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Fizzics countertop 'draught' system makes bad beer good
I like -- nay -- love beer. But I'll be honest, when I first heard about Fizzics and its promise to deliver the perfect pour of tap-quality beer from any can or bottle I dismissed it. It seems like the sort of silly snake oil you'd find in SkyMall or Sharper Image. But, I gave Philip Petracca, the CEO of the company the opportunity to convince me otherwise. He swung by the Engadget compound with a cooler full of beer and a pitch full of science. I'm convinced he's not just some huckster, but whether or not Fizzics truly makes beer better is a different question.
DrumPants 2.0 is open source, still turns your pants into drums
That crazy DrumPants wearable tech we first saw in '07 -- the same one that raised 75 grand on KickStarter and was featured on Shark Tank in 2014 -- is back. Its creators have now turned to Indiegogo to fund the mass production of DrumPants version 2.0, which they claim is faster and stronger than its predecessor. Plus, it's now open source. The wearable, for those who've only just heard of it, isn't actually a pair of pants with drums (sorry to disappoint). It's a set of accessories comprised of two elongated drum pads and two foot pedals you can use to play different kinds of instruments, along with a knob that lets you choose between samples and musical scales. You can wear them over your clothes, or under, like the jamming dude in the GIF above.
YotaPhone 2's American crowdfunding campaign kicks off
Have you been jonesing to get the YotaPhone 2 in North America? It's time to put your money where your mouth is. As promised, Yota has kicked off an Indiegogo campaign to help fund its unique smartphone's summer launches in the US and Canada. Make at least a $500 pledge (that's $100 off the eventual release price) and you'll get both the Android handset as well as a bumper case and a 3-month subscription to Yota's BookMate service. You can also spring for a $50 portable wireless power pack if you're averse to cables. The crowdfunding effort will end in 60 days, but it has a fairly modest $50,000 goal -- there's a good chance that you'll have a YotaPhone 2 in your hands before the weather gets cold.
Can Canary's smart home camera keep your home secure?
Canary is a 6-inch-tall black plastic cylinder that's designed to be a one-stop shop for securing your home. Essentially, it's a $249 infrared security camera that alerts your phone or tablet when it senses motion. Then, all you have to do is open the app to see a live video feed to determine if you need to call the cops. I've been testing the device out over the last month to see if it's enough for me to leave my home's security system off forever.
Turn your home into a haunted house with AR game 'Night Terrors'
You're home alone. It's the dead of night and all of the lights are off; you creep down the hallway with one hand dragging along the wall, your phone serving as a makeshift flashlight. You hear a young girl's voice whisper from the bedroom in front of you and the hair on the back of your neck stands up straight. You pause. Your heart pounds. A dull ringing assaults your ears. You creep forward, holding the phone higher, when suddenly -- a high-pitched shriek as your phone's light starts rapidly flashing and a deformed, undead monster barrels down the hallway directly toward you. You drop your phone. Game over.
Smart pedals will track your stolen bike for $149
Back when we saw Connected Cycle's smart bike pedals at CES in January we were pretty impressed by its plan to track activity and location; now you have a chance to get in on the action. The outfit's smart pedals recently hit crowdfunding site IndieGoGo where the campaign has already hit 171 percent of its funding goal. Since we last saw them, the duration limit on included data plans has been lifted for backers and CC is working on design modifications so the pedals accommodate "standardized" foot straps.
popSLATE gives your iPhone a second (not so useful) screen
Like most smartphone users, I unlock my screen incessantly so I usually run out of battery when I most need it. But popSLATE promises to be the rehab for my swipe-screen addiction. It's a smartphone case with an in-built E Ink screen that can personalize the back of an iPhone 6. I could use it to flaunt my favorite pictures or if I run out of battery, at say, an airport, I'd be able to flip my phone over to scan my boarding pass. It seemed like the perfect solution for my excessive phone usage. So I turned the back of my phone into a second, always-on screen for about a week.
Pack your Raspberry Pi into an underpowered laptop for $100
The Raspberry Pi has already found its way into a number of unusual applications from DIY cell phones to Gif-capturing cameras. Now, a recently launched IndieGoGo campaign aims to put it somewhere more familiar: your lap. The PiKasa is essentially a laptop shell. It doesn't sport a 3D-printed chasis like the Pi-Top but does feature a 7-inch LCD display over a ruggedized keyboard, a smattering of connectivity ports and charging cables -- basically, everything you'd need except the actual computer bits and power supply.
