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Motorola is thirsty for new Moto Mods
Motorola's dream of a slick, modular smartphone is struggling to take off. The base handset is perfectly capable, but the ecosystem of Moto Mods is still pretty sparse. After its launch accessories, we've seen a Hasselblad attachment and little else. To solve the problem, Motorola is teaming up with Verizon and Indiegogo for a new developer competition. The challenge is simple: Create the best Moto Mod out there. If the Moto team likes your work, you'll be invited to a hackathon and encouraged to set up a crowdfunding campaign. Finalists will pitch at Motorola's headquarters in Chicago for "a shot at funding" and distribution in Verizon stores.
Smart pen measures the dimensions of virtually any object
Despite all the technological advances over the years, measuring items in your home still tends to involve old-school rulers and tape measures... and they can be inaccurate if there are curves. Instrumments thinks it has a better way. The team of former Misfit creators is launching the 01, a hybrid measuring device and pen (there are also pencil and stylus versions) that gauges the dimensions of objects simply by pointing at them. It works on 3D surfaces, too, so curves and contours aren't off-limits.
'Maguss' wants your help bringing its mobile spellcasting to life
If you like the idea of a Harry Potter-like mobile spellcasting game and aren't that attached to J.K. Rowling's universe, you can now plunk down some cash to get it. The Maguss team has launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to bring its Pokémon Go-style augmented reality wizardry to life. Pledging at least $19 (normally $25) will get you access to the beta test when it starts on December 10th. However, you'll likely want to pay more to get the full experience -- spending $39 ($49 if you're not an early bird) gets you a Bluetooth-based physical wand on top of beta access 9 days earlier. You can contribute more if you want to either get into the alpha test (November 10th) or duel your friends.
Recommended Reading: The role of hip-hop in 'Luke Cage'
The Unexpected Hip-Hop Crossover in New Netflix Series 'Luke Cage' Adelle Platon, Billboard Based on the trailers Netflix released ahead of this week's Luke Cage debut, you might've guessed that hip-hop plays a big role in the new series. Thanks to Billboard, we have a full rundown of the score, cameos and background on the director for some added information ahead of the upcoming binge session.
Dr. Oz wants to sell you a heart-monitoring smartwatch
Perennial snake oil salesman Dr. Oz has found a new way to take your make money: a wearable. The press release promises the iBeat Life Monitor is "lifesaving" smartwatch that "empowers people to live longer lives." The big difference here versus offerings from, say, Apple or Withings, is that the iBeat apparently monitors your heartbeat nonstop, and, in the event of a "life-threatening heart emergency," the wearable will contact relatives, friends and medical professionals.
Elwing adds electric power to a standard-size skateboard
One of the biggest factors holding electric skateboard fans back from picking up a new ride is price, with most decent boards selling for north of $1,000. The high cost of electric motors is still a hurdle, especially for skaters who don't want to compromise on quality, but Elwing's new board is more affordable than most. It's slated to hit the market at $750, but with the help of its newly launched Indiegogo campaign, you could pick one up for $500 or less, if you strike during the early-bird window. There are a few tradeoffs for this price, but some of them may even be to your liking. I recently had a chance to test out Elwing's prototype for a few days and, setting aside issues the company plans to address before final production, the money saved could be worth it -- depending on your needs, of course.
Skully ends its dreams of making augmented reality helmets
If you thought that Skully's plan to crowdfund an augmented reality motorcycle helmet was overly ambitious... unfortunately, you were right. After years of delays and several weeks of grave financial trouble, the startup has informed backers that it's shutting down. Simply put, the company had run out of cash -- it had been scrambling to raise some temporary funding, but that fell through. TechCrunch sources claim that Skully had even been trying to sell itself to Chinese tech giant LeEco. However, it reportedly alienated investors following number of disputes over a possible sale, manufacturing hiccups and executive spending.
ICYMI: 10-minute cold brew, robospiders and flaming neck shots
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A lightning-fast crowdfunded cold brew coffee machine called the Prisma is currently campaigning on IndieGogo. Plus, a pair of spider-bots weave webs of high-strength carbon fiber filament that you can sleep on. And, in the end, we watch as a fame-seeking daredevil gets shot in the neck with a flaming arrow on live national television. Are you not entertained?! As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
ICYMI: One Pen to rule all and video you can manipulate
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab formulated a way to interact with existing videos, so they can prod and move objects within the frame. The Cronzy Pen samples colors from anything, anywhere, and mixes its own ink the match any shade. It's on IndieGoGo now so good luck scoring your crowdfunded thing. If you want to check out video of Jupiter's moon Io, the Washington Post explained it all well; and the charming paper craft animations from yelldesign are here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Prisma's 10-minute cold brew coffeemaker hits Indiegogo
Prisma, a machine that can make cold brew coffee in just under 10 minutes instead of 12 frickin' hours, is now on Indiegogo in a bid to raise $150,000. That means you can get one coffeemaker as a perk when you back the project for at least $279 $229. Still expensive for most people who don't mind any kind of coffee, but for connoisseurs and enthusiasts, that's $20 $70 off the company's suggested retail price. We tested Prisma in April back when it was still a prototype called Pique, and it made 750 ml of coffee within only seven minutes. Engadget senior editor Nicole Lee thought the coffee it made was delicious with "hardly any bitter notes."
