It used to be that if you needed capital to start a business, create a new product, or record an album, you either took a loan out from the bank or asked your friends and family for help. Now, there is Kickstarter, the world's largest funding platform for creative projects. Inventors and creators can simply post a project proposal on Kickstarter asking for donations. In return, those who pledge are rewarded with various gifts, from being listed in film credits to giving input into the direction of a product.
There's been a lot of buzz about Kickstarter recently. This is, in large part, because of a record-breaking project from game design studio Double Fine that hit its $400,000 goal within eight hours of posting and is still raking in donations. The last time we checked, Double Fine Adventure had raised over $1.4 million. Before the big Double Fine news, the project that had everyone buzzing was the Elevation iPhone dock, which broke Kickstarter's all-time record for the highest amount of funding for a single project. It currently has just over $1 million in funding, taking a recent second place to Double Fine (more on this project below).
PCMag recently spoke to Kickstarter co-founder Yancey Strickler who said about 250 proposals come in every day, 60 percent of which are accepted. As of December 2011, Strickler said more than 150,000 people had submitted proposals and more than $125 million worth of projects have been funded over the past two years. If all this talk of Kickstarter success has got you itching to start your own project, make sure to follow our tips on how to get a Kickstarter campaign funded.
We took a look around Kickstarter and checked out some of the coolest tech-related projects that are currently seeking funding. Some have already reached their goals but are still taking donations, whereas others have just barely scratched the surface. Take a look at these 11 cool Kickstarter projects and if any strike your fancy, donate if you wish. Be sure to let us know about other cool tech-related projects we may have missed.
Double Fine Adventure
The "point-and-click adventure game" genre is seen as a thing of the past, much like Walkmans and Atari. But legendary video game maker Tim Schafer (known for Psychonauts, The Secret of Monkey Island, Day of the Tentacle, and Grim Fandango) wants to revitalize the genre. Fully aware that publishers wouldn't fund an adventure game, Schafer and his team at Double Fine Productions, went to Kickstarter for support. Schafer asked for $300,000 for the game and $100,000 for 2 Player Productions to document its creation. Within eight hours of posting on Kickstarter, Schafer had gone above and beyond his $400,000 goal. The last time we checked, the project had already raised just over $1.4 million from more than 39,000 backers.
Things don't typically pan out this way, so don't assume that if you post a Kickstarter project, it will be fully funded within a third of the day—or at all. Double Fine Productions will be the first major studio to fully finance a game with a Kickstarter campaign and reveal the development to the public. According to its Kickstarter page, "Double Fine is committed to total transparency with this project, ensuring it is one of the most honest depictions of game development ever conceived."
Though the project is already fully funded, there's still incentive to make a pledge. Backers will have access to a private online community where they can discuss the project with developers and submit their own ideas. They'll also be able to test the game once it's in beta.
Things don't typically pan out this way, so don't assume that if you post a Kickstarter project, it will be fully funded within a third of the day—or at all. Double Fine Productions will be the first major studio to fully finance a game with a Kickstarter campaign and reveal the development to the public. According to its Kickstarter page, "Double Fine is committed to total transparency with this project, ensuring it is one of the most honest depictions of game development ever conceived."
Though the project is already fully funded, there's still incentive to make a pledge. Backers will have access to a private online community where they can discuss the project with developers and submit their own ideas. They'll also be able to test the game once it's in beta.
Sound Cover: iPad Cover with Powerful Built-In Speakers
The iPad has decent speakers, but hook up a pair of portable speakers and you'll hear that video like it's never been head before. Lugging speakers around defeats the purpose of the ultra-portable iPad, but the Sound Cover is here to help. Designed by Hong Kong-based Petur Hannes Olafsson, the Sound Cover is an ultra-thin, lightweight cover that boosts the iPad's sound by 300 percent. Its rechargeable NXT stereo speakers are built into the durable ABS case. It has an integrated aluminum speaker stand with a bass-boost function. The cover automatically sleeps or wakes up the iPad just as the Apple Smart Cover does. Since the Sound Cover will be manufactured using expensive injection molding techniques, the project needs help with funding; so far it's raised about 20 percent of its $25,000 goal with 30 days to go.
Zooka – Wireless Speaker Bar
Not wowed by the Sound Cover but still looking for a way to ramp up the sound of your iPad? Patrick Triato and the team over at Portland, Oregon's design studio NEW have designed a stylish speaker that slides onto the side of the iPad, providing five times the amount of sound as the small, inboard speakers. The Zooka is a portable Bluetooth sound bar that functions with your smart cover and wirelessly connects to the iPad. It can also be used with your iPhone or any other Bluetooth-enabled device and can connect to any device with a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Though built for the iPad, the speaker can also sit on top of your laptop's screen without obstructing the laptop's camera. The Zooka features rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that boast over eight hours of play. Made out of medical-grade silicone, it's very durable. The project has raised about 30 percent of its $25,000 goal with a deadline of March 19.
