JOhn Rokos is the Founder, CEO, and Product Architect at Enemy Tree… and he had an idea for an iPhone case. It doesn’t take a lot to have an idea, but it takes quite a bit to turn that idea into an actual business selling actual things. On this episode he shares with us the time a business didn’t work out, as well as the many people, steps, and tools that helped make OpenCase happen.
On Tuesday, a bunch of Kickstarter employees went public with their efforts to unionize under the name Kickstarter United. But senior employees are fighting.
We believe this effort to unionize is the result of consistent issues with internal communications. We hope well-intentioned, good faith dialogue with executives and a specific list of issues from unsatisfied coworkers can get us to a better place. We want to give this a try before resorting to something as extreme as a union.
The statement is from an internal memo circulated among the company, and lists various reasons against the union.
Perfect for travelers, Unravel is a foldable wireless charging station with three 10W Qi charging pads, as well as one USB Type-C port. Powered by a cable many already have, a patent-pending hinge design that folds into accommodating orientations, and a non-slip grip surface, Unravel is the solution to long Facetime calls, cluttered laptop bags, and limited power outlets. When you’re done using it, you just fold it up and put it in the 2″ travel case. Unravel met its Kickstarter goal in 40 minutes, and sitting at nearly $300k raised with a 12 hours left on the campaign. Rewards start at US$59 to get a charging station, and the estimated delivery is December 2018.
Specifically, plushy pillows in the shape of certain Apple products.
Bryan Chaffin got a demo of the MOD-t—at a coffee shop, no less—and was quite impressed with the $300 self-contained 3D printer.
If you were excited about the prospect of having your own personal robot flying around your house you’ll have to keep dreaming because the Aevena Aire Kickstarter project has officially shut down.
AstroPad Studio maker Astro HQ launched a Kickstarter for their new Luna Display on Tuesday and within hours it blew past its funding goal several times over.
I’m not a big gamer, but Jettomero: Hero of the Universe is one I can really get behind. You play the role of a giant clumsy robot who wants to keep the universe safe while learning about its own mysterious past. The art has a wonderful comic book feel, the original soundtrack is great, and the game just looks like a giant bucket load of flat-out fun. Developer Gabriel Koenig has nearly finished the game and has a Kickstarter to handle the final costs of bringing it to market. It’s going to be available for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Xbox, and it can’t come soon enough.
Are you a fan of Apple’s Final Cut Pro? Or curious about the controversial history of the Final Cut Pro X update? Check out Off the Tracks, a Final Cut Pro X documentary that just hit its crowdfunding goal on Kickstarter. The documentary features interviews with key industry figures and filmmakers, including Randy Ubillos, the creator of Final Cut Pro and iMovie. The documentary won’t be completed until early next year, but you can reserve an early copy for a pledge of $25.
It’s designed to teach kids the fundamental building blocks of how computers work, and it’s super cool.
I’m something of a typography and print nerd thanks to my time in the printing industry, but I can’t hold a candle to my friend Glenn Fleishman’s devotion and knowledge on the topics. That’s why I’m so excited about his new Kickstarter campaign called Hands On: the Original Digital. Glenn is hand-crafting an amazing book about the history of print and typography as only he can, and he’s creating 100 numbered and signed letterpress books. You can follow along as the project goes from design to print to binding on the special backer’s website, which no doubt will be a fascinating process. Pledging US$100 or more gets you the limited edition book, plus the ebook version and more. Lower pledge levels get you the ebook along with other perks. When I checked last about half of the printed books were spoken for—and yes, I’ve already pledged for mine.
Last September, Jeff Gamet wrote up an Apple themed game controller by 8Bitdo, makers of a variety of retro-looking game controllers. Kelly Guimont got one, and she took pictures to show us just cool it is.
Apple shipped AirPods. Sort of. Bryan and Jeff think it was a terrible idea to ship them before Christmas if Apple couldn’t meet demand, which is exactly what’s happening. They also weigh the merits of Kickstarter and discuss the state of augmented reality and its future.
![8Bitdo AP40 Game Controller Inspired by Apple ][ – Fulfilled!](https://www.macobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/8bitdo-Final-wide.jpg)
