Contribute to World Vision in the Philippines via the Gift It app

Charity World Vision has partnered with Gift It, a “crowdgifting” app that allows people to launch personalised gift campaigns to fund gift items from merchant shops or charity causes from foundation partners.

“Gift It makes it very easy for people to give anytime anywhere, while at the same time making them more aware of our programmes. The help goes a long way in our efforts to empower children through programs in education, disaster risk reduction and management, livelihood and economic development,” Jun Godornes, World Vision Director for National Resources and Development said.

Gift It has a social aspect, allowing friends to share in contributing to the amount. 

Piloting in the Philippines, the app offers payment facilities like Internet banking, ATMs, over the counter options, payment centres, and GCash, the mobile phone-based micropayment service.

The app will soon be available in other countries like India and Indonesia.

Interested?

Download the Gift It app

CoAssets adds SME projects to crowdfunding portfolio, looks towards Australia

Singapore crowd funding company CoAssets has announced that it has extended its crowdfunding platform into the SME sector. Through the company's lead generation platform, which allows registered users to view, research, and ultimately invest in real estate or SME projects, Singaporean SMEs can now immediately connect with investors, bridging a funding gap in the business funding sector.

Getty Goh, CEO, CoAssets said, "Given our proven track record with real estate crowdfunding, and the growing demand for business loans in Singapore, we decided to extend our platform to the SME sector. We are an alternative source of capital for property developers and SMEs, both in Singapore and abroad, and look forward in facilitating their search for competitively priced capital in a timely fashion."

In addition to its advances in the Singapore market, the company is looking to expand the reach of its business crowdfunding arm into Australia, via its wholly owned subsidiary. The company recently became a Corporate Authorized Representative of the Melbourne Securities Corporation, allowing CoAssets to target the Australian business and real estate crowdfunding market. With the start of operations in Australia, CoAssets will solidify its regional expansion with presence in five key markets: Singapore, China, Indonesia, Australia and Malaysia.

Goh said that recent financial results are encouraging and set the stage for the company's transition onto the Australian main board this year. "As flagged in November 2015, CoAssets sees its Australian operations as a key driver of future growth. The company will now be operating its leading crowdfunding platform in five countries, targeting a combined population of 1.5 billion+, and an addressable market estimated to be US$100 billion annually. The Australian Government has set a big focus on financial innovation, including crowdfunding, and given our success throughout the region, the time is right for us to expand our offering in Australia," Goh said.

CoAssets further announced that Singapore's Ex-Chief Artillery Officer, Colonel Lawrence Lim, will be their Chief Operating Officer (COO) from 4 May 2016. As COO, Colonel Lim will drive CoAssets' day-to-day operations, while Goh further implements the company's operational strategy.

To date, CoAssets has brokered deals worth more than S$44 million in total. 

Thomson Reuters calls for alternative finance providers to respond to APAC benchmarking survey

Thomson Reuters has collaborated with The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance at Cambridge Judge Business School, the Tsinghua University Graduate School of Shenzhen and the University of Sydney Business School to conduct the 2015 Asia-Pacific Alternative Finance Benchmarking Survey.

The survey will be the first-ever comprehensive study of crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending and other forms of alternative finance across the Asia-Pacific region­­­­ – including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Sanjeev Chatrath, Managing Director, Finance & Risk, Asia Pacific at Thomson Reuters said: “Alternative finance is starting to gain significant momentum across the Asia Pacific region, rapidly catching up with Europe and the Americas. The 2015 Asia-Pacific Alternative Finance Benchmarking Survey will more definitively track this progress across the region."

Raghavendra Rau, Director of Research at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) added: “The Asia Pacific region includes many of the most populous and fastest growing developing countries in the world – China, India and Indonesia and many more. The rapid uptake of mobile technologies and the permeation of social media are enabling these countries to leapfrog traditional banking infrastructure, which suggests that the potential growth of innovative alternative finance markets in the Asia-Pacific may be higher than other regions.”