AppTag — Laser Blaster for iPhone, iPod & Android
The AppTag Laser Blaster is a completely open-source first-person shooter console that brings laser tag to your smartphone. Created by Australian inventor and army veteran Jon Atherton, the AppTag and smartphone work together; the AppTag does the shooting and the smartphone keeps score and tracks everything else. The app even includes an augmented reality angle, allowing players to see things like medkits, armor, weapons, and ammo packs on their phone's screen and shoot them to reap the benefits.
Each unit uses an infrared sender and receiver and a focused infrared beam and sensor for the laser. It can either be used with the included pistol grip or can clamp onto most toy guns, like Nerf, with an accessory rail. The AppTag communicates with iPods, iPhones, and Android devices using high-frequency sound, meaning no Bluetooth or WiFi setup is required. The app is open source, so developers are encouraged to build games for the toy. The AppTag will sell for $25 and, so far, the project has raised about 25 percent of its $30,000 goal as it approaches its March 16 deadline.
Each unit uses an infrared sender and receiver and a focused infrared beam and sensor for the laser. It can either be used with the included pistol grip or can clamp onto most toy guns, like Nerf, with an accessory rail. The AppTag communicates with iPods, iPhones, and Android devices using high-frequency sound, meaning no Bluetooth or WiFi setup is required. The app is open source, so developers are encouraged to build games for the toy. The AppTag will sell for $25 and, so far, the project has raised about 25 percent of its $30,000 goal as it approaches its March 16 deadline.
Dash – The Smartphone Car Stereo
Replacing your car stereo completely, the Dash, from Colorado-based Devium, turns your iPhone into an all-in-one stereo. Initially, the Dash will only support the iPhone 4 and 4S and the iPod touch, but it will eventually be made for other devices.
There are two parts to the Dash: the double-DIN stereo, which replaces your old car stereo, and a detachable aluminum faceplate that's handy for when you get a new phone that no longer fits that faceplate. The Dash, both charges your iPhone and lets you normally access it. With the introduction of Siri, drivers can easily follow directions without having to take their eyes off the road. The Dash has already raised about 61 percent of its $45,000 goal with a deadline of March 21.
There are two parts to the Dash: the double-DIN stereo, which replaces your old car stereo, and a detachable aluminum faceplate that's handy for when you get a new phone that no longer fits that faceplate. The Dash, both charges your iPhone and lets you normally access it. With the introduction of Siri, drivers can easily follow directions without having to take their eyes off the road. The Dash has already raised about 61 percent of its $45,000 goal with a deadline of March 21.
Recoil Winders – Cord Storage for iPhone, iPad, iPod & More
Let's face it, most of us are constantly caught up in a Medusa-like tangle of cords and chargers. Many products have attempted to declutter this mess, but none have looked as promising or as simple as the Recoil Cord Winder. It claims to be the only cord winder that's automatic, spring-loaded, and designed to wind almost every kind of cord and cable. To wind a cord, simply fold the cord in half, put the bent side under the hook, and give it a little pull. The cord will instantly retract into the Recoil Winder.
Available in three sizes, the Small Winder is designed specifically for Apple iPod and iPhone earbuds with and without mics and other headphones without mics; the Medium Winder will wind all headphones—including those with mics—and most lightweight USB and charging cords up to 47 inches; and the Large Winder winds the rest of your small diameter cords and cables up to 60 inches long. The project has gone above and beyond its goal of $10,000, having raised $72,000 with 13 days left to go, and will be funded on February 25.
Available in three sizes, the Small Winder is designed specifically for Apple iPod and iPhone earbuds with and without mics and other headphones without mics; the Medium Winder will wind all headphones—including those with mics—and most lightweight USB and charging cords up to 47 inches; and the Large Winder winds the rest of your small diameter cords and cables up to 60 inches long. The project has gone above and beyond its goal of $10,000, having raised $72,000 with 13 days left to go, and will be funded on February 25.
ChargeSAFE – A Breakaway Laptop Power Connector
There's no doubt that PC users have been jealous of the Apple-only MagSafe power adapter that detaches from the laptop should one clumsily trip over the cord. Normally, one misstep would send a PC sitting on the edge of a coffee table crashing to the floor, but not any longer with the luxury of a magnetic power adapter. The ChargeSAFE consists of a 7.4-millimeter plug that's inserted into the computer and a 7.4-milimeter jack that receives the OEM power cord. When the cord is pulled hard enough, the two parts will disconnect from each other. The device is designed for HP and Dell laptops, but will be followed soon by other brands. ChargeSAFE has raised about 5 percent of its $30,000 goal and has a deadline of March 17.
Timelapse+
Time-lapse photography has become an increasingly popular trend. Just take a look at our sister site Geek.com, which frequently covers time-lapse videos. Time-lapse photography nerds will be happy to see the Timelapse+, an intervalometer (timer device) for automatically triggering D-SLR and SLR cameras.
