kickstarter

Check out ThingsWeStart, a Web site launched earlier this week that displays current Kickstarter projects on an interactive map. Users of the site can drag their mouse around and view local projects, or perhaps peep on an endeavor in a nearby city.

Aside from a general search by city, state, or ZIP code, the magnifying glass near the ThingsWeStart logo offers the option to filter by the type of Kickstarter project. This provides a unique lens to see ventures in lesser-known categories, such as fashion, theater, publishing, design, and so on. Clicking on a project lets you view the related video and a link to see the listing on Kickstarter. … Read more

Boosted Boards is promoting its electric-powered skateboard as the world's lightest electric vehicle. The Kickstarter project packs 2.6 horsepower onto a 12-pound longboard.

The skateboard is powered by lithium batteries, giving the rider up to 6 miles of range. It takes two hours to fully recharge the batteries and manages a top speed of 20mph. Regenerative braking helps the battery along when you're riding.

The skateboard works with a handheld remote control with a throttle, brake, and battery gauge. The remote is designed to tuck a finger through so you can hang onto it even while doing ollies.… Read more

In my limited observations, it seems that size, shape, color, and fabric constantly change in the evolution of fashion pouches, but the actual usefulness of a purse stays the same: you can put in whatever you can fit in.

Everpurse, an up-and-comer on grassroots-funding site Kickstarter, seems poised to take off by raising the idea of a clutch (or purse insert) that can charge an iPhone or Android smartphone through a built-in dock and battery. Why does it seem poised? It raised over $23,000 in one day. … Read more

Polaroid cameras used to be the coolest things. You'd huddle around a little square of weird photographic paper, waiting for the image to magically appear out of nothing. You just don't get the same thrill from capturing a photo on your smartphone. Until now.

I'm at the Kickstarter page for the Impossible Instant Lab, watching the pledge numbers rise in real time. Backers are jumping in on the $149 early-bird price (regularly a $229 pledge) for a device that turns photos from an iPhone into Polaroid pictures.… Read more

"Oh my god, Becky, look at her butt. It is so bright!" That's because she has a Monocle bike safety light fashioned from her iPhone.

The Monocle from Studio KMD consists of two parts. It's a holder that slips onto your belt and an app that triggers a bright red flashing light. Hang it down over your rear and bike away with your iPhone flashing behind you.… Read more

After concerns were raised about where donors' money goes if Kickstarter projects are never finished, the crowd-source funding platform addressed its accountability today.

"The number of creative projects that have been funded and produced on Kickstarter in the past three years is enormous," the company's co-founders, Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, and Charles Adler, wrote in a blog post today. "But of course not every project goes perfectly. Delays do occur, especially with more complicated projects. Some creators get in over their heads dealing with processes that are new to them."

Ultimately, Kickstarter concluded that the … Read more

It was just a few weeks ago when my buddy Tyll Hertsens was raving about Colin Shaw's Sicphones amplifier Kickstarter project. Hertsens never steers me wrong, so I contacted Shaw, and a few days later I received the amp. Hertsens was right. This design uses a newly available SemiSouth silicon carbide transistor, and the amp sounds amazing. If Shaw makes his Kickstarter goal he'll be able to sell amp kits for as little as $229, and assembled amps for $279! DIY-ers can spring for just $35 and get the Sicphones amplifier PC board, assembly instructions, and parts source … Read more

If you've ever wanted your very own working Android robot, this Kickstarter project is something to watch.

Reality Robotics is fishing for funding for Be the Robot (BERO), a pint-size bot you can control with a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone.

The programmable droid was inspired by the Android mascot, but since Google hasn't officially given its blessing to the project, it looks a little different. It can dance, avoid obstacles, and take commands from an open-source phone app. … Read more