It seemed the days of massive crowd funding successes were over, with prospective technology on sites like Kickstarter, Indiegogo and Pozible meeting targets but failing to get the sort of enormous figures products like Ouya, Pebble and Oculus Rift received in the early days.

However, the Geak Watch II is a more recent revelation. After asking for a funding goal of $16,355 (£10,476) by 12 December, Shanghai company Geak has raised a staggering $253,690 already, with 23 days still to go. That's 1,551 per cent more than needed and still rising.

But what is the Geak Watch II and why has it sparked the imagination of online funders so much? Let's find out...

What is the Geak Watch II?

The Geak Watch II is an Android 4.3 smartwatch that is both compatible with Android devices and iOS. The latter support is presumably why the company has decided against installing Android Wear as the software.

It has a round face and looks much like a normal watch, albeit with a digital touchscreen.

Any unique features?

There are a few but the main one is that the watch features a transreflective screen with both a mono E Ink display at the bottom and full-colour LCD on top. They are layered, so both fill the face of the watch. When you wake it up to use the smart functionality, the LCD layer comes to life. However, when it is in sleep mode it still always tells the time through the E Ink display, much like a Pebble.

what is the geak watch ii and why has it made quarter of a million dollars in funding already image 3
Geak

This means that battery life is extended as you won't need to keep waking the watch just to see the time. Geak claims that it can go 18 days without needing a recharge.

what is the geak watch ii and why has it made quarter of a million dollars in funding already image 4
Geak

It is this functionality that has seemingly caught the most attention from funders.

Can I customise both screens?

Yeah, of course. Both screens can be modified to suit you, with a number of different watch face designs available and more from third-party developers expected.

Any other cool features?

The Geak Watch II has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity so can connect to pretty much anything, even beyond the phone. It can turn channels on a smart TV, for example.

It will notify you of texts, calls, emails and more which you can answer or ignore on the watch.

It will also have its own Geak App Store to download third-party apps that take advantage of the round display. There will be apps for weather, social media and more.

The watch also has motion sensing capabilities that enable gesture controls for interaction with music playback or apps.

Does it come in different colours?

There are black and silver models shown on the Geak Watch II funding site, but you can also choose from a wide selection of straps to personalise your watch. As it is compatible with 24mm universal bands you can even add your own.

what is the geak watch ii and why has it made quarter of a million dollars in funding already image 2
Geak

How much does it cost and when will it be available?

The Geak Watch II is currently listed on Pozible for $360 (approximately £231) to funders. However, when that offer is all taken up, it will cost $409. International shipping outside China costs an additional $22 and it is expected to ship in January 2015.