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Insert Coin: The Rainbow Flash Wizard turns your flash gun into a kaleidoscope
While the tech fraternity is obsessed with perfect white balance, the creative community may want a bit of variety. That's the idea behind the Rainbow Flash Wizard, a device that lets photographers coat their subjects in any color that takes their fancy. In essence, the device is a color wheel that you can mount over your flash gun -- giving you a rainbow of new lighting options. As well as creative settings, seasoned pros can use the unit to correct under or overexposed shots without resorting to post-processing. If you're interested in getting your hands on one, the device's creators have taken to Kickstarter to raise $78,000, with a $70 pledge getting you an early-bird discount.
Insert Coin: Lightpack turns your computer display into an ambient backlight (video)
While Philips did eventually bring its Ambilight technology to PC monitors, it wasn't before others had decided to roll their own. Now you can add ambient backlighting to any computer display without any of the attendant soldering and Arduino-wrangling, thanks to the folks at Woodenshark. The team has built Lightpack, an Ambilight-esque system that'll connect to a Windows, OS X or Linux PC and project the display's colors onto the area surrounding the screen. Plug the hockey puck-sized device into your computer, attach 10 LED modules to the back of your display and install the open-source software and you're good to go. Once ready, you can even set up custom alerts to measure CPU temperature or email volumes, and even control the lighting with your smartphone or tablet. The team has asked for the unusually specific figure of $261,962 in order to fund an initial production run of 5,000 units, with early backers able to snag one of the units for $50 instead of around $90. Interested to watch it in action? There's a video after the break, friends.
Insert Coin: Skydog brings cloud-based networking to the home
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. It's safe to say that most people's idea of home networking involves the following steps: buy a wireless router, set it up with an SSID and a password, and then never ever think about it again as long as the WiFi keeps working. But if you're one of a dedicated few who want deeper IT admin-level control over your family's internet usage, then a new Kickstarter campaign from PowerCloud Systems just might be right up your alley. The product is called Skydog, and while you do get a slim and compact dual-band 802.11n five-port Gigabit router out of it, Skydog is really more about the cloud-based platform than the physical hardware. Customers are able to visually survey who and what device is on their home network, manage permissions based on that information, allocate bandwidth priority, troubleshoot network issues with ease and more. PowerCloud Systems is no stranger to cloud-managed networking -- it's been providing just such a solution to enterprises such as hotels, schools, multi-dwelling units and retail chains ever since 2008 when it was spun out of Xerox PARC. In order to bring that level of sophistication to the home audience, however, the company needed consumer-facing software to simplify the process for the masses, and that's exactly what it has tried to do with Skydog. After the break, we offer a tour of the service and interview the people behind it to see just why they're seeking funding via Kickstarter.
Insert Coin: Duo kit lets you build your own 3D motion tracker
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Between the Kinect and Leap Motion, gesture control's on just about everyone's minds these days. There's still a ways to go, certainly, before such devices become a mainstream method for interfacing with our PCs, but they've already become a ripe source of inspiration for the DIY community. Duo's hoping to further bridge the gap between the two, with a "the world's first 3d motion sensor that anyone can build." The desktop sensor features two PS3 Eye cameras that can track hands and objects for a more natural interface with one's computer. Duo's unsurprisingly looking to crowdfund its efforts. A pledge of $10 or more will get you early access to the company's SDK. For $40 you'll get the case and instruction. Add $30 to that number, and you've got yourself the kit, which includes everything but the camera ($110 will get you all that). Check out the company's plea after the break, and if you're so inclined you can pledge at the source link below.
Live from Expand: Insert Coin Awards (video)
It's all been leading up to this! We narrowed it down to 10 semifinalists, and you helped us whittle the list down to five -- and now we're ready to announce the winner of our first-ever Insert Coin competition! Join co-host Mark Frauenfelder and our panel of judges as they unveil the results. March 17, 2013 8:30 PM EDT For a full list of Expand sessions, be sure to check out our event hub.
The Daily Roundup for 03.16.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Live from Expand: Insert Coin New Challengers Demos (video)
You've seen plenty about our Insert Coin competitors on this very site -- and now it's time to see them in action. We've got some stage time with the finalists, who will be arguing for why they think they deserve that $20,000 grand prize. March 16, 2013 6:00 PM EDT For a full list of Expand sessions, be sure to check out our event hub.