The survey is also supported by KPMG, CME Group Foundation, the ACCA and 20 leading alternative finance industry and academic research partners across Asia-Pacific and beyond, including the Crowdfunding Institute of Australia, LendIt, Crowdfund China Society, Hong Kong Crowdfunding Association, Wangdaizhijia, New Zealand Crowdfunding Society, Japan Crowdfunding Council, Crowdfund Asia Association, Korean FinTech Forum, ShengZhen Crowdfunding Association, Change Fusion Thailand, World Crowdfunding Conference, Crowdsourcing Week, Crowdfund Vibe, FinTech Hong Kong, the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), the CrowdfundInsider, the Nagoya University, the University of Amsterdam and the Ahmedabad University.

The survey is now live and closes on 18 December. Results will be made available free to the public in the 2015 China Alternative Finance Benchmarking Report and the 2015 Asia Pacific Alternative Finance Benchmarking Report, due to be published in early 2016. All findings will be aggregated either by country, region or alternative financing models and no individual platform/provider’s data will be divulged.

Interested?

All crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending and other alternative finance providers, operating in the Asia-Pacific area (excluding the Americas), are invited to contribute to the benchmarking survey. Research findings will be presented only in aggregated form (e.g. by countries, regions and models) and individual platform’s data confidentiality is ensured. All participating platforms will be acknowledged in the benchmarking report, displayed with their respective logos.

Take the survey in English, Chinese, Korean, or Japanese

Harmoney shows off glowing first-year scorecard

The first-year success of peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace Harmoney, New Zealand's only operating P2P lender, is showing pent-up demand for crowd-funded microloans.

The company launched on 10 September 2014 with NZ$100 million of committed lending capital from institutions including Blue Elephant Capital Management and Heartland Bank. Over its first year of operation, Harmoney has facilitated NZ$100 million of personal loans in less than 12 months, the company said. Harmoney has also created 65 new jobs in New Zealand, Australia and Fiji and is preparing to launch in Australia.

Harmoney brings lenders -  called investors - and borrowers together. Some 70,000 loan applications were received, valued at about NZ$1 billion, and 90% of the loans were funded by the marketplace within 24 hours, the company said. On the lender side, Harmoney welcomed 3,000 active individual investors with an average account balance of NZ$6,000. As a whole, investors earned total interest income of NZ$6 million, and the average realised yield was 13%. The platform also welcomed several large institutional investors including Marshall Wace and P2P Global Investments in its first year.

"There is strong and growing demand for higher investment returns and cost effective borrowing and a growing awareness of the benefits of P2P. We're proud to be the platform that facilitates people investing in people," says Harmoney CEO Neil Roberts.

"Kiwis, in keeping with their reputation as early adopters, are embracing Harmoney's P2P offering with enthusiasm. We are achieving phenomenal growth, and in 12 months have attracted 70,000 loan enquiries worth NZ$1 billion and welcomed 3,000 active personal investors to our marketplace, www.harmoney.co.nz. With the exception of China, this level of growth is unheard of, and reflects the hard work and experience of the team."

Harmoney's focus is on acquiring and retaining creditworthy borrowers, says CEO, Neil Roberts.

"The team wanted to limit the exposure to higher risk customers, so apply risk-grade lending limits, and only fund a fraction of the applications received. Using our proprietary scorecard lower risk 'A' credit grade applicants can borrow up to NZ$35,000, compared to just NZ$5,000 for an 'F' customer."

Harmoney's median customer has a C1 risk profile; considered a solid customer to finance. A typical C1 applicant has an unblemished credit history, is 45 to 49 years old and married with a mortgage.

Investors fractionalise their investments, a process that breaks a loan into $25 units called "notes". This approach allows investors to select how many "notes" they wish to fund in a particular loan, which spreads risk. Harmoney's individual investors currently fund 25% of loans available*, and have an average investment of NZ$6,000. Investors are able to achieve higher rates of return (target 12%).

