[vc_column_text width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]
Kickstarter’s proven to be an excellent way to get hands-on with some of the latest tech in the world. The crowdfunding platform has let inventors and developers get advance funding for their projects, and their backers would get a little something in return – way before the product gets mass produced and a fat retail price.
Many of the htxt.africa team have backed successful Kickstarters, and have either shiny swag or super fun games to show for it, and as a result we spend a lot of time looking for even more projects to back and help bring to fruition.
The five below are great examples – and stay tuned for future articles, in which we’ll highlight even more projects to back.
[/vc_column_text] [vc_column_text width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]
Gumstick
Why lie your smartphone flat on a desk when it’s much more valuable (and useful when standing up)? That’s the reason the team at Breffo design the Gumstick – a flexible smartphone stand that can be moulded to fit your phone perfectly.
When not in use, the Gumstick can be straightened for easy storage in a backpack or pocket, but if you need to prop up your phone it can be bent to fit. The Gumstick page depicts phones being propped up on their sides, for watching films, or simply having a phone proudly displayed on a desk – all the better for hands-free tweet reading, we say. Or even for use in the kitchen, while cooking.
Cost: $18 + $16 shipping (around R350)
Page: Gumstick
[/vc_column_text] [vc_column_text width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]
Scale
One of the most beloved first-person games, Portal, is not one where you mindlessly mow down an endless stream of Nazi zombies intent on world domination. Instead, it lets players explore a world, and the only weapon they hold is a device that shoots portals, letting them solve puzzles.
Much like that game, Scale gives gamers a device that lets them solve puzzles, rather than end lives. This first-person puzzler has a world that scales – and controlling the size of things is how you progress through levels. For instance, you can have a tiny creature run up to you, but scaling its size upwards lets you jump into its mouth and retrieve a key to progress further. Or you could shrink a giant orange, and let it roll through a series of smaller hoops.
If there’s one thing the world needs, it’s more mind-bending first-person puzzle games, and this fits the bill perfectly.
Cost: $10 (around R100)
Page: Scale
[/vc_column_text] [vc_column_text width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]
Sprav
Living in Africa, water shortages are no joke. And if there’s a bit of tech that can help you keep track of you water and energy usage, it should be a big deal.
Sprav helps with both: it monitors water usage when you shower, and energy usage by measuring the temperature of the water. Best of all, it does this without needing fancy tools or any modifications. The device clips onto the piping just behind your shower head, and is powered by a CR2032 cell – good enough for six months of operation.
Sprav measures water flow acoustically – it literally listens to when water is flowing in the pipes, and uses maths to figure out the average water usage.
All those measurements can then be accessed on your smartphone with the Sprav app, which syncs to the device via Bluetooth. The idea, ultimately, is that you can measure how long you shower and keep track of how much water you use – and can save.
Cost: $49 + $15 shipping (around R650)
Page: Sprav
[/vc_column_text] [vc_column_text width=”1/1″ el_position=”first last”]
BitLock
With cycling taking off in a huge way, more and more people are probably going to be looking at locking up their expensive bikes when they’re riding them around town. But who wants to fiddle with analogue tech like combination tumblers or keys? Nobody, that’s who.
The answer to the problem you’re about to have with old locks is the BitLock – a bike lock that uses Bluetooth to release your be-pedalled precious from its roadside prison. It’s likely to remain there, too: the 12mm shackle, the makers claim, cannot be sawed through or cut by bolt cutters. And in case high-tech thieves come along, they’ll have to contend with some proper encryption to make BitLock unlock without your phone.
The electronics are weather proof, so you can use it in all conditions, and the replaceable battery last 5 years. Plus, the BitLock app will track your bicycle rides, in case you forget to start up your ride-mapping apps.
Cost: $99 + $35 shipping (around R1 400)
Page: BitLock
[/vc_column_text]
