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Crowdfunding Roundup: New Apple-related projects
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. From Kickstarter SPIN is billed as a premium in-ear audio solution that provides a very cool cord-retraction mechanism in an aluminum casing to destroy cord tangling once and for all. One of the co-founders of SPIN, Kevin Brennan, hails from LUNATIK -- we're big fans of their products here at TUAW. The campaign has about a month to go and is currently at about 4.5 percent of the $125,000 necessary to bring this product to life. When I first saw FretPen, I immediately thought that this diminutive guitar fell out of Jim Dalrymple's ample Beard™. I'll let the video below give you an idea of how amazing this thing is when used with your iPhone. And it's also usable as a pen! Which reminds me of The Who's "Guitar and Pen"... but I digress. With 26 days to go, it's about a third of the way towards funding. YOU CAN PUSH IT OVER THE TOP ... YEEEEEAAAHHHHH! DARWINmachine wants to evolve the iPad stand, which is why they've designed the F2 iPad/Tablet Stand. It has about three weeks to go, and is about 40 percent funded. F2 is a professionally-machined piece of gear that not only looks futuristic, but works well too. Give it a look if you're tired of the same old iPad stands that are currently on the market. The Star Trek Tricorder is closer than you think. The SCiO pocket molecular scanner from Consumer Physics is amazing. Use it with your iPhone and it uses infrared spectroscopy to do some amazing things -- tell you what the nutritional value of a food is, identify a medication, or determine how ripe a piece of fruit is. Unsurprisingly, SCiO is already 188 percent funded with about six weeks to go. We covered Lunecase yesterday in a breakout post, and it's bleepin' amazing. Lunecase is an iPhone case that harnesses the electromagnetic energy from your phone to power a display on the back. The case "knows and identifies when users receive an SMS message or a phone call before it is even displayed on the iPhone's screen." Lunecase is 180 percent funded with five weeks to go, but you can still get in on the fun. Would you buy a Lightning or micro-USB cable if it had a lifetime warranty? One of the primary issues with existing cables is that there's no strain relief around the actual plugs, so the cables become frayed and unusable way too quickly. Snakable uses a patent-pending strain-relief assembly to keep your cables in one piece. The Lightning cables will be Apple MFi-certified, and the project is about 10 percent funded with three weeks to go. Get to work, backers! Hat tip to Hal Sherman for feeding us this one! And although I was a day late in getting this week's crowdfunding roundup to "press", that's all I've got this week. Be sure to join us next week for even more great projects that could use your funding dollars. 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. Just make sure that they actually have a valid reason for existing, OK?
You shouldn't buy the Lunatik Touch Pen, but you should definitely buy the Lunatik Touch Pen
My experience reviewing the Lunatik Touch Pen was a unique one. I had two of the pens sent to me, and at first glance they appeared to be identical aside from the color. One was black and the other, which was in nearly identical, but slightly more bulky packaging, was silver. Both said "Lunatik Touch Pen" on the front, so I opened the black one and tried it out. Impressions The pen portion of the device is great, and I totally love the rolling ball tip and gel ink. As a pen, it's a bit bulky, but it's absolutely above average. When you click the pen closed the rubbery tip can then be used as a stylus for your iDevice, at least in theory. In practice the stylus takes a great deal of pressure to register on the screen of both my iPad and iPhone. Definitely not ideal, and certainly not on par with my other styli I've used in the past. I was all set to write a pretty scathing review of it, and then I examined the second pen that was sent along. I unpacked and realized that unlike the black one I had tested, this one was made out of aluminum. I flipped the package over and noticed that, unlike the front of the box which is a direct copy/paste of the plastic version, the rear notes that this version is the "Touch Pen Alloy." Aha! So what's the verdict? The Touch Pen Alloy is one of the greatest things I've ever had on my desk. Unlike its plastic counterpart, which requires that your fingers are in constant, firm contact with the rubberized grip, the Alloy version works as a stylus no matter how you hold it. And when I say it "works" I mean it's recognized the moment you touch it to the your screen, rather than requiring you to press the pen down with the force of a falling asteroid. Oh, and the super-smooth gel pen housed within still works like a charm. It's a little bit on the large side, even for me, and I typically have an issue with pens and styli being too small for my mitts. If you have particularly small hands, you might feel like you're holding a young tree trunk, but overall it's not a deal breaker. Specifications Dimensions: 6 in x 4 in Materials: Aircraft-grade aluminum barrel (Alloy version), Polymer barrel (plastic version), graphite clip, silicone rubber grip Conclusion I'm torn. If you saw both of these device on a store shelf, and didn't bother to take the time to compare the rear of each package, you'd never know the difference between the two. Well, aside from the fact that the plastic version is US$19.95 and the metal one is $39.95. On one hand, the "Alloy" Touch Pen is a fantastic accessory and an easy recommendation, even at the rather steep asking price, and on the other hand the plastic version is essentially a $20 gel pen. Rather than lump these two together, as the company seems to have done with its identical packaging and product design, I'll issue two scores. Rating: Out of 4 possible stars Touch Pen (Plastic) Touch Pen (Alloy) Giveaway Dare to tempt fate? We're giving away both of these beauties, so entering will give you a shot to win either the plastic or (far superior) alloy version of the Touch Pen. