EverDock
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Crowdfunding roundup: All Kickstarter this week
Every week, TUAW provides readers with an update on what new or significant crowdfunded Apple-related projects are 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. Note that we're not covering those "projects" on Indiegogo where people are trying to get someone else to cough up money for a new computer or tablet... From Kickstarter: The SITU Smart Food Nutrition Scale is a project that is close to home -- it's the brainchild of our buddy Michael Grothaus, who struggled with weight problems until he hit upon the idea of weighing and tracking his food. Fast forward to today, when he's Kickstarting SITU, a smart food scale and app combo that works to help you achieve your goals. SITU beams food weight information to the app, which then instantly displays the nutritional values for whatever you're planning on putting into your mouth. If you just want to track calories, keep an eye on sugar, or watch salt intake, the SITU scale and app will help you do it. The project launched today and seeks £35,000 in funding -- it's already at £1,602 after just a few hours. Sure, there are a lot of fitness trackers for the amateurs out there, but what if you are a real athlete? The XBand Speed Pro Agility and Acceleration Trainer project seeks funding to begin mass production of devices (an body module, finish line module, smartphone adapter) and an app to help aspiring athletes train for speed. With 35 days to go, the XBand Speed Pro project has but a scant $688 pledged towards a lofty $150,000 goal. But who knows? Perhaps there are enough budding football, basketball, baseball, or track professionals out there to get this one funded, and it would certainly be much more affordable than hiring a full-time coach. Now here's an idea that will make your keychain even more bulky than it already is -- the PulsePak mini battery pack. It's designed to give you just enough juice to handle an emergency. The 300 mAh battery pack will last for up to four months on a charge, so you'll need to set a reminder to plug it in at least three times a year. At this time, the PulsePak team is aiming at Android devices with a mini-USB model, but by pledging $2 or more and giving the team the word that you'd like an iPhone version, they'll consider development. With about a month to go, PulsePak only has $815 pledged toward a $25,000 goal. The guys who made the popular EverDock are back at it again with a new project that is soaring towards funding. The EverDock Go is billed as a universal card dock for iPhone and Android, and FŪZ Designs is already at about 70 percent funding with 44 days to go. The device slips into a cup holder in your car and can be used with any type of charging cable -- Lightning, 30-pin Dock connector, micro-USB, or whatever comes out next. At Macworld/iWorld 2014 I saw an iPhone case that had an assortment of tiny screwdrivers built into it, and while that's useful, tiny screwdrivers do not make a complete toolkit. MyTask builds a little toolbox into the back of an iPhone case that contains some tools that are actually useful. There are actually three different versions planned -- Bike, Urban and Stash -- that all have slightly different tool sets. The Bike version (below), for example, contains three tire patches and a tire roughener, flathead and Phillips screwdrivers, two spoke wrenches, four box wrenches, six Allen wrenches, two tire irons, a pedal and axle wrench, and a bottle opener! It's about 30 percent funded with 19 days to go -- I hope this one gets pushed over the top by TUAW readers before the bike season kicks in. I'm not sure about this Kickstarter. The Recoil Armband uses an armband to hold your iPhone in place while running or riding, and then has a retractable "leash" to make sure that even if you drop your phone, it's not going anywhere. While it is only 2 percent funded, there are 41 days to go in the campaign. 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. And no, we won't post projects that are predominantly oriented towards the world of Android.
EverDock Kickstarter universal dock blasts by funding goal, looks great
With rare exceptions, I prefer not to write about Kickstarter and Indiegogo projects until there's a good possibility that the project will be funded. In the case of a new, truly universal dock created by Utah-based FŪZdesigns called the EverDock, the project is not only well past its funding goal of US$50,000 with 20 days to go, but the design looks so good I may end up backing it. The idea is that too many times, smartphone owners purchase a dock only to have their needs change in a couple of years. For many iPhone and iPad owners, the advent of the Lightning cable made old docks obsolete, and there are people who switch from micro-USB-based Android phones to those Lightning-connected iPhones and vice-versa. With each switch of device or charging technology, users usually end up buying a new dock. EverDock is designed to allow easy, tool-free swapping of the electrical / data end of the charging and sync cable. For example, it will support a 30-pin dock connector device, and can then be set up for a new iPhone with a Lightning connector in a matter of minutes. Need to charge both an iPhone in a Mophie Juice Pack Helium battery case (micro-USB) and a new iPad mini (Lightning)? No problem -- they've designed a dual dock that will hold both. If you have a case on your device, that shouldn't be a problem either; the EverDock is designed to accept most cases. At this time, backers can pre-order one of the aluminum EverDocks in silver, space gray or gold for a pledge of just $49. The EverDock Duo (two-device) model is just a bit more at $69. If FŪZdesigns reaches a $200,000 stretch goal, they'll let purchasers select the color of the silicone inserts that cover the top of the dock.
