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Etcher iPad case works like a real Etch A Sketch
We get to see all sorts of Kickstarter projects here at TUAW. There are the incredibly successful and "why didn't I think of that" projects like the Pebble e-paper watch (now at well above US$10 million in funding) or the Une Bobine iPhone cable (fully-funded, as discussed on TUAW TV Live). And then there are projects like the Etcher iPad case that might be technologically cool, but impractical as hell. The Etcher is an iPad case that looks and works like an Etch A Sketch. Sure, there are other Etch A Sketch cases for iPad, but how many of them work just like an Etch A Sketch? You can turn the knobs, which cause a line to be drawn on an app on the iPad. You can save and share your works of art, and then erase the Etcher app screen with a shake of the case. The Etcher iPad case has been developed by a crack team of tech wizards -- Ari Krupnik, who has developed a number of successful iPhone and iPad peripherals; Maarten Dinger, who was on the design team for the Flip camcorder; and Lee Felsenstein, one of the original members of the Homebrew Computer Club in the 1970s and designer of the original Osborne 1. Now, to get to the main point of my post. Yes, this is very cool. Yes, it's officially licensed by Ohio Art, the folks who make the "real" Etch A Sketch. But is it really practical? The Etcher will apparently sell for about US$45 provided it gets funded. For that amount, you can buy three original Etch A Sketch toys from Amazon and probably have enough change left over to buy a latte. Drop the original on the floor and break it (unlikely, since they seem indestructible), and you just have a mess to clean up -- not a broken iPad. At this early date, the Etcher has about $10,000 of a planned $75,000 goal, with almost a month left to go. And no, I am not going to back this project. How about you?
Insert Coin: Etcher, the fully functional Etch A Sketch iPad case
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Visions of the iPad as a modern-day Etch A Sketch have so far been primarily decorative: they've been more about remembering youth than recreating it. That's why Ari Krupnik & Associates' officially-sanctioned Etcher iPad case project on Kickstarter stands out. Those knobs? They work, and they're Made for iPad certified. And, as the Etcher is a product of the digital era, your creations in the custom-written app can be saved and shared to Facebook, Flickr or even YouTube as a time lapse video. Shaking the Etcher will still erase your image -- it just doesn't have to disappear forever this time. Your pledge level determines not only what variety of Etcher case you get, but how much control you get over the project. Committing $45 is all it takes for the nostalgic red, but if you spend $60, $75 or $100, you'll have the additional options for blue or a special backer-only color. Those at the $100 level get to vote on what color they and the $75 pledge-makers will see. A $175 outlay will provide early access to the software development kit as well as a say in what open-source license the code will use. Moving up to $210 or $360 will give you that control as well as an accordant five or 10 Etcher cases. If you like what you see, you have just over a month to contribute and make the iPad drawing add-on a reality.
Epilog Zing, your personal laser engraver
Do you have $8000 to blow? Have you been dying to open a laser tattoo parlor? Well guess what? It's your lucky day. The folks at Epilog would like you to meet the Zing, a $7,995 laser etcher / printer that can not only scar you for life, but can also leave a personalized stamp of your choosing on anything that you can fit into it. If you've seen engraved iPods, Zunes, or MacBooks, you get the idea of what this device can do. The Zing is made to tackle almost any material, be it wood, plastic, leather, glass, or various metals (of course), though we're fairly certain the company doesn't condone or recommend taking this baby to your precious, supple skin. Check out a video of it doing what it does best on an iPhone after the break.[Via Gearlog]
