crowdfunding
Latest
The always-cold pillow is no longer a fever dream
The cold side of the pillow is one of life's oddly satisfying phenomena. But no sooner have you felt its gratifying chill caress your cheek than it vanishes. The cold side of the pillow could be more than just a pleasant sensation for your conscious mind, though. It's pretty well known that your body dumps heat as you drift off to sleep and your core temperature follows a rough nightly cycle, much like brain activity, hormone levels, breathing patterns and so on. There are various studies that suggest you can game the system, cool yourself down and minimize those restless nights. That's the intent behind the Moona smart pillow pad: A temperature-regulating pad that keeps the cold side of the pillow cold, indefinitely.
Indiegogo requires campaigns to disclose product status and risk
Crowdfunding has brought a lot of great projects to life, but fundraising on the frontier brings risk -- like unexpected issues delaying product deliveries for years or cancelling campaigns outright. Indiegogo wants to shore up trust in its platform, so it's requiring entrepreneurs to disclose more information up-front and update backers monthly.
Pebble founder's comeback is a battery case for iPhone and AirPods
After ushering in the smartwatch movement in 2012, Eric Migicovsky's Pebble brand fell by the wayside. The company was saved from bankruptcy by Fitbit, which acquired its talent and software last year, but ditched its beloved devices. Now, the man behind the e-watch timepiece is returning to the site of his greatest success: Kickstarter. And, this time, he's packing an iPhone case.
The reborn Lily drone isn't what you were expecting
To say that Lily drone backers were disappointed would be an understatement. They were promised a cutting-edge machine only to watch the $34 million crowdfunding campaign go up in flames, and only some contributors have received their funds so far. However, Lily is back -- sort of. Mota Group (which bought the brand name) has introduced a reborn "Lily Next-Gen" that includes the the same cute black-and-chrome look as the original, but not much else. You're not going to launch the drone by throwing it, and it's definitely not waterproof. Its biggest selling points are 4K video and one-button takeoff.
Lomography's all-analog square camera uses familiar film
Do you prefer to shoot photos with a completely analog camera, but wish you could get in on the square photo trend that's all the rage with the Instagram crowd? Lomography thinks it can help. It's crowdfunding the Lomo'Instant Square Camera, a fully analog instant camera that takes the same square Instax film you'd use in Fujifilm's semi-digital Instax Square SQ10. You won't have to look far to restock, in other words. The camera itself, meanwhile, revels in its non-digital nature -- although there are some concessions to modernity.
Crowdfunded scooter aims to make electric skateboards safer
A company called In Motion, at first thought to be backed by would-be Chinese tech empire LeEco, is launching an electric powered scooter it says is simpler to learn and safer to use. Provided you're willing to go the crowdfund route, a Kickstarter for it will go live on August 28th.
Shonin’s wearable Streamcam simplifies personal security
In times like these, you learn to keep yourself safe with what you have on hand. Whether that's broadcasting to Facebook Live, Periscope or Instagram, people have been using their phones to capture video for the world to see. The problem is that uploading live video takes a serious toll on your handset's battery. That's where Shonin's Streamcam comes in. Billed as a wearable security camera -- not a life-logging device -- the gizmo has a swath of features designed to help keep you safe without draining your phone's battery.
GoFundMe shuts down campaigns for Charlottesville suspect
Crowdfunding platforms are taking a no-tolerance approach to campaigns raising money in support of James Fields, the man accused of driving a car into protesters at a white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday. GoFundMe has already removed "multiple" campaigns for Fields. Speaking to Reuters, strategic communications director Bobby Whithorne said: "Those campaigns did not raise any money and they were immediately removed." He added that GoFundMe will delete similar campaigns if more are created.
Orii smart ring turns your fingertip into a Bluetooth earpiece
While modern Bluetooth earpieces are more compact than ever, chances are you'll still need to leave at least one stuck in your ear. This can get uncomfortable over time, not to mention the dorkiness that's been haunting this form factor since day one. Hong Kong startup Origami Labs thinks it has an alternative solution to this problem: why not repackage the Bluetooth earpiece as a ring, and then use bone conduction to transmit audio to the fingertip? That's the basic concept behind the Orii smart ring.
Petcube's $249 treat cam goes on sale next week
Petcube has released a new pet camera, and it can do so much more than its typical counterparts. You can use it not just to monitor your furry BFFs, but also to toss them treats, talk to them and share their shenanigans on Facebook Live. Petcube Bites is the company's third interactive camera, and it's much bigger than its predecessors, since its body is a high capacity container than can hold two pounds of doggie or cat noms. It can even notify you when treats are running low, and in the near future, you'll be able to buy a refill on Amazon from within the Petcube app.
Track Bluesmart's latest luggage anywhere in the world
Connected luggage sets are easy to find these days, but Bluesmart stands out: as one of the first out of the gate, it has experience its rivals lack. You'll be glad to hear, then, that the company is back for another round. It's crowdfunding Series 2 luggage that builds on the existing formula with some features that, at first blush, appear to be genuinely practical. Both the 22-inch Cabin carry-on bag and 29-inch Check suitcase include a combination of 3G cellular and GPS that lets you track your luggage anywhere in the world (with cellular reception, at least) for free. If your luggage goes to Bhutan instead of Boston, you'll know it.
