Categories
Travel

SkyTent provides in-flight privacy, will attract in-flight gawkers

The Premise. Traveling can be tiring business. A constant barrage of harsh sounds, lights and smells can make it difficult to relax or sleep. It can also be difficult to have a sense of privacy while flying or waiting for a flight.

The Product. SkyTent is a visor that wraps around your head with fabric hanging down from it, looking a bit like those old kerchiefs that the outlaws in westerns wear. The fabric is light, breathable and allows the wearer to see through to the outside world. The visor comes in an array of colors with different design options on the front including “Keep Calm and Dream On” and “Cat Nap”. While on, the fabric hangs far enough away from your face to be comfortable.

The Pitch. A charming video of the creator talking about his product using illustrations kicks off the campaign. He goes through all of the different sensory pollutants that one must endure when flying while relaying what sounds like a flight from Hell to China. The rest of the campaign shows different folks donning the SkyTent as well as add-on features that the creator would like to offer, including more colors and scented oils to clip into the visor. SkyTent hopes to raise $10,000 in its 30-day Kickstarter run.

The Perks. One of these mini-tents costs $25 for backers looking for some solace. There are only two reward tiers on this campaign, both with expected delivery dates of August 2014. A $15,000 stretch goal has been set for the addition of essential oil aroma inserts.

The Potential. ironically, for a product designed to provide privacy, the oddity of the SkyTent is sure to attract looks Other than looking quite silly, though, the product provides an alternative to the tried-and-true sleep mask and less popular portable ionizer. It’s light enough to be portable for travelers and would even be good in long car rides for passengers who experience motion sickness. One similar product includes the Forward Front Face Pillow Cushion , which provides some privacy and rest for air travelers, but requires an awkward bend forward to do so. However, it’s unclear how good a job it does filtering out noxious odors and one will still need to rely on some good noise-canceling headphones to block out noisy fellow passengers

Categories
Luggage and Bags

Top Loader luggage opens wide for your reach inside

TopEver needed to add some last minute items to your luggage when traveling? The Top Loader spinner suitcase has a zippered section accessible from the top, allowing people to add or remove items from their suitcase without having to lay it down on the ground. Last-minute packing is another huge advantage to this product for backers with time-management issues. Currently, only a carry-on size is available for purchase. This clever hamper on wheels comes in either black or silver and goes for $70 on Indiegogo with an estimated delivery date of August 2014. Top hopes to raise $27,500 in a 30-day campaign.

Categories
Tools

Titanium Key Shackle holds keys and more with ease

Titanium Key Shackle   922cb82c12217938b20a9de8f2ed9153_large[1]There are few things more annoying than fumbling to find the right key when you’re in a hurry. Titanium Key Shackle not only holds and organizes your keys, but it also holds USB drives, keycards and other small items that people often like to have at their fingertips. While Kickstarter has seen other similar products, one nice thing about this particular key organizer is that it seems easy to set up and no modification of the keys is needed. For $18, a backer gets one product with an expected delivery of July 2014.

Categories
Lighting Smart Home

The Back-Off: Reinventing the light switch

Welcome to The Back-Off, where Backerjack contributors weigh in on two or more products being crowdfunded concurrently.

What. Smart lighting is becoming a regular craze in the smart home community. What is already out on the market doesn’t always do the job right, and so those who want to simplify their home through technology have a couple new options to consider. Both Bluegic and iOn have a new take on changing the most basic electric necessity of any home.

Why. Bluegic’s solution to home lighting is similar to some other crowdfunding projects, using Bluetooth as a way to control lighting even while away from home, using a mobile device to set timers as well as turn on and off lights. The inclusion of a push-button light switch alternative is also a unique personal touch of the Bluegic system. iOn on the other hand is more like traditional light-switches in the sense that one has to be in proximity to the switch itself to control it, but is anything but traditional beyond that. Using a capacitive field, iOn panels can be installed behind art, behind walls, and can be completely out of sight. Users then make a motion within that field, or place a capacitive item in the field that can be touched to turn lights on or off. Bluegic switches range from $54 to $69 depending on how many buttons are on the switch, iOn switches start at $40 a piece.