Whirlpool's Vessi is a homebrew fermenter that pours a pint
There's no denying the popularity of homebrewing beer among DIYers, and we've seen a number of devices that aim to make that process easier. The latest small appliance comes from a familiar name: Whirlpool. With the Vessi fermenter and tap system, the company says it is reducing the time it takes to make beer from a month down to seven days. Of course, that fermentation time depends on what style you're brewing, but for a 3.3% "light blonde ale," Whirlpool says that 7-day turnaround is possible.
Indiegogo deal helps crowdfunders make their gadgets
Indiegogo has made some effort to help get crowdfunded projects off the ground, but it has mostly focused on big companies so far. What about startups still grappling with the basics of making devices? Don't worry: they're getting some help now, too. Indiegogo has formed a partnership with Arrow Electronics to help crowdfunders produce their inventions. If Arrow thinks a project is both feasible and important, it'll offer direct access to design, manufacturing support and supply chain services (including engineers) worth as much as $500,000. The recipients also get discounts on parts and software, and there's a badge to show Arrow's approval on campaign pages.
Meizu hopes Indiegogo can fund its first US product
Meizu is a company most Americans likely haven't heard of. But it's actually one of the largest consumer electronics brands in China, having sold over 20 million smartphones last year. Its latest and greatest handheld is the Meizu Pro 6, which boasts a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display, a 21-megapixel camera and a whopping 10-core processor. Now the company has its sights set on the US market. But it's not planning on introducing a phone here. Instead it's launching a wireless speaker. And it's doing so, surprisingly enough, through crowdfunding site Indiegogo.
Make your own hand-controlled robot with a crowdfunded kit
If you've ever wanted to craft a robot that you can control with your hands, you now have a chance of making it a reality: Ziro has started a crowdfunding campaign for its gesture-controlled robot kit. Pledge at least $149 and you'll get both the centerpiece Smart Glove as well as enough parts to build an automaton you can steer with your fingers. It can get expensive to build exactly what you want (a Pro kit is at least $229), but every bundle promises easy construction and smartphone app integration -- you won't have to have a deep understanding of robotics to make this work. If all goes well, you'll get your Ziro hardware in January.
Antbo is a robot insect companion anyone can build
Interested in building and programming your own robot? You might want to give Antbo a try. Billed as the "insect robot designed for anyone with an inquisitive mind," it's a programmable entry-level kit for beginners or anyone with a casual interest in robotics.
Magic Instruments' digital guitar makes it easy for anyone to jam
Magic Instruments co-founder and CEO Brian Fan knows the pain of learning new instruments. A Juilliard-trained pianist before starting his own company, he spent years trying to learn the guitar, only to put it down after realizing that all his previous work didn't help him suck any less. What young, would-be rocker hasn't been there? His version of rising to the challenge was a little different than you might think though. Rather than dedicating another chunk of his life to mastering the basics, Fan dedicated a chunk of his life to building a new kind of guitar. He calls his $299 Bluetooth-connected brainchild a "digital rhythm guitar," and its raison d'etre is to let anyone to feel the thrill of playing music.
ICYMI: Tech cure for paralysis, 3D weight scan and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-687454{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-687454, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-687454{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-687454").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A smart mirror and scale combo takes a scan of your body to compare yourself to, down the line. Though we are more interested in the PancakeBot. For the first time ever, a paralyzed man is able to use his hand after an implanted brain chip received signals that helped his muscles respond. And an indiegogo project would help women deal with painful menstrual cramps by sending electrical shocks to the pain. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Hasbro and Indiegogo want your board game ideas
Despite the ever-growing number of screens at our disposal, there's still a desire for traditional board games that rely on paper, card and plastic. Hasbro, an industry titan that owns Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit and other tabletop classics, is now looking to the community for fresh ideas. The company is teaming up with Indiegogo for the "Spring 2016 Next Great Game Challenge," an open competition to find and publish a user-created board game. Any enthusiast designer from Canada, the US, France, Germany and the UK can submit their ideas online, up until May 15th.
'Artificial gills' maker relaunches Indiegogo campaign amidst controversy
Last month, Triton, a start-up claiming to have created "artificial gills" that let divers breathe for up to 45 minutes underwater, launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, and amassed nearly $1 million in funding. Three days ago, it fully refunded all of its backers, canceled that campaign, issued an update and proof of concept video, and then launched a new campaign. The issue? It seems Triton's claims that its simplistic-looking "rebreather" could filter out enough oxygen from water using filtration alone were shaky at best and came under scrutiny from scientists who dismissed the highly desirable tech as fictitious. According to one researcher, in order for the Triton to properly work and extract gaseous oxygen, it'd need to have an inbuilt pump push a large amount of water through its filters. That's not something swimming alone could achieve.
Roccbox portable stone bake oven can cook pizza in minutes
Roccbox's Indiegogo campaign page says the lightweight stone bake oven can cook almost anything, from fish to fluffy breads. More important, it says the oven can bake Neapolitan pizza in just 90 seconds -- and who wouldn't want to eat their pizza ASAP, am I right? That kind of speedy baking is possible because Roccbox can reach temperatures up to 930 degrees F in under 15 minutes. You can even choose to cook using wood, if you want that distinct wood-baked flavor, or using gas as fuel.