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12 crowdfunding campaigns you should probably be checking out in November

All of these look like winners.

Nomatic camera backpack on pebbles
Image: Nomatic

It’s no real secret that I love crowdfunding campaigns. I mean, the excitement of helping bring something cool to the market? That’s music to my ears.

I’ve been lucky too, with every single one of my dozens of backed campaigns giving me the physical goods or games that I backed. That’s pretty good going, although I would like to add that crowdfunding isn’t as much of a “wild west” situation as it used to be, with more and more professionalism in the campaign owners.

Here are 12 crowdfunding campaigns you really should be checking out in November

So… with how many campaigns there are out there, how do you choose what to back? Well, I use a combination of checking out their campaign page, looking to see if any of the comments on their prior campaigns show dissatisfied backers and companies I’ve already had successful pledge fulfillment from.

I also tend to stick to gadget areas that I know a bit about, like photography, cooking, maker tools, and writing implements. That way I can judge if the campaign’s aspirations are within reach or not, which adds to my decisions.

So, with all of that out of the way, here are some of the crowdfunding campaigns I’ve found worthy in November:

The Camera Pack: Peter McKinnon X NOMATIC

Nomatic camera backpack on pebbles
Image: Nomatic

Popular Canadian filmmaker, Peter McKinnon, has teamed up with Nomatic to bring this super-versatile camera rucksack to the market. One side of the voluminous pack fits clothes, laptops and other essentials (like coffee!), while the other side has reconfigurable walls to keep your camera, lenses, and other filmmaking gear safe. There’s two straps to carry a tripod on the outside, and a zipped pocket gives quick access to your camera from the side.

Even better, there’s a camera cube that stows your camera and extra gear, which unfolds to a daypack, so you don’t have to lug your huge pack around all the time. Sweet. So many people backed this that there are only a few of the $299 slots for the Camera Pack left, so hurry before it goes up to $349 if you’re all about that filmmaker life.


beamo: Powerful Laser Cutter Made Compact and Simple

Beamo laser cutter surrounded by things created on it
Image: Flux

You might not think you need a laser cutter in your life, but maybe it’s time to rethink that. Think of it as a laser printer, just instead of only paper – it can etch on almost anything. Beamo has a 30W CO2 laser, which also lets you cut wood, acrylic or other materials up to 3mm thick, all in a box around your regular desktop printer. Don’t worry about fumes or heat, beamo has inbuilt watercooling and ventilation so you can run it anywhere.

The inbuilt camera lets you have a live view of your design before you turn the laser on, and you can turn anything your smartphone camera captures into a design through the companion app. Nifty.

There are 26 days left to grab beamo for $849 before it skyrockets to the eventual price of $1,499.


PrinCube-The World’s Smallest Mobile Color Printer

Princube x indiegogo right hand holding a mobile color printer
Image: PrinCube

Ever wanted to print on anything? Sure you have, just think of the possibilities. Logos, ‘owned by’ tags, or just making your sneakers that little bit more interesting. The $109 PrinCube lets you do just that, with a pocketable printer that’s just brimming with possibility. Just send your print images to the little guy via WiFi, and print vivid color on all the things!

It’ll even print on textured fabrics, non-flat shapes, and your skin! That’s pretty darn cool.


lumee: 4K LED Projector with Ultimate Short Throw Rate

Short throw projector displaying a surfer on the wall
Image: Ilumee

Listen, most projectors are terrible for home use. They’re tweaked for brightness, not color reproduction, and they need ceiling mounting to stop people from blocking the image. Not so with the $1,799 4K ultra-short-throw LED projector from ilumee. It can project a screen of up to 150-inches on your wall, with a 100-inch screen from only 4.3 inches away from your wall.

That means no more shadows on your movie watching, no more over-bright image, and it works just as well during the day as in a darkened room. Perfect for your mancave, or if you want a huge TV screen, without the TV.


MezmoTop- Timeless Kinetic desk toy

Everyone’s desk deserves at least one nifty desk toy, and the team behind the MezmoTop has some of the best. Just $26 gets you a MezmoTop in stainless steel, which provides hours of amusement while you’re trying to figure out why that darn Excel formula isn’t working as it should.

There’s also titanium versions, and some solid-metal stands to keep your MezmoTop safe when you’re not fiddling, or as a handy place to spin.