Friday Smart Lock offers more ways to match your decor
There's a growing number of smart locks out there, but if design's as important to you as feature set, this one could be of interest. The device is called Friday Smart Lock, and it can be unlocked remotely through its accompanying iOS or Android app. Once installed, and with the app set up, you can grant both one-time or permanent (revokable) access to friends and family. Its creators, tech startup Friday Labs and architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group, made the device small, so the baseplate and battery fits inside existing US single cylinder and Scandinavian deadbolts.
This personal flamethrower is somehow legal in 49 states
The XM42 from Ion Productions is every pyromaniac's dream come true: a personal, portable flamethrower that's (amazingly still) legal everywhere except California. You'll be able to get your own flame on for as little as $700 when the company launches its IndieGoGo campaign on March 23rd.
Two 'Firefly' stars are crowdfunding an online comedy series
The cast of Firefly knows a thing or two about the importance of creative control (ahem, Fox), and they're taking advantage of the internet to make sure they hold the reins for their next effort together. Both Nathan Fillion (aka Mal Reynolds) and Alan Tudyk (Hoban Washburne) are crowdfunding Con Man, an online-only comedy series about a down-and-out sci-fi star learning to appreciate the convention scene -- a field that hasn't received the tribute it deserves, the actors say. Fillion and Tudyk are the main stars, but they're promising a cast that you'll probably recognize, including Firefly pals Gina Torres and Sean Maher as well as Amy Acker (Angel), Felicia Day (The Guild), James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Seth Green (Family Guy).
YotaPhone 2 will come to the US via Indiegogo
The second generation of YotaPhone's dual-display smartphone is finally coming to the US, but not in the way you may expect. In an interview with PhoneScoop, the company's Matthew Kelly said that the e-ink display-toting device will be made available to backers on Indiegogo, of all places. The details have yet to be worked out, but the company is planning to offer early backers some sort of bonus for getting to the front of the line. If the sale is successful, then the device might even wind up hitting store shelves but, for now, it doesn't look as if any specific plans have been made. There's also no word on how much the US edition of the YotaPhone 2 will cost you, but considering that it's priced at nearly £600 ($917) in the UK, you can expect to be paying flagship prices for that extra screen. Update: Yota have belatedly confirmed that the handset will be priced at $600 when it hits Indiegogo.
Jolla Tablet shows us what Sailfish OS is capable of
When Jolla's first smartphone debuted with Sailfish OS, it didn't leave a great impression with some of our staff. The gesture-heavy UI was confusing to newcomers and offered few advantages over rival mobile platforms. Aside from just being different, of course. Since then, however, Jolla has been quietly improving Sailfish OS to ensure it makes a splash with its first tablet. That's right: We're talking about the slate that blasted through its $380,000 crowdfunding target on Indiegogo last November. We've been hands-on with a not-quite-final build at Mobile World Congress and the impact of "Sailfish OS 2.0" is immediate. The hardware is solid, but it's the simplified navigation that stands out the most.
This BMX bike sensor is ready to track your off-road adventures
There's no shortage of bike sensors that will track your performance. However, they usually assume that you're on a garden variety road bike. What if your definition of biking involves BMX races or trick jumps? Never fear -- you now have an activity tracker to call your own. Iddo has launched a crowdfunding drive for what it says is the world's first BMX bike sensor. The angry-looking add-on (seriously, it's a little metal skull) will capture 'boring' details like speed and GPS position, but it also includes a 9-axis motion sensor and an altimeter to detect your air time and tricks. The companion smartphone app will even score stunts, so you have an added incentive to master that bunny hop or tailwhip. If you're racing, Iddo will let you map tracks and measure your lap times.
