Tag Archives: Indiegogo

Lego Launches New Forma Models on Indiegogo

Toys, ,

To much surprise, Lego is launching the first of a new range of models on Indiegogo. Called Lego Forma, it’s aimed squarely at adults,  “Lego Forma is a premium Lego experience designed for adults looking for a fun, engaging way to reconnect with their creative side.”

The first model in the Forma line is a fish. The base model is a koi carp, but cleverly the model can be skinned into a shark, a colourful koi and an “ink” koi. This last one is a skin that you colour in yourself. Yes, Lego is getting in on the adult colouring fad as well. Two for one!

The Lego fish is engineered to move realistically when the crank is turned. Consisting of 294 pieces, it stands 27.9 cm high, 12.7 cm wide and 25.4 cm long. The model costs US$45 with the koi skins priced at $15 and $16 for the shark skin.

There is a Super Box set which contains the Lego fish plus the four skins at US$85. Delivery is expected in January 2019 and is currently only available to US and UK addresses.

This a short-run product, but Lego are still making 20,000 models. Not sure you’d call it a limited edition but it’ll undoubtedly become collectable. There’s a limit of one purchase per backer but I’d still get in quick.

As with all campaigns on Indiegogo and Kickstarter, you’re buying the promise of a product though I’d say there’s a very high chance of delivery on this one.

I’ve ordered mine.

Reserve Your Todd Cochrane Signature Podcaster Pro Now!

adam curry, ,

Podcaster ProThis week marks the launch of the Podcaster Pro Indiegogo campaign. I’m sure Todd has mentioned the campaign on the show. But just in case, the Podcaster Pro is a new all-in-one audio production device designed in part by The Podfather himself, Adam Curry:

The Podcaster Pro is a USB Audio device that has been over a decade in the making by Adam Curry. The Podcaster Pro, your laptop, and an XLR mic are all you need to make podcasts that sound like they were recorded in a professional recording studio! The Podcaster Pro brings Mic Preamps, EQ, Compressor, Noise-gate, Mix-minus, and Voice Processing in a single USB device about the size of a hardcover book.

The campaign to make the Podcaster Pro a reality has an ambitious $500,000 funding goal. As of this writing, the campaign has reached 6% of that goal, with just over $32,000 raised. To help entice potential backers to the campaign, the makers of the Podcaster Pro are offering a number of incentives, including a signature line of Podcaster Pro devices.

Each signature model comes with the signature of an influential podcaster laser inscribed into the Podcaster Pro’s casing. Those reserving a signature Podcaster Pro can choose a signature from the likes of Adam Curry, Dan Benjamin, Brian Brushwood, GNC’s own Todd Cochrane, and more. Prices for these special signature edition devices range from $647 to $727 each.

If you’re not interested in owning a Podcaster Pro but would like to contribute to the campaign, you can donate any amount you’d like. At the $33 level, backers get access to Club 33 (a not-so-subtle nod to Adam Curry’s podcast No Agenda), which is described as an exclusive portal to content made by Adam Curry specifically about the Podcaster Pro.

If you’d like to learn more about the Podcaster Pro’s Indiegogo campaign, click the link at the top of this article.

Breathe Underwater With “Artificial Gills” from Triton

Accessory, ,

triton swimmer in poolHumans have been able to swim underwater safely for decades using equipment like SCUBA gear. But that type of underwater apparatus can be expensive and difficult to use. What if a swimmer could just put on a simple mask-like device that would allow him to breathe underwater without the need for oxygen tanks or other bulky gear? The developers of the Triton Artificial Gill Re-Breather are hoping to answer that question.

The Triton team has created a prototype “artificial gill” system. This so-called “re-breather” uses a special respirator that a swimmer holds in their mouth to be used with an attendant mask that covers the eyes and nose. Triton claims that this system will allow a swimmer to safely breathe underwater for up to 45 minutes without the need for external oxygen tanks or other breathing equipment. The artificial gills are made from microporous hollow fiber that keeps water out but allows oxygen to pass. A powerful lithium-ion battery then runs a compressor that feeds a small onboard oxygen tank, making it possible to breathe underwater.

Triton is launching its re-breather thru an Indiegogo campaign that’s been wildly successful. The team was hoping to raise $50,000 and the campaign has already taken in more than $800,000 in pledges. A contribution of $299 will net you a production-model re-breather and save you $100 on the expected retail price.

Nervana is Changing the Way You Feel Music

Music, ,

Nervana playerMusic fans have explored many options over the years to heighten their experience while listening to their favorite jams; Hi-Fi stereo sets, finely tuned components and speakers, and mind/mood-altering chemical substances to name just a few. But what if you could truly enhance your music experience using only a handheld media player and a set of earbuds? That’s exactly what Nervana is hoping to do.

