App Update & Event at Target Open House in San Francisco this Saturday
almost 9 years ago – Fri, Apr 21, 2017 at 03:53:51 PM

Hi Everyone!
Just a quick note here. If you missed my last update*, the manufacturing is going well and we’re close to starting production! All is on track to ship in mid to late June. 

We’re beginning to put more time into the app development. It’s really coming along nicely and I’ll be demonstrating a prototype of the app and product at the Target Open House Store in San Francisco this saturday the April 22nd from 3-6pm. If you find yourself in SF or want a reason to visit, please stop through and say hello! It’s at the Target Metreon store located at 115 4th St. You can RSVP for this free event here. 

For everyone else, here are some visuals on the App navigation. The top row includes the Home Screen (center), the Create Section (add silly faces), and the Photo Adventures Map.  The second row shows the Photo Gallery, Live View, and one page from the Outdoor Photo Adventure book.  The balance of images show additional pages from the Outdoor Photo book. Thanks and enjoy your weekend!
JP

*Ps. the last manufacturing update was for Backers only so you need to be a backer and logged in to see it or you can just view it in your email.

COLOR SELECTION + NEW ACCESSORY ADD-ON
about 9 years ago – Fri, Mar 24, 2017 at 01:49:52 PM

Hello all you wonderful people! 

We are a bit more than a week post-kickstarter and I’ve got an exciting update for you. I know you all want to know the final two colors so I’ll start there...

Color Selection
We received 670 votes at the time of the official count across three voting blocks. The results are as follows (keeping in mind the heavier weight for backers):
26.9% → Blue
14.2% → Orange
13.8% → Purple
13.8 % → Magenta
11.2% → Green
10.2% → Red
7.3% → Yellow
2.6% → Light Pink

Blue was clearly the winner across the board. Purple was tied with orange for #2 within the private Pixl Perfect facebook voting block. The open facebook voting block skewed heavier on green and orange.  The last voting block from our retailers drove up magenta which is a personal favorite of mine (and the CEO of T-Mobile;). Selecting colors is not easy and my hope is that we have enough success to release them all over time. I spent a lot of time considering this and put the top colors on shelf next to blue. At the end of the day, BLUE and ORANGE rose to the top and those are the colors that are moving forward. They look fabulous together and you’re going to love them!!!

But wait, there’s more!
There are bound to be people who wished that a certain color moved forward and I want to do everything possible to make sure you are happy. Remember, each Pixlplay camera will include a sticker sheet thanks to the fact that we hit our stretch goal. So, the kids in your life will be able to personalize it to their liking.

I thought, why stop there? We spent the last week designing a special sticker pack pictured below.  You will have the option to make it any color you want!! This new 6-pack of stickers will be an optional ADD-ON and we’re working on the pricing now. PLUS, we’re going to make this template available on our website so you can download and color your own! 

What’s next? 

In the next few weeks, you’ll get a survey asking for your shipping information. You will select your colors at that time and have the option to add the new sticker pack. My focus is on packaging, manufacturing and logistics right now. We've got people working day and night on things like the packaging, instruction manual, testing, and the final sample in preparation for production.

I’m pleased to share all is on track to deliver the Pixlplay camera ON TIME in June (as I knock on wood). I feel super fortunate to have a great factory and will give backers an exclusive update on manufacturing in the coming weeks. 

Meanwhile, we’ve moved over to Indiegogo InDemand so you can still pre-order and get our exclusive updates there as well.

That's it for now...  thank you all so much! 
JP

Other Projects for YOU!
I continue to meet great creators on Kickstarter and now Indiegogo. I’ve highlighted two below that may be something for YOU (vs your kids!).  Take a look at these incredibly successful campaigns!

The Limited Edition Swiss Automatic Chronograph by LIV WatchesThis watch is really something. Click here to check it out; it’s the most funded timepiece live on Kickstarter right now.

BodyBoss 2.0: 1st Home Gym You Can Take AnywhereWhile your kids are busy playing with the Pixlplay camera, you can get a quick workout with this portable gym!  Check it out HERE.

WE DID IT!!! A heartfelt thank you – FINAL HOURS – VOTE NOW!
about 9 years ago – Wed, Mar 15, 2017 at 04:51:11 AM

Hello Kickstarters!
What a ride the last four and a half weeks have been. Let’s recap. You came out the gate strong and sparked this fire with over 50% funding in the first few days. The press response was tremendous and just as things started to slow up, we went to Toy Fair where we were named one of the TOP TEN coolest toys by Fatherly. I then did a series of Kickstarter Live events including one after a meeting with Apple stores in Cupertino. We blew past our stretch goal of $50,000 so we’ll be including the sticker sheet with each camera!!!  

Now, I’m writing this from Minnesota where I will meet with Best Buy and Target tomorrow. All of this is because of YOU. I hosted a small gathering this weekend and a fellow backer captured my moment of thanks in the video below. I truly owe you all my sincere gratitude and a special thanks to my wife (Alison), my parents, family, friends and fellow backers. I could not have done this without you.    

Final voting hours
We are in the final hours of the campaign and there are two color voting blocks open for another few hours:
1. The public voting block is here: http://bit.ly/2mGhbHI
2. Backers have access to a private voting block with heavier weight. Backers can find a link in the comments of the March 6th update.
We will tally the votes tonight at midnight pacific time and review with our retail partners to make a final decision in the coming weeks.

What happens next?
When the campaign ends at midnight, your credit card will be charged. It may take a few days and if there is an issue processing your card, Kickstarter will message you with an “Action Needed” message to login and update any requested info. I don’t have your credit card info so if you have issues, please contact the Kickstarter support team at www.kickstarter.com/contact.

