The open gaming console Ouya has just landed on Kickstarter, with a campaign that aims to raise no less than $950,000 to bring its prototype to the market, at a remarkably low price of $99.
While its target is definitely in the high pledge range, Ouya’s fundraiser is only one of the growing number of gaming device projects that have already, or are currently, raising money on the crowdfunding platform. For instance, the gaming accessory Ringbow is only days away from reaching its $100,000 goal.
Yet, Ouya is exceptional by its ambition, which has already generated some substantial buzz in the gaming world. As a matter of fact, the team has prestigious advisers, such as Ed Fries, who was one of the original members of the three-person Xbox team.
The first thing you’ll notice when looking at Ouya is its stunning design. This is the work of Yves Béhar, who is also responsible for Jawbone’s revolutionary UP health wristband and also worked with Barnes & Noble on its Nook e-readers. In addition to the console itself, Ouya also includes a neat controller, with both buttons and a touchpad.
Beyond its looks, Ouya aims to bring gaming back from mobile to the living room, while challenging the status quo that consoles have to be walled gardens. Instead, Ouya hopes to bring an Android-like approach to the console world, by launching what its team describes as the first open console ( see our interview with its founder , gaming industry veteran Julie Uhrman ).
While it is built on Android, it will have its own marketplace, with a key difference compared to its competitors: all games will be free to try, at least to some extent. Other than that, developers will be free to use the platform as they wish, and monetize games by the means they see fit, Ouya’s team says.
➤ Ouya
Will you support Ouya’s campaign? Let us know in the comments!
Kickstarter project Everpurse wants to bring wireless phone charging to a purse near you
Here’s a Kickstarter campaign that women, their significant others, and anyone else who carries a purse or similar bag, will certainly want to get behind: the Everpurse . The problem is a frequent one: smartphone battery issues. The solution is a creative one: charging on the go, without wires, bulky batteries, or special cases.
The range of backing options for the campaign, which officially launches on Monday, is quite big: anywhere from $1 to $10,000. The final goal for this project is a whopping $100,000 (by October 13).
My first question upon seeing the product video was whether any phone modification was required. “The answer is no,” Dan Salcedo, one of the creators of Everpurse, told The Next Web. “No modifications or extra cases or anything is needed on the phone. You can take any standard iPhone and drop it in, it will begin charging instantly.”
I pounced on the word “iPhone.” What does that mean exactly? Apparently it refers to the latest version, and its predecessor: the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S. Well that’s decent, but what about other phones?
“We will be announcing final line-up of phones throughout the Kickstarter campaign,” Salcedo elaborated to me. “We are still making final decisions based on top selling phones in several categories.”
In other words, you can expect popular phones to get the green light, but you shouldn’t assume your phone is supported for sure until it’s announced. As such, I don’t recommend you buy in unless Everpurse has specifically said your phone is a go.
With that warning aside, I think Everpurse is a brilliant idea. While I’m sure one day smartphones will last weeks on one charge, much like Kindles do, that day is nowhere near, for a multitude of unfortunate reasons. This is a temporary solution to a bigger problem, which, thankfully for Everpurse, will be around for quite some time.
I must say I’m tempted to get this for my girlfriend, who, unlike me, doesn’t have a smartphone. Do you think she’ll be okay with carrying around an Everpurse when we go out?
Image credit: stock.xchng
Amazon Appstore launches in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain ahead of possible tablet launch
Preempting what will almost certainly see the launch of the company’s Kindle Fire tablet range in Europe , Amazon has pushed live its Android Appstore in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
The Appstore, which is available on Android phones and tablets via a separate app download , will come in a number of different guises in different regions, with users finding the “App-Shop” in Germany, France and Italy, “Tienda Apps” in Spain and the launching under the default “Amazon Appstore for Android” moniker in the UK.
With US users enjoying millions of downloads via Amazon’s Appstore, millions of European Android users will also be able to take advantage of the ‘Free App of the Day’ promotion, which has included Angry Birds, Cut The Rope and other bestselling apps in the past.
Amazon will also bring personalised recommendations, reviews and one-click payments, as well as leaderboards, achievements and game save syncing using Amazon’s GameCircle service .
The launch comes as no surprise. In June, Amazon called for developers to submit their mobile apps for international distribution in its Appstore in the summer. With the store previously only available to US developers (and users), having launched in March 2011, it signalled that Amazon would be willing to expand its range of tablet devices outside North America.
Last week, the company began sending out invites to its upcoming press conference, scheduled for September 6th. If we didn’t know any better, it’s going to be a Kindle-inspired event, showcasing the company’s plans for its ereaders and new tablet devices (maybe even a smartphone?)