The Organi system of organization is completely made of recyclable materials such as boxes, wine bottle corks and more. Organi components are cut into sets using a laser cutter and then assembled by hand. One of the goals of the founders is that all parts would be manufactured and assembled in the USA. Perhaps one of the bigger challenges for this campaign is the very basic college dormish appearance of the components – especially when Amazon can offer items such as wall pockets, mountable shelving units and other options for becoming more organized. There are also a couple of similar campaigns focusing on organization. For a contribution of $15, a backer gets the basic Minimalist SE set, which consists of an acrylic link and two pivots. Larger donations include more components. Expected delivery is July 2014.
Month: February 2014
The Premise. Hearing loss is an issue that affects 10% of the world population, and it remains a significant barrier for human communication. Often times, hearing loss comes later in life, and it can thus be a difficult obstacle to overcome having not learned sign language.
The Product. The iseewhatyousay is a small and simple device that makes it easier for people with hearing loss to communicate in a one on one conversation. Currently available only for Android users, the iseewhatyousay is a speech-to-text reader that displays the text of a conversation to person with hearing loss. The person speaking holds down a button within the iseewhatyousay app on their phone, and it shows up on the screen of the device almost immediately. The goal is to make conversation smooth and effortless.
The Pitch. On the Kickstarter page, little is mentioned about what the device actually does or how it works. There’s a video that shows the creator and his father having a conversation with a prototype of the iseewhatyousay, but that conversation seems slow and labored.
The Perks. The iseewhatyousay is relatively cheap at only $50, with an expected delivery of July 2014. There are options for those who want to help produce these devices with contributions in the thousands.
The Potential. The iseewhatyousay has the best intentions in mind and the product’s eventual small form factor could be an advantage, but this product faces significant hurdles. The creators have not yet created a refined product ready for mass production and the product’s featured could be handled and far surpassed by the cheapest of used smartphones, There are countless of other speech-to-text devices available, and there are certainly alternative and more effective solutions for people with hearing loss.
The Premise. Nothing quite compares to scuba diving, but it’s not without its challenges. Without a scuba license, underwater enthusiasts are limited to snorkeling. While a fun activity, snorkeling has its limits. It doesn’t allow for diving too far beneath the water’s surface and presents the constant risk of inhaling saltwater water into the tube. Perhaps the solution lies in removing the first two letters from “SCUBA.”
The Product. UBA offers a more evolved and versatile version of the traditional snorkel. The UBA looks like a traditional snorkel, except with a much more flexible tube that has a red fin attached to the top. Inspired by the anatomy of dolphins, UBA’s floating fin-like apparatus keeps the top of the tube above water no matter what position the diver is in and hides the top of the tube well enough so that water can’t get in. The fin on top also shuts the tube when underwater, giving the diver a little pocket of air for deeper diving. When resurfacing, the tube opens up again automatically. In addition, UBA includes a separate valve that allows for easy water purging if necessary, unlike traditional snorkels that need a big exhalation of air to clear out.
The Pitch. UBA’s Kickstarter campaign isn’t quite as cool as its product. UBA’s creators would benefit from including a better explanation of their product’s different features. The video showcases UBA in action, with swimmers on and below the surface of the water using UBA. UBA hopes to raise $50,000 in its campaign. More information can be found on the product’s Web site.
The Perks. UBA offers several early-bird reward tiers in addition to a regularly priced tier. For $55, $60, $65 (the early-bird prices), or $70 (regular price) backers get a UBA with travel bag from UBA’s first production run. The top tier goes for $1,000 and includes not only a UBA with travel bag, but also a chance to help UBA’s creators test new products as they come out. Estimated delivery is set at May, June, August, September and May 2014 respectively for the reward tiers listed above.
The Potential. There are no other well-known snorkel alternatives quite like UBA. UBA allows for range of motion and other conveniences that a traditional snorkel simply fails to provide. In addition, UBA presents a much cheaper alternative to divers who can’t afford or don’t have the time to get their scuba license. Its flexible tube and unique fin make it a must-have for water enthusiasts in summertime or on vacation.