Harmoney is focusing on making greater use of emerging technology, particularly mobile, developing channels to market, enhancing its online marketplace with new products for high net worth individuals, and growing even faster.

New Zealand is one of the first countries in the world to overhaul securities law and to allow for peer to peer lending platforms which can act as a challenge to traditional banking. P2P lending platforms operate with benchmark operational costs far lower than any main street bank and typically pass on the savings to lenders using the platform. The service providers are regulated, licensed and policed by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). 

Crowdfunding portal set up to help human trafficking victims

Microsoft and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) today announced the launch of 6Degree.org, the first crowdfunding portal that enables the public to directly support the voluntary return and sustainable reintegration of human trafficking victims.

6Degree is the result of a public-private partnership between Microsoft and IOM. The development of the portal was led by IOM X, which is IOM’s new campaign to encourage safe migration and public action to stop exploitation and human trafficking, produced in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“The growing operational challenges of migration management demand out-of-the-box thinking on how best they can be tackled,” said Stefan Sjöström, Vice President for Public Sector, Microsoft Asia. “The use of technology shows enormous potential in this respect, and combining Microsoft’s deep expertise in deploying cloud computing technology to support public sector endeavors inspires confidence in our efforts to aid human trafficking victims.”

IOM has provided more than 70,000 survivors of human trafficking with humanitarian, medical, legal and migration support since 1997. On average, IOM helps 6,000 to 7,000 individual trafficking survivors every year. With the additional funding, the cost of shelter, medical and legal assistance, repatriation, and education or skills development to prevent re-trafficking can be covered to meet demand.

“6Degree is the first time we have been able to provide individual donors with direct access to supporting a proven and time-tested mechanism for helping individual survivors of trafficking,” said Andrew Bruce, Regional Director, IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. “I am excited by the possibilities this technology opens up for organisations such as IOM, and the opportunity to give more victims of human trafficking a second chance at life.”

Source: 6Degree.org website. Each survivor’s story is told through interactive story maps, which strike a balance between protecting the victim’s identity, and telling a compelling story to potential funders. 

6Degree is the first crowdfunding portal that meets the strict requirements of IOM’s victim protection and privacy standards. Because a survivor’s anonymity is their most important form of protection, 6Degree does not use photographs of faces and modifies information that could compromise their safety or chances of a normal life. Instead, each survivor’s story is told through interactive story maps, which strike a balance between protecting the victim’s identity, and telling a compelling story to potential funders.

The interactive map allows users to follow the journey of each former victim, with significant milestones illustrated by clickable icons. When clicked, the user is presented with a narrative elaborating on the survivor’s experience at that point in their journey. By following the stories icon by icon, the user can understand the circumstances that led to the person being trafficked, appreciate the challenges faced during exploitation, learn how they reclaimed their freedom and discover what their dreams and ambitions are for the future.

“6Degree is about connecting individual users with individual human stories,” said Tara Dermott, IOM X Program Leader. “Parallel to the funding aspect, these stories will help develop awareness, build understanding and nurture commitment towards stopping human trafficking through the many actions of a united collective.”

Crowdonomic becomes registered e-facility for equity crowdfunding in Malaysia

Source: Crowdonomic. Crowdonomic was one of just a few operators approved as a Registered Electronic Facility (Equity Crowdfunding Platform) by Malaysia's Securities Commission. From left: Nicola Castelnuovo, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Crowdonomic; Datuk Ranjit Ajit Singh, Chairman, Securities Commission Malaysia and Leo Shimada, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Crowdonomic.

Crowdonomic, one of the largest crowdfunding platforms in Southeast Asia, was today named by Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) as a registered electronic facility to pioneer and build the equity crowdfunding (ECF) platform in Malaysia. With its track record, regional presence, and experienced team, Crowdonomic is positioned to offer a strong combination of international market access, quality deal flow, and financial expertise.

