Categories
Music

The bnd stand will travels well with your guitar

Bnd_oneGuitars are engineered to be comfortable to hold or fit over your lap, but they’re not great at standing up by themselves. Hence, guitar stands proliferate to keep them safe, upright and convenient to access, but they can be difficult to take on the go. That’s why bnd /one created a bendable guitar stand. In spite of the fact that it looks a bit unusual, being bendable means that it can travel in a guitar case with the guitar, in the back of an amp, or in a book bag. It’s also designed to be sturdier than a traditional stand and can accommodate a keyboard. For $50, backers get one product with an expected delivery of December 2014.

Categories
Smartwatches/Bands

Gravity’s modular design makes it the wearable tech that can handle almost anything

gravitySmart watches and other wearable devices are great, but as more come out, people are more likely to look like a back-alley watch salesman than a modern, connected user. Gravity seeks to solve this problem by being the first modular smart bracelet. With 14 wearable and six external modules, Gravity can be customized to suit any user, or any application – monitoring everything from blood alcohol to the TV listings. The finished product is sleeker and more stylish than the human personal assistant in the campaign video, but both appear to be pretty handy at anticipating any needs. The base Gravity band comes complete with three modules that can be chosen to suit each backer, and is available for $99 to ship in February 2015.

Categories
Personal Transportation

Marbel may be the first electric skateboard to pass for a standard one

The Premise. Skateboarding and long boarding have become popular ways for urbanites to get around. Bicycles are great, but don’t allow riders to easily take the subway between rides if need be. Skateboards are generally more portable, but don’t always offer the power necessary to get where we need to go in a hurry.

The Product. Marbel is an electric skateboard that claims to be the most sophisticated in the world. Coming in at 9.9lbs, it is super lightweight and can travel up to 20mph. It comes with an iOS or Android app that allows the rider to customize and design their ride by setting the top speed and acceleration rate or the rider can use a handheld remote to control speed. The app shows a map with a range on it so that the rider knows how far the lithium battery will last in the board’s 10+ mile range. Marbel‘s battery charges from empty to full in 90 minutes and uses a universal charger. The deck is made of carbon fiber and kevlar to protect the battery in all conditions while also remaining lightweight. 

The Pitch. The campaign video shows the creator talking about creating Marbel as well as his goal for creating a sustainable form of transportation. Footage also shows the board zooming around the streets of Tampa, Florida and how smooth of a ride it provides. The rest of the campaign goes through the tech specs of the board as well as shows screenshots of the very sophisticated app in use. Marbel is going for a $90,000 goal in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. Marbel offers two early-bird specials for the board at $999 and $1,099 for estimated delivery in October and November 2014 respectively. The regular price is set at $1,199 and offers backers the basic package of the board, remote and app with delivery in January 2015. For a fully customized board, backers can choose the $1,999 tier which gives the backer choices of color for the wheels and deck also with delivery in January 2015. Tiers go up to $5,000.

The Potential. Marbel is indeed as sophisticated and sleek as it claims. It provides great speed, control and portability for those who like boarding about. We’ve seen similar electric skateboards recently, like the Baja Board. The Baja Board boasts speed and power, but looks very clunky, and mountain bike-like for a board. Marbel is much sleeker, discreet and lighter making it a very cool option for urbanites looking for new ways to get around.

Categories
Home Safety

Slipguard sprays on the traction to keep you out of traction

SlipguardSlipping on a rug can be truly dangerous. You can purchase sticky under mats for rugs that keep them in place, but they always find a way of peeking out unattractively. Slipguard is a non-slip rug grip in a can. It sprays on the bottom of a rug and grips the floor. To protect the floor underneath for spills on the carpet, another coat can be applied as well. For the Slipguard kit backers can donate $50 and will also receive a t-shirt and one hands free cellular device for estimated delivery in July 2014. This product from Washington hopes to raise $18,000 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.

Categories
Camping

TorchGlo simulates a warm campfire, won’t prevent hypothermia

torchgloGoing camping is one of the highlights of summertime. For light, warmth and cooking, most opt to make a fire to enjoy at night. If firewood is too hard to find or a fire is hard to light, backers can use TorchGlo. TorchGlo is an orange orb that your headlamp goes inside. It provides a nice, warm light and can be used outside in lieu of a fire or inside of the tent for some not-so-harsh light. One TorchGlo costs $20 at an early special price or $30 at a regular price with estimated delivery in September 2014. This lighting product from California hopes to raise $14,000 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.

Categories
Music

Geek Wave offers portable high-quality audio without sacrificing storage

geekwaveThe iPod made portable music players accessible to the masses and really launched the mass market for portable computing products. Unfortunately, most of them focus more on storage than on sound quality. Like PonoMusic and the Astell&Kern AK100, the Geek Wave places a much larger emphasis on sound quality than most other commercial portable music players. With up to 2 TB of storage space and compatible with every file type from 32 bit MP3 to DSD 128, the Geek Wave can deliver music any way users want it, from millions of tracks to thousands of the best-sounding audio around. The Geek Wave 64 player is expected out in March 2015 and is available for $269.

Categories
Smart Home

tado° lets you keep your cool with your smartphone and air conditioner

The Premise. As summer approaches, homeowners everywhere are coming home to hot, sticky houses that take time to cool down. The alternative is leaving the air conditioner running all day, but that strategy requires spending more on utilities and isn’t environmentally conscious.

The Product. The tado° is a cooling system that can be controlled through an app, but will also power off the air conditioner when nobody is in the home and turn it on within a set proximity to make rooms nice and cool upon arrival. The system can be controlled from room to room as well, so that only enough cooling that is needed is used. The app is available for iOS and Android devices, and the tado° system is compatible with virtually any remote-controlled air conditioning system.

