'Range' iOS Food Thermometer Launches New Bluetooth LE Version on Kickstarter

MacRumors · Jul 4, 2014

Last year, the company behind the popular Twine Kickstarter project launched a new iOS-enabled food thermometer called Range. That thermometer raised more than $175,000 and now the team is back for more.

While not in time for this year's Summer grilling season, Supermechanical has launched a new, an upgraded version of the Range on Kickstarter. The new Range Oven/Grill Intelligence adds Bluetooth LE wireless connectivity as well as a magnetic storage unit that acts as the thermometer's base. The old Range needed to be physically connected to an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, but with the new wireless version, users won't need to leave their iPad sitting next to the oven or outside by the grill.

The magnetic base of the Range OI includes additional temperature and vibration sensors -- it's designed to be attached to the front of an oven, detecting when the oven is in use, when it's preheating and when it's on normally. It runs for a year on a single AA battery and the thermometer can measure from -40F to 450F (-40C to 230C).

There are three Range OI models available:

Oven Intelligence ($98) - including a 3" sharp thermometer
Chef Intelligence ($129) - including both a 3" sharp thermometer and a 6" round thermometer designed for candy making, home brewing and other needs, and both thermometers can be used simultaneously.
Grill Intelligence ($160) - including a 3" sharp thermometer and an ambient temperature probe for slow cooking and smoking, as well as an upgraded fiberglass cable for durability even in direct flame.

The OI wirelessly connects to iOS and Android smartphone and tablets, as well as the Pebble smart watch. There are bundles available to purchase multiple versions of the Range OI as well as higher Kickstarter levels that include priority shipping or special grilling aprons. Shipping is anticipated to begin next Spring.

The Kickstarter campaign has raised more than $80,000 with a goal of $250,000 with just over two weeks to go.

Article Link: 'Range' iOS Food Thermometer Launches New Bluetooth LE Version on Kickstarter

Dekema2 · Jul 4, 2014

Thank goodness for Kickstarter. It helps those who can't get loans or grants or just need some change to do something.

Also they should make it compatible with Yosemite and add push notifications!

wlossw · Jul 4, 2014

I will never back another kick-starter project with the hope of getting a reward.

I have been burned on 2 out of 3 projects.

The whole platform is a haven for clowns and scammers. Kick-starter also takes no responsibility for failed projects, which is the fundamental problem with the system... they take their cut off the top and then wash their hands when a project fails.

As far as i am concerned they are every bit as guilty as the project founders that take peoples money and give nothing in return.

I am sick and tired of reading about "cool" crowd-funding stuff on tech-blogs as if they were real products. It's all smoke and mirrors.

/rant

mainstreetmark · Jul 4, 2014

wlossw said:
I will never back another kick-starter project with the hope of getting a reward.

I have been burned on 2 out of 3 projects.

The whole platform is a haven for clowns and scammers. Kick-starter also takes no responsibility for failed projects, which is the fundamental problem with the system... they take their cut off the top and then wash their hands when a project fails.

As far as i am concerned they are every bit as guilty as the project founders that take peoples money and give nothing in return.

I am sick and tired of reading about "cool" crowd-funding stuff on tech-blogs as if they were real products. It's all smoke and mirrors.

/rant

I mostly agree. I can't help but think there's a lot of "something for nothing" folks out there - I'm looking at you Solar Roads - but I also agree with the previous poster out there. There has been some really neat stuff to come out of crowdfunders that would either never exist, or exist within the ecosystem of large companies. Crowdfunders give the ability for the have-nots to produce a great idea, but it also gives them the ability to raise half a million dollars, and then "so long, suckers".

Dekema2 · Jul 4, 2014

mainstreetmark said:
I mostly agree. I can't help but think there's a lot of "something for nothing" folks out there - I'm looking at you Solar Roads - but I also agree with the previous poster out there. There has been some really neat stuff to come out of crowdfunders that would either never exist, or exist within the ecosystem of large companies. Crowdfunders give the ability for the have-nots to produce a great idea, but it also gives them the ability to raise half a million dollars, and then "so long, suckers".

Yeah, there's definitely a dark side like the KFC-toddler incident.

dannyyankou · Jul 4, 2014

That $160 grilling one is overpriced. I just bought the iGrill2 for $99 and you can attach 4 probes to it. Does the exact same thing and it works really well

iPhysicist · Jul 4, 2014

This handle looks familiar. Maybe if it is yellow... d... Anyone? It most certainly does not look like the beats b!

groovyd · Jul 4, 2014

I contributed to 2 kickstarters, the first was OCDock, an ipod dock which was delivered 6 months late but at least it was eventually delivered. the second, VacuVita i am still hopeful is not just a scam but is really looking like it over a year late and counting. the worst part is they are still spinning it like it is about to ship any day now and still collecting money for it.

jlgolson · Jul 4, 2014

In defense of these guys, they have successfully delivered two large Kickstarter campaigns.