Crowdonomic was one of only a few conventional operators to be approved as a Registered Electronic Facility (Equity Crowdfunding Platform) by SC Chairman Datuk Ranjit Ajit Singh on the first day of SC’s Synergy & Crowdfunding Forum (SCxSC) 2015.

“The registration is the high point of our continued constructive engagement with regulators to help shape competitive crowdfunding policies and build fully compliant and professional businesses in the markets we operate in. Our collaborative approach distinguishes us from many self-proclaimed crowdfunding platforms currently operating in grey areas,” said Leo Shimada, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Crowdonomic.

Together with the registration of electronic facilities, SC is introducing guidelines and rules to enhance investor protection, establish clear disclosure rules, and clarify fundraising rules for businesses seeking financing. The Malaysian regulations adopt an inclusive approach allowing any type of investor to participate in offers with investment caps set for protection purposes. The framework is unique as it will allow businesses to raise up to RM3 million within a 12-month span, and also allow investment funds to raise unlimited amounts off the platform.

Equity crowdfunding is widely seen as an enabler for startups to flourish and further develop their innovations. There is huge potential in Malaysia where there are more than 600,000 SMEs* - comprising more than 90% of total businesses in the country. Startups are also seen to lead the way in innovation, with research** indicating that many believe smaller businesses are the ones driving innovation in Malaysia.

Shimada also said the rise of equity crowdfunding signifies the birth of a new asset class. “Equity crowdfunding is revolutionary, as it allows businesses, for the first time, to leverage the full power of social media and technology to efficiently raise capital. This is particularly important as Malaysians are known*** to be among the most active on social media on a global scale. Startups will become more empowered to efficiently raise capital and investors can now transparently access new investment opportunities,” Shimada explained.

To maximise the impact of equity crowdfunding in Malaysia, Crowdonomic is at advanced stages of forming an alliance of top-tier players across the corporate, venture capital, financial institution and entrepreneurial ecosystem. This approach further differentiates Crowdonomic from other operators which lean towards operating as standalone websites.

“We are keen to explore opportunities with everyone interested in the potential of equity crowdfunding. We are in discussions with multiple parties in Malaysia and the region and we welcome opportunities to speak to more people. When it comes to equity crowdfunding, we are not content to just copy the Western model. Instead, we will be proactively paving the way to shape a unique Malaysian model. Most assuredly, we look forward to helping stimulate the economy in Malaysia as well as pioneer this space across Asia,” Shimada said.

*SME Corporation
**GE's 2014 Global Innovation Barometer
***TNS’ Connective Life 2014 study

Customisable cufflinks for men available on Indiegogo

CuffloCs, customisable cufflinks for men, are currently undergoing a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. The cufflinks consist of a hollow area in which small items can be securely placed. According to entrepreneur Josh Jablonski, CuffloCs are designed to work with small objects such as jewelry charms, pebbles, or a photograph.

Source: Indiegogo.

"The screw/on off design keeps your items securely inside the double sided glass and (the cufflink) can easily be taken apart to change the design," states Jablonski on his Indiegogo page. "Being able to change the charms or even put your own picture in them makes them the only pair of cufflinks you need. You can create your own unique piece to match any outfit... and any occasion."

For US$40, backers receive a pair of CuffloCs and a pair of charms, one for each cufflink. Available charms include a buffalo, anchor, eagle, American flag, clover leaf, breast cancer ribbon, American football, soccer ball and basketball. International shipping costs an additional US$5. 

Crowdfunding revenue will go towards growing the business and establishing CuffloCs as a brand, Jablonski said. The campaign ends September 7, 2014. View the associated video here.

CrowdsUnite provides handy crowdsourcing news in one place

CrowdsUnite aims to be the 'Yelp' of crowdfunding with over 800 crowdfunding platforms in its database. The site offers crowdfunding advice and directs startups to platforms that best suit their needs. 

