.com/about/terms).

So what happens now? We will include the information you have provided along with all other information at our disposal in our review of the campaign. In some cases, we will contact the campaign owner for more information or have them edit their campaign and it will remain on our platform. If we find the project or campaign owner doesn't follow our rules, we may remove the campaign. We may also restrict the campaign owner's future activities on Indiegogo.

To protect our users' privacy, we're unable to share the action we take. At Indiegogo, we take the trust and safety of our community very seriously and we greatly appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this review process. To learn more about Indiegogo’s Trust & Safety effort, please visit: www.indiegogo.com/trust

Please note that you do not need to contact us again. Doing so would create a new ticket and prolong the process. Thank you again for taking the time to get in touch with us and for helping to keep Indiegogo a safe and secure platform.
 

Offline BlueBill

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Re: Soap router - HW specs too good to be true?
« Reply #224 on: January 22, 2015, 05:25:39 pm »
A long list of Soap articles...
http://www.cepro.com/topic/tag/soap
 


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