Backing a Kickstarter is not "pre-ordering". Kickstarter is not a store. Maybe you feel more confident because this is Pebble, but the distinction remains. Buying something from Kickstarter is not placing an order for something. It's investing in an idea.
There are significant differences between a pre-order and backing. There are accounting differences for Kickstarter and there are less guarantees for backers than for pre-orders. You aren't entitled to any of your money back, support, or timeliness. Pebble Time showed up at Best Buys before backers got their watches. I bought my Pebble Time from the pebble website and people were still complaining about having backed the kickstarter.
With a kickstarter you're shooting your money into the void and hope something comes back to you. With a pre-order you're legally entitled to a product or your money back and receive benefits from the various federal and state laws that govern how businesses do commerce.
Fair point about timeliness, but where did you get the idea that you're not entitled to your money back or support? From the Kickstarter page:
> We stand firmly behind our products. Each Pebble product includes with a 30 day (after you receive it) money back guarantee and minimum 1 year limited warranty.
I'm also sure he doesn't need us to tell him the differences between kickstarter order and a true pre-order.