Crowdfunding

iLID MK-1 iPhone case/Stand/Wallet Combination Video Look

The iLID began life as a Kickstarter Project. (Here’s the page.) I got in on it later, so I ordered one retail (I ended up with two, so be on the lookout for a giveaway). Here’s what the website has to say about it. The World’s Thinnest iPhone Wallet! The iLID iPhone 4 Wallet Case is the thinnest Wallet iPhone (Patent Pending) in the world. Its ultra-thin 17mm profile means you’ll never be weighed down by an iPhone Wallet again. MSRP: $39.95 What I Like: Light; Not as thick as I expected; Let’s you go out with just your phone; The…

Crowdfunding, News

On the Way! Elevation Docks Begin to Ship, Kickstart This!

The Elevation Dock is one of the Kickstarter projects I have been most excited to see actually ship. I love my iPhone but hate the way most docks make it a challenge to put your iPhone in or remove it. After all, the 30-pin connector is the most vulnerable part of the iPhone other than the screen (and I would argue it is in first place). The Elevation Dock solves that problem with a metal dock that looks great and promises to be easy on the iPhone when yopu dock and undock. (Read the Kickstart This! post here.) Well the…

Crowdfunding

The Brydge Gets Funded… and then Some, Kickstart This!!

The most expensive Kickstart Project that Judie and I have backed just got funded. (Okay, “over-funded if there is such a thing”.) The Brydge is an elegant solution to the lack of quality iPad keyboards and accessories currently on the market. Brydge connects to your iPad using a patent-pending hinge which allows for close to 180 degrees of iPad positioning and holds your iPad secure. In other words, it turns your iPad into a NetMac complete with speakers and all. As the Creatives note Brydge’s aluminum body is machined and anodized so that it matches the look and feel of…

Crowdfunding, News

Trygger iPhone Camera Case

Trygger Camera Case: iPhone 4/4S Polarizing Filter Case Status: $6,919 pledged of $25,000 goal Closing Date for Funding: Tuesday Jul 3, 7:05am No offense to you, or your burgeoning photography skills, but cellphone cameras suck. Even with the iPhone 4’s auto-focus and auto-exposure features, it’s hard to create frame-worthy images. While capturing beautiful moments isn’t impossible, it’s certainly a challenge to even the most deft photographers. Indie casemaker Trygger is ready to change that. With the introduction of their KickStarter project, the company aims to enhance iPhone photography through a polarizing filter attached directly to their new case. Maybe it’s…

Crowdfunding, Reviews

Hand Stylus Review, Kickstart This!

Using an iPhone and or iPad throughout most days, there is one thing I have learned. My hands can sure make a touch screen smudged up and grimy. While coaching my high school softball team this year, we used the iPad to collect all of the game stats. While this was awesome, I found myself cleaning my iPad after every game just to be able to see the screen. At one point I thought using a stylus might be best to keep it clean while also making the stat keeping easier, but did not have one to use. Recently I…

Crowdfunding, Reviews

Cellhelmet Protection for iPhone 4S Review

The cellhelmet is one of the Kickstarter projects I backed that was actually successful, produced and shipped. (You can read the initial Kickstert This! post here.) Yes, my cellhelmet arrived the other day and I was excited to get it on my phone. It stayed there for about an hour and then came off, was repackaged and prepped to give away in tomorrow’s newsletter. Why am I not using it? Read on! The reason I find the cellhelmet to be a mixed bag can be summed up in this image. You see, the bulk of the creators discussion of the…

Crowdfunding, Editorials

Is Kickstarter Limiting Hardware Projects Because of the Pebble’s Unprecedented Success?

We love Kickstarter; Dan and I (along with others on the Gear Diary team) have backed many projects, and we are always on the look out for new ones. That is, of course, why we started Kickstart This! We love the way that Kickstarter helps inventors and artists get funding so that their products and projects will be available to the public. As anyone who has backed a project on Kickstarter likely knows, “every project is independently crafted, put to all-or-nothing funding,and supported by friends, fans, and the public in return for rewards.” While Kickstarter gives these projects a place…

Crowdfunding

Elevation Dock, the Best Dock for iPhone; Kickstart This!

I love the idea of having a set, stable place to drop my iPhone and charge it. The Element Case Vapor Dock (reviewed here) is a great dock. But it could be better. I mean, imagine something as solid and gorgeous as the Vapor Dock but also lets you dock and undock your iPhone in a millisecond. That’s what the Elevation Dock promises and… with luck… will soon deliver. Project Title: Elevation Dock: The Best Dock For iPhone Status: Funded Closing Date for Funding: Saturday, February 11, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: If you…

Crowdfunding

SolMate, iPhone’s Hottest Solar, Inductive and Battery Case, Kickstart This!

Not all Kickstarter Projects are winners. And not all Kickstarter creatives have the integrity we want and expect. This is one example of a Kickstarter Project that looked great, had tons of promise but went sour… sour enough that I would NEVER AGAIN back a project offered by the folks who brought this forth. Project Title: SolMate: iPhone’s Hottest Solar, Inductive and Battery Case Status: Funded (Then Cancelled. See below.) Closing Date for Funding: Thursday February 23, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: Introducing SolMate®, an aluminum-cut, silicon-dioxide, glass-covered iPhone-casing that is capable of charging…

Crowdfunding

BOWDEN + SHEFFIELD Minimalist iPad Cases; Kickstart This

Project Title: BOWDEN + SHEFFIELD Minimalist iPad Cases Status: $13,746 of $20,000 goal, with five days left. Closing Date for Funding: May 23, 2012 URL of the Project: BOWDEN + SHEFFIELD Minimalist iPad Cases From the Creatives: Eric Rea and Levi Price, two university students, have recently launched a project on Kickstarter featuring two unique, high-end iPad cases. The project is called “BOWDEN + SHEFFIELD Minimalist iPad Cases” and is definitely worth a look. The Bowden and Sheffield are minimalist, hand crafted cases for iPad. The inspiration for the project came from Levi when he was unable to find a case that featured minimalist…

Crowdfunding, Reviews

SlingShot Smartphone Accessory Review, Kickstart This!

