Crowdfunding Roundup: Sound Prizm, Addams Family, and Notion
Each 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.
Let's start off this week's roundup with a winner! I always love it when a project already has its funding, and we can help push those projects through stretch goals. In this case, the funding goals were modest -- $1000 -- but the Sound Prizm natural sound projection and docking station is an acrylic iPhone/iPad stand that helps channel the sound out of your device's speakers and into a room. It looks good, too! 135 percent funded with 38 days to go.
FarSight Studios has a wonderful mission -- to bring classic pinball machines to the digital age. The group has already made digital versions of the Twilight Zone, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Terminator 2: Judgement Day pinball machines that are available on gaming consoles and iOS devices. Now they're seeking funds to take the classic Addams Family machine digital. Who wouldn't want to see this amazing pinball machine on their iPad? The project is 53 percent funded with 24 days to go, and you can help push it over the top.
Yeah, companies like Logitech keep trying to make the "universal remote", but these guys want to make everything controllable from your smartphone. AnyMote is designed to control all of your devices, whether they're audio/video gear, power plugs, air conditioners, or anything else that can be controlled via some sort of remote. This project is already funded -- 222 percent of goal with three weeks to go.
Loop Labs of Denver has a great idea for another home automation system. This one is also fully-funded (176 percent) with 27 days to go, so you can jump into being a backer of a really cool project with assurance that it's probably going to be on the market soon. Notion consists of a hub and an intelligent sensor that performs the tasks of seven different sensors. The sensors are battery-powered and last two years, so you can put 'em just about anywhere for monitoring from your iPhone.
All of us bearded, balding male tech bloggers want beautiful skin, so we're all going to put our money on this next project. FaceCare is a smart skin analyzer for smart phones that will make sure that your skin is well-hydrated and glowing. But it needs a little support from the world right now -- it has no funding with 22 days to go. Ouch!
Sometimes when I'm in bed trying to get comfortable while looking at my iPad, I wish I had something like this next product. Mükava Tables are adjustable to a number of heights and positions, so that you can move the iPad into a position where you are comfortable. It's a unique design, and I was impressed with how top-notch the manufacturing looks. It's only 25 percent funded with 13 days to go, so if you want to see this project come to life, please open your wallet now.
It's another external battery project! And they come in bunches -- 4, 6 or even 8! It's PowerKnots, billed as the "last backup battery you'll ever need." It comes with a docking station and a bunch of little, ummm, knots that are the batteries. Don't know if this one is going to make the cut, though. It's only 2 percent funded with 25 days left in the campaign.
This week's last project is a tracking device again -- but this one is different, because it's rechargeable. Tintag looks like a cool idea, and it is well on its way to being funded -- 75 percent funded with 50 days left. It comes with a charging base for the tags, which can be linked to more than just one device.
And with that, another week's worth of Apple-related crowdfunding campaigns slips past. We'll be back next Thursday for another roundup of crowdfunded projects that you can support or ignore. 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.
