The all-or-nothing funding site Kickstarter has another big hit on its hands — and an iPod nano watch on its wrist.
In just 72 hours, nearly $200,000 have been pledged to support a set of kits that turn the latest iPod nano into a multitouch time piece.
The project, which promotes two different kits — the TikTok and the LunaTik, is a fully realized version of the iWatch-style mockups that started to appear online soon after the most recent nano’s release.
Designed by Scott Wilson, the founder of the Chicago-based design studio MINIMAL, the kits are designed to make the nano into an LCD-based wrist watch. Wilson, the former global creative director at Nike, has plenty of experience designing great-looking sportswear.
However, as he explains in his Kickstarter video, rather than designing a project for someone else, he wanted to create something under his own label. Wilson created two different watch variations, the TikTok, which features a snap-in design, and the LunaTik, which is designed to make your iPod nano into a more permanent time piece.
The goal is to sell the items in Apple Stores. Supporters can pledge $25, pre-order a TikTok (which will retail for $34.95) or spend $50 to pre-order the LunaTik (which will retail for $69.95). For $70, supporters can pre-order both units.
Check out this video to see the prototypes in action:
The original funding goal for the project was $15,000. Three days in, the current tally is at $193,000 with 2,600 backers as of this post. With 27 days to go, it’s likely that TikTok+LunaTik will exceed the reigning Kickstarter chamption and take top spot.
In a statement, Wilson said, “There are other options out there but Kickstarter is by far the easiest and most well-architected experience at the moment. This type of funding platform is a game-changer and just the beginning in shifting more power back to the individual creative entrepreneur.”
TikTok+LunaTik are just the latest example of major successes spurred by the Kickstarter project. Last month, the iPhone 4 tripod The Glif broke through, big time. That project has since ended — after realizing over $137,000 in funding — and the creators are about to start production on the first batch of units.
It’s interesting that Wilson, a man who obviously had other funding connections, chose to use Kickstarter as his platform. The results clearly speak for themselves — but it’s hard to imagine a faster way to generate nearly $200,000 in capitol.
Obviously not every idea is going to be as good as The Glif or TikTok+LunaTik (Disclosure: I’m a supporter of both projects), but the fact that individuals have the opportunity to get their projects funded in these ways is pretty incredible.
From Kickstarter
iPod Nano Watch Kit Raises Nearly $200k via Kickstarter
