<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><a href="http://www.quirky.com/ge">http://www.quirky.com/ge</a><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; "><p style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; margin-top: 0px; "><a href="http://newsletter.makezine.com/t/r-l-otjdyht-jttikjulyh-d/" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; color: rgb(47, 130, 222); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; ">Quirky</a>, the crowdsourced hardware startup that develops and sells modest gadgets like egg yolk extractors and ear bud holders,<a href="http://newsletter.makezine.com/t/r-l-otjdyht-jttikjulyh-h/" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; color: rgb(47, 130, 222); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; ">announced a partnership</a> on Wednesday with <a href="http://newsletter.makezine.com/t/r-l-otjdyht-jttikjulyh-k/" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; color: rgb(47, 130, 222); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; ">GE</a>, the global corporation that makes jet engines and wind turbines.</p><p style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; margin-top: 0px; ">These antipodal organizations said they intend to collaborate on two new projects: a platform where GE will open thousands of its patents to the Quirky community for the development of new consumer products, and a product development initiative to build a line of app-enabled connected devices for the home. This new line of products will be branded "Wink: Instantly Connected."</p><p style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; margin-top: 0px; ">The partnership was announced on the Quirky site with a pair of videos by Quirky CEO <strong style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; ">Ben Kaufman</strong> (<a href="http://newsletter.makezine.com/t/r-l-otjdyht-jttikjulyh-u/" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; color: rgb(47, 130, 222); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; ">@benkaufman</a>) that touted the two companies' shared commitment to invention and innovation. GE will start making the patents available in May.</p><p style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; margin-top: 0px; ">The new announcement could be the tip of an ambitious new branding initiative by Quirky that was presaged by a recent <em style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; ">Advertising Age</em><a href="http://newsletter.makezine.com/t/r-l-otjdyht-jttikjulyh-o/" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; color: rgb(47, 130, 222); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; ">profile</a> of Kaufman, a 26-year-old who wants to "change the way the world thinks about product development."</p><p style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; margin-top: 0px; ">The <em style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; ">Advertising Age</em> story said Quirky's rebranding will be directed by <strong style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', 'Hiragino Sans GB', STXihei, 微软雅黑, serif; ">Marina Hahn</strong>, a 24-year marketing vet of PepsiCo, who's been charged with turning Quirky into a globally recognized brand that "rewards everyday ingenuity."</p></span></div></body></html>