Month: December 2015

Categories
Chargers/Batteries

Wireless charging is in the air with the TCharger

Every day, our powerful smartphones and tablets are held back by their constant thirst for a charge. On days with heavy use, that can mean scrambling from outlet to outlet in search of fueling a few more hours. The idea of wireless charging has long held promise, but fractured standards and virtually nonexistent range has held back adoption

Scicorn Technology LTD’s TCharger hopes to turn the tide of wirelessly charging smart devices at a range of up to 30ft—at least, devices in the home or car. To do this, the TCharger combines the use of two plug-in transmitters that give off alternating currents. When these two currents meet at the point where the TCharger receiver is, electricity is generated, charging the smartphone or tablet it’s connected to. For larger homes, extra transmitters can be used to extend range.

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Categories
Fitness Personal Transportation

Keep FIT with a former trike turned citywide full-body trainer

The search for improved methods of exercise is a ceaseless one, every decade full of half-baked fads and products that introduce new ways to do the same things. The fitness potential of Me-Mover’s previously self-titled Kickstarter success was realized only after lots of feedback gave them the idea. Thus, FIT was born.

FIT is the next generation of of the Me-Mover, this time more focused on providing a full-body workout while to rider rather than just another mode of three-wheeled transportation. While using FIT, users can activate and engage six to eight muscle groups quickly while working on balance, stamina and strength at the same time—all with less impact on the body than by running. A setting for variable resistance lets riders match a runner’s pace or turn it up to achieve a higher intensity workout as well, both out in the city or at home with the included training kit in those colder months. A FIT is $1,399 and should ship by June 2016. Me-Mover is looking for $100,000 by December 16th, 2015.

A little engineering and a lot of marketing have transformed the original Me-Mover into the FIT. Based on the enthusiastic response of the original’s fitness capabilities, there’s obviously a large demand for a product that spices up everyday life with a bit of fitness. The product is also great for injured athletes who need low-impact rehabilitation. The Halfbike II offers similar fitness benefits but lacks the comprehensiveness of the FIT.

Categories
Winter Sports

The SNOGO Bike lets you easily shred packets of snow

Skiing and snowboarding have steep learning curves, which explains why ski bikes are slowly gaining popularity throughout the world. Mixing the ease of a mountain bike with the grace of skis, there is a huge opportunity for this nascent winter sport segment to become something truly big.

First, though, it will need to evolve. Enter the the inventors of the SNOGO Bike, Obed Marrder and Chase Wagstaff. They claim to have done just that by upgrading the run-of-the-mill ski bike with a sturdy alloy build, interchangeable parts facilitated by a quick release system, and a patent-pending R.L.T.A.G. system that better helps riders stay stabilized at all times.

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Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Virtual Reality

Figment smartphone case makes virtual reality out of digital figments

editors-choiceVirtual reality got its renaissance on Kickstarter with the Oculus Rift campaign. As such, it’s only natural a more portable, affordable version is made available on it, too. The Figment is made for the device that accompanies everyone, everywhere: the smartphone.

Quantum Bakery’s slim smartphone case incorporates a fold-out set of lenses that, when paired with VR or AR mobile content, is able to render it wherever the user may want to consume it. The case sturdy, built from 6000-grade aluminum and embedded with scratch resistant lenses for longevity. And of course, the case acts like a kickstand for more traditional content. A single Figment is $55 and is expected to ship in March 2016. Quantum Bakery is looking for $75,000 in funding by January 13th, 2016 to make Figment more of a reality.

Smartphone cases providing virtual reality experiences have been seen before in products like the Pinć VR, a successfully backed campaign that produced a much more immersive and mobile VR experience that included gestural support. While Figment isn’t as serious as the Pinć VR, and thus lacks its more hardcore appeal, going the route of increased accessibility will be a smart move for Quantum Bakery. A sturdy, sleek finish will catch attention when it’s not being waved around the air looking at rocket ships that aren’t there, too.

Categories
Connected Objects Home Organization

TrackR atlas pinpoints your last items in any room of the house

The bedrock of crowdfunding platforms, tracking devices, continues to be peddled on each of them, wth newer versions on the same idea every year. Campaign creators have stuck Bluetooth antennas into small plastic shells and created connected devices solely for the purpose of finding objects since day, and there’s no end. Apparently, everyone is pretty terrible about keeping an eye on their things.