Infinity Cable: The World’s First Truly Universal Cable

Chargeasap: 1 cable for all your devices advertised on kickstarter
Image: Chargeasap

Even with battery tech getting better, we still have to recharge our phones, tablets and other electronics way too often. That means multiple chargers, multiple cables, and a desk that looks like someone dumped odd-looking spaghetti on it. Now you can charge all your devices with one cable, with the Infinity cable from ASAP Technologies.

This nifty cable uses magnets to let you change the charging tip between USB-C, Apple’s Lightning, or Micro USB. Now that’s playing with power. All you need is one cable, and you can recharge your devices from the same cord. Grab one for $30 while early pricing lasts on Kickstarter.


Chopbox: A New Way To Cook!

Chopbox smart chopping board
Image: The Yes Company

The humble chopping board. It really hasn’t changed much since forever, but now the ChopBox is here. This super-smart chopping board has two cutting surfaces, a built-in food scale, a kitchen timer, knife sharpeners, and a UV-C light to sanitize your knives and the cutting surfaces. That’s pretty darn cool, guarding against all those nasty bacteria while slimming down the number of things you need to keep in your kitchen.

Grab the ChopBox for $99 while pricing lasts.


Woojer Edge | Immersive Experience that Lets you FEEL Sound

Woojer edge strap haptic band to feel music on woman's waist
Image: Woojer

Ever wanted that wall-of-sound feel you get in the club, at home? You can with Woojer’s haptic devices, the Woojer Edge Strap and the Edge Vest. These devices literally help you feel sound, whether it’s the bass thump of a kick drum or the whoomph of an onscreen explosion.

Headphones or speakers are great, but you can’t replicate the whole-body feeling with such small devices. They need a helping hand, and Woojer is here to do just that. Grab one at early bird prices on Indiegogo before the prices go up.


ADAPTALUX FLASH ARMS: Adaptable Flash Photography Lighting

Adaptalux are the makers of one of the best and most customizable lighting kits for macro photography, and they’re back with a new addition to the range – Xenon flash arms. That means the ability to freeze fast-moving objects, like drops of water, splashes in pools, and other subjects that macro photographers love to get creative with.

The Xenon flash used has 5 output levels, with a fast recycle time. It’s IR triggered, has Android and iOS app support, and is mounted on Adapalux’s bendable, poseable arms. If you already have the Control Pod needed, you can add a flash module to your existing setup for $164, or $346 gets you the Control Pod, an LED light arm, and a Xenon flash arm, to supercharge your macro shots.


BentoStack PowerHub – Connect, Charge, Organize!

Bentostack powerhub ios device organizer
Image: Function 101

Apple is finally using USB-C on its devices, but that means one thing – more dongles. Wouldn’t it be great if you could organize all your dongles, cables, and hubs in one device? The team behind BentoStack thought so, with their latest addition to the stackable organizer – the $99 PowerHub.

It’s got compartments for cables, flash drives and more, a 8000 mAh battery pack that can recharge via USB-C, USB A and Qi Wireless Charging, and the hub which has SD and micro SD card slots, an HDMI out, 3.5mm audio, two USB A 3.0 and USB C 3.0 ports, and even has a magnetic storage tray for your Apple Pencil. Now that BentoStack is stacking up to a great deal.

Phiz: Affordable 3D scanner

Phiz 3d scanner and toys
Image: Phiz

The problem with 3D printers is the skill gap needed to learn the 3D modeling skills needed to print your own objects. I mean, sure, you could use other people’s models off sites like Thingiverse but where’s the fun in that?

Phiz connects to your smartphone to let you scan almost any object, turning it into a 3D model that you can then print or modify as you want. Sweet. The full scanning set is $229 for early backers, but there’s only a few left at that price left…

GoFindMe GPS Tracker

Gofindme gps tracker on the collar of a dog
Image: GoFindMe

GPS trackers are super useful, but they all need cell service, a monthly service plan, or other costly additions. Not so with the GoFindMe tracker, which lets you track location, send SMS, record your steps in case you need to retrace, and more. Track up to 32 people, at distances of up to 5 miles. Now that’s useful.

You can get two trackers for $179 currently on Indiegogo, or more if you have a larger group that needs tracking.


Editors’ Recommendations:

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Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.

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