Pebble, the smartwatch that started life on Kickstarter, has received an extra $15 million in funding. The additional funding from investors, on top of the $10.2 million received through its Kickstarter campaign, comes at the same time as the company updates its SDK to include two-way communication for third-party Pebble apps.
The Ouya game console has started shipping, with the first wave of shipments being sent today. The commencement of sending consoles to Kickstarter backers follows announcements that Game, a computer game retailer in the United Kingdom, has opened up pre-orders for the device, both in-store and through its website.
Kickstarter-funded smartwatch Pebble has received an update to fix a showstopping bug. The new 1.9.1 firmware came into being following reports received by Engadget of users finding their timepieces stopped working after shutting down, and is said to fix the issue. Customers with watches on older firmware that do not switch back on can request for a replacement through e-mail or the companion Pebble app.
Gaming on devices such as Apple's iPad and Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy S IV lacks the emotional impact of traditional console gaming, according to one gaming executive. Speaking at Engadget's Expand conference, Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman lamented the lack of depth in mobile games. The Android-powered Ouya console, Uhrman says, will bridge the gap between the accessibility of mobile gaming and the emotional depth made possible by traditional consoles.
The Ouya game console will start shipping to its first non-developer customers on March 28. The Android-based console, funded through over $8.5 million in pledges on Kickstarter, will be shipping on-time to the first wave of backers, with the device expected to arrive in all customer mailboxes before the end of April.
Nokia has started up its Music+ subscription service in the United States, after launching in other territories in January. The subscription, costing $4 per month, expands on the existing free Mix Radio service on Lumia devices by offering an unlimited number of track skips for mixes, and allowing for downloads of multiple mixes. The audio quality is said to be eight times that of the free tier, and provides the option of allowing higher-quality streams to be played over a Wi-Fi connection compared to a lower quality over a mobile network.
Crowd-funding service Kickstarter has launched its first iOS app, currently only for the iPhone and iPod touch. For the general public, the title lets users find new projects, track existing ones, and commit pledges. People can also watch project videos, and receive updates from friends.
The Ouya game console will go on sale in stores, shortly after it ships to backers of it's Kickstarter drive. Amazon.com, Best Buy, GameStop and Target will be stocking the Android-powered console when it goes on sale to the general public in June, after orders on the Ouya website ship in April, and after the Kickstarter backers receive theirs in March.
Photography is always a popular theme at the Macworld Expo, where Hyper brought its CameraMator wireless viewfinder for Canon and Nikon DSLRs. MacNN has taken a closer look at the Kickstarter-funded device, which enables users to preview snapshots or trigger the shutter from an iOS or Android device.
The Pebble smartwatch has started shipping to Kickstarter backers, though less than initially estimated. The low shipment numbers problem is accompanied by news of a possible delay in the iOS app for the watch, limiting what actions backers will be able to perform on the device once they receive their orders.
The Pebble smart watch will be shipping to backers on January 23rd. Company CEO Eric Migicovsky made the announcement at CES, adding that the e-paper timepiece will be shipping in batches, and is good news to Kickstarter backers that have waited for the wrist-based gadget, including through a number of production delays.
Developer editions of the Android-based, open-source gaming system called Ouya have shipped on time. People who pledged $700 to the extremely-successful Kickstarter campaign will be receiving a developer's edition of the console, as well as early access to the Ouya Development Kit, three months before mainstream editions will be sent to donors.
Apple today formally updated its specifications on the Lightning manufacturing licensing agreement that allegedly torpedoed a Kickstarter project. The company said it is now allowing the Lightning adapter found on the iPhone 5, iPad (fourth generation), and iPad mini to be used in conjunction with the older 30-pin dock cable on the same accessory.
A high-profile iOS charging accessory Kickstarter project has been cancelled by its inventor, even after raising well more than twice the requested funding. The POP Charger, designed by Edison Junior representative Jamie Siminoff, saw an update to the funding page for the first time in over a month. The update stated that the company would not be able to build and engineer the device, since Apple was not going to approve Lightning connectors in use in parallel with the now-outdated 30-pin connectors.
Ouya, the open-source, Android-based gaming system will apparently be shipping on time, with early supporters of the system's wildly successful Kickstarter campaign slated to receive the first units in late December. Supporters who pledged as little as $95 are still expected to receive their units in March of next year. Those that contributed more to Ouya's campaign, though, will get first-run, rooted developers' systems with early SDK access.
