Tag Archives: funds

Kickstarter pledges more transparency, publishes project stats page with daily updates

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Kickstarter pledges more transparency, publishes project stats page with daily updates

Every time we boot up a browser there appears to be a new iPad mount or Arduino project on Kickstarter, but just how many projects have there been to date? How many were successful? And how much might that microfunding startup be netting in commission cash? You can find all those answers through a new Kickstarter stats page (and some number crunching on a calculator), updated daily with key raw data that's tallied, and broken up by category as well. To date, 60,786 projects have launched, of which 24,986 (44 percent) were successfully funded, 31,722 failed and 4,078 are currently active on the site. Of the $261 million that's come in, $219 million has been in the form of "successful dollars," representing $10.95 million in income for the company itself based on a five-percent commission rate -- roughly the same amount raised for Pebble, a single project. Speaking of million-dollar-plus projects, there have been a total of seven, including one in the Music category, three in Games, two in Design and one in Comics (Pebble falls within the Design category, not Technology). There are plenty more stats to comb through if you've been hankering for a peek behind the scenes at Kickstarter -- it's all at our source link after the break.

Kickstarter pledges more transparency, publishes project stats page with daily updates originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceKickstarter Stats  | Email this | Comments

Insert Coin: Deeper Smart sonar Fishfinder for Android and iOS

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In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

Insert Coin Deeper Smart sonar Fishfinder for Android and iOS

We can't say a smartphone-connected sonar fish detector ranks high on our must-have list, but man is it a cool idea. Friday Lab's taking the plunge with its Deeper Smart Fishfinder -- a spherical waterproof device that beams back individual fish depth and location info, along with temperature and floor depth to your Android 2.2+ or iOS 4.0+ smartphone or tablet within 150 feet via Bluetooth. You simply use a standard rod and line to lower Deeper from a bridge, boat or shore, and the device automatically powers on when it makes contact with water -- a six-hour battery should suffice for all but the most dedicated of fishermen, unless they have a USB power source nearby for charging.

Naturally, the sphere is water- and shock-resistant, and can operate in temperatures ranging from -10 to 40 degrees Celsius (14 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit). The Deeper app also provides air temperature and moon phase readouts, and social media functionality that lets you post fishing updates to Facebook or Twitter -- so all of your less fortunate friends can see how much fun you're having catching fish and stuff. The first 60 Deeper backers can snag one set for $129 (plus $20 shipping) on Indiegogo, while latecomers can hop on board for $20 more. You can also place your pre-order through the company's site, also for $149. There's just shy of four weeks left for Friday Lab to meet its $49,000 goal, so hit up our source link after the break to show your support. And if you're not quite ready to commit, there's a video awaiting you there as well.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Deeper Smart sonar Fishfinder for Android and iOS

Insert Coin: Deeper Smart sonar Fishfinder for Android and iOS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 11:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceIndiegogo, Friday Lab  | Email this | Comments

Insert Coin: Knut WiFi-enabled sensor hub (video)

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In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

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On the surface, Knut (pronounced Kah-noot) doesn't sound terribly exciting -- it's a pocketable WiFi-enabled device that beams you realtime stats over the web. But consider the possible applications, and you'll be much more anxious to pick one up. You can use Knut to measure humidity in your humidor, the temperature in your fish tank or even the status of a door or window. You can monitor stats in realtime, or set alerts so you'll know something's wrong before your goldfish cooks in the tank, those precious Cuban cigars you smuggled through Customs dry up and crumble or someone sneaks into your house through a window after you check in miles away on Foursquare. After popping in a pair of AAA batteries (which are said to last from 2 weeks to 10 years, depending on the battery and syncing options), you assign Knut an email address, which it then uses to communicate. Other Knuts can use the same email address, from which they'll send updates at pre-set intervals.

Knut ships with built-in temperature and battery level sensors, and it's compatible with a variety of add-ons, from humidity and vibration to door and water presence sensors. You can also create your own sensor using the breakout board. The project creators have developed a functional prototype, but they need to raise additional funds to pay programmers and buy materials for mass production. As usual, that's where you come in. The first 200 Kickstarter backers can hop on board the pre-order train with a pledge of $80, while an unlimited number of devices will be available for $95. A $115 pledge will get you a Knut and an additional sensor, while $175 will up the order to one Knut, three sensors and a three-port hub. There's six weeks left to go on the campaign, with a goal of $25,000 and an estimated September ship date. As always, you'll find everything you need in the demo video and source link, just after the break.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Knut WiFi-enabled sensor hub (video)

Insert Coin: Knut WiFi-enabled sensor hub (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 12:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceKickstarter  | Email this | Comments

Insert Coin: Playsurface open-source multitouch computing table

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In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.

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A Microsoft Surface in every office? Yeah, fat chance. At $8,000, you may never see Samsung's SUR40 glow in the wild, but budget versions of the backlit HD table have begun popping up, such as the Merel Mtouch, which retails for half the price. Still, four grand is a lot to ask from casual users -- we need a bargain-basement option to help catapult the concept to success. The Playsurface could be one solution, with an open-source design and a much more affordable price tag. The multitouch computing table is the product of Templeman Automation, and its creators have begun promoting their concept on Kickstarter. In its current iteration, the Playsurface will ship in two flavors -- short, to double as a coffee table, and tall for stand-up applications -- with a $1,750 pledge netting backers a complete kit.

Setting out to fulfill the goal of widespread adaptation, the creator is promising one Playsurface kit with a $1,750 pledge, including a Windows computer, a short-throw 1280 x 800-pixel DLP projector and a transparent touch surface, all housed within a self-assembled wood enclosure. There's also an infrared LED strip to aid with input recognition and something called a "Blob Board," which serves as a dedicated hardware processor tasked with touch detection and connects to the computer via USB. A $350 pledge gets you a Blob Board alone, while $650 is matched with a table (sans computer and projector) and $1,250 will net you a full kit, less the computer. There's just shy of four weeks left to go to get your Playsurface pledge in -- hit up the source link to make it happen.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Playsurface open-source multitouch computing table

Insert Coin: Playsurface open-source multitouch computing table originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 11:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceKickstarter  | Email this | Comments

FCC to dole out up to $300 million to help carriers expand service in rural areas

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It seems like almost every day that we receive a press release announcing Verizon or AT&T is planning to expand its LTE coverage to three, five, eleven new markets. But in some remote pockets of the country, you'd be lucky to latch onto even a solid 3G signal. In a bid to make sure those folks in the boonies get their due, the Federal Communications Commission is establishing a fund to encourage carriers to roll out 3G and 4G service in sparser areas. All told, the agency plans to award up to $300 million to mobile operators, with funds going to the providers offering the lowest rates. The winners will be decided in a sealed, single-round auction, which opens June 27th and is set to close July 11th. As a condition for receiving the funds, carriers must agree to cover at least 75 percent of the road miles within a given census tract. While it's unclear at this early stage which mobile players will take the bait, the FCC's already signaled which parts of the country will be first in line for upgraded service -- namely, Rocky Mountain states like Utah and Idaho, along with Maine, Appalachia and upstate New York.

FCC to dole out up to $300 million to help carriers expand service in rural areas originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 10:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceComputerworld, Eligiblity map (Mobility Fund Phase 1)  | Email this | Comments