The Pitch. We learn about tado° through Harold and Lizzie, a couple who prove the axiom of opposites attracting. tado° helps keep their energy costs down while Lizzie is at work and Harold is out shopping, reading, and generally forgetting to turn the air conditioner off when he leaves. Because Tado, Inc. is already launched and experienced in climate control in Europe, their presentation is well-shot, attractive, and eye-catching. From explaining the app to listing the various brands of compatible air conditioners, almost any question about the tado° system is answered. Tado wants to raise $150,000 to

The Perks. A tado° system with app is available to backers who pledge at least $99 per unit. For those who have a uniquely colored room and want the tado° panel to match, color can be customized for $179. Developers who want to use the same technology behind the device for other purposes can get a developer kit for $299. All rewards will ship out in August 2014.

The Potential.  Similar systems are already rolling out for lighting and heaters, so air conditioners are a natural step. And while tado° may not be first to market, the sleek presentation, easily hidden sensor panel, and compatibility with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and infra-red make the tado° a solid choice for anyone wanting to come home to cool temperatures without having a massive power bill. The functionality is comparable to the Friedrich Kuhl or Quirky+GE Aros air conditioner, but part of the beauty of tado° is its compatibility with a wide variety of different brands of air conditioner, meaning a new system doesn’t need to be purchased and any brand loyalty can remain firmly in place.

Categories
Fashion

Portocchiali are shoulder-bound aids to keep track of your shades

PortocchialiMost people with sunglasses either keep them on top of their heads when not in use, or lose them in their bags. It’s a shame to lose or break your sunglasses especially during the summer. Portocchiali is a strap that clips to the back of your collar and loops around with a place to hand your glasses from or a thinner strap that reaches up to the arm of the glasses. For this purposefully conspicuous product, the creators only offer one reward tier at €69. Portocchiali is a Belgian product that has a €30,000 goal for a month-long campaign on Indiegogo.

Categories
Health and Wellness Wearables

Upright poises to perfect your posture

The Premise. Poor posture can lead to a slew of health problems as people get older. Those who hunch from time to time in their youth will end up hunching over permanently in old age. With the amount of sitting that people do from day to day, it’s difficult to maintain good posture all the time.

The Product. Upright is a small device that attaches to your lower back. When your posture is poor, the product vibrates, alerting the wearer that they need to straighten out. Multiple sensors allow Upright to detect when the wearer is sitting, standing, running or walking. The accompanying app receives information about your posture habits from the device via Bluetooth technology. Upright is small, white and attaches to your back with a sticky substance.

The Pitch. Upright’s campaign video features several different slouchy people straightening up in situations where confidence is needed, such as an interview or date. Testimonials from users and experts on the benefits of good posture round out the video’s narrative. The rest of the campaign goes through the technology involved in the product as well as detailing the mobile training app that the product comes with. The Swiss-made Upright hopes to raise $70,000 USD on Indiegogo.

The Perks. For an early special price, Upright will cost crooked backers $69. At a regular price, the Upright goes for $79, both with estimated delivery dates of March 2015. Reward tiers go all the way up to $1,725, aka the company pack for any company that wants its employees to sit up straight, not a bad idea. 

The Potential. Posture is definitely a problem for most nowadays. We always seem to be hunched over our computers, books, or phones. Similar to Upright, the Lumo Lift also reminds wearers to sit up straight while tracking activity and posture using an accompanying app. Lumo Lift is a a similar price as Upright, but is worn on the lapel instead of directly on the back. This likely makes it a bit more comfortable if conspicuous. All in all, Upright is a clever product and, if it can stay attached to the skin all day, it will certainly enjoy great success for those looking to alleviate back pain. 

Categories
Video Games Wearables

ANTVR seeks to make gamer attention undergo an Oculus drift

The Premise. Virtual reality headsets have been on the cusp of being widespread technology for decades, but now it seems like all of the pieces are finally here and this long-promised device will be in homes across the world in a matter of months. Everyone knows about the Oculus Rift, but one company wants to make people forget that name already.

The Product. ANTVR is an all-in-one virtual reality headset designed for movies and of course, video games. The product has a number of refinements to it that make it a step above the competition, from a fully wireless model to an aspherical lens designed to reduce distortion and eye strain. Packaged with ANTVR is a gun controller that is perfect for first-person shooters, providing unparalleled control, but for those that prefer other genres, ANTVR has them covered. The gun can disassemble down to a grip designed to function as a joystick or sword, and can itself unfold into a traditional-style controller that doubles as a racing wheel.

The Pitch. The ANTVR team is excited about VR and its passion for the medium shows in the countless features that it shows off in the launch video. With so many options and styles of use in mind, there’s a lot of ground to cover and the Kickstarter campaign page has a lot of information, all of it exciting. ANTVR needs $200,000 to bring their virtual dream into reality.

The Perks. The beta ANTVR setup, complete with the transformable bag/vest, controller, headset, and all the other necessary hookups and goodies will ship out in September of this year to those that pledge $300 or more. To take things a step farther and provide more freedom of movement, the wireless ANTVR is available for $500, while developers that want ANTVR early to have a game or app ready at launch can get their equipment in July for $1,500.

The Potential. VR headsets are primed to be the next big thing in media, not just in gaming. Anyone with a device ready to go around the same time that the Oculus Rift launches stands to achieve a great deal of attention. That being said, the ANTVR system looks like a fantastic alternative to the Oculus because of its built-in compatibility, application flexibility, wireless setup, and jaw-droppingly transformable controller. As an all-in-one system with no need to get anything else, the ANTVR looks like something that will be a must buy for anyone who wants the best immersive experience right out of the box.