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 13 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before March 9, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive either a Lunatik Touch Pen valued at $19.95 or a Lunatik Touch Pen Alloy valued at $39.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Some Lunatik has made a Flak Jacket for your iPad mini
Whether you have one of the original iPad minis or you're planning on getting the new Retina display model when it arrives later this month, you're going to want some protection for it. Lunatik has a really basic -- but very protective -- sleeve for your iPad mini called the Flak Jacket (US$49.95) that you'll want to take a look at. The Flak Jacket is made of microfiber to cradle your iPad mini softly, but has a tough exterior with a 3D grid-like surface in one of three colors -- black, mint (kind of a teal) or pink -- that provides a good grip for carrying. When you slip your mini into the Flak Jacket (with or without Apple's Smart Cover), you can be sure that it's not going to slide back out thanks to a magnetic closure at the top. The protection isn't going to weigh you down, either. The Flak Jacket weighs in at just three ounces on my postal scale. I'd love to see Lunatik make a Flak Jacket for the iPad Air, as it would be the perfect minimalist sleeve to accompany Apple's newest tablet. Conclusion Want relatively inexpensive, but tough protection for your iPad mini? This is it. With the Flak Jacket covering your iPad mini and a Smart Cover, you're carrying an incredibly thin package. Pros Tough exterior keeps the protected iPad from sliding from your hand or from slanted surfaces Magnetic closure keeps your device inside Microfiber interior cradles your iPad mini in softness Works with an Apple Smart Cover in place Cons A little on the pricey side at $50 Who is it for? Anyone who wants to keep an iPad mini protected without the weight and thickness of some of the cases that are available. Giveaway C'mon, I know some of you are probably waiting for a new Retina display iPad mini. Keep it protected from day one with a nice mint Lunatik Flak Jacket that we're giving away. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before November 10, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Lunatik Flak Jacket for iPad mini valued at $49.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Lunatik unleashes four tough iPhone 5 cases
Lunatik burst onto the Apple accessory market in 2010 in one of the early successful uses of Kickstarter, coming out with a pair of iPod nano watch cases called the TikTok and LunaTik. Now the company is introducing a line of iPhone 5 cases that feature rugged designs to protect your investment. Lunatik designs are the brainchildren of Chicago-based designer Scott Wilson and his design firm Minimal. The company has more than just a handful of Kickstarter projects behind it; Minimal has been involved with design work for Microsoft, Nike and other big-name corporations. Lunatik provided TUAW with four of their latest iPhone 5 case designs. We'll take a close look at all four, then give you a chance to win one of the cases to keep your iPhone 5 safe and stylish. Flak Flak (US$34.95) looks like a fairly minimalist iPhone 5 case, but uses a deceptively simple dual-layer interlock construction method to protect your phone from impact with a tough outer impact shell and a shock absorbing inner core. That external impact shell is made of a glossy polycarbonate that comes in either white, black, red or pink, while the inner core uses soft TPU to cradle your iPhone 5 without scratching it. The Flak flexes just enough to make inserting the iPhone a piece of cake. The Flak has pass-through buttons for volume control and sleep/wake/on/off, while the mute button is left open for easy access. If I have one complaint about the design of the Flak, it's that the polycarbonate really attracts dust, fingerprints and smears easily. After a bit of handling to try it out, I had to wipe the Flak down before taking photos and still ended up with a lot of dust speckles... Seismik I started my professional career a few centuries ago as a civil engineer, so I understand the power of the truss to stiffen structures. In the Siesmik ($34.95), Lunatik is using a truss design to stiffen a flexible TPU material. The result is a case that can use the cells in the flexible truss to cushion drops, but it's stiff enough to not feel like the typical "gummy" TPU case. The Seismik comes in five different color schemes: all black, gray and cyan, gray and yellow, gray and clear, and gray and magenta. If you're looking for a case with a good grippy