Nervana is self-described as, “The World’s First Consumer Product to Stimulate the Body’s Pleasure Center in Synchronicity to Music.” The prototype Nervana player resembles a classic iPod. It uses special internal technology along with a unique set of earbuds to stimulate the user’s Vagus nerve:

NERVANA is a wearable device that sends a gentle electrical wave through the left ear canal to stimulate the body’s Vagus nerve, while syncing with music. This elicits a calm, relaxed feeling for most users in a natural way, which stimulates the brain’s pleasure center, known to release neurotransmitters (the body’s feel-good messengers).

In more technical terms….A central signal-processing circuit receives both music and stimulation signals and routes those signals appropriately to the two ear buds. The right ear bud receives only the right channel of the music signal, which is output to a hand-picked, high-fidelity speaker in the right ear bud. The proprietary left ear bud, in comparison, not only receives the left channel of the music signal at its speaker, it also receives the stimulation signal within the ear bud material itself, to deliver electrical stimulation to the inside surface of the ear canal and, thereby, the Vagus nerve.

Nervana is currently running a fundraising campaign thru Indiegogo. The campaign has been incredibly successful, having raised 445% of its $75,000 goal with a month left to go. A contribution of $279 will guarantee you a complete Nervana player/earbud system which is a slight discount from the device’s anticipated retail price of $299.

App Camp for Girls 3.0 is on Indiegogo

Technology,

App Camp for Girls logoApp Camp for Girls seeks to address the gender imbalance in technology professions by inspiring girls who are middle-school age with a broad introduction to the process of app development, from brainstorming to pitching their apps. You can support them by contributing to their Indiegogo campaign.

App Camp for girls is a one week, full time day camp program for middle school girls. Campers get the full experience of being an app developer, from brainstorming and designing coding and marketing. They use Xcode and MacBook Pros, the same tools that professional app developers use.

In 2013, App Camp for Girls launched their first camp in Portland, Oregon. In 2014, they were able to establish a second camp in Seattle, Washington. In 2015, they will launch the first Canadian camp in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The App Camp for Girls 3.0 indiegogo campaign is being done for the purpose of making it possible for them to expand throughout the United States. They have selected four new locations for 2016. Their equipment is shared between locations, so they will need two more sets of MacBook Pros and iPod touches to meet the needs of the additional locations. They also need to recruit and train organizers and volunteers, rend a location, order supplies, food, and other necessities.

At the time I am writing this blog, the App Camp for Girls 3.0 indiegogo campaign has 16 days left. It has obtained 41% of the funding it needs. They are a non-profit organization that can help girls to get involved in technology.

The Next Must-Have Gadget: Your Own Personal Flamethrower

Gear, Weirdness, ,

XM42 logoIf you spend even a small amount of time on the Internet, you’ll see some things that are just downright confounding. That’s why it’s good to view most things online with a healthy dose of skepticism. When I first saw an article about the XM42 flamethrower I thought it must be a joke. The XM42 is being touted as the “world’s first commercially available flamethrower.” An idea that is sure to evoke either pure delight or sheer terror, depending on your perspective.

The XM42 was dreamed up by a small company called The Ion Production Team. This quaint group of pyro-loving geeks describe their brainchild as, “…the world’s first fully handheld, grab and go flamethrower on the market. No heavy pressurized tanks, no silly car-wash sprayers.” The Ion team then go on to say that the XM42 has, “…endless possibilities for entertainment and utility. Start your bonfire from across the yard, or kill the weeds between your cracks in style.” Of course! What could go wrong?

If you’re wondering about the legalities of flamethrower ownership, no worries. The FAQ on the XM42 website states:

There are generally no restrictions on flamethrower ownership in the United States. However, we are currently aware that California and Maryland have legislation regarding flamethrowers… In California, unlicensed possession of ‘any non-stationary and transportable device designed or intended to emit or propel a burning stream of combustible or flammable liquid a distance of at least 10 feet’ H&W 12750 (a)—is a misdemeanor punishable with a county jail term not exceeding one year or with a fine not exceeding $10,000 (CA H&W 12761). Licenses to use flamethrowers are issued by the State Fire Marshal.’

Continue reading The Next Must-Have Gadget: Your Own Personal Flamethrower →

Indiegogo’s Slava Rubin at CES

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Indiegogo logoIn less than ten years, crowd-funding has come from nowhere to a seriously considered option for many startups and entrepreneurs. Crowd-funding isn’t only about the money, it’s about being able to engage early with potential customers to make better products.

And when it comes to crowd-funding, Indiegogo‘s right up there at the top and at the top of Indiegogo is Slava Rubin, co-founder and CEO. In a great score, Todd and Jamie interview Slava about Indiegogo’s trail-blazing approach, venture capitalists and the latest expansions into charity (Indiegogo Life), commerce (Indiegogo InDemand) and merchandise (Amplifier).

Interview by Jamie Davis of Health Tech Weekly and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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