Those who wear spectacles often have to deal with the annoyance of having them slip down the bridge of one’s nose, declining along with their eyesight as their ages advance. For those for whom contacts are an undesirable option. FreeUp addresses your spectacle lowered friction with a temporary, transparent strip that bespectacled creator Joseph Chang vows is unmatched by alternatives and you can judge for yourself in May 2014 by offering $10 for a one-week supply. The video is worth a quick watch for the phrase “nose profile” and watching Chang going cross-eyed for a moment as he affixes the product. FreeUp doesn’t seem like a product most would need every day, but one can see it coming in handy for exercises that generate a lot of nose perspiration.
Month: January 2014
Light-up pillows have become a popular novelty item. The makers of the Lullaby Light Up Pillow recognize the gift value of their offering for the little ones up to age six. There’s no need to worry about the light keeping the little ones up as the light turns off by itself after about 17 minutes. Offering a bit of background on how the children’s companion came to be, the testimonial-laden video features a background track with videos that compete somewhat with what the people are saying, but you get the gist. The project creators offer to send one of their glowing pillows to your door by May 2014 for $40 or bundled with a blankie for $50.
The Premise. So you plan on spending some time in the great outdoors. Most of the essentials are small and readily portable: water, compass, map, maybe a multitool. But what about cooking? How do you go about fitting something that can contain your fire, shield it from the wind, and prop up your pot/pan into your backpack?
The Product. The Vertex Ultralight Backpacking Stove addresses this problem. With no moving parts, it is literally nothing more than three stamped-out sheets of metal that assemble into a base for your pot, a support for your fuel, and a wind shroud for your fire. These sheets have holes and tabs stamped out to accommodate the Vertex’s interlocking assembly, and arc along their long ends, which form its base and the stand for your pot. It can burn solid fuel tablets, or also be used in conjunction with the Trangia Spirit Burner to burn denatured alcohol. It then disassembles into a flat, 3×5-inch package that fits easily into its rip-stop nylon storage sleeve (fancy name for pouch), and almost any pocket.
The Pitch. While clear and demonstrative, most of the product video consists of a slide show There’s little more than a couple clips of the creator in the woods and some panning shots of the product in action, with “action” meaning “sitting there on fire,” in this case. About a third of the video focuses on the fuel the Vertex uses rather than the product itself which, let’s face it, consists of little more than a few thoughtfully configured sheets of tempered stainless steel.
The Perks. Backing the project for with $50 will get you a Vertex of your own ($45 if you get in early enough).
The Potential. The Vertex is a clever and elegant product, but with such a small foot print, and nuanced design, it might not work on a rough or slanted surface. Conventional burners and emergency stove kits cost as little as $4, folding aluminum wind shrouds as little as $8, and other folding stove kits as little as $9. That being the case, 50 bucks doesn’t seem like much of a deal for a device whose purpose can be outsourced to a bunch of tactically arranged rocks.
With its primary color motif, you might think BeamBlock is a trade show prop from Google, Microsoft, eBay or some other company that has adopted four colors in their logo.Or maybe it’s a a new version of Simon that you play with your feet? Alas, it’s neither electronic nor noisy. True to its name, the simple device is a cross between a (short) balance beam and a step block. Yoga teacher, personal trainer and all-around fit Londoner Thierry Giunta abstains from actually demonstrating use of the device in the campaign video, but makes up for it with some pose photos. Alas the reward tiers are as difficult to understand as the choppy audio in the campaign video. It seems, though, that one can pick up a BeamBlock for £120, an insane amount for what appears to be a plastic block. But it may arrive on your block in March 2014.
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Cartesian scarf stays rigid in the frigid
The Premise. Classic neck scarves are versatile and attractive fashion accessories that help keep us warm in the chill. There are a few classic ways to wear them, but they can have a tendency to loosen up.
The Product. The Cartesian Scarf serves as a neck scarf and/or head wrap that can bend and hold its shape. It uses various knit tensions instead of wires in order to be malleable. The scarf is made of 100% Italian merino wool and currently comes in charcoal gray and classic red. Optimally wearing the accessory is facilitated by propping it up vertically against the back of the neck and then guiding it into the desired contortion. The project creators assure that, while the scarf may retain its shape, it’s soft.
The Pitch. Cartesian’s Indiegogo campaign opens with a woman named Marja introducing the scarf and transitions to a number of scenes showing us the various ways it can be worn. Some may wrap their heads around the idea that a shape-retaining scarf that looks a bit futuristic yet otherworldly resting around the neck and chest might be a good idea to copy. But the campaign page isn’t shy about reminding that the product is covered by two U.S. patents and is unusual in that it was an article of clothing designed by an architect. This is the second crowdfunding go-round for Cartesian, which already had a successful 40-day campaign that ran on Kickstarter where the creators beat their $6,500 goal. For all the creators’ talk of the scarf staying put, there’s no video or other evidence of it doing so outside where it would be subject to the same wind and jostling as other scarves.
The Perks. Cartesian’s reward tiers feature a $65 early bird special that will ship by Valentine’s Day (assuming that people would want to give this as a Valentine’s gift). In addition, a donation of $78 will get you a scarf and a donation of $125 or more will get you two scarves, but currently you can only choose from charcoal gray or classic red.