CrowdsUnite CEO Alex Feldman notes that different sites differ in their functionality, customer service, and transparency. The main issue with crowdfunding, he said, is that it is possible to run a fraudulent campaign and run away with the donors’ money.

Source: CrowdsUnite blog. Feldman introduces
crowdfunding at a July 2014 talk in New York, US.

The CrowdsUnite blog featured an infographic for the top 10 crowdfunding sites in April 2014. Kickstarter, while popular, ranked no. 5 out of 10 and no. 2 only for funding. It was not in the top three for either customer support or ease of use.

CrowdsUnite recently added international crowdfunding platforms to its scope, including Singapore-based Crowdtivate. The company includes a growing number of crowdfunding platforms in Asia in its database.

Free registration is required to browse the CrowdsUnite site.

Kickstarter focus: Solar power for the rest of us

Spor Solar Charges promises portable solar battery chargers for the rest of us. According to the company, Spor is a self-regenerating battery charger for USB devices. It can be charged with AC power, or via the sun. "It can charge multiple devices at once, and can charge your phone practically as fast as a wall outlet," says the company on the Kickstarter page.

Source: Kickstarter. Spor Solar Chargers hope that the compact solar chargers will be the start of bigger things.

For US$50, a backer can get a 3D printed limited edition Spor charger, with an additional US$10 required to ship overseas.

The funding campaign ends on June 30. View the associated video here.

Kickstarter focus: iFind, powered by ambient electromagnetic radiation

WeTag's iFind tags communicate with iOS or Android devices using Bluetooth and do not need to be charged. As with other locator systems, a tag is placed on the item and tracked through the phone. 

If the item moves out of range, the owner is alerted through the 'Rope' feature, and nearby phones can help detect the object through Bluetooth via the 'UHelp' feature. A fascinating feature for iFind is that shaking the iFind tags will cause the phone to vibrate, WeTag said.

Source: Kickstarter.

The difference is that the iFind tag does not contain a battery and is powered by ambient electromagnetic radiation, WeTag says. "It recycles electromagnetic energy and stores it in a unique power bank. This exciting feature frees you from the trouble of charging batteries or replacing them through the manufacturer," say the makers on the Kickstarter page.

For US$16, a backer is entitled to one locator in one of a dozen colours. Overseas shipping costs US$10.

The funding campaign ends June 30. View the associated video here.

This blog has posted on two other location-based projects: Tile, and Phone Finder.

Kickstarter focus: Sit cross-legged on a CrossChair

Want to sit with your legs up on your office chair? Dave McClintock has created one which allows this. The chair is so versatile, he says it can allow yoga practitioners to perform the sukhasana pose while sitting on it.

"We made this chair for the millions of workers who sit for hours per day and suffer the consequences of fatigue, back pain and stiff muscles," he said. "Sitting cross-legged would help immensely, but it is a difficult or impossible position for many of us – especially in a conventional office chair. The CrossChair makes this new option accessible to all, and allows frequent posture changes to avoid fatigue and reduce back pain."

Source: CrossChair.

Called the CrossChair, McClintock's invention allows both conventional sitting positions and cross-legged seating. The CrossChair seat has various sections which can be swung into place to accommodate different sitting arrangements. See how the chair adjusts on the Kickstarter campaign page.

CrossChairs are available for the early bird price of US$499. A shipping fee of US$100 applies for international orders.

View the associated video here. The Kickstarter campaign ends June 6.

Kickstarter focus: the quick Phone Finder

The Phone Finder does just that, and with any lost smartphone, even one that is on silent mode, and will continue to do so in a no-fuss way for the next three years. Once the Phone Finder device is clicked within a 15 metre radius, the missing phone will ring, vibrate and flash even if it is on silent mode, so that the owner can find it. If the phone is out of range, the Phone Finder website will show where it is on a map.
 

