Eyeshield
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Crowdfunded Project News: The best of Kickstarter, Indiegogo and the rest
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 Bringrr, yet another one of the "find your lost stuff" Bluetooth tags, but this one actually makes sense. You can change the batteries in the tags (unlike those that you simply throw out after a year or two); they're small enough to be pet-friendly; and it comes with a car charger/alert so that you can actually make sure you've got your tagged stuff before you drive off -- 68 percent funded with 19 days to go. Everydisk from Avatron is about halfway funded, but only has 10 days to go to meet its goal. If you'd like a nice, encrypted personal cloud storage solution from a trusted name in the app world, get behind this project. EyeShield has to be one of the goofiest-looking iPhone cases around. The idea is that you have a sunshade that can fold over the top of the iPhone 5/5s screen so you can see it in sunlight. Or you could just turn your body and provide your own shadow to make the screen visible... 7 percent funded with 17 days to go. Smartlet. Why just look nerdy with an oversized smartwatch on your wrist when you can strap your iPhone to your wrist? 28 percent funded with eight days to go. Moment is a high-quality wide-angle and telephoto lenses for the iPhone camera from people with experience in the lens business. The lenses can be used on a variety of smartphones using a thin metal adapter. This one is in the bag -- 166 percent funded with 29 days to go. (Hat tip to Hal Sherman for telling us about this one) TEO, a keyless padlock that is unlocked with an app. No keys to lose, no combinations to forget; 35 percent funded with 51 days to go. We covered this last week; it seems to have gained some traction and looks like it might keep gaining momentum. I guess there were a lot of us who forgot our locker combinations in high school... meMINI, the wearable camera from last week, is funded -- 101 percent, with 21 days to go. From Indiegogo Airtame is billed as "wireless HDMI for everyone," and this project is a winner -- 511 percent funded with six days left; think of it as an AirPlay/Chromecast that works anywhere you have an HDMI port. Athene is an interesting idea -- a designer bracelet that works as a Lightning charging cable, USB flash drive and fashion accessory -- 58 percent funded with 31 days left. Now if they could just make a utility belt... FitCute is a smart body analyzer (i.e., Bluetooth-enabled scale) that works with an iPhone app to provide info on eight different body stats. Too bad that it's 22 percent funded with less than three days to go. Oh, and that logo looks way too much like the Withings app icon... Birdi. Are you upset that Nest was purchased by Google? Here's a solution: Birdi is a smart air monitor/smoke alarm that works with an app and provides details on inside air quality. It's at 72 percent funding with 10 days left in the project campaign. Now if we can just get them to make a thermostat, too... Eyebloc -- paranoid much? Worried that the NSA is looking at your face through your webcam? Don't have a piece of electrical tape that you can put over the camera to stop THEM from watching you 24/7? Then back Eyebloc, which is a little piece of plastic that goes over your camera. Yeah, I thought it was pretty dumb, too -- 12 percent funded with 25 days left. Woodster is a goofy idea that actually has some merit -- it's an iMac stand with two USB 3.0 ports built into it, made out of wood. Perfect for those situations where you need to prop your iMac up a bit higher (low desk or tall person). It's 40 percent funded with 33 days left. 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.
Football simplified and awesomefied
As a manga-based sports game, Eyeshield 21: Field Saikyou no Senshi Tachi has more in common with Mutant League Football than any release of Madden. The different teams have special attacks corresponding to their bizarre mascots (e.g. Devil Bats and guitar-playing Spiders), and players celebrate touchdowns by firing automatic weapons into the air. What's not to love? As Siliconera's import preview explains, Eyeshield 21 cuts the American sport down to its very basics. The abridged playbook offers only four options, you don't actually control your character when running, and almost every gameplay aspect is handled through timed mini-games with the Wii remote. This streamlined approach might sound like all the fun has been taken out of the game, but Eyeshield 21 keeps players entertained with continuous action and a high-octane soundtrack. If you're still not convinced, head past the post break for some gameplay footage.
Eyeshield 21 gameplay video
It is extremely weird to see American football presented in an anime style, with special moves and speedlines and everything. That's exactly what is on display in this video of the anime-based sports game, visible over at Siliconera. We don't know the first thing about football, but they've managed to make it look like an action game, and therefore piqued our interest.Of course, no Wii gameplay video would be complete without footage of Wiimote gestures corresponding to on-screen moves. It even looks like it's got some Shenmue/Dragon's Lair-style Quick Timer Events interspersed with the footballery! We hope someone decides that maybe a football game is a good idea for the US.
