![GoBall cbbc8d31d1f61759e67c65225063cc90_large[1]](http://rossrubin.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/GoBall-cbbc8d31d1f61759e67c65225063cc90_large1-282x300.jpg)
There’s nothing like capturing the perfect picture for blackmailing, I mean, tormenting family and friends with a good sense of humor. And having just the right handle to help make the ornery deed happen more smoothly is so much the better. GoBall creators have designed a compact handle to compliment the GoPro camera for most any spontaneous photo op. Backers might also want to check out the GoPhone iPhone Case campaign if they’re into shooting videos with their GoPro. As for the GoBall, backers get one GoBall with an expected delivery of June 2014.
Month: March 2014
![Zstat 20140220113721-zss9[1]](http://rossrubin.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Zstat-20140220113721-zss91-300x151.png)
If you’re still suffering from the sticker shock of your last utility bill, Zstat might be able to take the bite out of the future ones. While not as sleek as the Nest. it costs considerably less and offers more safety features such as sensors for smoke, carbon monoxide, and air quality. It also comes in white or stainless steel and is easily controlled with the Zstat app or text messages. For at least $100, early bird backers get the version with the safety features and an expected delivery of August 2014.
The Premise. The world is a much different place than it was even 50 years ago. Where older generations may have spent all day outside the house, roaming the city and having adventures, many parents are concerned about their kids’ safety or just want to know their whereabouts.
The Product. Children wearing the hereO GPS watch can have their location tracked and monitored live using the companion app for up to 72 hours. The bright, colorful watch was designed with children in mind and fits many smaller size wrists that other GPS units won’t. Each watch is fully water-resistant and features its own SIM card for roaming-free tracking in over 40 countries.
The Pitch. In the promotional video, the hereO team explains their mission goal and shows off some of what the watch can do. In addition to live monitoring and tracking, alerts can be set up for specific locations like school or friends’ houses to let parents know when children arrive and leave. Seeing the hereO work with children of all ages is enough to pique the interest of most parents. The campaign needs $100,000 to complete work on the different apps and to begin mass manufacturing.
The Perks. One challenge of some kid trackers, such as the thoughtfully designed FiLiP available at AT&T, is the need for another cellular subscription. hereO backers can save $50 off the retail price by making a pledge of at least $99 and receive a hereO watch with six months of subscription fees paid. Higher tiers are available for batch orders and distributors, and at the highest $1,000 tier, backers can design their very own hereO watch.
The Potential. The concept behind the hereO watch is certainly one any parent can get behind, and the design and size are ideal for children, unlike other personal GPS locators. However, the safety messaging behind the device is negated by how simply the watch can be removed, either at the hands of a predator or the child itself. While the former seems unlikely based on its seemingly innocuous design, the latter seems almost inevitable as children are likely to fiddle with any accessory. This just serves as further proof that no device is a substitute for vigilant supervision.
![Bevie Pro 1da31537b7fa50dbcb8abbc1fd7e587b_large[1]](http://rossrubin.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Bevie-Pro-1da31537b7fa50dbcb8abbc1fd7e587b_large1-300x152.jpg)
For those of you who didn’t have the foresight to buy a patriotic (or at least Texan) lawn chair with a built in drink holder, Bevie Pro offers you the opportunity to redeem yourself. The drink holder product is compatible with soft drink and beer cans, bottles, most coffee mugs, and offers attachments for stemware, seamless glasses, lawn chairs without arms, and even lawn peg attachments. Its biggest competition might be the Universal Drink Holder, unless backers take a liking to Morella’s multitasking-drink-holding umbrella. But for those who prefer the Bevie Pro concept, backers get a complete product for $35 with an expected delivery of June 2014
![Nilly Bands a44306de8b94315e8b1d45643874362c_large[1]](http://rossrubin.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Nilly-Bands-a44306de8b94315e8b1d45643874362c_large1-300x200.jpg)
Dude, what’s that strange circular glow emanating from your wrist? Well, if you happen to be out at night, Nilly Bands might be a good conversation starter. But by day, it’s a bit more obvious that the mild mannered silicone watch-like wrist band holds meds, vitamins, or other really small items that you want to tote hassle-free. Choose from a flat or rounded lid, and if glow-in-the-dark seems too over the top, there’s always black, white, blue, orange or turquoise instead. They’ll eventually come in three sizes so that you can make your ankles glow, too. For $8, backers get the Nilly Band of their color choice and an expected delivery of May 2014.
