TMCnet News
Kano Launches a New Creative Computing SystemKano, the London-based creative computing company, today announced a new system of products that includes a Camera Kit, Pixel Kit and Speaker Kit - Lego-like kits to build connected devices - and Kano Code, the online tool to code them, from any browser, available today. Kano returns to Kickstarter to roll out the new system, and enlist the support and feedback of its community. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927006230/en/ "Tiny computers and sensors power the pervasive machines that surround us - and yet, only a fraction of us know how to do much more than swipe their surface screens," said Alex Klein, CEO and co-founder of Kano. "After bringing our award-winning Computer Kit to 86 countries, there's no stronger platform to unveil a new kind of computing than Kickstarter, where we brought Kano to life. Our new system takes all ages deeper into the world of physical computing, letting you build and code the world around you with simple steps." The new kits include:
Each kit runs:
The three new kits are powered by a new kind of single-board computer, the "Kano Brain," which connects to other devices over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. These are standalone devices, programmable by connecting them to any PC with a screen, including Kano's Computer Kit and Screen Kit. In each new kit comes a Kano Sensor, whih works with existing USB compatible hardware such as laptops and desktop computers. Kano Code is available for free, as part of Kano's mission to bring creative computing to anyone, anywhere. It connects to live open data on weather, location, sports, and social, and comes with a suite of simple challenges that reward progress and scale skills. "Kano came to Kickstarter in 2013 with a project that our community loved, and they followed through in ways that delighted their backers," said John Dimatos, Senior Director, Design and Technology Communities at Kickstarter. "We're thrilled to have them back as they introduce a beautifully designed set of tools for creative exploration." Kano's goal is to raise $500,000 from September 27 to October 27 to fund the manufacturing and launch of the new system. Kano launched its original Computer Kit on Kickstarter in November 2013, becoming one of the top crowdfunded learning inventions on the platform. The company raised $1.5 million from more than 13,000 backers in 86 countries. These backers informed the design and development of the kit prior to its first shipment in October 2014. The strategy, design, and development of the new system was led by Kano's in-house product, graphic, industrial, and digital design teams. They were also advised on industrial design by creative agency Map. The global Kano community including educators, kids, artists, engineers and partners such as CoderDojo and Kahoot! have been instrumental in bringing the new system to life with their constant feedback. The recommended retail price of the new kits will be $129.99 each. The Pixel Kit will be the first product to ship, starting in January 2017. The Computer Kit and Screen Kit are available for purchase now at http://kano.me, Amazon LaunchPad and through Kano's retail partners Toys "R" Us and Barnes and Noble for $149.99 each. To support Kano on Kickstarter, please visit: http://kano.me/kickstarter. To use Kano Code, please visit: http://kano.me/code. Visit Kano World at http://world.kano.me and to see art creations made with code, please visit: http://art.kano.me. Follow @TeamKano on Twitter (News - Alert) and Kano Computing on Facebook (News - Alert). About Kano Kano is a London-based company that empowers people of all ages to make, learn and play with computing, with its system of kits and open coding platform. Its first "computer anyone can make" has shipped to 86 countries around the world to people, ages 6 to 81, who have used it to make PCs, screens, radios, artwork, music, games, Minecraft hacks and more. More than 19 million lines of code have been shared in its online community, Kano World, where anyone can try out Kano's apps for free. Kano was founded by Alex Klein, Yonatan Raz-Fridman and Saul Klein and has raised $19 million in funding, from its initial record-breaking Kickstarter campaign to investors that include Jim Breyer, Marc Benioff (News - Alert), Martin Sorrell, Index Ventures, James Higa, Troy Carter and Shana Fisher, among others. To learn more about Kano, please visit: http://kano.me.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160927006230/en/ |
