meatpiHQ
commented
1 year ago @Hedda
Suggest you consider running a new crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter or IndieGoGo for next-generation WiCAN hardware?
The next-gen campaign will also be on Crowdsupply. I know that if I run a campaign on Kickstarter or Indiegogo i'll probably get way more backers than I did on Crowdsupply. There is a good reason for that. Mainly because Crowdsupply offer fulfillment service. All 334 backers got there orders - I've backed projects on Indiegogo and fulfillment is the downfall of most projects. There's also the matter of post campaign sales, which Crowdsupply/Mouser also offers, I'd rather focus on product development rather than fulfillment. Another thing you should know about MeatPi Electronics, this my hobby project, my focus is creating cool products and not sales.
Note that regardless of which you go with you should still really have to do your own personal marketing on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram with posts that try to draw traffic to your crowdfunding campaign.
You have a point here, I barely promote my products anywhere. I have to put more time into this.
Suggesting that you attempt to put together updated SoC and new boards or custom enclosure designs + retail packaging/boxing with an included small printed quick-start manual so to also make it attractive as a final commercial product that can be sold on the shelf of brick-and-mortar stores(?).
For the next-gen there's 2 pathways. The first one is an updated version of WiCAN with esp-c6. I will add a USB-C connector but it will still be internal because making a mold for the custom enclosure is expensive. And Retail packaging for this product is not a good idea, because there won't be much order volume.
The other path... let's call it WiCAN PRO version. I plan to support most of OBD2 protocols, and also some other peripherals. It will something like Obdlink but open source.
Maybe also add an onboard expansion port with available GPIO pins to allow optional expansion modules (like example GPS and/or LTE modem)?
Don't know about expansion modules, I like keeping things nice and neat in an OBD enclosure.
Suggest you consider running a new crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter or IndieGoGo for next-generation WiCAN hardware?
Related to the existing WiCAN next-gen (i.e. version 2) hardware discussion -> https://github.com/meatpiHQ/wican-fw/issues/9
@meatpiHQ With all the current hype around better interoperability of IoT (Internet-of-Things) devices, open-source hardware/firmware getting mentioned more in the press, and open-source (DIY) home automation applications like Home Assistant gaining popularity I believe that the idea of next-gen WiCAN hardware could really be the perfect timing for potentially having huge success if you now re-launched the WiCAN project on a larger crowdfunding campaign platform like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo, especially if included a short promotion video showing off what the existing WiCAN products can already do when show/mention that it can be integrated with many different compatible apps/applications/programs (e.i. CANbus, ELM327, RealDash, Torque, BUSmaster, SavvyCAN, SocketCAN, python-can, MQTT, Home Assistant, and potentially also interface for Thread/OpenThread in addition to WiFi and Bluetooth Low Energy).
The main benefit of Kickstarter is it has more than twice as many monthly visitors, as products launched there has a higher success rate as all project is reviewed by Kickstarter staff before launch and who are much more hands-on with helping projects succeed, and thus Kickstarter project usually get more press compared IndieGoGo which projects are not reviewed and have a much lower success rate, while IndieGoGo can be said to benefit from being marketed internationally and being more flexible with things such as offering expansions after a successful campaign.
Your track record of already running a successful crowdfunding campaign on Crowd Supply should help such a campaign, and crowdfunding campaign platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo have still a much broader reach so could increase the WiCAN userbase which normally on the software side to crowdsourcing more independent developers onboard with developing third-party integrations for other software applications.
Note that regardless of which you go with you should still really have to do your own personal marketing on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram with posts that try to draw traffic to your crowdfunding campaign. Also should reach out to both YouTubers and technical bloggers or press to let them know about the product as an upcoming/ongoing campaign, and preferably send prototype samples to influencers on YouTube, such as for example the YouTubers that are part of the "Home Assistant Creator Network":
Maybe also try reaching out to some well-known related tech enthusiasts channels with audiences interested in technical DIY, like:
As well as other tech and hacking news/blogs/vloggers
Suggesting that you attempt to put together updated SoC and new boards or custom enclosure designs + retail packaging/boxing with an included small printed quick-start manual so to also make it attractive as a final commercial product that can be sold on the shelf of brick-and-mortar stores(?).
Maybe also add an onboard expansion port with available GPIO pins to allow optional expansion modules (like example GPS and/or LTE modem)?
FYI, as proof-of-concept there are for example LilyGO T-SIM7080G and which are both ESP32-based development boards that QuickSpot Walter include GPS + LTE built-in, but it from a DIY IoT perspective optional expansion modules via a expansion port could be awesome:
Perhaps code a plug-and-play custom component official integration for Home Assistant or HACS (Home Assistant Community Store)?