AngerDanger · Jul 4, 2014

Bluetooth is to this decade as USB was to the previous"Oh, my God, we need to put this into every conceivable thing in existence!"

Personally, I won't be happy until I can plug Bluetooth directly into a USB port!

(oh, wait, Bluetooth dongles)

mrxak · Jul 4, 2014

Would I put my iPhone or iPad on the stove? No, I would not. Electronics have a sensitivity to heat.

I've had a number of successful kickstarter backings, personally. You just have to be smart about it. The worst thing I've had happen in a project I backed was a delay in shipping, but the reason for that is because they wanted to make the product better and get safety certified (certifications take time).

Anonymous Freak · Jul 4, 2014

wlossw said:
I will never back another kick-starter project with the hope of getting a reward.

Kickstarter was originally meant as a means for art projects to get funded. Where there weren't "physical objects" that were the rewards - where the rewards were extras on top of having the art created.

So albums, novels, movies, etc. You'd help an artist create a work of art, and you'd get a T-shirt or something as a bonus.

The shift to "physical objects", and especially electronic ones, has caused a major shift in the way Kickstarter works.

I've backed things on Kickstarter for a while - starting with "art projects," then dabbling in to "physical objects". I, too, have been burned a couple times.

My current scoreboard:
1 "outright fraud" - but one that a third party came in and made it happen anyway, giving free copies to everyone who backed on Kickstarter, even though they had no reason to. (The board game "The Doom that Came to Atlantic City".)
5 "physical objects" delivered - Of the 5, only one was on time, and it was one that was a "slam dunk" anyway.
1 video game delivered significantly late.
1 video game significant late, but still in active development.
4 "art projects" delivered on time.
2 "art projects" significantly late, but still in progress.

xizdun · Jul 4, 2014

Hells no. I'm not backing anything on Kickstarter. 90% of projects end in long delays and disasters.

aajeevlin · Jul 4, 2014

Maybe if I have more money I'd buy into this whole Kickstarter stuff. But for now, I'll stick to whatever electronics (or other novel items) I can get off from amazon or a physical store. At least when they don't work as advertised I can simply click return and have it ship back. Maybe I have to spend a bit more in the end, but at least I know it will either work, or take a few minutes to return and get my money back.

This is a great way to get money to new start ups, like the other have said, Kickstarter's way of taking the money and walk away and provide no responsibility is just not right.

jkestner · Jul 4, 2014

(Creator here.) Sucks to hear that several of you have had bad experiences on Kickstarter. But I've bought bad items on Amazon, and I still shop there. Kickstarter presents ideas, and it's up to you to vet them. It's true that some creators get in over their heads, so read their background and project plan carefully. As Jordan mentioned, we've already delivered two successful products, so you can bet we'll do it again.

As importantly, you're supporting something that wouldn't exist otherwise. We like Kickstarter because it allows small guys to make consumer electronics exactly the way we want to: in the US with better materials and build quality. Our thermometers are very accurate and fast. The Grill Intelligence has heavy-duty fiberglass cables you can't get anywhere else. And the base contains extra sensors to detect when you forgot to turn the oven off, the oven is perfectly preheated, or if you double-tapped the oven to trigger a spoken done time estimate. Thanks to all of you who've backed our vision so far!

PocketSand11 · Jul 4, 2014

dannyyankou said:
That $160 grilling one is overpriced. I just bought the iGrill2 for $99 and you can attach 4 probes to it. Does the exact same thing and it works really well

That looks really cool, but it doesn't look like it does push notifications. That's the one last feature I'd want. On the technical side, it would require a more complicated setup with a server, unless local notifications can be triggered by Bluetooth (haven't read through that API so I might be making a fuss about nothing).

Boghog · Jul 5, 2014

A food thermometer which needs to be connected to a base station by cable is a mess at best. I know there's a technical challenge to communicate wirelessly from inside a metal oven/grill but as long as you haven't solved this problem there is really no point in "inventing" new ones. How about a tiny camera that can read the dial on a cheap $2 (http://amzn.com/B000Q99Y5M) thermometer through the window? If the base has a vibration sensor why not communicate through that?

wigby · Jul 5, 2014

Dekema2 said:
Thank goodness for Kickstarter. It helps those who can't get loans or grants or just need some change to do something.

Also they should make it compatible with Yosemite and add push notifications!

Kickstarter throws off the natural balance of innovation and capitalism, at least on a small scale. There are many inventions that should not get funding because they are just not ready or thought out properly or are just scams.

The other major problem with Kickstarter is that it's just a marketing test ground for big companies. Most of the projects that get funding are for companies that have all the money already. They are merely putting ideas out there to see what clicks. That is not a terrible thing but does lead to product design and focus by committee. And in the long run you end up with just a product or series if products and not a real company with goals and standards and ideology. And that is a company that will fold quickly.

acarney · Jul 5, 2014

wlossw said:
I will never back another kick-starter project with the hope of getting a reward.

