Skip to main content

Awesome tech you can’t buy yet, for the week of May 11, 2014

At any given moment there are approximately a zillion different crowdfunding campaigns happening on the Web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or IndieGoGo and you’ll find there’s no shortage of weird, ambitious, and downright stupid projects out there – far too many for any reasonable person to keep up with. But here at DT we are not reasonable people. We spend an inordinate amount of time poring through crowdfunding sites and product blogs in search of the next Oculus Rift or Pebble Watch, so we’re here to bring you a quick roundup of the best projects that are currently up and running.

Anova Precision Cooker — Smart Sous Vide Machine

Anova Precision Cooker Anova’s original immersion circulator is already one of the best sous vide cookers in the game, but that didn’t stop them from pushing forward and giving it an update. The company’s Precision Cooker, which launched on Kickstarter earlier this week, is essentially a cheaper, smarter, and overall better version of its predecessor. First of all, Anova redesigned it from the ground up, so the new version comes apart for easy cleaning, and has a simpler interface/controls. Second of all, they also designed it with Bluetooth connectivity, so it can link up to your smartphone and drastically simplify the cooking process. With this contraption, you no longer need to memorize the proper temp/cook time values — simply tell the app what kind of food you’re cooking and it’ll automatically choose the optimal settings.

Recommended Videos

Nomad CNC Mill — Desktop Milling Machine

Nomad CNC Mill Additive manufacturing –aka 3D printing– gets all the attention these days, but despite the feverish pace at which the technology is advancing, traditional manufacturing processes still carry certain advantages — namely, the ability to work with materials other than plastic. They’re coming along, but 3D printers that print anything other than PLA or ABS are ridiculously expensive, so if you want to make something out of metal or wood, your best bet is to go with a traditional CNC mill. Nomad is basically a miniaturized version of the mills you’d find in a full-fledged machine shop, but with a much simpler interface. Thanks to uber-simplified software controls, Nomad combines the simplicity of 3D printing with the precision, speed, and versatility of a traditional CNC mill. It’s also roughly the same price as one of the new MakerBot Replicators.

Swarm —  Social Group Tracking App

Swarm Things like cell phones and social networks have made organizing impromptu social gatherings easier than ever, but actually getting everyone together at the same physical location can still be difficult at times. If you’re trying to get a large group together, there’s an inordinate amount of texting, calling, and updating needed to ensure that everyone’s in the loop and knows whats happening. Swarm is a solution to this frenetic, disorganized process. instead of sending all of your friends a text with time/location info, you can just send them a swarm invite, and the app will do the rest. It’ll keep everyone in the group updated on where the swarm is, where it’s headed, who’s already there, and who’s on the way; so instead of spending all night trying to organize everything, you can put your phone down and enjoy yourself.    

LuneCase — Electromagnetic iPhone Case

LuneCase This thing looks crazy. It’s a cellphone case that lights up to give you notifications, but amazingly, it does’t have any batteries inside of it. Instead, LuneCase harnesses the electromagnetic energy your phone puts off naturally, and uses it to power itself. Somehow, the case knows and identifies when you receive a message or a phone call before it is even displayed on the iPhone’s screen. The case displays these notifications on the back of your smartphone with the help of LEDs, using the free energy that is emitted by the device, converting it from the iPhone’s natural electromagnetic energy into a usable power for the embedded notification system. In all fairness, an extra visual notification is probably a tad unnecessary since your phone is already equipped with ringtones, vibrations, and push notifications, but the electromagnetic technology LuneCase is built upon is simply too cool to overlook.

LookFor — Visual Locator App

LookFor Finding people in crowded places is a pain. Getting to the venue is one thing, but actually locating your friends in a sea of similar-looking homo-sapiens is easier said than done. What we need is something that makes us easy to differentiate from the rest of the crowd, which is exactly what LookFor is. It might just be the simplest app in the entire world. Basically all it does is flash a single solid color on your phone’s screen, thereby making it simple to spot you (or your friends) in movie theaters, concert venues, bars, restaurants, and sporting events. Right now that’s the only function it has, but if the Kickstarter project is successful, LookFor’s creator plans to add in-app messaging, iBeacons, and push notifications. 

Drew Prindle
Former Senior Editor, Features
Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…
The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Read more
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more