It’s time for another selection of crowdfunding campaigns that have caught my interest in the last week. This time around we have five projects that range from a trash smasher to a CNC mill that is small enough to put on a table. Click through to read my picks for this week’s notable crowdfunding campaigns.
GENIE – A Multi-Language Voice Assistant Bluetooth Speaker
What is it?
GENIE is a portable Bluetooth speaker that you can use with your favorite voice assistant service like Amazon Alexa, Google Now, Siri and Cortana in 50+ different languages and dialects supported by Google and Apple including Arabic, Chinese, Taiwanese, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Norwegian (Bokmål), Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai and Turkish.
Why do I like it?
I like GENIE because it has a multi-function button on the side that will launch the voice assistant software on the paired device. The multi-function button is also a rotary dial that controls volume. The speaker can run for up to 24 hours on a single charge and has a play time of up to 10 hours.
You can use GENIE to take and make hands-free calls, listen to and control your favorite music and playlists with 360-degree omni-directional sound, and you can take it outdoors because it’s water and dust resistant.
Where can I find more info?
With 59 days left in the campaign, The GENIE campaign is just getting started working towards their funding goal of $50,000. You can pre-order a GENIE starting at $40. After the GENIE campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in July 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
Tapdo | World’s Smallest Remote for Everything
What is it?
Tapdo is a wearable button that triggers commands based on the prints from different parts of your hand from your fingers to even the print on the palm of your hand.
Why do I like it?
I like Tapdo because it’s one button that can have up to 20 different commands associated with it. It’s like a Flic smart button steroids. It is powered by a standard coin cell battery that has a lifetime of approximately 6 months.
Commands can include wireless light control, camera shutter button, send a tweet, time tracking, make fake call, and a bunch of other commands.
Where can I find more info?
With 10 days left in the campaign, The Tapdo campaign is very close to reaching their funding goal of $48,867. You can pre-order a Tapdo starting at $108. After the Tapdo campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in September 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
The MicroMill – A desktop CNC milling machine
What is it?
The MicroMill is a small table top sized computer controlled 3-axis milling machine for makers and designers.
Why do I like it?
I like the MicroMill because it’s a small machine that anyone from makers to hobbyists can use in their home or garage to create things. It can mill materials that are softer than steel, like brass, acetal/Delrin, aluminum, wood, wax, foam, and more.
Where can I find more info?
With 31 days left in the campaign, The MicroMill campaign still has work to do to reach their funding goal of $39.614. You can pre-order a MicroMill starting at $804. After the MicroMill campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in July 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
Trash Press: Simplify the Way You Deal with Garbage
What is it?
The Trash Press is a handheld plastic press that you use to compress the trash in your trash bin to make room for more trash.
Why do I like it?
There are only two people living in my house, but I’m always surprised by the amount of trash that we produce even though we do our best to recycle paper, cardboard, glass, cans, and plastics, and we throw food scraps in our woods. Every week we have at least two to three bags of trash that we have to drop at the trash center. A product like the Trash Press might cut that down by half, saving us a trip to the trash center, trash bags and reducing the amount of junk that we send to the land fill.
Where can I find more info?
With 16 days left in the campaign, The Trash Press campaign still has work to do to reach their funding goal of $5,000. You can pre-order a Trash Press starting at $10. After the Trash Press campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in August 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
AirVolt charging smartphones from radio waves
What is it?
The AirVolt is two piece charger that converts radio waves into electricity that recharge a device battery.
Why do I like it?
I like the AirVolt system because it’s a new and unique way to charge devices wirelessly. It does need a special adapter plugged into the device, but it is exciting that such technology exists and it makes me daydream about devices that have this technology baked in so that you never have to plug in a device to charge it again. Imagine having the base chargers all over the place so that your device is always charging. Endless battery life and no more worrying if your phone will last till you get home.
Where can I find more info?
With 30 days left in the campaign, The AirVolt campaign is just getting started working towards their funding goal of $9,000. You can pre-order an AirVolt starting at $35. After the AirVolt campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2017. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.
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Re: The Trash Press
All I ever do is bunch the trash bag together at the neck while it is still in the can, then press down as far as it will go, thus squeezing the air out of the bag. Wait a few seconds, then release the bag and re-drape it over the rim of the can. No muss, no fuss, no Trash Press needed.
Ha! I never thought of doing it that way. Thanks for the trash tip Phil!