Survey
We will send a survey in approximately 2 weeks for you to select your color and provide your shipping information. We will send a final survey closer to the ship date date in June to double check you haven’t had any changes. 

Manufacturing
Everything is going well and we will begin production soon thanks to you.  We are on track to ship in June and I’ll give backers an inside look at manufacturing in a future update.

Moving to Indiegogo InDemand
Another popular crowdfunding site is Indiegogo. They are local in SF and we 'heart' them. We will be moving our pre-order campaign there, but THE PRICE WILL GO UP. We’ve got a few hours left on Kickstarter and are approaching $60,000. You can help seal the deal by sharing or increasing your reward.  

Double check your reward
Some people have said to me I want to back you at a certain level but I don’t want 4, 6 or even 12 Pixlplay cameras. It is best to change your reward in the system by:
1. Click on the ‘Manage My Pledge’ button you see at the top right (when signed in) on the project page. 
2. Click adjust your pledge.
3. Select the reward indicating the number of cameras you want (pledge without a reward), (1), (2), (4), etc. and increase the pledge amount to whatever you are comfortable with.
4. Bonus: Please send us a private message to confirm your change. Finally The response to Pixlplay has been overwhelming and - make no mistake - this is just the beginning. 

I believe we’re on the verge of something BIG. There is a shift happening with toys and technology and we want to be the one to lead it by making use of all those devices in a way that gets kids active and creative. As a backer, you are a founding member of Pixl Toys. I look forward to having you part of the journey.  

With love and gratitude,
JP

Let's enjoy this moment... just like my 98 year old grandmother is here:

OVER 1,000 BACKERS AND 200% FUNDED WITH 4 DAYS LEFT!
about 9 years ago – Sun, Mar 12, 2017 at 05:41:03 PM

Helllllooooooo Pixlplay Backers!  
When we set out on Kickstarter just four weeks ago, we didn’t know what to expect. Seeing the first backer was awesome. Multiply that feeling by ONE THOUSAND. There are now 1,024 of you who believe in this project and I can’t tell you how good that feels. I’m excited to get up every day and see this number change. 

I’m equally excited to see the global response. From Australia to Singapore to New Calidonia and so many in between; we live different lives, we eat different food, we speak different languages, but we are brought together for one common cause. Photography is a global culture and it thrills me to know there will be kids all over the world exploring our world with the Pixlplay camera. Here is an image showing the top cities and countries….

It is really special and inspiring to think of so many paths coming together to make use of smartphones in a way that gets kids active and creative through photography. This group is helping to bring the Pixlplay camera to life. You are also helping to start a company and I won’t ever forget that. All backers of the Pixlplay camera will be the first to know as we look to bring future products to market. 

With four days left, you can help raise the number of backers in your city or country by sharing our campaign and clicking here: https://pixltoys.com/pages/share

Until next time and with so much gratitude, 
JP
... back to work!

Projects we love...

First, from our friends “down under,” Aqua Dragons in Space are aquatic pets, also known as brine shrimp which you can hatch and grow, waking them up from their state of hibernation. This is a great STEM project for kids 6-99 years old. There’s only 7 days left to back: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1331547843/aqua-dragons-in-space

Second, speaking of the global community. Orboot is a smart globe that takes your kids on an augmented reality journey around the world. It uses 3D models, voiceovers and local flavors of music, giving both kids and adults a fully immersive experience. It merges both the physical and digital world through the Orboot App and highlights each country's animals, food, music, monuments and more! Check it out!

HALF WAY POINT, STRETCH GOAL & KICKSTARTER LIVE!
about 9 years ago – Tue, Feb 28, 2017 at 05:27:42 PM

Halfway there.

Toy Fair was amazing thanks to our many retail partners.  Once again I am humbled and can not thank you enough.  When we launched this a bit more than two weeks ago, I couldn’t have imagined what would come.  For over a year, we worked to convey just how fun, easy and useful Pixlplay would be. We thought we had created something special but were unsure if you would agree.  And now, thanks to all 645 of you, we are bringing this idea to life!   

Stretch goal.

Many of you have been asking if we would add a stretch goal. The wait is over.  Making the Pixlplay camera is of course our primary focus and I want to be careful to not add too many peripheral tasks that will take time away from that. We decided to add a stretch goal that is achievable while adding the most value to Pixlplay.  One thing we know kids love are stickers.  If we reach $50,000, we will add a sticker sheet like the one below that allows each camera to be custom decorated.  I hope you agree this will add a nice activity and your kids will be able to personalize each camera in their own way.

To help reach this stretch goal, you can help by clicking this link to share Pixlplay with your friends and family: https://pixltoys.com/pages/share

Kickstarter live.

A new tool on Kickstarter that we’re going to try is Kickstarter live.  This gives us the opportunity to show you the current prototype and beta app!  I will be broadcasting live tomorrow, Feb 28th at 6:00pm PT/ 9pm ET.  Wish me luck and click here to watch it live.

Thank you!
JP

Other projects we love!

Here is another project from a fellow bay area company, Thoughtful Toys.  This company has created a toy vehicle that has the same quality and durability of the classic metal toy cars of the past. It’s kinda like a new-school Tonka. They feature real steering and suspension mechanics that offer an amazing driving experience, and they are made from 100% sustainable materials! They are built tough to last for generations of play.  Check them out here.

Speaking of high quality.  While this second project isn’t so much a toy, we think it is the perfect thing to keep with you at all times.  The Bullet 2 is a small, waterproof, fireproof, bright light from Kickstarter veterans, Slughaus. Click here to check out and back their campaign!