Insert Coin finalist: Snapzoom scope smartphone adapter hands-on
One of five finalists in our first-annual Insert Coin: New Challengers competition, the Snapzoom is an adapter that lets you connect a smartphone to a telescope or a pair of binoculars for some long-range snapshots. We gave you a brief look at the product earlier in our contest, but we went hands-on with the Snapzoom ahead of Engadget Expand -- with the San Francisco Bay serving as our test subject, no less. The Snapzoom isn't the only product of its kind, but it stands out for being universal. Though we tested the adapter with an iPhone 5, it will work with virtually every smartphone, thanks to adjustable clamps. Connecting the handset (in its case) to a set of binoculars was seamless: we just attached the device via the self-centering clamps and tightened it into place. It's easy to get excited when the setup brings you up close and personal with Alcatraz, but Snapzoom basically assumes you have some stunning imagery to shoot. We'll have to wait and see how our elite panel of Insert Coin judges thinks this contestant stacks up. In the meantime, check out the video demo past the break.%Gallery-182995%
Expand is tomorrow! Here's what you need to know
It's hard to believe, but Expand is now nigh upon us. We hope to see many of you in San Francisco this weekend! Please note: if you are planning to come to the show, and want to save yourself a few bucks on the ticket price, be sure to buy them in advance today before 5pm PT. We will be closing advanced sales at that time, and offering tickets at the door at $60 for a full pass, $40 for Saturday (includes the after-party) and $30 for just Sunday. Read on to get all the last-minute details you need to know...
The Daily Roundup for 03.01.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Announcing the Insert Coin: New Challengers finalists!
Hard to believe, but March is here, and with this lambing-lion of a month comes Engadget's first-ever Expand conference in San Francisco. It also marks the impending culmination of our first-ever Insert Coin: New Challengers competition. Late last year, we asked makers to submit their projects for a chance to win $25,000 in prizes. We whittled that list down to 10 semifinalists and asked you to help up get it down to a final five, which will go up in front of our all-star panel of judges on March 16th and 17th. Finalist voting closed yesterday, and we've tallied the 5 projects that will be demoed on stage. Check them out after the break, and be sure to follow our coverage at Expand for a chance to help pick the Grand Prize and People's Choice winners.
Announcing the Insert Coin: New Challengers judges!
You've already voted for your favorite Insert Coin: New Challengers finalist, right? What? You haven't yet? What are you waiting for? Seriously. The voting's nearly closed! We've already whittled the list down to 10 finalists and asked you to help us get things down to five. Of course, there can only be one big winner, and for that we're bringing in the big guns. MAKE Magazine Editor-in-Chief and Boing Boing co-editor Mark Frauenfelder will be joining us at Expand to help present the top five projects, each of whom will be getting time on our stage to convince readers and judges alike that they deserve to take home the top prize of $20,000. As for the judges themselves, we couldn't be happier -- the list includes four of the biggest names from the world of design, DIY, crowdfunding and gadget blogging. Check out the judges, after the break.
Insert Coin semifinalist: Smart Knob brings keypad access to your front door
Keys? Who needs keys? The Smart Knob is an attempt to do away with those pesky metal things for property managers and renters, attaching a keypad to your front door's deadbolt. Owners of the property can issue codes remotely for a chosen period of time. Visitors can also get codes by calling the service's automated phone system. The Smart Knob is compatible with all standard circular deadbolts, and its creators insist that the installation process takes under a minute. The battery should last "up to two years" with daily use -- and when it gets low, a warning will let you know. Check out a video of the original plastic prototype after the break. The final version will, thankfully, be made of metal. Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!
Insert Coin semifinalist: Radiator Labs wants to help you control your heat
Just about any apartment-dwelling urbanite can tell you that radiators are a bit of a necessary evil in the world of city living. What if there was a way to control the heat to individual rental units, without relying entirely on a landlord's temperature-controlling omnipotence? The Radiator Labs team has developed a device to help realize this dream. It's essentially a housing that sits on top of an individual radiator unit, controlling heat transfer to a room. Turn it off, and the insulation hampers the heat from making a room too hot. Turn it on, and the ducted fan spreads the heat out to the room. Radiator Labs has a bit more info on its page, which you can check out in the source link below. You can also view graphical breakdown of the technology after the break. Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!
