BeeLine GPS compass hits £140,452 funding on Kickstarter, with a day to go

At the time of writing, the BeeLine GPS cycling compass has amassed a staggering £140,452, far exceeding its £60,000 Kickstarter goal. And the campaign still has 27 hours to go.

To recap, the BeeLine is a connected compass-style navigation device. Attach the device to the handlebars, connect to a smartphone, and the BeeLine will provide directions to your final destination.

Rather than turn-by-turn directions like regular GPS devices, it works very much like a normal compass, pointing in the direction you need to be travelling. That gives you the freedom to choose the road you want to ride along on the way to your chosen destination.

The small screen displays an arrow showing which direction you need to be heading in, along with the distance remaining. The app also allows you to add points along your route to the final destination, so you can avoid certain areas or make sure you pass your favourite coffee shop on the way to your final destination.

The BeeLine features an e-paper screen providing crisp and clear information in all light conditions, with a backlight for night riding. It uses Bluetooth to communicate with the partner app on a compatible smartphone, and inside the device is a magnetometer, accelerometer, and gyroscope. It’s fully waterproof and the battery is said to be good for up to four weeks between charges.

Tom Putnam, co-founder of BeeLine, says: “We have worked very hard on the design to ensure BeeLine slots seamlessly into a cyclist’s lifestyle. We’ve been working with an industrial design agency and electronic engineers to get BeeLine to where it is today, and now we’re launching on Kickstarter to raise funds to go into mass production. We are very excited to be bringing BeeLine to the Kickstarter community.”

It’s funny that the BeeLine has smashed past its Kickstarter target because there were quite a few comments on the original story from people saying they didn’t get it. Well clearly lots of people (2,885) do get it, and like the sound of the product enough to back it.

It's not too late to get involved, and for £45 you can support the company and get your hands on a BeeLine. More at www.kickstarter.com/projects/1411369083/beeline-smart-navigation-for-bic...