The online secrecy-promising Anonabox router might be in limbo after Kickstarter pulled the crowdfunding plug, but one possible (and less questionable) alternative surfaced as soon as that controversy flared up.
Like Anonabox, Invizbox also relies on early supporters to get it off the ground. But the initiators of this project are slightly more careful with their exuberant claims. It targets a $20,000 goal.
Over $6,000 has been raised already, and there are over two weeks to go until the end of the financing campaign. At this point, it looks like the three-person Ireland-based team behind the Invizbox is on the way to a successful project completion. Of course, the campaign will only receive funds if the entire $20,000 is collected.
Built using off the shelf hardware, the device isn’t a complete router, so you still need one of those first.
Once it’s plugged in, the Invizbox creates a new Tor network-connected Wi-Fi access point, which should improve your level of online privacy. No one’s guaranteeing total anonymity, mind you, but if it works as advertised, it’ll take you one step closer to that.
Running on a locked down version of OpenWRT with Tor, the Invizbox supports Wi-Fi b/g/n, and measures a tiny 2.6 x 1.8 x 0.9-inches. It’s also fairly affordable if you pledge now, at $43, with January 2015 estimated as a delivery date.
TorFi, another possible Anonabox alternative, was up for funding on Kickstarter, but it was suspended less than an hour ago for reasons unknown. Jesse Enjaian, the project’s creator, cannot be contacted through the project’s Kickstarter page.
TorFi raised only $951 until it was suspended.