surface, the Seismik is it. This would be perfect for carrying a phone around in your hand on a hot, sweaty day; it's not going to slide out of your hand unless you deliberately drop it. Taktik Strike Now we're getting into the amazing cases. The Taktik Strike ($79.95) has been designed to provide protection against shocks and drops, and it is built like a tank -- literally. The Taktik Strike takes the truss design of the Siesmik and wraps it in thick polymer bezels held together with steel and aluminum hardware. It's not designed to protect your iPhone 5 from the weather -- we'll get to that case in a minute - but it will definitely keep it from being damaged from most falls except for one that takes it face-forward onto a metallic object. All of the buttons on the device are covered, and ports are given the plug-and-cover treatment. Anyone who is a fan of minimalist iPhone cases won't be thrilled with the Taktik Strike, as it is definitely chunky and built for rugged protection of your phone investment. The bezels come in black, gray, green, white and pink to match your personal preference. Taktik Extreme If you've made it this far, you'll notice a theme -- these cases are getting more and more protective as we go along. The Taktik Extreme ($124.95) is the ultimate in iPhone 5 protection. There's seriously no case like it around, as it takes the Taktik Strike's design even further with a cover over the iPhone's lower bezel and Home button and Corning Gorilla Glass over the entire screen. The plugs on the Taktik Extreme are water and dust resistant, providing weather protection. It's not advertised as being waterproof, but it should be able to handle being rained on or getting the occasional splash. That Gorilla Glass provides shatter protection for the screen in those rare cases where you drop the iPhone right onto a hard edge. All of this protection does come at a price, and I'm not talking about the $125 price tag. The Taktik Extreme weighs in at 4.1 ounces, significantly more than the lightweight (1.3 ounce) Seismik. Conclusion Lunatik has brought a nice combination of savvy design and rugged engineering to the crowded iPhone case market, and the products will go far in attracting fans. The two Taktik cases, Strike and Extreme, could be fierce competitors to the likes of OtterBox and LifeProof Giveaway It's your chance to win one of these four awesome cases from Lunatik. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before March 6, 2013 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. Four winners will be selected. One will receive a Lunatik Flak valued at $34.95, one will receive a Lunatik Seismik valued at $34.95, one will receive a Lunatik Taktik Strike valued at $79.95, and one will receive a Lunatik Taktik Extreme valued at $124.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Diamond-encrusted Lunatik iPod nano watch is as superfluous as it sounds
If you're the type of person who has 99 problems, a satisfactory wristwatch being one, feast your lustful eyes on this diamond-encrusted abomination. ZShock has managed to work its magic -- $18,000 worth, to be precise -- on a Lunatik iPod nano watch, with the end result being something that we'd hardly recommend being caught dead with. Of course, those who'd disagree vehemently are going to need a magic number in order to procure one, but those who are just curious can peek the source link below for a bit of wrist-on action. Temper that jealously, though.
Minimal Studios iPod nano watch kits raise a million dollars on Kickstarter, yes, a million dollars
Well that didn't take long. Less than a month after we reported on the TikTok and LunaTik concept iPod nano watches hitting Kickstarter the company behind them, Minimal Studios, has met its goal -- and then some. Way then some. The project has clocked in nearly $1,000,000 in funding, helped in large part by a $25 pledge getting you first in line for a $35 MSRP TikTok watch kit, while $50 scored you the metallic LunaTik, which will go for $70. If you missed your chance to pile on the money you can now pre-order officially, with an expected shipment date in January. Again we're not particularly keen on the whole nano as a watch thing, but obviously ya'll have your own ideas, and we say more power to you -- and to Minimal Studios founder Scott Wilson.
TikTok and LunaTik iPod nano watch kits look awesome, despite Ke$ha naming convention
We know it seems like everyone and their mom is turning Apple's latest iPod nano into a watch, but the TikTok and LunaTik concepts by Scott Wilson of Minimal Studios are definitely the best looking "iWatch" accessories we've seen to date. We say concept, because technically the products are still pipe dreams flowing through the funding platform Kickstarter.com -- but seeing as it has already doubled its requested funding goal, there's a very good chance these concepts will actually ship out. The TikTok features a simple snap-in design for quick wrist-mounting and is tentatively priced at $35. The LunaTik, on the other hand, is marketed as a "premium conversion kit" that secures the Nano in a two-piece CNC-machined aluminum case held together with stainless steel bolts, and should ship for $70. As with many Kickstarter projects, pledging some funding to the cause can score you either model at a cheaper pre-order price. Now if only the iPod nano was actually a good watch... Video after the break.%Gallery-107739%
