As always, remember that crowdfunding campaigns entail the risk that the creators may not be able to fulfill deliverables. Pledge only what you can afford to lose.
PREVIOUS AND RELATED COVERAGE
Backed to Business: Watching birds and tracking the rat race As humans begin returning to offices, a pair of pet tech products let you keep tabs on animals beyond cats and dogs. In this sense, it’s a bit like several laptop docks for phones that can also act as second displays for laptops, but flattened into a larger, thinner, and more colorful version of the TRS-80 Model 100. Unlike that pioneering portable, it lacks any internal software or a battery, and even the smaller mechanical version is a lot to manage on a lap. However, like that product, it won’t break the bank, and still has configurations available for less than $300. The Kickstarter project has raised nearly $300,000 and is expected to ship in August. The keyboard is available in a black or Fisher-Price-like multi-color scheme and rests handsomely on your desk or forehead. Its 65 circular keys include a row for numbers and can be used with all popular operating systems; MiPow claims it can resist spills. With structural integrity being a potential issue with such a thin device, the keyboard comes with a protective case that folds out into a stand that is apparently sturdy enough to support an iPad in landscape mode. The Kickstarter project has raised nearly $50,000 and is expected to ship in August. However, relations with the Hemingway estate have apparently improved, resulting in the Freewrite Hemingway Edition. The limited-edition ups the distinctive design of the original by making over its body in brushed aluminum and adding Papa’s signature as a design element. It also comes with a custom attaché case, all of which bumps the price of the homage up to $899, a $300 jump from the second-edition Freewrite. Fans of Hemingway’s economical prose willing to splurge a bit can order the now-authorized Hemingwrite at Astrohaus’ website. Backed to Business: When gadgets accept a gestureEarbuds that understand your nods, a mouse controller you can wear, and a keyboard that has the trackpad under the keys are among the gesture-aware devices that have made the crowdfunding rounds. Backed to business: Crypto wallets, smart desks, and wireless modemsOne campaign makes the case for a desk that connects to the internet, while another argues for a crypto wallet that doesn’t.