When. Both projects were launched on March 25th and have the same funding goal of $100,000, but Bluegic’s campaign is running 45 days instead of iOn’s 30. Bluegic also plans to ship in June, while iOn switches won’t reach backers until August.

Winner. In terms of what they offer, the Bluegic system is more flexible, but other options are out there that do the same thing. iOn is a much more refreshing take on the modernization of home lighting, and while it certainly could have its faults in terms of accidentally tripping the lights, would be more cost effective to put into a home and not require any other devices. iOn gets the edge here for its innovation and cost.

Categories
Connected Objects Music

Speaker Creatures bring sea life tunes to shower karaoke

The Premise. There’s something about a shower that brings out the inner rock star in people. Whether it’s the acoustics of a bathroom or the resemblance between showerheads and microphones, who doesn’t like a little music in the shower?

The Product. Speaker Creatures are fun, shower-safe Bluetooth speakers that sync up with devices up to 30 feet away to bring the whole band into the shower. With suction cups, the Speaker Creatures (thematically shaped like an octopus and a snail) can stick to any surface and play music for approximate 6 hours of battery life before it needs recharging. Better yet, the speaker itself has a control panel allowing owners to play their favorite songs without having to track water through the house. A built-in microphone is also available to take any incoming phone calls — a dubious proposition in the shower, but one that is blissfully free of video capability.

The Pitch. Speaker Creature developer OnHand embraces the cute, fun design of its creatures for its campaign video, breaking up a showcase of the speaker’s features with a little stop-motion animation of the speakers themselves. OnHand also shows off some early design ideas and even how Speaker Creatures can be used as a phone stand outside of the shower, thanks to its universal suction cup design. OnHand wants to raise $15,000 to prepare its inventory for launch and to create the special mold required for the device.

The Perks. Backers who want a snail-shaped speaker can get one at $25, while the octopus is currently only available for $30 pledges.  These speakers will be blasting out tunes by May 2014.

The Potential. A lot of people would probably love to have a little accompaniment to rock out with while singing in the shower. Waterproof speakers like these are nothing new, but the fun design and built-in music player controls certainly give Speaker Creatures an edge. The less said about being able to answer phone calls while taking a shower, however, the better. Speaker Creatures are fun and sure to be well-liked by children and adults, but based on the technology and the price, audiophiles will probably be passing.

Categories
Tech Accessories

Miclip hangs around so mic headphone cords behave

Miclip  9bf8108f057df98aa8319d35211da4f9_large[1]There are many cord wraps out there, but they don’t all do the best job of letting you use your earbuds while keeping them partially wound to pick up the slack. That’s why there’s Miclip. The wooden or acrylic gadget attaches to the cord so you don’t lose it, and uses its natural tension to stretch it out and keep it attached. Miclip also works with cords that don’t have a mic headset. For $6 a backer gets the wooden version, or choose the acrylic for $8. Expected delivery is July 2014.

Categories
Apparel

Bast Shoes revive weaved look from the past

Bast Shoes  46926a9bd9dcf1c65d7c8a294bef8896_large[1]If you’re the type who likes to set the trends, or in this case, reset them, Bast Shoes will be an item that you can appreciate. The natural birch tree shoes are woven by hand from fallen trees found in Siberia. The style was apparently common many centuries ago when weaving stuff by hand was the norm. For $25, backers get a pair of “step-ins” with an expected delivery of August 2014.

Categories
Running Wearables

XBand Speed Pro gives runners a personal, wearable coach

The Premise. From the 40-yard dash to the infield single, speed is a crucial element for almost every athlete. Private coaching is expensive and just not conveniently accessed every time the opportunity to train arises.

