GoChess Smart board?

Do you think this Go Chess smart board is a gimmick?

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gochess-most-powerful-chess-board-ever-invented?utm_medium=email&utm_content=receipt-campaign_link&utm_source=lifecycle&utm_campaign=contribution_receipt#/updates/all

No. It not a gimmick. I have a Chessnut Air and I really enjoy it. I know you can play a game and mimics the board to the computer screen, but I really enjoy playing chess and not having to look at a screen. It works really well too.

I’ve done some research on this and other crowdfunding projects. I’ve seen some suspicious claims and posts on these forums as well.

1) the product has not delivered

2) the product is still unproven

It seems gimmicky to me but I’ll let you decide once it delivers.

please see my advisory about crowdfunding. https://www.chess.com/blog/chesslover0003/beware-of-chess-related-crowdfunding-projects

So, is GoChess a scam or not?
I was about to place an order, but I saw some negative reviews on the forum, and now I'm not sure what to do.

Can someone provide an objective opinion and let me know what legal options I have to get my money back if I never receive the chessboard (aside from filing a lawsuit, which wouldn't be worth the trouble)?

I think there's a lot of red flags for the project.

To me, a scam would be creating a campaign to intentionally deceive members with no intention of delivering a project. This would include creating deceptive images, videos or updates to mislead on the progress or product. Are they guilty of this? Were demos smoke and mirrors to show a working product (I sometimes confuse projects so I can't recall for GoChess without looking at my past notes).

Is it a scam to create a project with every intention of delivering a product but eventually fail to do that? I do not think this is a scam and it can be hard to prove otherwise. It's hard for some projects to admit failure, however, continuing to solicit donations when you know you can't or won't deliver is a scam.

This is a crowdfunding project... you did not purchase the board. You funded the project with the expectation that the project may never deliver or meet your expectations (you read the terms and conditions for the crowdfunding site right?). I'm sorry if this is harsh... the project has no obligation to refund your money.

Okay, in that case, if I don't get my money back after purchasing a chessboard that isn't delivered, I would call that a scam.

Thank you for setting things straight.

I'll pass for now, too bad.

Is it possible to buy an electronic chessboard that moves pieces automatically in a reliable manner?

The Square Off Swap chessboard seems to be out of service; I'm looking for a similar model to enjoy playing chess. If anyone has any suggestions.

It isn't a scam. They have already delivered gochess lite. The 1xr and 4xr are in development with shipping planned for April. They have had some delays. I purchased the 4xr with extra pieces and the warranty. I can't wait to get it. They have already successfully created godice, gocube, and a motion board with crowd funding.