We get a lot of gear sent to us in my household. Most of it disappears into my office/gear cave, and occasionally I ask Sarah for help with reviewing it. She rarely, if ever, comments on the items, but the SlingShot caught her attention. We used it on a few hikes to take video and photos, and today Sarah declared that it’s the first item I’ve ever reviewed that she would buy without hesitation. What triggered such high praise? Read on to find out more about this great Kickstarter project! Project title: SlingShot Status: In progress Closing date for funding:…

Crowdfunding

CellHelmet Protects the iPhone 4S and Brings Accidental Damage Coverage Along; Kickstart This!

I never used to buy insurance for my phones but, with the iPhone costing as much as it does, I’ve begun doing just that. This project seeks to reshape the entire approach to device protection both in terms of physical protection AND accidental damage coverage if things go terribly wrong. Project Title: cellhelmet – 1st & Only Case That Guarantees the iPhone 4/4S Status: Funded Closing Date for Funding: Sunday March 11,2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: cellhelmet. The ultimate protection for any iPhone 4/4S, offering you one full year of guaranteed accidental damage coverage for your device…

Crowdfunding, News

Ultima, the Best In Car Holder Dock Mount for iPhone, Kickstart This

Here’s a Kickstarter project that closes in just two hours… if you want to back it get in NOW. Yes, this project is already funded and it closes at 4:06 GMT May 13, 2012! Project Title: Ultima – Best In Car Holder Dock Mount for iPhone and more! Status: In Progress Closing Date for Funding: Sunday May 13, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: This has been a project in the making for over 2 years, now with a working prototype that we feel is just about ready to start moving into the manufacturing…

Crowdfunding

PRINZ: The Courage to Speak, a Documentary About Controversy, History and the Power of a Voice.

Project Title: Prinz: The Courage to Speak, a documentary film about controversy, history and the power of a voice. Status: $18,222 raised of the $20K goal Closing Date for Funding: May 24, 2012 URL of the Project: Prinz: The Courage to Speak From the Creatives: In Berlin in the 1930’s, the civil rights of Jews were systematically stripped away. A young rabbi refused to be silent. His name was Joachim Prinz, and he set out to restore the self-esteem of the German Jews. Knowing the Nazis were monitoring his every word, and despite repeated arrests, Prinz continued to preach about the value…

Crowdfunding

Pebble, the E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android: Kickstart This!

Here’s a project that is already a winner and it still has 9 days to go before backing closes down. (That isn’t quite true, so read on.) This smart watch is “Pebble is the first watch built for the 21st century” and it clearly struck a cord with many of us. Yes, the funding goal was a mere $100,000 but as of this post they have raised close to $10,000,000 from backers. WOW!! Read on to learn more about Pebble. Project Title: Pebble: E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android Status: In Progress Closing Date for Funding: Friday May 18, 2012…

Crowdfunding

ODOC iPhone & iPod Dock Offers Elegant Design, Superior Function

Here’s a rather unusual iPhone dock that is looking for backers. The team behind the ODOC let us know that they are about half way toward reaching their financial backing goal. The way Kickstarter works, if they do not reach it the project will not go forward. Well… I like this dock and want it to happen, so we’ll focus on it today!! Project Title: ODOC iPhone & iPod Dock: Elegant Design, Superior Function Status: In Progress Closing Date for Funding: Saturday June 9, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: ELEGANT DESIGN: The meaningful…

Crowdfunding

LunaTik Touch Pen, the Evolution of the Stylus: Kickstart This!

The LunaTik Touch Pen is the second product from the team that brought us the very first Kickstarter project I backed- TikTok and LunaTik Multi-Touch Watch Kits for use with the iPod nano. That project was funded back in November of 2010 and was a home run for the company and for the “wear your iPod nano like a watch” market. Project Title: LunaTik Touch Pen: The Evolution of the Stylus Status: Funded Closing Date for Funding: Friday, February 10, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: HELLO AGAIN!: Thank you for checking out our LunaTik…

Crowdfunding

Brydge + iPad: Kickstart This!

The Brydge is a Kickstarter Project that Judie came across. It is a keyboard, case, speaker in one that effectively turns the iPad into a laptop. The funding goal was $90,000 and they have thus far raised over $460,000 in pledges with 30 days to go. Here’s the rundown. Project Title: Brydge + iPad: Do more. Status: In Progress Closing Date for Funding: Monday Jun 4, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: Is it just us, or does it feel like the options for iPad keyboards and accessories are excessive in quantity, yet lacking in…

Crowdfunding

‘Kickstart This’, a New Way to Get to Know Kickstarter Projects

Depending upon how you look at it, the last week has either been a great Kickstarter week for Judie and me, or it was a very bad one. I saw one project, and I was interested enough to back it. I emailed the link to Judie, and she backed it, too. The next day I got an email from her that had as its subject “I backed”; I looked, I backed, and… more money spent on Kickstarter. The next day I saw that a project I had previously backed, one that had been successfully funded, was suddenly closing down with…

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