A manufacturer of 3D printers is suing Formlabs and crowdfunding site Kickstarter for an alleged patent infringement. The suit claims that the Form 1 3D printer infringes on a US patent owned by 3D Systems relating to stereolithography, and comes less than a month after the printer finished its highly-successful Kickstarter funding drive.
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A new 3D printer has more than quadrupled its initial target on its first day on Kickstarter. The Form 1 from Formlabs had an original target of $100,000, and currently stands at over $400,000 with 29 days of the Kickstarter campaign left to go. Instead of the extruded plastic used by other low-budget printers such as the Makerbot Replicator, the Form 1 opts to use Stereolithography (SL).
Crowd funding Internet site Kickstarter will be placing new restrictions on the activities users can engage in when promoting hardware projects for funding. The policy changes were announced in a post on Kickstarter's blog on Friday. Project developers will now be limited to showing their works as they currently exist, and the site has placed new restrictions on how many units developers can offer to supporters.
Accessory maker CruxCase has announced a Kickstarter campaign for its new CruxSkunk iPad attachment. The attachment essentially turns an iPad into a MacBook Air by providing a thin keyboard that connects to the tablet through Bluetooth. The project has already met its Kickstarter goal and sits at $226 above its $90,000 goal with 35 days to go.
Open gaming console Ouya entered the final 48 hours of its Kickstarter campaign with more content announcements. The XBMC media player will appear on the console to provide entertainment hub functionality. Originally the Xbox Media Player, XBMC has been ported to a number of platforms in the past, and its recent Android version will form the backbone of Ouya's implementation. Early Ouya prototypes will be distributed to the XBMC development team, a third of whom are already backers in the Kickstarter campaign.
A Kickstarter drive for the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset reached its $250,000 goal within hours of starting. The headset, endorsed by gaming legends John Carmack and Cliff Bleszinski, boasts a 110 degree diagonal and 90 degree horizontal field of view, a resolution of 1280x800 split into 640x800 per eye, and 6 degrees of freedom with a claimed "ultra-low" latency, a problem that has plagued VR systems in the past.
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A Kickstarter campaign to launch an Android-based home console has gained a considerable amount of traction early. The makers of Ouya, an Android-based game console, are seeking to create an open platform that will enable developers to make games without having to jump through the usual licensing and publishing hoops that mainstream titles face.
LunaTik has again taken its latest project to Kickstarter seeking crowd sourced funding for its latest project, TakTik. TakTik is a new military grade iPhone 4/4S case that incorporates a shockproof suspension system with a 9mm impact truss and what it calls a Ballastik Bezel. It also comes with the option of a custom-made Gorilla Glass lens protector for additional protection as the video below shows.
CubEdge is running a Kickstarter campaign aimed at getting funding for the production of an eco-friendly, wireless Bluetooth speaker. All of the major components in the Edge.sound are biodegradable, and CubEdge offers solar energy options to power the device. The Edge.sound is Bluetooth-enabled, enabling it to connect to iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, as well as other Bluetooth-enabled devices. The speaker packs a battery capable of supporting 10 hours of music playing
High-quality covers for the iPad are a prevalent accessory. Once relegated to boutique status, they can now be had for a variety of prices ranging from $40 to over $100. The official Apple case for the iPad 2 and current-generation iPad sits at the low end of the range financially. When a new product shows up that's competitively priced with Apple's offering, it's worth a look. An already fully-funded Kickstarter project by Washington DC metro-area Salman Sajid is still underway, and MacNN got an early look at the product that carries both any generation of iPad as well as an Apple Bluetooth keyboard.
Sprint and Sierra Wireless have announced the availability of the first mobile router to combine LTE and WiMAX 4G connections alongside 3G connectivity. The Sierra Wireless 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot will connect to Sprint's 4G network and will become available to customers starting May 18.
The record-setting growth of the Pebble watch concept on Kickstarter is continuing, and the team behind the smartphone companion device is continuing to rack in the support dollars. When the project gathered $3 million, designers announced they will make the case waterproof, and now that the $9m mark was breached, they said they will add Bluetooth 4.0 functionality to it. This shouldn't affect the launch date, and the functionality will be enabled after launch thanks to a software update.