Source: Kickstarter

Entrepreneur Gabsow Tom chose Bluetooth 2.1 as the underlying technology for a reason. He says on the Kickstarter page: "Bluetooth v2.1 is the only Bluetooth version to have both forward and backward compatibility, which allows Phone Finder to work on every Smartphone. It is not limited to an iOS or Android version. In comparison, Bluetooth v4.0* based products only support a very limited number of smartphone models."

Tom also promises that a Phone Finder used approximately five times a week should last up to three years. "We had to design it to consume energy only when pressed, and only for the necessary amount of time. This was a huge technical challenge...We manipulated Bluetooth to activate, transmit and communicate with the phone and then shut off automatically in order to drastically conserve energy. This way we guaranteed that if you own a Phone Finder you never have to think about charging it or maintaining it in any way," states Tom on the Kickstarter page.

A pledge of US$25 will provide the backer with a single Phone Finder and the choice of either a keychain, magnet or a sticker to use it with. The funding request expires on June 2. The associated video can be viewed here.

*A post about Tile, which uses Bluetooth 4 to locate objects, is here.

Kickstarter focus: A USB cable that charges smartphones twice as fast

Minsoo and Emily Seo have come up with a USB charging cable that charges iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones roughly twice as fast as ordinary charging cables. 

As they explain on their Kickstarter page, USB cables automatically try to communicate with the attached device while providing limited electric energy, whereas their DouBBleTime USB charging cable has a switch that limits the cable to charging only, shortening charging times substantially.

Source: Kickstarter.

"A simple yet ingenious special chip inside the switch talks to your computer saying, ‘I’m not a phone; I’m not going to sync, so give me maximum charging energy.’ This message allows the cable to bypass the capped out maximum power a USB can output and connect straight to the mainboard. The special chip also provides over current protection (OCP) and short circuit protection, which guarantees the safety of both your computer and device while charging," say the Seos on their Kickstarter page.

The second wave of backers can get their choice of a Lightning or Micro USB cable for US$18, with US$5 more for international shipping.
 
View the associated video here. The Kickstarter campaign ends May 23, and is already heavily oversubscribed.

Kickstarter focus: The standing desk

Need a desk that you can stand comfortably at, but still stay productive? Steven Yu may have the answer. The StandDesk is height-adjustable from 71cm to 114cm and has various design features that allow for the fact that the desk will be adjusted quite often. 
 

Source: Kickstarter. The all-black StandDesk version.

"StandDesk is more than just a product: it is a step in the right direction to change the lives of people everywhere, for the better," said Yu on his Kickstarter page.
 
A nifty 'up/down' control button automatically raises or lowers the desk to a desired height, stopping just by tapping the button again. A customised motor balances reliability, power, and price. 

There is an optional integrated cable management tray for power cords, for example, that moves up or down as the desk moves so the wires don't get dislodged.

Yu has thought of everything, and offers the desks in black or white as well as desk surfaces in three colours and various levels of customisation. A pledge of US$399 will get a backer a StandDesk in either gloss grey or matte black with the standard two-button control, plus a laminate top in either midnight black or frosty white, for example. For US$499 backers have the privilege of joining a hackathon where they may design or create new features for the StandDesk, with prizes for the top three designs. Shipping is extra, however.
 
The funding request ends May 17. View the associated video here.

Kickstarter focus: Instant reusable tailored clothing

SiDi Huang of ZipSeam has hit upon a quick and clever way of creating professional-looking, secure and temporary seams in loose clothing so that they fit the wearer better, with no need for sewing machines or tailors. 

Think the modelling industry, hand-me-downs, or just buying something you love but which doesn't fit properly, and you can see why this project has been over-subscribed so much.

Source: Kickstarter. Huang demonstrates 'before' and 'after'.

