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Sep

New Kickstarter Project 'iMpulse Game Controller' Is A Multi-Functional Bluetooth Accessory That Fits On A Keychain

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Games, News

Anyone who reads this blog often knows my disdain for touch-controls on mobile games. There are a few titles out there that are intuitive enough, like NBA Jam, Dark Meadow, and Horn, but past that, most games are just awkward to play. Thus, if a game supports it, I usually use some sort of controller, be it Bluetooth or USB. While that's practical enough at home, large controllers are too cumbersome for gaming on-the-go. Enter a new Kickstarter project called the iMpulse Game Controller that's looking to change that.

As you can see, the iMpulse is a Bluetooth controller that's small enough to fit on a keychain.

Aug

Kickstarter: Android-Inspired BERO Toy Robot Runs On Bluetooth, Batteries, And Nerd Power

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in News

A few of your friendly neighborhood Android Police writers collect the official Android vinyl figurines, but it's got to be said that they leave something to be desired in the interactive department. (By the way, if anyone has the Star Trek Android from Comic-Con 2012, I may actually trade you an arm and/or leg for it.) One Kickstarter project aims to change that, by making a 4-inch, animated, Bluetooth-controlled toy robot modeled after everyone's favorite green mascot. Be The Robot ("BERO") is currently just over a quarter of the way towards full funding, with a month left to go.

Reality Robots started off with a prototype that was basically Google's Android mascot, in all his antennae'd, verdant glory, complete with a system-on-a-chip.

Aug

Martian Seeks Kickstarter Funding For Voice Command Smartwatch

Posted by Ryan Whitwam in News

Ever since the Pebble Smartwatch got millions in funding from Kickstarter, other companies have been coming out of the woodwork in hopes of getting a smartwatch on your wrist. The Martian smartwatch is a slightly different take on the concept, though. These devices would be based mostly on voice commands over Bluetooth.

The video is clearly using a lot of Siri commands, which Android devices won't support. Since this is essentially a fancy Bluetooth device, all the voice commands that work through a regular Bluetooth headset on your phone will be available with Martian. If you've got S Voice or Google Now you should have a fair number of functions, but it's not going to be consistent across devices.

Aug

Shadowrun Online Hits $559k On Kickstarter, Coming to Android, Ouya, And Other Platforms May 2013

Posted by Ryan Whitwam in Games, News

If you've got a hankering for a good top-down turn-based RPG, Shadowrun Online will have you covered... eventually. The developers have been promoting a Kickstarter to fund the development of their game, and it has passed its goal of $500,000. That means Shadowrun Online will be coming to Android, among other platforms, in May 2013. Yes, that's quite a wait, but now there is some sweet gameplay footage to tide you over.

Shadowrun has a very futuristic cyberpunk feel, but there are also a lot of fantasy elements like Orcs and magic spells. The graphics in this test look very good, and this is still in the early stages of development.

Aug

OUYA Android Console Raises $8.6 Million On Kickstarter In Just Under A Month

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Games, News

For the past month or so, you could hardly go to any tech-related corner of the internet without running into something on OUYA (pronounced "OOO-yah"), an impressive little Android-powered console. With respectable specs (Tegra 3 CPU, 1GB RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth, and 1080p), virtually unlimited hackability, and a price of just $99, it's no surprise that it flew through its $1,000,000 Kickstarter goal in the first 24 hours alone.

Since then, the console has continued to pick up even more steam. Square Enix has pledged support and Final Fantasy III will be one of the launch titles. OnLive will also be baked right in, meaning that regardless of how much (or little) support third-party developers pledge, you can still play from a massive library of games.

Aug

Chameleon Launcher Beta Arrives To The Play Store For Pre-Registered And Kickstarter Users [Initial Hands-On Screenshots]

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Applications, News

Chameleon Launcher, a highly anticipated launcher replacement for Android tablets, has just released the initial beta version of the app into the Play Store. While everyone with a compatible device can download it, you will need to have an invitation, whether from your Kickstarter pre-order or pre-registration (say, if you're a member of the press or a private beta tester).

If you think you're part of the private beta, head over here (replace YOUR_EMAIL with your pre-reg email address and YOUR_NAME with your name) and associate your registration email with your Play Store account, then grab the app from the Play Store and fire it up.

Jul

Ouya Announces OnLive Support, Shows Off The Latest Revision Of Its Controller, Continues To Be Awesome

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Games, News

When we first heard about Ouya, we were excited. We were also hesitant. While a dedicated console for $99 with its own controller, a Tegra 3 processor, and Android games optimized for the big screen (not to mention free versions or demos of all available games) sounded brilliant, there was the question of longevity. How could this thing continue to hold up once Tegra 3 processors weren't the norm? Well, here's one answer to that question: OnLive support is now going to be built in. If I could whistle via text, I would do so presently.

What this means for gaming is that, even when that Tegra 3 processor gets old and dusty, you'll still be able to use your Ouya console to stream HD games from OnLive's cloud servers directly to your console.

Jul

Video: Developer Shows Off The Latest Chameleon Launcher Build On The Nexus 7

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Applications, News

Ask any five Android fanatics you know the following question: "What's the most exciting tablet-based launcher project in the world right now?" And you're likely to get five identical responses. The Chameleon launcher has captured the imagination of Android tablet aficionados after a successful Kickstarter campaign and plenty of coverage from news outlets like this one. Today the developers posted two videos showing off Chameleon's impressive complexity and flexibility, and naturally they're showing it off on the hottest Android tablet going: the Nexus 7.

Of the two videos on display, the one above is of the most interest, since it gives us a good look at Chameleon's fascinating widget engine.

Jul

[Update: Goal Surpassed!] OUYA Lands On Kickstarter: Say Hello To The Gaming Console Of The Future

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News

We've seen some pretty cool projects show up on Kickstarter: Capta, Pebble, Chameleon, Vavo... and plenty more. Last night, though, one of the coolest projects I've ever seen made its way to the crowd-funded site: OUYA. You may or may not already be familiar with that name, so a little explanation may be in order.

Update: OUYA broke through the $1m barrier in less than 24 hours. I see big things for the future of this startup - keep the donations coming!

First off, OUYA is an open source, Android-powered video game console. That in itself got my attention, but if you really want to see how awesome OUYA is, watch this:

Proposed Specs:

Tegra 3 quad-core processor
1GB RAM
8GB Storage
HDMI out with 1080p support
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
One USB 2.0 port
Wireless Controller
Android 4.0.x

This project makes perfect sense to me; with the increase in quality games (and more specifically, games designed for the Tegra 3 chipset), something like this is absolutely brilliant.

Jun

Alpha Colony: A Tribute To M.U.L.E. Is A Great Example Of Increasing Kickstarter Abuse - And The Blurry Line It Sits Upon

Posted by David Ruddock in Apps/Games, Editorials, Games, Off-Topic

Last Updated: June 21st, 2012

Update: I've refined a few of my points in this article to focus less on the whole "how much it costs to make a video game" angle, because I'm not exactly an expert on project funding. I think the point I'm trying to illustrate about Kickstarter as a whole is now clearer, and articulated in a more generally-applicable manner.

Note: This piece is of tangential relation to Android (and it grew more tangential as I wrote it), but the game in question is a joint Kickstarter venture promising an Android game, M.U.L.E. Returns, as well as a multi-platform title, Alpha Colony: A Tribute To M.U.L.E.