Categories
Screw Grabber makes tricky projects behave
![Screw Grabber d94bc2cfe931ca94706b9e8cedca61e7_large[1]](http://www.backerjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Screw-Grabber-d94bc2cfe931ca94706b9e8cedca61e7_large1-300x186.jpg)
One little, two little, three little screws dropped! Nothing more aggravating than trying to get a screw balanced on the head of a screwdriver because of a project that calls for it in one or two awkward spots. Screw Grabber aims to solve that problem. The transparent, tapered, rubber sleeve slides onto the screwdriver and holds screws of any size in place, giving you the needed stability for getting screws properly placed within tricky angles. Its ability to work with plastic screws provides a bit of an edge over magnetized screwdrivers. And for $7, backers can be the judge by receiving a set of four Screw Grabbers with an expected delivery date of June 2014.
The Premise. Sharing photos becomes easier almost every week. The digital revolution continues to streamline the process through smartphones, social media, and sites dedicated to photo sharing, but can the process be made even simpler?
The Product. The Flink Cloud Photo Frame is designed to take digital photo frames to the next level with simple usage and cloud-based storage and sharing. Using their mobile app and proprietary sharing site, once users have decided who to share with and what photos to share, frames around the world can be updated with new pictures as they’re taken. With an 8 inch, high resolution touch screen and only one physical button on the frame, crisp, beautiful photos of friends or loved ones can appear at any time of day free of complex technical knowledge or cumbersome updates. The Flink app also works to import photos from Facebook or Instagram accounts, and later updates look to introduce slideshows and audio/video sharing.
The Pitch. Patrick Ho, one of the three founders of the Flink, walks viewers through the simple process of using a Flink, then ups the ante later down the page with a video of the prototype uploading a photo to the frame in less than a minute. Campaign photos include the evolution of the frame’s design and some key details that clarify how the product will be operated. The Flink Team is hoping to raise $80,000 to help prepare a server base for storing and transmitting photos, complete manufacturing, and get FCC certification.
The Perks. With a May 2014 delivery date, all backers at the $99 pledge level will receive a Flink Cloud Frame and unlimited storage space on the Flink photo site. At twice that cost, the frame can be personalized, and at the $250 tier, a wooden frame cover can be substituted for the black or white plastic versions.
The Potential. Can the digital picture frame by reinvented from the ashes of products such as the Kocak Pulse? Flink bets that mobile is the key. Once a hot holiday category, other digital photo frames with cloud connectivity are already on the market. The companion app makes the process a little easier for the Flink to single out specific photos specifically for sharing, but overall there isn’t much to this product that will change the marketplace, and little to distinguish it from its competitors. Electronic stores could easily carry the Flink, but for the most part, smartphones and tablets have stolen much of the appeal of the digital frame.
For anyone who has ever been skiing, lugging around awkward poles and skis can cause trouble. Ski Mule offers a nifty bag designed to carry around multiple sets of skis and poles hands free with a strap to hold them in place. One Ski Mule goes for $51 on Kickstarter with no other reward tiers to choose from. Ski Mule’s creator, Joyce Amend, hopes to raise $3,550 in her 30- day campaign with an estimated delivery date of April 2014.
The Premise. The electric light revolutionized everything. Since then there have been several upgrades from a hardware perspective in terms of bulbs or light output, but not much in the way of operation. While several companies are allowing people to control their lights with their mobile devices, one company wants to put the mobile device in charge and make the whole process automatic.
The Product. The brightup smart lighting system avoids the smart home lighting automation equipment that has been promised for decades but has rarely seen adoption. Instead of installing a complicated network for the home’s outlets, brightup has a set of outlet caps that can be plugged in the home. Then, lamps or other lighting systems can be plugged in, and interface with the home’s central unit. The central unit detects the smartphone on which the brightup app is installed, and turns on the lights to greet users. Settings for dimmer switches that detect TVs or travel mode which gives off the illusion of someone in an empty home are also available.
The Pitch. The designers of brightup use their video to make a lot of vague statements about technology, but once the concept of brightup’s functions start, it’s easy to see the appeal. The campaign’s pictures show off the technology and the internal components, as well as feature several seemingly unrelated blocks of computer programming. To meet its goals of keeping prices low and complete the plastic tooling, brightup needs 130,000, or just over $175,000.
The Perks. The brightup starter kit costs €159 (under $220) with approximately an additional $20 shipping cost outside of the European Union. The starter kit comes with 1 central unit and 1 device (a plug or in-wall dimmer). 2 additional units come in the featured bundle for an additional €40, or the entire house can be connected at the €449 (~$615) level with 1 central unit and 10 devices. Higher tiers are meant to be shared among multiple people and come with up to five central units.