Celebrated crowdsourcing site Kickstarter has been touched by scandal, as a project on the site that amassed about $4,700 in funding has been revealed to be a fraud. As the BBC reports, the scam centered around an independent role-playing game that promised big achievements on a small budget.
On the heels of a similar-looking Japanese keyboard case for the iPad 2, a new Kickstarter project aims to introduce a high-grade aluminum-based Bluetooth case called Brydge that when paired with an iPad closely resembles the body, thickness and weight of a MacBook Air. The main selling point of the Brydge is the unibody aluminum style (as opposed to the metal-painted plastic of the Japanese NotebookCase), along with a "click-in" hinge that allows both a wide range of positioning options and secure carrying.
With the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign, Revolve is soon to ship an inexpensive camera dolly system. Compatible with nearly any camera, the system can be used to generate a wide variety of shots and angles and can be used either tracked or on any surface. The initial Kickstarter price for the basic system is $70, other accessories compatible with the Revolve camera dolly are available at additional charge.
The Pebble e-paper watch project covered last week and featured on crowd-sourcing website Kickstarter has now raised over 31 times more capital than it was originally intended. The initial pace was certainly impressive, as the project met its goal within just two hours of it being posted on the site. The device, once manufactured, promises to bring with it iOS and Android compatibility over a Bluetooth connection.
The latest crowd-sourced funding phenomenon to come out of Kickstarter.com has raised $100 thousand in the first two hours after being listed on the crowd-sourcing website. The Pebble E-Paper smartwatch will offer users of both iPhones and Android devices smartwatch capabilities when paired over Bluetooth. Users will be able to receive incoming alerts that can be delivered audibly or through a silent vibration function.
LIL KIKR is rolling out two compact docks for iPhones and iPods. The LIL KIKR and LIL KIKR+ serve as chargers, stands, and mini speakers. A built in amplifier boosts sound by up to 10db to make up for the size.
Psychonauts developer Double Fine ended its Kickstarter project Tuesday evening with the largest project in the site's history. The fundraising for an adventure game earned $3,335,325 since its early February start, or more than eight times the $400,000 the studio had set for its original budget. Its actual budget will be higher, as another $110,000 had been pledged by others in the game industry outside of Kickstarter proper.
Double Fine Productions has surpassed its Kickstarter funding goal in just eight hours since the developer began accepting pledges to help create an adventure game and a documentary to chronicle the experience. The project has achieved over $1 million in investment pledges, more than doubling the original goal of $400,000.
Several successful Kickstarter projects are currently on hand at the Macworld iWorld expo for potential customers to try out, including LandingZone's docking station for the MacBook Air. Electronista initially wrote about the device before it had gathered enough funding to pass through the Kickstarter program, so we were excited to get a chance to see it in person.
Cregle is hoping to make one if the few if not only high-precision styluses for the iPad through the iPen. The input has an active digitizer and fine tip like professional pens that lets it draw at a precision closer to a ballpoint but with optimizations for the iPad's screen, which isn't explicitly tailored to pens. It discards palm input and, with supporting apps, will show a cursor even when not quite in contact.
One of the first practical uses of the new low-power Bluetooth 4.0 spec on the iPhone 4S has emerged through a Kickstarter project. Find My Car Smart combines a mini USB Smart Device that broadcasts Bluetooth with an iOS app (99 cents, App Store) to help locate the car in a crowded city or large parking lot. Bluetooth 4.0's low draw lets it quietly update its location in the background without needing a strong or constant signal.
An already successful Kickstarter project has promised to cure all the problems associated with iPhone docks. The Elevation Dock uses a deliberately heavy, milled aluminum base with a low-friction Dock Connector. The goal, founder Casey Hopkins says, is to let users easily slip the iPhone in or out where everyday docks either stick to the device or require too much work for the actual docking.
Product Design has introduced a glass keyboard and matching glass trackpad that are currently seeking development funding as a Kickstarter project. Both peripherals are built using tempered glass panes attached to solid metal bases, sensing touch input on the glass surface without the need for moving parts. Users can choose from tactile sounds and lights, while the companion software will be open source for custom configuration.
Startup InfiniWing is offering a simple but elegant docking solution for the MacBook Air. The LandingZone can connect one of these ultra-thins to power, a monitor, 100 Mbps Ethernet, and up to four USB devices. An owner simply drops the MacBook Air onto the dock and then locks it in place with a lever.