Compatible with Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Pentax, and Minolta SLRs (and others that have a connection for a cable release), the camera's adapter cable plugs into a 2.5-millimeter jack on the Timelapse+. (Customers must specify what kind of camera they have when purchasing the Timelapse+ to receive the right adaptor cable.) The intervalometer lets users set a delayed start, the interval, length of exposure in tenths of a second, and number of exposures per interval. It also has an infrared remote and light sensor that let users trigger the camera wire-free. The firmware is open source, so anyone can build upon it. The project has a goal of $20,000 but has gone above and beyond that, having raised over $115,000 with six days left to go.
Compatible with Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Pentax, and Minolta SLRs (and others that have a connection for a cable release), the camera's adapter cable plugs into a 2.5-millimeter jack on the Timelapse+. (Customers must specify what kind of camera they have when purchasing the Timelapse+ to receive the right adaptor cable.) The intervalometer lets users set a delayed start, the interval, length of exposure in tenths of a second, and number of exposures per interval. It also has an infrared remote and light sensor that let users trigger the camera wire-free. The firmware is open source, so anyone can build upon it. The project has a goal of $20,000 but has gone above and beyond that, having raised over $115,000 with six days left to go.
ATC Ergo Dock: The Ultimate Adjustable iPad & iPhone Dock
If those of you who were excited to hear about the Elevation Dock for iPhone were disappointed that there's no iPad version, you're in luck. The team over at Adaptive Tech Components in Camas, Washington, has created an iPad dock that looks eerily similar to the Elevation Dock. The big difference—besides its size—is that it's ergonomic. The ATC Ergo Dock makes your iPad's angle adjustable for the perfect view. It docks and undocks with a streamlined 30-pin connector, and it also works with iPhones. The dock, made in Oregon out of aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, is bead-blast-finished to look like just like the Apple products you're used to seeing. The project still has 56 days to go and a lot of funds to raise. Its goal is to raise $88,000 by April 9, and as of Friday, February 10, only $89 had been pledged.
SolMate: Solar iPhone Charging Case
It's a well-known fact that the iPhone's battery life is short. There have been countless products that have come to market to combat this—boosters, chargers, extra battery packs—but Adam Benzion and Jamie Wojcik have created a new iPhone case to rectify the problem. The SolMate is a portable power supply that charges the phone from any light source or inductive power surface. The SolMate has a "trifecta of power" coming from a Qi inductive charging chip, an 18-percent-efficient solar cell, and a custom 1600mA lithium-ion battery. The case's backup battery will provide up to 112 percent additional power, while its solar cell will add up to 30 percent. The casing is milled from aerospace-certified aluminum blocks and silicon dioxide glass. The SolMate comes with an iOS app that will manage your power, on/off switching, and "power harvesting reports." SolMate has gone above its goal of $30,000 and has raised over $43,000 thus far. The project will be officially funded on February 23.
Ninja Blocks
If someone opened your front door at home while you were at work, wouldn't you want to know? Or maybe you'd like to be notified whenever your dog jumps onto the couch? (He knows he's not allowed up there!) You don't need to be a wiz at programming to set up these notifications—not with the help of Ninja Blocks. Created by a trio of happy geeks who've been teaching open-source electronics for years, Ninja Blocks are "simple but powerful open source hardware backed by an amazing web service called Ninja Cloud that allows your Ninja Block to talk to your favorite web apps."
Each Ninja Block comes with a built-in temperature sensor and accelerometer, as well as four expansion ports and a regular USB port. The Ninja Cloud software is integrated into the Ninja Blocks and allows them to talk and listen to Web services like Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, weather, and more. Without having to write a single line of code, you can use Ninja Cloud to tell your Ninja Block to perform tasks. For example, tell Siri to turn on the light or instruct your webcam to take a picture of your front yard and save it in Dropbox. Triggers can include movement, temperature, Facebook tags, and Tweets; once a trigger has occurred, it'll set off an action. If you do happen to be a programming pro, Ninja Blocks are open source, so you're welcome to adapt them to your needs. The project has already reached its $24,000 goal, nearing $50,000. Ninja Blocks will be funded on March 10.
Each Ninja Block comes with a built-in temperature sensor and accelerometer, as well as four expansion ports and a regular USB port. The Ninja Cloud software is integrated into the Ninja Blocks and allows them to talk and listen to Web services like Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, weather, and more. Without having to write a single line of code, you can use Ninja Cloud to tell your Ninja Block to perform tasks. For example, tell Siri to turn on the light or instruct your webcam to take a picture of your front yard and save it in Dropbox. Triggers can include movement, temperature, Facebook tags, and Tweets; once a trigger has occurred, it'll set off an action. If you do happen to be a programming pro, Ninja Blocks are open source, so you're welcome to adapt them to your needs. The project has already reached its $24,000 goal, nearing $50,000. Ninja Blocks will be funded on March 10.