Kickstarter

Amid iWatch talk, Pebble teases ‘big news’ at CES

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 3, 2013

Pebble, the company behind the upcoming smart watch of the same name, is telling its Kickstarter backers that "it's time" for some "big news" as the company promises to livestream its CES news event January 9 at at 12pm ET. For those unaware, their Pebble E-Paper Watch has been long in the making and last April became the most highly funded Kickstarter project to date, which tells you there's certainly some demand for such a product.

Should the company finally releases its iOS and Android smart watch, it could breathe new life into the product category that cries for a sprinkle of Apple magic. Or perhaps Pebble Technology figured it better release its gizmo ahead of a rumored iWatch Apple's reportedly been collaborating on with Intel? Either way, looks like 2013 will be the year of smart watches...

New iPhone gamepad flaunts Bluetooth 4.0 and solar power

Cody Lee ∙ December 23, 2012

The iPhone gamepad space is starting to get a little crowded these days, mostly thanks to Kickstarter. It seems like every week now we see a new controller pop up on the crowd-funded site promising to be better than the last.

But so far, none of them have managed to go mainstream — outside of maybe the iCade line — meaning it's still anyone's game. And this week, Justice Frangipane and crew decided to throw their hats into the proverbial ring...

Apple alters MFi guidelines following Kickstarter project fiasco

Cody Lee ∙ December 21, 2012

Earlier today, we told you about the unfortunate story of POP, the portable power station. In just a few short months, the accessory went from a popular Kickstarter project with over $100,000 in funding, to essentially deadweight due to Apple denying their request for a MFi license.

The problem was, the POP's use of other charging cables in conjunction with the new Lightning connector violated Apple's Made For iPhone terms, thus leading to the license rejection. Well today, following the story, Apple has updated its MFi guidelines and released a statement...

Apple’s strict MFi terms force Kickstarter project to shut down

Cody Lee ∙ December 21, 2012

Back in September, things were going pretty good for the folks at Edison Junior. Their Kickstarter project POP, a portable power station, was a huge success, raising more than $100,000. And they were hoping to start shipping the accessory by early December.

But unfortunately, instead of mailing out POPs to their backers this month, Edison Junior is trying to figure out how to not go broke returning everyone's money. It seems that Apple has rejected their application for a Lightning certificate, forcing them to shut down...

NIBIQÜ: a Surface-like keyboard case for your iPad

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Despite lackluster sales, Microsoft's new Surface has been praised for its innovations. Windows 8 RT certainly doesn't look like anything else on the market right now, and the tablet's ultra-slim Touch Cover keyboard is an interesting concept.

In fact, a lot of folks are asking if there is something similar available for the iPad. There are, actually several keyboard covers that are compatible with Apple's tablet, but none of them come closer to the Touch Cover than the NIBIQÜ...

The WynCASE: an interesting take on the iOS gamepad

Cody Lee ∙ December 12, 2012

Now, I know what you're thinking, "ugh, not another iOS gamepad! We've seen dozens of these already and they're either too expensive, too bulky, or too complicated." And you're right, we've seen a number of these things, and most of them fit that description.

But what if I were to tell you that this new gamepad called the WynCASE was different? What if I told you that it was inexpensive, extremely thin, and didn't require a Bluetooth connection or batteries? Does any of this pique your interest? Good. Keep reading...

The Boombot Rex is a durable speaker with Siri support

Cody Lee ∙ December 7, 2012

When it comes to iPhone-friendly speakers, there's no shortage of choices. There's the Jawbone Jambox, the Beats Pill, and countless other options. But when it comes to durable speakers that you can take with you anywhere, the choices are a lot more limited.

In fact, you might even say there's a gap in the market for such a product. And the Boombot REX ultraportable speaker is hoping to fill that gap...

Review: the MobileMount universal kickstand

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated February 27, 2017

Holding iPhones and iPads just where you want them is something of a dark art. There are more than enough docks, stands and foldable cases out there that claim to do the job and while most do just that, we've always hankered after something a little different.

When we saw the MobileMount on Kickstarter quite a while ago, we had a sneaky suspicion that we had found it. At first glance it was a car holder for a phone. Looking a little harder though suggested it could be much more than that. We were intrigued.

Since then, the Kickstarter project has come to fruition, and you can now pick up your very own MobileMount for just under $40. But should you? Let's find out...

The OCDock, when iMac and iPhone become one [sponsored]

Sébastien Page ∙ December 5, 2012

Even though Apple has no plan to release its own dock for the iPhone 5, we've seen plenty of third party alternatives that all look as creative as they are original. The OCDock by OCDesk is one of these docks that not only looks gorgeous, but seamlessly integrates with your iMac or Thunderbolt display. It's simple, it's beautiful. In short, it's something that Apple itself could have designed.

Today we sit down with Mart Jaetma, an OCDesk team member who is actively contributing to the development of the OCDock and its Kickstarter campaign. Mart tells us more about the OCDock, how it came to life, and why you should help fund his project...

Combiform wants to change the way you view console gaming

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated February 27, 2017

Traditional console gaming never truly engages those participating in the game. Those playing the game on any given console, even a Wii, never actively work together or play a game in a given space away from the couch. Combiform looks to shatter conventional gaming with its new handheld-console system that even interacts with iPhone. The system, which is a unique patented technology, encourages multimodal interaction because it is not only a toy, but also a video game accessory with exciting possibilities...

MyLED brings external notifications to your iOS device

Cody Lee ∙ November 29, 2012

Despite the many improvements Apple has made to the iPhone over the past five years, there are still some things missing from the handset. One of the biggest omissions, for a lot of folks anyway, is the lack of external notifications.

And Apple must agree, to some extent, because it added the LED Flash for Alerts feature in iOS 5. But the makeshift solution doesn't quite cut it for everyone, and that's where the myLED external notification light comes in...

This 3-inch Lightning cable fits on your key ring

Cody Lee ∙ November 28, 2012

Have you ever found yourself out and about with a dying iPhone and no charger? With the introduction of Apple's new Lightning port, that scenario isn't nearly as unlikely as it used to be.

That's why Kickstarters Kegan & Roberto developed the Nomad, a 3-inch USB-to-Lightning cable that fits on your key ring. That way, you'll never find yourself without an iPhone charger again...