indiegogo

You're sitting around dreaming up new ways to control Android and iOS devices. Hey, you think, why not a kazoo? Most people would think it silly and just move on. Ogaco Gadgets, however, is trying hard to make the iKazoo a real thing with an Indiegogo project.

The biggest obstacle to the iKazoo's success is probably just trying to communicate what it does. It has Bluetooth. It works with iOS and Android. It's a digital flute, an optical game controller, a microphone, a touchpad, and a chromatic keyboard all wrapped into a wavy-looking device. It's also a bit of a head-scratcher.… Read more

When in use, a virtual keyboard shouldn't take up half of your smartphone or tablet screen, but it does, and it sure is ugly. If you're tired of keys hogging up precious screen space, check out Minuum -- a simple, yet intelligent single-row reinvention of the QWERTY layout.

Simply put, the Minuum keyboard, which is gaining traction on crowdfunding Web site Indiegogo, seems attractive as it doesn't require much space to use. It intelligently predicts what word you're going for through auto-correction algorithms, similar to a full-size virtual keyboard. … Read more

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Backyard tinkerer Grant Thompson teaches us how to build a solar-powered death ray. A man gets a Netflix tattoo for life and only gets a measly one-year subscription for it. Plus, we meet Mr. Stubbs the alligator, the first reptile (that we know of, at least) to receive a prosthetic tail. Donation came from the Phoenix Herpetological Society and the Core Institute. … Read more

Everyone knows the dangers of drinking and driving. An unfortunate few choose to ignore them, often with tragic results. A good friend recently lost his nephew to a drunk driver. A member of my temple congregation lost his wife and children to a drunk driver. That same temple later lost its rabbi to a drunk driver. Shall I go on?

Obviously I'd rather not, which is why I fully support any technology that can help prevent such tragedies. Here's a gizmo that might: Indiegogo project Breathometer adds a breathalyzer to your smartphone.

Reminiscent of the Square credit-card reader, … Read more

Crowdfunding may be a normal way to start a business, but it's an unusual way to start a baby. Baby Ali-Penny is due soon, and when the kid arrives, it may have one of the first crowdfunded births thanks to the March 2013: Baby Ali-Penny Indiegogo project.

"Since getting knocked up, the number one question we have been asked is, 'What do you guys need?'" mom Fanny says in the project video. The answer is pretty much nothing. The family already has strollers, car seats, onesies, blankets, and socks. What's left? The birth itself.… Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- "Friendzone" added to Oxford dictionary.

- Makerlove is an online community of 3D-printed adult toys.

- New app turns your iPhone into a mobile urine lab.

- It was bound to happen: Dongiverse lets you print 3D sex toys.

- Boston frat starts Indiegogo campaign for transsexual brother.

- Oleg Berg's YouTube and Soundcloud pages rework the keys of classic songs, for better or worse. Exhibit the creepiness of "Hey Jude" in minor.… Read more

Cable clutter is the bane of gadget hounds everywhere. If you can find a way to ditch a cable, it's a beautiful thing. I guess that makes the Orobis Transform cable a beautiful thing. It combines an Apple Lightning connector with a Micro-USB connector leading to a standard USB connector on the other end.

The idea of a 2-in-1 cable isn't new. What's cool is how the Transform handles it. Inspired by the Transformers, the Lightning part of the cable fits over the Micro-USB part. To expose the Micro-USB, you slide a small latch, fold it over, and plug it in. It's cute and functional.… Read more

Did you indulge at the Super Bowl party last night? Maybe you're still trying to work off the excesses of the holidays. Well, here's a dieting tool that's quite breathtaking -- literally.

Created by four Ph.Ds, mostly from Arizona State University, Breezing is a portable device that measures your metabolism using a method called indirect calorimetry. It analyzes your rates of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production.

You breathe into the mouse-size gadget that contains a sensor cartridge. It gauges your resting energy expenditure (REE), the metabolic rate indicating how quickly you're burning calories at rest. If you're trying to slim down, the faster the better. … Read more

Judging by the number of weird sleep aid devices on the market, people must be desperate to catch a few quality winks. Getting in a decent nap is even harder when you're on the go. So far, we've seen a pillow that swallows your head and a neck contraption that holds your chin up. Now, meet the Relax Ally.

The Relax Alley on Indiegogo is described as a "travel restband." At first glance, it looks like a sporty headband you might wear to participate in a tennis tournament. Look closer and you see it has another band attached at the back. That second band hooks over the headrest of your seat. Tighten it up and your head is held in place.… Read more