We're celebrating Insert Coin semifinalists with a giveaway makers will love
On Wednesday, we opened voting so you can help us choose five finalists in our first Insert Coin: New Challengers competition. It was hard enough for Engadget editors to decide on 10 semifinalists out of the myriad awesome crowdfunded projects entered, including such futuristic fare as bipedal robots, high-tech puppetry and more. Now it's your turn to pick which final five entrants will also present on stage at Expand this March for the chance to win a total of $25,000: $5,000 for the Reader's Choice winner and a whopping $20,000 Grand Prize. Voting closes this coming Wednesday, February 27 at 12:30pm PST / 3:30pm EST, so get your vote in! To celebrate the DIY ingenuity and high tech innovation demonstrated by our intrepid entrants, we're running an Insert Coin Twitter Giveaway that gives a little something back to all the makers out there. We're giving away the following three kit prizes: Grand Prize is the Egg-Bot, an art robot that draws intricate designs on eggs or other round objects including ornaments, golf balls, and light bulbs; 2nd Prize is an Apple 1 Replica Kit designed with permission from the Apple I's original creator, Steve Wozniak; 3rd Prize is the Adafruit FLORA GPS Starter Pack including a Flora motherboard, a GPS module that can also perform location datalogging, eight ultra-bright chainable RGB pixels and more. To win, simply send a tweet naming which of the 10 semifinalists you want to win, in the following format: "I think [PROJECT NAME] should win $20,000 in the @EngadgetExpand Insert Coin Competition!" Of course while you're at it, don't forget to vote! To be eligible to enter, you must be 18 years of age and a U.S. resident (please peruse the full rules). Name your inventor of choice by 5pm EST on Monday, February 25 (one entry per person, please!). We'll choose three winners at random to win each kit prize and will notify them via Twitter. Plus, make sure to follow @EngadgetExpand for more chances to win tickets, prizes and other goodies. UPDATE: We have our lucky winners! Thanks for entering and keep looking out for more chances to play... Grand Prize Winner: Jerry Yuan 2nd Prize Winner: Jason Lee 3rd Prize Winner: Richard Espy
Insert Coin semifinalist: Hodu is a 'zero failure' physical therapy hardware / software combo
Hodu borrows its name from the Korean word for "walnut," a reference to the culture's use of the nut as an exercise tool in traditional medicine. The barbell-shaped device is a "zero failure" physical therapy tool, aimed at rewarding patients for even the slightest level of feedback. There are on-board pressure sensors and accelerometers for detecting activity and a series of colored LEDs that light up based on feedback levels. The team behind Hodu is also working on proprietary software to help log patients' squeezing and rotational progress. After the break is a video that should give you a bit of a better idea of precisely what Hodu is capable of. Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!
Insert Coin semifinalist: cSpring bipedal robot wants to 'level the playing field' for university research
Check out this Mac-headed robot. It's the cSpring Biped Educational Development Kit from the folks at the similarly-named Cognitive Spring team. According to its creators, the 'bot is an attempt to "level the playing field between universities," letting students tool around with an affordable bipedal robotics platform. cSpring has 12 servos in all -- three per hip, one per knee and two per foot. It's controlled by the Cognitive Shield, a bit of technology developed by the team in order to help bring the 'bot to life. Cognitive Spring will be launching crowdfunding campaigns to bring bot of these products to life. cSpring's also got a "Kinect-like" camera on-board for sensing its environment, to help users perform what the company's CEO calls "really easy controls." Jump in after the break for a couple of videos of an early cSpring model in action, and click the source link below for more information on all of the above. Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!
Insert Coin: New Challengers voting is now open -- help us pick five finalists!
Just want to vote? Right this way! Last Friday, we announced our semifinalist pics for Engadget's first-ever Insert Coin: New Challengers competition. We're incredibly excited about the projects we selected, but had a hard enough time whittling the list down to 10. That's where you come in. As far as we're concerned, they're all winners, but we've got presentation time at next month's Expand conference in San Francisco, and we need your help knocking the list down to five finalists. It's a diverse array of entrants, including seafaring drones, bipedal robots, 3D scanners, futuristic radiators and more. Jump in after the break for links to posts about each of the candidates, and when you're done, please click here to vote on your favorite. Five winners will go on to present their projects at Expand in March, for a chance to win $25,000. You have until next Wednesday, February 27 at the same time (12:30pm PST / 3:30pm EST) to cast your vote!
Insert Coin: HeatMeter wants to save your money and the planet (video)
Back in 2011, MIT discovered that the Fisker Karma's batteries only lost 10 percent of their battery life after 1,500 charges. Admittedly, the study didn't examine the EV's reliability, nor its tendency to spontaneously combust, but the MIT researchers did learn plenty about energy conservation in the process. Fast-forward to now, and YShape, a start-up spun off from that original research, is taking to Kickstarter to fund HeatMeter, a sensor that's designed to measure the efficiency of fuel-based boilers. While electricity usage meters are ten-a-penny, it isn't so easy to find equivalents for gas, propane or oil-powered units. By measuring the vibrations in its casing, HeatMeter can tell you exactly how much energy has been used. Combine that data with your home size and average bill cost, and it'll work out what you're spending and how to use less. YShape, led by Radu Gogoana, needs $60,000 for the initial production run -- and will offer you a discounted unit if you kick in $129 -- or lifetime upgrades and support if you make it $149. Not convinced? Head on past the break for the video pitch.
Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists announced!
As 2012 drew to a close, we asked you creative types to let us in on your forthcoming crowdfunded projects -- and boy did you deliver. We've spent the past week whittling down the submissions for our first-ever Insert Coin: New Challengers competition, and are pretty excited about the results. As detailed in our announcement post, we've chosen 10 semifinalists, who will receive a free trip to Expand next month, along with a $1,000 travel stipend. Better yet, those on the list are in the running to win a total of $25,000, including a $5,000 Reader's Choice award and $20,000 Grand Prize, along with product reviews on this very site. Congratulations to all the winners and a big thanks to everyone who entered -- paring down the list wasn't an easy task. We'll be highlighting each entry further in the week to come, leading up to a Wednesday, February 20th, vote for five finalists. Skip on through after the break to check out the list of semifinalists, and we'll see you in March!