The Premise. In major cities around the world, bike-sharing programs are popping up allowing residents or tourists to borrow a bike and get where they’re going more quickly, but what if making use of this program involved less physical exertion and more fun?
The Product. The ShareRoller is a smaller motor that attaches to any bike or scooter whether it’s borrowed or not and allows riders to enjoy a smoother ride with motored assistance or no pedaling at all. The motor is designed to allow for 12 miles of range and offers 1 HP to get some speed going. The motor includes LED headlights to add visibility while riding in the dark, and also has a USB port to charge phones or tablets while commuting.
The Pitch. Inventor Jeff Guida shows off his love for sharebikes in his native New York City and demonstrates how a ShareRoller can speed up the heavier shared bikes. The product supports New York’s Citibike program, but also similar products in many other cities. With plenty of example photos on how to attach the motor and a convincing video, it’s easy to tell how much passion has gone into the development of this device. Guida and his team need $100,000 for injection moulding and to set up assembly facilities for the ShareRoller.
The Perks. Kickstarter supporters can get a ShareRoller for a pledge of $995, saving a whole $350 off the retail launch price, and should be riding in style by June of this year. An extended range battery which will add an extra eight miles of powered riding is available at the $1,295 tier, and New York City residents can get a beta ShareRoller in April for $1,995, which will be swapped out for the production model when it becomes available.
The Potential. The ShareRoller is a cleverly designed fantastic idea for urbanites who have access to bike shares or can commute using bikes or scooters easily, but there are some hurdles to overcome. First, the price point is steep for what it offers, meaning that making owning a ShareRoller economical involves a lot of two-wheeled commuting. Second, the weight of the device at between 6-7 pounds, plus an additional half pound for the extended range battery, is a little heavy unless there’s no walking to be done from the bike to the destination. There’s also the question of whether using the ShareRoller will be legal in the cities that offer the bikes it suports. This could be used by cities themselves to offer bike shares for people who are unable to propel themselves on a bicycle, but for the average consumer the ShareRoller still has a ways to go before becoming a crucial accessory.
The Premise. It’s the perfect summer day and you’ve invited some friends over for a pool party and to show off your grilling skills extraordinaire. The lengthy warm days with weekend cookouts and friends are supposed to be relaxing and fun. But the preparation for those grilled delights can be the pits!
The Product. Brochette Express allows you put that pit back in its place and reclaim your territory as master chef of fine outdoor edible fare. Like so many other important things in life, it all begins in the kitchen. The product was inspired because of how long it takes to cut up meat, veggies, fruit and then put each piece on a skewer. Looking something like an illusionist’s chamber for driving swords through a person, the slatted, rectangular container is placed on its base and holds meat, veggies or fruit. Layer as desired, and once filled, a lid with 16 skewer holes is placed on top. Bamboo or stainless steel skewers are inserted through the holes, cut along the slats, and voila! Sprinkle with your favorite seasonings and grill, baby, grill.
The Pitch. The video for the $30,000 campaign doesn’t explain what type of material the rectangular container is made of, though it appears to be some form of plastic. Gender war aficionados will appreciate the video in which of the lady of the house skewers her kabumbling male cohabitant. After showing him how to do brochettes the express way, she lets him save his masculine face by carting them out to the grill for testosterone-tinged heating.
The Perks. There are seven tiers from which backers may choose. For $25, backers get a complete product plus 16 bamboo skewers. $50 gets stainless steel skewers rather than bamboo. The estimated delivery is May 2014.