The Potential. The Cartesian scarf is certainly cleverly designed, although may not revolutionize the scarf market as is promised by its creators. The real question becomes how well the scarf’s tenacity holds up to others in the real world; the fold-and-through-the-loop method works pretty well. For nearly $80, it will be tough for the Cartesian to beat more malleable apparel from better-known designers.
There is a veritable ocean of Bluetooth speakers out there, but how many can be used in the ocean? If the creator of Drytunes has its way, you’ll be able to pack up your troubles, or at least a few of your valuables, in music-spewing suitcase enclosure and toss it straight into the water without worry about damage. Project creator Michael Applebaum uses his radio-friendly voice to tell the story for the submersible speaker system. This includes having people express surprise at how good it sounds, although such demonstrations are of course hard to appreciate through whatever speakers you may be using. Drytunes is being made offered to backers for $315, or $299 if you catch the early bird and should be available in March 2014.
The Premise. Contractors or home improvement specialists typically own a combination of smaller A-frame ladders as well as a few extension ladders. However, certain situations crop up where it is necessary to rent an a-frame ladder that can reach 16ft or higher. To purchase such a ladder costs about $650 and to rent it can cost $65 per day. Most contractors don’t bother buying these ladders because they are expensive as well as heavy and difficult to move around. In addition, the situations in which they are needed are too few and far between to justify the cost.
The Product. Ladder Morph consists of two metal brackets that attach two extension ladders at their peaks to create one high-reaching A-frame ladder.
The Pitch. Ladder Morph’s creator, Dino Vassilakos, works in the home improvement business and his Kickstarter campaign largely consists of how he came up with the idea for Ladder Morph and the different phases of production Ladder Morph has gone through so far. The video is as straightforward as the product itself and features Vassilakos showing the audience the different types of ladders out there and how Ladder Morph works, skipping over the actual assembly involved in attaching two ladders together using Ladder Morph. As an added bonus, he only goes into the ancient Egyptian history of ladders for the exact number of seconds (four) that most people would be able to tolerate.
The Perks. You’d think a ladder campaign would grasp a bit about proper escalation, but it is in the reward tiers that campaign flounders a bit. Supporters giving $250 or more will receive a Ladder Morph whereas supporters giving $500 or more will also receive only one. The campaign pegs February 2014 as the estimated delivery date.
The Potential. Ladder Morph does seem to have a place in construction and home improvement markets. It is a simple, but clever product that works with the materials people already have in order to create something new. There really isn’t anything else out there quite like it. It’s probably a bit pricey for most consumers, but should provide a cost-effective alternative to construction pros who need to reach new heights.
In many homes, the refrigerator is not just the tall appliance for keeping food cold; it’s also a canopy of sorts for displaying kids’ artwork, photos, messages and other reminders. All of this is enabled via the power of magnets, a sign of the gods’ magic of that is beyond our puny human minds. Project creator Aaron Chan hopes to tap into this force, though, for the menial purpose of keeping our lives in order with large (3″ x 6″) To Do Fridge Magnets. One nice benefit of the modular day system is that you need only display the days when you have something critical going on as the whole set will take up a fair amount of refrigerator real estate. Chan has skipped a video for his “simple project” and taken the unusual step of putting limited quantities in all pricing tiers. Of course, if you’re interested in a very limited quantity, you can pick up some magnetic paper for your inkjet printer and print them yourself.
For billiards players who wish to distinguish themselves by the novelty of their balls as well as by the shooting of their stick, it’s time to take a look in the mirror — the mirror created by a set of shiny balls created to pro competition standard. The Krōm balls, presumably stolen directly from Bigfoot’s pinball machine, look metallic, but they’re actually made of a resin as using actual metal would have likely had prohibitive implications for weight and price. The shiny 16 can be on their way to straight-shooting backers in May 2014 for just a shade under $150 assuming the creators can rack up enough funds.
The Premise. In a world where so many people spend their entire workday in the confines of an office environment, neck soreness and discomfort has become extremely problematic. Solutions can be expensive, and are somewhat limited in scope. Clinical therapy can be effective, but sometimes it’s a shot in the dark, leaving those with neck pain to suffer until they finally find the solution they’re looking for.
The Product. The ARC is billed as a “simple, elegant and effective solution for neck soreness.” As the individual lies back with his or her neck resting on the arced device, it utilizes pressure points to quickly relax muscles and joints. In this way, it is similar to several back therapy products. It is said to be engineered in a way that makes it safe for daily use. It features a sturdy collapsible construction that makes use of neoprene padding, pressure inserts and a living hinge. The ARC will also be available in two sizes, which should make it easier for customers to choose a product that best fits the shape and size of their head/neck.
The Pitch. The video for the $25,000 campaign with CEO Gene Shirokobrod gives a description of how the product was designed, based upon therapeutic principles involving pressure points to relieve discomfort in the face/neck. The ARC, says Shirokobrod, essentially replaces the hands of a clinical therapist. The pitch makes clear that those with neck discomfort are the primary target audience for the ARC.
The Perks. The ARC will be released to the world in May 2014. Backers can get entry-level package pricing at around $40.
The Potential. Any pain relief gadget invites a healthy dose of skepticism. Furthermore, as with any devices used to treat medical conditions, however, it’s important to run this product by your doctor, especially if you’ve suffered from neck pain for a while. If it works and can find the right channels, though, it could find a significant market. Neck soreness certainly