Crowdfunding – the closest we can come to democracy in tech. Take a look at what we, the people have decided needs to get out there in the world of technology.
Crowdfunding is a relatively easier way for entrepreneur inventors and potential visionaries to get their product out here to us. It gives people a platform to display their product, giving it the exposure it needs to make its way to step #2: Funding. The beauty of crowdfunding websites lies in simplicity and more importantly, integrity of the platform. Kickstarter, for example, is one of the most reliable crowdfunding websites for entrepreneurs and donors alike. Some of the upcoming crowdfunded projects mentioned below are, in fact, Kickstarter products.
Bartendro
Made by people who can’t make drinks, but can drink like drowning fishes, ‘Bartendro’ is a project most people would love to have around at home. Seriously, who wouldn’t want a robotic bartender? This handy gadget was put together by two guys who call themselves ‘Party Robotics’. The Bartendro is a series of pumps and computer chips hooked up to a bunch of bottles of alcohol. It takes from cocktail recipes fed into a smartphone. Using the phone as a database, it pumps the correct measure of the required alcohol into a glass, giving you your cocktail as an end product. Take a look at Party Robotics’ video to see for yourself!
Price: (On Pre-Order): $699-$2999/-
The Virtuix Omni:
The Virtuix Omni takes VR to the next level. Where the Oculus Rift brought head movement to the interactive mix, the Omni brings fitness into gaming. The Omni is a platform built to incorporate the player’s feet movements into the game. A step forward that VR enthusiasts have been waiting to see for several years, now. Race across the battlefield, strafe corners and get a proper workout with almost perfect physical interaction with your PC/Console.
Price (On Pre-Order): $499/-
Ring Clock
Small, fashionable, funky and very Tron-like with an initial battery life of 3 years, the Ring Clock wraps time around your finger very stylishly with evident class. The ring has three bands for the hours, minutes and seconds. The seconds band had a pulsing dot moving along the edge, counting off time. The design is sleek, the concept unusual and interesting. The Ring Clock is outfitted with wireless charging. All you need to do is drop it on its saucer-like pedestal when you’re not using it. It claims to be eco-friendly as it saves energy. A fact that will be verified only after it launches, so hold your breath.
Price (On Pre-Order): $235/-
Zendure Portable Charger
Yes. Seen plenty of portable chargers in the market. But Zendure is in a league in itself. Built to withstand shock with some impressive test results, this charger seems to define ‘indestructible’. Other than that, it is, admittedly, stylish and built to pack maximum performance in a small package. Unlike a lot of chargers in the market today, Zendure chargers have a minimum capacity of 9,600 mAh and a maximum of 17,000 mAh with a quoted power conversion rate of 80%. The product launches in December and is available on pre-order on their official website.
Price: (On Pre-Order): $49-$99
Solar USB Charger
Saving energy by making energy – an Eco-Techno Geek’s altar of worship. Under the banner of Brown Dog Gadgets, the foldable solar USB charger was created by Brown Dog’s owner, Joshua Zimmerman. Zimmerman’s a middle-school professor in Milwaukee. Fitting the stereotype, he seems to be quite an avid part of the Green Revolution. His official website plays host to a whole mob of gadgets that rely on eco-friendly ways of being a techie. The charger is, as the name suggests, a set of foldable solar panels that charge the charger, which in turn can charge your cell phone later. Roughly resembling a very plain wallet, Zimmerman’s invention really seems like something worth looking into.
Price: $65-$110
Phonebloks
Phonebloks aim at being the most affordable option for all you cell phone freaks out there who decide to switch your phone every year (or even every few months). Phonebloks is meant to make a phone that is constantly upgradeable and has easily replaceable parts. Imagine a phone made completely of blocks hooked onto a common base. Each block contains a phone feature that can be as easily removed and/or replaced as you would if you were making a phone out of lego. An intriguing concept, Phonebloks takes cell phones to a level of customization that phones have never seen before. One can mod it perfectly to your own personal usage. No more unnecessary features that you will never use. Build a phone to your own specifications.
Price: N/A
Main image source: Publicity Magazine