Kickstarter

Epic Games kicked up a storm when it announced its own Epic Games Store with a not so subtle challenge at Valve’s Steam and, more importantly, industry business practices. But while it presented itself as a champion of developers and gamers, both camps chided Epic Games for pushing developers and publishers to put their games exclusively on that store. Nowhere has that clamor been more audible than with the Shenmue 3 Kickstarter who will now be refunding backers who don’t feel like supporting Epic Games in any way whatsoever.

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Even though Shenumue 3 was recently pushed back a few months, it's still far enough along in development to make an appearance at E3. Deep Silver and Yu Suzuki delivered a new trailer for the game during E3 2019's PC Gaming Show today, but unfortunately, that trailer was also accompanied by what's sure to be some controversial news. Shenmue 3, as it turns out, will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store on PC.

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The Federal Trade Commission is suing the founder of a company that raised funds for 'iBackPack' and a couple other products on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. The agency first revealed that it was investigating the crowdfunding campaigns last August following complaints from supporters. In its most recent update on the matter, the FTC alleges the man behind the campaigns 'used much of the funds for himself.'

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The Ergo Kiwi is the best ergonomically-sound X-ACTO blade knife that I've ever used. And I've used a lot. I've used every sort of blade from the most basic $6 metal original-brand knife to the rubbery silicone of the X2000 (my favorite up until now). The Ergo Kiwi is the first 3rd-party craft knife holder (base for X-ACTO knives) that I've been able to use for more than one project - nothing else really made the grade, so to speak.

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This morning Sphero revealed a project called Sphero RVR, a do-it-yourself robot. This robot works with simple-to-use software and 3rd-party hardware, and is part of a Kickstarter right out the gate. In less than 12 hours, the project reached $145k of its $150k goal (with 30 days left to go).

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The folks at Standmac have a device called Wowstick Mini they'd like to deliver unto the world. This device is a pen-shaped and slightly larger than pen-sized device made to screw and unscrew all sorts of stuff. Included with the tool is a set of 56 bits and a built-in battery that's rechargeable with an included USB cord.

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Company Woojer is seeking funding for Ryg, a haptic feedback vest that supports "pretty much" all gaming consoles, VR systems, PC games, and smartphones. The device adds a new layer of experience to one's gaming sessions, enabling players to feel actions in their body as they happen on the screen. This can include, for example, feeling the roar of a dinosaur rumble in one's chest.

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Crowdfunding projects work - sometimes. Transcendent Designs' SuperScreen is not an example of a successful crowdfunding project. The group collected pledges of over $2.5-MILLION USD and 1.5 years after the end of the campaign, it's gone. No delivery of a final product was made, and no refunds will be made (according to the campaign's creator.) Let this be a good reminder: Giving money to companies for products that do not exist is a bad idea.

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Smart home locks are expensive, particularly if more than one is needed to adequately update the house. A new alternative has arrived in the form of Locky, a device that attaches to a house key, transforming the regular dumb lock it belongs to into a smarter, more capable system. The device and its app supports unlocked door alerts, lock sharing, and more.

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AirPods were arguably the flashpoint for the truly-wireless earbuds industry. The market has seen models launched by big and no-name companies alike, some with nearly perfect functionality, others that are barely usable. Now that these wire-free earbuds are more common and competition is stronger, we're seeing makers pack increasingly useful features into their own offerings. Firefly is no exception.

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Bloxvox, a contraption you hold and/or strap to your face, wants to help quiet down the open office workspace, enable phone conversations in libraries, and keep private details private. The device, which is being funded on Kickstarter, is similar to the HushMe devices introduced last year, but designed to accommodate a user's existing headset rather than a proprietary one built into the unit.

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A Japanese company is hoping to launch an e-ink portable typewriter in the US market, a model called Pomera. The typewriter resembles a folding keyboard, but with a twist: a 6-inch e-ink display appears alongside the keyboard, enabling users to type out a document without carrying around a full-size laptop or a large battery. The company is seeking funding on Kickstarter.

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