The TrackR atlas‘ forte is in the home, using a network of Bluetooth connected, plug-in devices called atlas’ together to map every room. By attaching slim, metallic tags called TrackR Bravos embedded with Bluetooth technology to important objects, the TrackR atlas system unifies other, more simplistic tracking solutions—partly because it also works with those other third-party solutions, too. With the companion or iOS app, users can simply ask where something is and receive a room-specific answer, ring lost items remotely, and receive push notifications when objects enter or leave the room to always stay on top of things.

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Categories
Personal Transportation

Grandma can burn rubber with the Liberty Electric Scooter

One of the biggest challenges for generally immobile seniors is a short list of choices. For the most part, bicycles can be dangerous and mobility scooters leave them stationary even while going places. Unfortunately, the scooter—the most widely available and accepted option—is heavy, cumbersome, and robs seniors of the opportunity to be active, a problem that leads to so many others.

Electric Bike Technologies has a noble aim: give seniors their sense of freedom back so they can go anywhere and do anything they’d like. To do so, they’ve created the Liberty Electric Tricycle. It combines an electric motor with a sturdy and compact American-made frame for an alternative mobility solution emphasizing activity over stagnation.

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Categories
Food and Beverage

Ice Jack rapid beverage chiller ends scourge of warm beer

What’s worse than coming home after a long day at work craving a beer and realizing there’s none there? Warm beer. Having only warm beer available is objectively worse.

Through some clever design, the team behind the Ice Jack is looking to end the practice of waiting far too long for beer to cool to an appropriately potable temperature.The product attaches to the tops of most beverages (but most importantly, beer), spinning it around while submerged in ice at a rapid rate to aid in cooling. The result is a beverage that is about 38° in just 2.5 minutes versus far longer without it.

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Categories
Kids/Babies Virtual Reality

With NEODiVRjr, little ones can experience VR without the bulky gear

In the consumer segment, virtual reality is all the rage. As such, it’s easy to forget its applications elsewhere, such as therapy. Inspired by his trips to children’s hospitals and the benefits staff there reported when using VR experiences with sick and hard to work with children, inventor Mike Blazer thought it was important to try and help in his own way. The NEODiVRjr was born as a result.

The lightweight virtual reality is specifically designed for kids, featuring a kid-friendly bridge space between the lens, a compact frame, and a detachable handle for casual use. The Extreme version supports head mounted use, flip open lens, Bluetooth game buttons, and the use of eAVR which translates real-world movement to the virtual experience. Both versions utilize the 6th generation of the iPod Touch, a device the creator feels is kid-friendly yet powerful enough to run the types of apps necessary.

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Categories
Connected Objects Imaging

Shockwave action cam surprises with features including live streaming

The action camera category keeps growing as new players attempt to compete against the popular GoPro.

Shockwave is a wearable action cam that can stream live video on the Internet via Wi-Fi or 4G service, meaning it will transmit data whether the user is indoors or outdoors. It can easily be installed on the surface of any object through solutions including a tripod, unmanned aerial vehicle suspension or its sport camera wearable mounting design, according to the Indiegogo campaign.

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Categories
Luggage and Bags Organization Travel

Go with the FLO using the NOM.AD Mobility Ecosystem carry solution

Note: The following is a sponsored post and does not necessarily reflect the editorial opinion of Backerajck. Backerjack contributor Nick Echevarria is part of the NOM.AD team.

Modern life is lived on the go, comprised of a broad range of daily experiences. For every changing moment, the urban nomad needs a carrying solution that keeps everything needed for the day comfortably in reach; rather than one that introduces more difficulties throughout the day. Founder Ryan Clott created NOM.AD because he saw a need for a solution versatile enough to keep up with a dynamic urban lifestyle.

The answer? The Mobility Ecosystem, a line of weatherproof luxury bags and cases that seamlessly work together to create a better, more personal carrying experience. To achieve this, they are connected by the FLO System, the defining feature of all NOM.AD products. Comprised of a precisely designed network of patented Swiss snaps, users can select five differently sized FLO Pouches and quickly attach or detach them to either NOM.AD bag for better, faster organization — all depending on the carrying needs of the moment. It’s a snap-and-go kind of experience.

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