Realmac's Typed.com Indiegogo campaign: Building a sustainable blogging service
Back in the early days of December 2014, TUAW ran a review of Typed (US$19.99), a very minimalist blogging app for OS X from Realmac Software that works with a number of blogging platforms including WordPress and Blogger. Now the company has launched an Indiegogo campaign for Typed.com, billed as a "sustainable blogging service" that will be around for decades to come. As you'll see in the promo video below (featuring former TUAW blogger Nik Fletcher), the team was frustrated with the sheer variety and difficulty of using some of the common tools that were created for blogging. As a result, they created Typed. Now they're planning on a hosting service that works with Typed to make perhaps the easiest blogging system ever. The campaign launched today, and reached its $20,000 goal in hours. The campaign still has 24 days left, and you can pick up an Early Bird perk for $39. Spend $100, and you'll get to beta the Typed service and get a year of service valued at $120.
Forget taking notes, this Bluetooth headset captures your calls
Journalists everywhere will weep with joy if this Bluetooth recording device comes to fruition (at least this one will). We're talking about Bluewire, a headset that records both sides of a smartphone or VoIP conversation over Bluetooth. That means if you're a reporter, lawyer or anyone else who may need to keep their calls on record, your days of blasting a conversation on speaker and hoping for the best are probably over.
This smart toolbox promotes drinking on the job
You can now add "toolbox" to the growing list of mundane objects looking to up their IQ. Enter the Coolbox, a tech-laden, "smart" toolbox that launches today on Indiegogo. In addition to toting your tools, it packs a 12v rechargeable battery, two USB ports, 270-degree LED lighting, a 10-foot extension cord with three built-in plugs and an iPad stand. The box also has a Bluetooth speaker so you can blast music over the soothing sounds of your miter saw. And then there's our favorite feature: the Coolbox's built-in bottle opener, because what pairs better with power tools than beer? (Though maybe wait to crack one open until after your project is finished, huh?) Pledging $179 will get you a basic Coolbox and move the project toward its $50,000 fundraising goal. However, its creators have an even loftier target in mind: surpassing the most-successful Kickstarter project of all time. So who's the reigning champ? A souped-up drink cooler, of course.
Indiegogo CEO on crowdfunding's growing importance at CES
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-548779{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-548779, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-548779{width:570px;display:block;} It's no secret that crowdfunding is an increasingly important part of getting a product off the ground. And with the big boys either backing out of CES or saving their big announcements for their own dedicated events, the little guys are getting more attention. Who better to talk about the trend than Slava Rubin, the CEO of Indiegogo. All told, some 80 companies on the CES show floor got their start on Rubin's crowdfunding site. Now, that may seem like a drop in the bucket when you consider the thousands of exhibitors fighting for attention, but it's roughly four times as many as there were in 2014. He was also kind enough to bring along some toys for us to show off. Check out the video above for the full interview, in which Rubin shared some news of his own about the future of Indiegogo.
PERI Duo: It's a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi speaker, a battery case, and more
If there are two product areas that seemingly don't need any new entries, those are probably portable Bluetooth speakers and iPhone battery cases. But what if you could get both of those product genres in one product? That's the idea behind the PERI Duo, an iPhone case (5/5s/6/possibly 6 Plus) that integrates a detachable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker system with a 2500mAh battery. The PERI Duo is currently an Indiegogo campaign that is 51 percent funded with a month left. For as little as $79, you'll be one of the first to get the device, which comes in three different color combos: White/Gold, Red/Black, or Black/Silver. As you can see from the accompanying video, the PERI Duo features both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, can handle Multi-Casting (the ability to create a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi network and stream music to more than one device), has a high-resolution digital-to-analog coverter, and will have an app to offer equalization settings. Add a case that should keep your iPhone safe from drops and recharge it with a 2500mAh battery, and you've got a truly multi-function case. Judging from the interest in this campaign, there's a good chance the PERI Duo will go into production. Let's see if TUAW readers can help push the campaign over its goal. You can also check out the PERI website for more information about the design and internals of the Duo.
Indiegogo's new service lets you quickly raise funds for personal causes (updated)
Crowdfunding sites are typically meant for companies with bright ideas, but they don't work so well for personal fundraising -- there's a lot of setup involved, and the fees you'll pay could be better spent on the cause in question. Indiegogo wants to make those personal campaigns relatively painless with its new Indiegogo Life site. The service is designed to get you raising funds for medical bills, school and similar causes in a matter of minutes. There also aren't any platform fees, so the money you collect is typically what you'll keep.