Wattage?
While we’re not quite ready to reveal everything, we are going to start sharing a lot more. Below is a copy of the first update we sent to our mailing list. If you’re interested in receiving these updates, please subscribe here.
Wattage is a few things. At its simplest, it’s an online store where people can buy electronic devices. But the interesting thing is that all those devices will be created using our online tools. The enclosures are locally made using laser cutters and 3D printers, and inside is a family of modular electronic components.
What we’re trying to do is lower the barrier of entry so people can express themselves through hardware, regardless of their technical sophistication.
We imagine people creating all sorts of interesting things like podcast-streaming radios, or tactile games. Home automation gadgets, and music gizmos.
But whatever they might create, they won’t need to be an electrical engineer or an industrial designer. They just need a browser and their imagination.
Think of us along the lines of NikeiD for gadgets. You create or customize your device online, we’ll then fabricate it and ship it to you.
I’ll cover various platforms features in future updates, but today I’m going to focus on the Product Builder. And to do that, I recorded a little video for your viewing pleasure.
This is obviously an early alpha, but it should give you a sense of how it works. You virtually create your device with simple drag & drop, and then we’ll ship you the physical thing.
Ok, sounds great. But why?
Manufacturing is one of the biggest industries in the world. Since the first industrial revolution, the power to make things at scale has belonged to those who own the means of production. Big companies, with big factories, building mass-market goods.
But the same was true for mass media in the 20th century, and we’ve seen what the Internet has done to that.
We believe hardware is next.
Soon, we’ll all have the power to create and distribute hardware using nothing more than a browser.
That’s ultimately what we’re trying to do with Wattage. And we hope you’ll help us make it a reality.
We really want to know what you think, and I’ll happily answer any questions you have. Feel free to email me, or message me on Twitter.
We’ll be releasing more info as we get closer to launch. If you’re interested in receiving these updates, please subscribe on our website.