The Potential. Having a home’s light completely set up on the brightup system seems like a great idea, but the price point is a little steep to start with. The system does little to conserve power like competitors unless residents forget to turn lights off when they leave, and the security mode would only work in rooms where brightup plugs were installed. It’s a neat idea, and certainly an innovation where one is sorely needed, but it’s questionable whether or not brightup’s unique features are worth the additional cost. Currently, the technology is not compatible with U.S. electrical systems.
It’s quite possible that every kindergarten teacher and mom of multiple toddlers might stand up and applaud the Wudz’s shoelace locks. It claims to make tying shoelaces a thing of the past with an easy-to-use device the flyaway critters in place. And it still gives moms, teachers and others who might be involved in caring for kids control of shoelace tightness. That way, shoes that get placed on busy little feet stay there — unless mischievous little hands remove them personally. Wudz’s can also be used as a training tool to help kids learn to tie their shoes. The product comes in black or white, and charms can be added for attitude and style. Shoelace locks and shoelace charms are available on Amazon, but it doesn’t appear that they offer the option of being used as a tool to teach kids to tie their shoes. For a pledge of at least $12, backers get a complete Wudz set plus two extra charms. Estimated delivery is April 2014.
The Premise. The only thing worse than a bra that doesn’t fit right would be underwear that rides up. Both are annoying. Sometimes annoyingly painful. While there may be men who can relate to the underwear scenario, one has to seriously doubt that any man could truly understand the bra scenario. Nevertheless, a male named Muyiwa Olumide has decided to try his hand at just such a challenge. He was inspired by a lady friend who apparently had a bad shopping night, and must have issued a double-dog dare in her extreme frustration.
The Product. The Kewi bra is aimed at gals who have at least a “D” cup or higher. These include many women who walk around with a great deal of back pain because of being, well, top-heavy. Kewi aims to bring them something that fits properly and is comfortable. And if it happens to look good too, well, that would be an added benefit. The strapless bra has a specialized device that lifts larger bosoms and therefore takes the pressure off of a woman’s shoulders, neck and back. It’s also designed in such a way as to retain a proportional outward shape, eliminating the issue of improper fit due to one breast being larger than the other.
The Pitch. The video for the $25,000 campaign would have been much better off had Olumide allowed a female to be the spokesperson for the product, possibly the same one who challenged him to make a bra that doesn’t hurt her back. She would have certainly had more experience and knowledge about the plight surrounding what fuller-figured gals need in a specialized undergarment. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how many women explain these particular facts of life is to a guy, he is just not going to get it because, well, as Olumide obviously puts it, he lacks the gender-specific mammary glands.
The Perks. There are six tiers from which backers may choose. The $100 early bird special includes a Kewi bra. It seems worth noting that for $1.000, a backer may also have their own photo-shoot, complete with pictures posted on the website. So if you happen to be an aspiring model with a large chest, or you know someone who is, there you go. Estimated delivery is anywhere from June 2014 – January 2015, depending on the backer’s choice of pledge.
The Potential. If what is generally available in your average store is any indicator of the sizes that most females wear, then the Kewi bra is aimed at a rather narrow niche market. Obviously, it’s difficult to tell if the product delivers from an online description, particularly one without testimonials, but if the two-plied cup can help bring relief to women’s sore backs, that would be huge win for the afflicted.
![Lightening Stick cfcf6246370cfbb09182551cda5717a8_large[1]](http://www.backerjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Lightening-Stick-cfcf6246370cfbb09182551cda5717a8_large1-300x93.jpg)
Just in time for the approach of spring training, the Lightning Stick training tool is anticipated to be a home run with little sluggers, sluggettes and their coaches. Brooklyn-rased, LA-based inventor Joe Magno uses seven videos to explain how the lightweight, polycarbonate material and overall design aims to help players with the development of fast twitch muscle fiber within their body. That feature, combined with a knocking knuckle grip and flat surface, all work together to promote palm up/palm down swings and teach the batter to get all the way through the ball quickly and keep their hands inside. For a pledge of $40, backers get one Lightning Stick, which is estimated to run about $59 once it goes mainstream. Expected delivery is April 2014.