Bonaverde wants to be the Keurig of raw coffee
Many people take their coffee drinking seriously, but even those with a proper espresso machine at home won't roast their own beans. This delicate step is typically done on an industrial scale using specialist equipment, far from the end consumer. Now, the caffeine addicts at Bonaverde intend to bring roasting to the kitchen counter with the first all-in-one machine that turns raw, green coffee beans into a cup of joe. The company crowdfunded its appliance way back in 2013, and several years later the consumer model is now ready. But several questions have loomed over Bonaverde's vision to change how people drink coffee -- namely, where on earth do you buy unroasted beans?
Twitch's latest marathon is a six-day 'MST3K' binge
B-movie lovers rejoice, for social video platform Twitch is set to air a Mystery Science Theater 3000 marathon lasting a mind-numbing six days. The stream, which features 38 classic episodes, will air on Shout! Factory TV's new Twitch channel from June 26 to July 3. The comic sci-fi show, which emerged as a cult favorite despite two network cancellations, follows hapless host Joel Robinson as he's trapped by mad scientists in space and forced to watch some of the worst B-movies ever produced. Viewers are not only treated (subjected?) to the appalling films in their entireties, but also to the running commentary of our sorry protagonist and the two robot sidekicks he's built to keep him sane (which, in the face of absolute fiascos such as Manos: The Hands of Fate, is no mean feat).
Kickstarter Gold brings back successful creators for new projects
Kickstarter is bringing back some of its VIPs for another round of crowdfunding. The new project, called Kickstarter Gold, is a return of over 65 creators who have new takes on past successful campaigns.
'Shenmue 3' delayed by up to a year
The third part of the Shenmue saga has been delayed, developer Ys Net revealed in a Kickstarter update today. Shenmue 3 was supposed to ship this December, however that always seemed unlikely given how little we've seen of the game through screenshots and gameplay snippets. In a video, series creator Yu Suzuki broke the news that the title will now be released in the second half of 2018. "By utilizing new technologies, we have been able to discover new possibilities and expressions," he said. "In many ways, the game has become bigger and more beautiful than I initially expected. We do, however, need more time to deliver the game to you."
Roomba creator wants to do for gardens what he did for your floors
Let's be honest: while planting your garden can be fun, weeding it usually isn't. Not unless you enjoy crouching down for long stretches, anyway. You might not have to endure the drudgery for too much longer, though. Roomba co-creator Joe Jones and Franklin Robotics are launching Tertill, a robot that weeds your garden all by itself. The machine automatically roams the soil, using sensors to identify small plants (you use collars to protect young crops) and chop them down. It's solar-powered, so you don't have to dock it -- you can even leave it out in the rain.
Don't scream: The new 'Friday the 13th' game is out today
After a slight delay, the first official Friday the 13th game since 1989 is available today on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If you want to jump right into the action at Camp Crystal Lake, though, you might have to wait for Friday the 13th: The Game's servers to accommodate the apparent rush of people trying to kill the counselors/survive the maniacal Jason Voorhees. The official Twitter account has been dropping updates since the wee hours of this morning, so if you're having issues make sure to check there first.
Alexa can control your dumb AC unit using Ambi's smart hub
Some of you may recall that back in October 2014, Hong Kong startup Ambi Labs unveiled its Ambi Climate as a gateway between your smartphone and your dumb air conditioner at home. But it isn't just about replacing your infrared remote control; what makes Ambi Climate unique is its machine learning capability, so that over time it learns your comfort preferences by way of various sensors, while also saving up to 20-percent energy according to user feedback. Now, almost 2.5 years later, the company is back with the Ambi Climate 2, which is essentially a prettier version of its $179 predecessor and with a lower retail price of $129; and you can grab one for as low as around $80 on Kickstarter, with shipments expected to begin in June this year.
Wikipedia co-founder launches Wikitribune to fight fake news
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales hopes to tackle fake news with a journalism outfit of his own. Wikitribune will be free to access and use crowdfunding to hire experienced reporters. They'll work alongside volunteers who can sub-edit articles, fact-check stories and suggest new topics for the site to pursue. "This will be the first time that professional and citizen journalists will work side-by-side as equals writing stories as they happen, editing them as they develop, and at all times backed by a community checking and rechecking all of the facts," Wales said.
IllumiBowl's latest toilet light also kills germs
IllumiBowl's motion-activated, multi-color toilet night light may have seemed like a silly idea when it first launched, but don't laugh -- it's a practical solution if you'd rather not flick on the regular bathroom light (and momentarily blind yourself) just to do your business. And it appears that enough people bought into the concept to warrant a sequel. The company is crowdfunding a second-generation IllumiBowl light that adds anti-germ cleaning to the mix. The new gadget includes a diode whose "highly focused" non-ultraviolet light kills bacteria without hurting humans. This doesn't mean that your toilet will suddenly be sterile, but it may set your mind at ease in between bowl scrubbing sessions.
