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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.
Kickstarter commemorates Voyager with projects celebrating humanity
Forty years ago, the two Voyager probes were launched and to honor the anniversary, Kickstarter has created Projects of Earth -- a group of campaigns inspired by the Voyager's Golden Record that offer "unique perspectives on humanity, culture and life on Earth." All of the projects will be launched between August 20th and September 5th -- the two dates of each of the Voyager probe launches -- and like the Golden Record, are meant to capture a portrait of our world as it exists today.
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.
Exercise stick trains your muscles with light-based feedback
Of all the products ripe for technological gimmicks, training gizmos take the (low-fat, sugar-free) cake. That said, a new gadget called Axon does look pretty cool, if you're willing to risk Kickstarter. It's a stick that resembles a stout pool cue, with sensors and lights that measure the force you apply when pushing it against a wall, floor, ceiling, rock or tree. You can then train your body to match the lights, helping you improve muscle and back strength.
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?
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.
Neil deGrasse Tyson wants to take you on a 'Space Odyssey'
Kickstarter games are, pardon the cliché, a dime a dozen. Everyone and their business partner wants to get in on the crowd-funded interactive entertainment business, even if things don't always work out. Coleco failed on Indiegogo, but came to Kickstarter to try again. Kickstarter can be a mixed blessing, for sure: Double Fine mismanaged its successful campaign for Broken Age, while the team behind Banner Saga seems to be using the system fairly well. It's no wonder, then, why celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has jumped onto the crowd-funding service to fund his own new title, a "scientifically accurate" Space Odyssey - The Video Game.
Peter Thiel-backed bed sensor company Hello is put to sleep
In an announcement posted yesterday on Medium, Hello's founder James Proud said that his company would be shutting down. And Hello's product, the sleep monitor Sense, will be shutting down along with it.
'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."
Amazon, ACLU back net neutrality 'day of action' on July 12th
Many tech advocates and companies aren't happy that the FCC is planning to gut net neutrality, and they're determined to make their voices heard. The non-profit group has declared July 12th a "day of action" where companies and organizations will show support for a fair and competitive internet. It's not certain just what those protests will entail, but there are plenty of recognizable names involved. Amazon, Etsy, Kickstarter, Mozilla, Reddit and Vimeo are among the companies throwing their weight around, while groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Greenpeace are also showing solidarity.
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.
Kickstarter gives startups the tools to help prevent hardware flops
Turning a product idea into a real, finished piece of hardware takes a great deal of hard work -- just ask the folks behind the Zano mini-drone. A few years ago, an independent study even found that nine percent of crowdfunding projects never even deliver. Now, Kickstarter is finally doing something about the problem with a new program called Hardware Studio that aims to coach new inventors and would-be entrepreneurs through the ins and outs of building a working product they can bring to market.
People actually crowdfunded this smart pillow
The connected home is getting out of hand. These days your mattress can do everything from keep tabs on your cheating spouse to start your coffee each morning. But why let the surface you sleep on have all the smarts when you can pay $300 for a pillow that knows when you're sleeping and when you're awake? Like Santa but from 1984.
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.
Kickstarter seeks creators to launch more ambitious projects
If you look at what's trending on Kickstarter, you'll see a bunch of gadgets, games and quirky knickknacks. While they all look fun and promising, it seems Kickstarter wants to see grander campaigns much more creative and forward-thinking than usual. The crowdfunding website has published its first request for projects that focus on innovative designs and revolutionary technologies. Its design and tech team is looking for three types in particular, starting with ones that push the envelope.