I have been burned on 2 out of 3 projects.

The whole platform is a haven for clowns and scammers. Kick-starter also takes no responsibility for failed projects, which is the fundamental problem with the system... they take their cut off the top and then wash their hands when a project fails.

As far as i am concerned they are every bit as guilty as the project founders that take peoples money and give nothing in return.

I am sick and tired of reading about "cool" crowd-funding stuff on tech-blogs as if they were real products. It's all smoke and mirrors.

/rant

While I understand your pain, I've backed about 7 or 8 projects with 100% success rate. Now one was about a year late, but hey, sometimes stuff happens. There for sure needs to be a level of professionalism and all the projects I've backed had working prototypes and already were talking to manufacturing partners. Sure some of the stuff on there is kinda a joke or copycat stuff BUT, there have been for sure a few things that I honestly would NEVER have got otherwise.

There is no way I would have EVER got the full main cast of the Veronica Mars movie or Wish I Were Here to sign movie posters. Neither would I have got all three guys from MST3K to sign not one but THREE movie posters. For a huge movie buff that's a really big fun thing for me that I'll treasure (show off) for life. Plus we got a couple cool movies out of it and some extra RiffTrax in theaters to watch.

I will admit that I'm constantly amazed by SOME of the items on Kickstarter, it honestly feels like a small window looking 2 or 3 years into the future with some of the items.

I'm sorry you got burned, I hate to hear about that. But Kickstarter has been very fun and unique for me in the past.

SuperRob · Jul 5, 2014

wlossw said:
I will never back another kick-starter project with the hope of getting a reward.

I have been burned on 2 out of 3 projects.

The whole platform is a haven for clowns and scammers. Kick-starter also takes no responsibility for failed projects, which is the fundamental problem with the system... they take their cut off the top and then wash their hands when a project fails.

As far as i am concerned they are every bit as guilty as the project founders that take peoples money and give nothing in return.

I am sick and tired of reading about "cool" crowd-funding stuff on tech-blogs as if they were real products. It's all smoke and mirrors.

/rant

It is not Kickstarter's responsibility to make sure the projects you back finish. In fact, you are warned multiple times that they may not be. It's your responsibility to treat your money with respect and only "invest" in projects that come from reputable people with a track record of success.

Technically, if a company offers the completed project as one of their reward levels, they are legally obligated to complete the project, because they do need to deliver any and all rewards. That said, if a company fails because the project fails, there probably isn't anything left to sue.

This all said, you've clearly had bad luck or made some bad choices. The only projects I've backed that didn't complete all failed before funding was completed, so I didn't lose anything. I have received my products from everything else I've backed, even the ones I thought were the riskiest.

Parasprite · Jul 5, 2014

wlossw said:
I will never back another kick-starter project with the hope of getting a reward.

I have been burned on 2 out of 3 projects.

The whole platform is a haven for clowns and scammers. Kick-starter also takes no responsibility for failed projects, which is the fundamental problem with the system... they take their cut off the top and then wash their hands when a project fails.

As far as i am concerned they are every bit as guilty as the project founders that take peoples money and give nothing in return.

I am sick and tired of reading about "cool" crowd-funding stuff on tech-blogs as if they were real products. It's all smoke and mirrors.

/rant

Ehh...seems less of scammers and more of "if we get this much money, everything will magically work out on paper!"

mdelvecchio · Jul 5, 2014

never have I seen so many whiners making broad, sweeping generalizations about things that are either untrue or they simply don't understand.

someone28624 · Jul 5, 2014

I'm waiting for my Lockitron, my Coin card, and my Vessyl. Maybe when I get some of those things I'll start doing more pre-order/backings.

jlgolson · Jul 5, 2014

PocketSand11 said:
That looks really cool, but it doesn't look like it does push notifications. That's the one last feature I'd want. On the technical side, it would require a more complicated setup with a server, unless local notifications can be triggered by Bluetooth (haven't read through that API so I might be making a fuss about nothing).

According to the Kickstarter page, you can set up push notifications from the Range app when the oven is preheated, alerts at temperature settings and you can get notified when temperatures exceed a specific range.

Parasprite · Jul 6, 2014

mdelvecchio said:
never have I seen so many whiners making broad, sweeping generalizations about things that are either untrue or they simply don't understand.

You haven't been on the internet long enough then.

'Range' iOS Food Thermometer Launches New Bluetooth LE Version on Kickstarter

macrumors bot

macrumors 6502a

macrumors 65816

macrumors 68020

macrumors 6502a

macrumors G5

macrumors 65816

Suspended

Contributing Editor

Graphics

macrumors 68000

macrumors 603

macrumors 6502

macrumors 65816

macrumors newbie

macrumors 6502a

macrumors member

macrumors 68030

macrumors 6502

macrumors 6502

macrumors 68000

macrumors 68040

macrumors 6502a

Contributing Editor

macrumors 68000

Our Staff