"Traditional tailoring is often expensive/cost ineffective, time consuming, and commonly permanent. If you were to take needle and thread to cloth, tailoring one shirt would take the average person well upwards of an hour to possibly result in a questionable result. A whole wardrobe? The thought of tailoring my entire closet is horrifyingly daunting," says Huang on his Kickstarter page.

If you know how the bag clips that fold into each other work, then you know the principle of the ZipSeam. While the wearer can feel the seams in place, Huang notes that they are comfortable and flexible enough to allow the wearer to move naturally.

Huang has turned to Kickstarter to help him mass produce the ZipSeam and turn out a polished product. "The tooling will be quite costly," he explains.
 
US$8 will get a backer a set of two ZipSeams, enough to fold in the two sides of one item of clothing. The first wave of delivery for single, duo and triple packs of ZipSeams are sold out. Huang is now on his second and third wave delivery requests depending on the funding terms.

The request for funding ends on May 18. View the associated video here.

Kickstarter focus: A better chair that eliminates back pain

Simon Hong, a neuroscientist, wants to get funding for the Chairbot, a robot that suggests a new position for the user based on his or her existing posture.

Source: Kickstarter page

The ChairBot does away with back pain with a split seat that basically means the user 'sits' by being supported on one side and standing on the other. 

"The basic design of frequent alternation prevents trauma to the spine caused by maintaining a single posture for an extended period of time. In addition, the chair encourages the proper degree of extension of the spine, as in a standing posture. That is because you are practically standing, while half of your body weight is supported," says Hong on the Kickstarter page. "It's 2014, and we still suffer from sitting-related back pain; that's not acceptable!"

US$2,700 will get a backer a Chairbot. The funding request ends May 4.
 
View the associated video here.

Kickstarter focus: Mouse Glove to replace mice

One entrepreneur hopes a "Mouse Glove" on Kickstarter will be a new way to interact with technology, possibly doing away with the need for touch screens. 

Source: Kickstarter website

"We combined a commonly used wireless computer mouse with a wearable design that allows the user to have a more comfortable and natural experience when working with their electronic devices. It puts the hand in a more comfortable position than a traditional mouse, which minimises risk of wrist injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome," explains the Mouse Glove Kickstarter page. 

The product has the same features as a mouse like the left and right click commands, scrolling ability, and cursor control. "Along with these features we hope to also add a pinch to zoom interface and a lock button to allow the user to disable the mouse while typing," says In-Tech, the company behind the Mouse Glove. 

The initial funding will allow In-Tech to begin production and finish the development of the pinch to zoom capability. Backers who pledge US$50 will receive a mouse glove which ships only within the US. The request for funding ends on May 10.

View the associated video here.

Kickstarter focus: record direct from your phone to the computer

Recap S2 is a little device that attaches to a smartphone and saves a call to a computer or voice recorder, and its inventor hopes the world will fund its manufacture. 

Source: Kickstarter website

According to inventor Igor Ramos, Recap is easy to use as it works on any device with a combo port* and outputs into any with a standard stereo MIC port. 

"(A) Recap recording will be as good as the phone call quality," said Ramos on the Kickstarter page.

View the associated video here. 

*A combo port inputs sound from a mike and outputs audio. It is where the earphones with mike connects to mobile phones.

Kickstarter focus: TwistVolt, the designer power strip

Most power strips are just that - strips that accept traditional power plugs. The TwistVolt is a power strip that has integrated USB outlets and is able to twist and fold so as to meet power needs as required. 

Source: Kickstarter website

"Our vision was to re-imagine the power strip, to be energy efficient and give access to all outlets. The result, is industry leading energy efficiency, enough USB power to charge all of your devices - fast, in a unique patent pending non-blocking outlet design that you would want to show ON your desk, kitchen counter, living room, conference room, or anywhere where it can be seen, used, and enjoyed," says inventor Michael Schroeder. 

 

US$49 gets backers a standard TwistVolt, with no USB ports, and US$89 a TwistVolt that has two USB ports. The request for funding expires May 5.

View the associated video here.