The Product. The XBand Speed Pro System is a three-component setup that can analyze runners of all ages and advise them how to get a better start at the line and how to finish with the fastest time. With a body sensor that fits arms or clips onto clothing, starting form and acceleration can be tracked even when practicing alone. The finish line module can be placed at any distance and tracks run times down to hundredths of seconds. Finally, the smartphone adapter clips in using the audio jack and interfaces with the Speed Pro app to communicate with the sensors, provide feedback, and track performance both over time and with other users. The setup requires 4 AA batteries and a CE2032 battery.

The Pitch. The XBand Sports team is quick to identify the need for quality coaching with the lack of convenient, available options. Showing off how simple and flexible the system is to set up with various distances and running styles, as well as the possibility for updates to the app down the line, it’s clear how the Speed Pro System can benefit amateur athletes. The campaign text and photos get into more technical details regarding the operation and internal components of the equipment.  XBand Sports wants to raise $150,000 to get out of the prototype phase and begin proper tooling.

The Perks. A complete XBand Speed Pro System is available in October 2014 to backers who pledge at least $100. Additional sets can be ordered at higher reward tiers.

The Potential. Considering the one-dimensional application of tracking and analysis this device performs compared to other wearable personal trainers as it applies only to running, the XBand Speed Pro isn’t going to finish first at market. It continues the trend of specialized fitness wearables that have been parading through crowdfunding sites. However, track coaches and running enthusiasts obsessed with speed will find an affordable solution that will give them real answers without hiring a trained coach to give pointers. This product looks good only in sprints – anyone wanting to do more than just run fast has plenty of other options available.

Categories
Cooking

GoCan Drainer makes fixing dinner less of a strainer

GoCan Drainer  70ad20a519fd2b41667e8cdd62cfdbd5_large[1]Getting out the colander to drain the water or juice off of veggies, tuna and fruits can seem like more of a hassle than it’s worth. GoCan Drainer offers a solution that separates food from liquid and minimizes the risk of losing half the contents to the sink. The plastic mini-strainer clips to the side of the can so your fruits and veggies can stop while the liquid goes. For $25, a backer gets them in three sizes, specially designed for a 5 ounce tuna can, as well as 15 and 27 ounce cans — a little pricey when it is possible to find small strainers for less, but having the strainers attach to the can might be useful at a picnic or other settings. Expected delivery is September 2014.

Categories
Accents Imaging

The Back-Off: Modular frames come down to a photo finish

What. The photo frame industry continues to survive, even in the digital era, by providing a physical home for digital memories. However, the proliferation of digital images from smartphones have overwhelmed the ability to keep up with framing. Two Kickstarter projects – Fotobit and Republic Frames – each have a similar take on this problem.

Why. Both Fotobit and Republic Frames have the same idea: modular frames that can be clipped together to create unique “storyboards” to tell a tale through photographs. Fotobit’s uniform squares — optimized for Instagram — look ultra-modern, like a kind of photograph Tetris that can be installed with a single nail and include a clip for a bubble level to make sure they’re straight. Republic Frames uses stainless steel and clear magnetic clips to hold photos in place and arrange them in any 3D paneling scheme. A 3-pack of 4”x4” Fotobit frames costs $30, while a 2-pack of 4”x6” Republic Frames is $79.

When. Both of these California companies launched their Kickstarters within a day of each other, and are both running 30-day campaigns. Republic Frames was first to post, but Fotobit expects its product to ship in May 2014 compared to Republic Frames’ June.

Winner. The number of options the Republic Frames setup offers is more convenient, with frames for two different sizes of photos and a host of configuration schemes that do more than rest on walls as the Fotobits must.

However, there’s something to be said about the uniformity of Fotobit when you can get roughly four times the frames for the same cost. Plus, there’s something about the way the Fotobits can still be creatively deployed, but that boils down to a matter of personal taste. In terms of price and shipping date, Fotobit looks like the winner here, but Republic Frames is a close, close second.