Crowdfunding Roundup: Four for the Fourth
Every week, TUAW provides readers with an update on new or significant crowdfunded Apple-related projects in the news. While our policy is to not go into detail on items that haven't reached at least 80 percent of their funding goal, this update is designed to give readers a heads-up on projects they might find interesting enough to back.
Holidays don't stop the minds behind crowdfunded projects, with each day another chance to get the word out about a campaign to fund the development of something new. In honor of Independence Day in the USA, here are four campaigns that
Qi chargers are starting to get pretty popular in the iPhone world, allowing users to simply drop an iPhone protected by a Qi charging case onto one of the wireless charging devices. The only problem is that a lot of the chargers are quite ugly! Not so with Pond, a wireless/cordless charging tray crafted out of wood in black enamel, maple, or walnut finishes. Pair that up with a Stream charging case for your iPhone -- also available in a wood finish -- and you have quite the charging duo. Pond is about 10 percent funded with four weeks to go, so there's still time to get your pledge in.
Luxo lamps have inspired a lot of people with their adjustability -- after all, Luxo Jr. is the character who bounces his way into the Pixar movie logo. Now comes Stan, a retro-inspired smartphone and tablet holder. Stan has about a month of funding to go, and is currently almost 17 percent funded. And kudos for picking the wackiest retro organ music for the video!
Necessity is the mother of invention. For Matt Mogol, having little ones who wanted to bang on a laptop keyboard while watching their favorite videos was a pain -- not only was it hard on the laptop keyboard, but it usually stopped whatever video the child was watching. Enter Kid Lid, a removable keyboard cover that lets toddlers watch their videos while driving their toy cars or walking stuffed animals over that keyboard. It's just about 13 percent funded with four weeks to go.
App: The Human Story is a documentary about the cultural phenomenon of apps. Featuring a who's-who of iOS app developers and characters from the world of Apple, Story & Pixel is attempting to raise $100,000 to get the video off the ground. They're well on their way, with about 31 percent funding with four weeks left. Be sure to back this one, since who doesn't want to see and hear more from John Gruber, Jason Snell, Marco Arment, Jean MacDonald, and others in the pantheon of app notables.
Next week we should have a more complete roundup of projects from Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and other crowdfunding sources. Many thanks again to Hal Sherman for providing some tips about new and exciting projects, and if you're aware of any other crowdfunded Apple-related projects, be sure to let us know about them through the Tip Us button at the upper right of the TUAW home page for future listing on the site.
As they used to say, "Have a Safe and Sane Fourth of July"!