The Potential. Brochette Express is ideal for adults those who really enjoy entertaining and grilling, no matter what their age or gender. While it’s quite easy to find skewers, there doesn’t seem to be anything out there that aides with a quick and easy preparation process for those who enjoy cooking and dining on kabobs. Brochette Express appears to make the cut.
![ThinkBook 9697903696fb89405f4e644f40e3aacb_large[1]](http://www.backerjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ThinkBook-9697903696fb89405f4e644f40e3aacb_large1-300x225.jpg)
So you’re out at a restaurant and this really great idea pops into your head. Alas, you will imminently need that napkin for the sauce-doused pasta and any attempt to wrest the iPad back from your child will meet with vociferous protest. The creator of ThinkBook can sympathize. Hence, the idea for the 5×7 dry erase notebook was born. It comes with 15 pages and a dry erase marker, much to the relief of every waiter and waitress. Of course, with the pages a scarce commodity, you’ll need to find alternative means to sharing your idea rather than ripping out a sheet. Maybe you can borrow that iPad — or at least its camera — for a moment, after all. For $25 backers get a complete product and expected delivery of June 2014.
The Premise. Origami is beautiful and fun to make with paper. Usually it is used as décor or a fun hobby, but never really found in the functional parts of life.
The Product. The Bloom Blanket is the best of art and geometry inspired by origami. Bianca Cheng Costanzo, Bloom’s creator and well-traveled Barcelona guitarist and designer, was inspired by a tessellation to come up with the idea for the Bloom Blanket. She uses Italian wool cashmere to make the blankets. Bloom comes in either white or gray, or a mixture of both. Costanzo also offers backers customization in the size of the tetrahedrons that make up the blanket’s pattern.
The Pitch. Bloom Blanket’s Kickstarter video features Costanzo talking about the evolution of her product, waxing on the intersection of math and design and tossing in the occasional smile and giggle. Her slow, soft voice mixed with the pastel colors of her apartment and the fairy-like music are all hypnotizing and reminiscent of a spa. The video also shows slow-moving footage of the blanket, but lacks any sort of shot of the blanket laid out anywhere, which would be helpful to see. The rest of the campaign shows different versions of the blanket and the prototyping process. Costanzo hopes to raise $14,000 in her 30-day run on Kickstarter in order to make the minimum factory order.
The Perks. Backers looking to get all cozy with the Bloom Blanket must donate $249 in order to do so. This tier comes with a choice of color for the blanket. The next and highest reward tier goes for $2,000 and offers complete customization of the blanket including color, size, and arrangement of tetrahedrons. Estimated delivery is currently set for October 2014.
The Potential. Everyone loves to cuddle up on a cold night with a blanket. The luxury material of the wool/cashmere blend is especially pleasing. However, geometry nerds may not be willing to shell out $249 for blanket, despite how many tetrahedrons it may have. The Bloom Blanket is certainly an artisan novelty in the elusive luxury home goods/geometry geek market. If the blanket could actually fold into a triangle or if the geometry had some heat-retention benefits, it would be an easier sell.
![Mogics 0c4e8274d6edc88917be6df441b9758a_large[1]](http://www.backerjack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Mogics-0c4e8274d6edc88917be6df441b9758a_large1-300x199.jpg)
Mogics Light fits in your pocket or purse and may very well be a tri-functional luminary legend in the making. Your choice of a bright light for bike rides by moonlight, red signal for added rear-wheel safety, or a flickering candle-like light for romantic encounters upon arrival. Enjoy for up to 20 hours. But all won’t be lost in the end because it can be recharged with the accompanying USB cable. The magnet on the back of the light allows you to attach it to any magnetic surface, and it’s also waterproof. On the other hand, sinking is also an option. Just hold the button down while it’s in a body of water for underwater illumination. For $18 backers get a complete product with an expected delivery of May 2014