Kickstarter & the Like

I recently have been amazed at the plethora of products being offered on Kickstarter and similar crowdfunding websites. I have had both good experiences on crowdfunding sites (my Pebble is still going strong, and getting smarter), and poor experiences (the Coin card...2 years, no shipment, and reduced functionality), but I thought I'd revive my blog to start showcasing some of the good, bad, and plain stupid ones I come across for your entertainment.

First up today: a good one (I think). The FlipFlic offers a small device that clips on to your existing window blinds. It's solar powered, and a has a plethora of light and temperature settings. When the room's getting too cold, it allows the light to come in, rotating your blinds open. Too warm, and it closes them. Not only is this a good energy saver, but it's a clever use of "smart technology" to accomplish a task without having to invest in a whole platform of smart devices. And yes, it claims to be app based, as well, for scheduling and manual overrides. Nice touch to have it solar powered, so no wiring or batteries.

My only criticism is $150 for a pair is a bit steep for the functionality, but I'd be interested to see if they could provide a good case study on the energy savings (something a company I advise, EnerAllies, does really well for retailers) to offset the cost. And, of course, it being Kickstarter, you never know if the final product is going to match the statements or if it will even ship, but this is version 2 for them, so I'd say there's a good chance.

I look forward to showcasing some less than exciting Kickstarter finds.

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