Many home accessories that make life a little easier forget design and succumb to functionality only, much like the U-Hook. Ziggy — not to be confused with the comic strip character (even though it resembles the detail on Charlie Brown’s shirt) — is a functional hook with a little bit of interior design added on. One Ziggy looks simply like the top of a triangle, but when put together, these hooks look like zigzags. Items either hang off or rest on top of this nifty hook system and sizes are easily customizable. One of these Australian-made hooks goes for $15 AUD with a black or white option and an estimated delivery date of August 2014. Its creators hope to raise $10,000 AUD in their 30-day Kickstarter campaign.
Month: March 2014
Imagine Douglas Adams’ fabled Babel fish, the tiny fish inserted in the ear to understand any spoken language, finally come to reality. The LingvoHelmet may not be as tiny or invasive, but it promises the same features. The headset, which seems to eschew cloud-based translation but does include Wi-Fi, looks like an NFL coach’s headset designed by Fisher-Price, and the campaign video is a pretty humorous and awkward exchange, but the premise of helmet-to-helmet communication is enough to generate excitement. Having a personal translator that can make international travel much less intimidating is a dream that most people have wished for at some point. The LingvoHelmet supports four languages and a bevy of features, starts at $199, and is slated to arrive in November 2014.
The Premise. Multi-room audio has come a long way from the days when it required installation by a professional and cables running throughout the home. Not only have wireless technologies made it much simpler to install and music , but also smartphones and tablets have solved the complexities of how to control it from nearly anywhere in the home.
The Product. Musaic is a wireless audio system that can be set up in the home over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or classic analog input. Controlled by the Musaic app for iOS and Android, users can set their own preferences, search for genres or nationalities, enjoy streaming radio options like Rhapsody, Soma FM, and Napster (still distinct from parent Rhapsody), and queue up tracks for the perfect wireless listening experience. Musaic is also part of the emerging AllSeen Alliance for smart-home integration, with planned integration with WigWag and LIFX already.
The Pitch. London’s Musaic is keen on some basic design tenets that are easy to get behind. In the team’s video, two members of the Musaic team (including CEO Matthew Bramble) show how easily a home can be setup with the wireless speakers to deliver high-quality sound in a multitude of formats. What really stands out is the simplicity and variety of options available with the Musaic control app. The system looks easy to set up, control, and customize for individual users, or for events and parties. Musaic needs £60,000 to finish developing the software and complete the applications for certifications and regulatory approvals.
The Perks. A Musaic MP5 player with metal stand can be had for a contribution of £160, with free shipping to North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The larger, MP10 model is available at a £260 pledge, with a MP5/MP10 combo package starting at £370. Musaic should start filling homes with music in September 2014.
The Potential. Just by premise alone, Musaic is easy to write off as just another, albeit well-designed, option for wireless home audio that challenges the multi-room market leader and powerful newcomers. After seeing the app in action in the campaign video it’s hard to argue with the proposed platform. The song selection options, ability to queue up tracks, and plethora of streaming options make Musaic extremely attractive as are the presence of physical buttons to make switching up tunes simple when closer to a speaker than a table. That said, the company has a long way to go to catch up with the streaming options offered by Sonos.
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Maybe it’s the fact that they have to sit still and be somewhat restrained by a seatbelt, but it seems that if kids are going to nap, that the car is typically the easiest place for it to happen. The only problem is that the often end up slumped over in some odd (but also sometimes funny) position that doesn’t look the least bit comfortable to an adult. Pillo-Guard aims to make those road trips more comfy. A string on each side of the plush device is tied behind the headrest for what looks like quick and easy installing although it does appear as if it can interfere with the seat belt. Additional pillows are available if more neck cushioning is needed. The product works for both kids and adults.There are less cumbersome alternatives, at least for smaller kids For $30, backers get the early bird special of one Pillo-Guard with an expected delivery of July 2014.
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Cooking can be a great creative outlet, but on those occasions when you get burned, it takes the fun out of it. Cuffitts blends pot holder, oven mitt and hot pad into one. This cooking tool was designed with safety in mind, protecting hands from burns that come from heat, steam, and oil pops whether in the kitchen or standing at the grill. For $10, a backer gets one Cuffitt, which seems a bit pricy given the fact that there are stores that sell pot holders and oven mitts for less. Expected delivery date isn’t noted.
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iPhone cables often get a lot of abuse, and it can be a pricey hassle when they break. A cord that frays, bubbles or kinks might be able to be fixed with that all-purpose tool known as duck tape or the high-tech touch of Sugru, but what if there were a way to prevent it from happening at all? That would be where Tug comes in. The rubber protector slips onto your iPhone cord and gives added stability and strength. One drawback here is that it is presently only available for Lightning cables befitting the Phone 5s, 5c, iPad mini, and iPad Air, but plans to develop it for Android and previous iPhone models are in the works. For $11, a backer gets one Tug and an estimated delivery of August 2014.
The Premise. Part of what makes losing weight so difficult is that counting calories is an inexact science at best. Even with nutritional information, one has to monitor serving sizes and even cooking methods to know just how much calories are being consumed.
The Product. SmartFork and companion SmartSpoon want to do all the counting, and leave owners to simply do the eating. Pairing with an iPhone or Android via Bluetooth, the SmartFork takes into consideration the weight on the utensil and uses complex algorithms and sensors to determine the protein, fat, and carbohydrate content of the food and track caloric value. These utensils are save to eat with, easy to use and sync with weight loss websites, and are even dishwasher-safe.
The Pitch. Inventor Damir Wallener has been working on this concept for a while now, showing off multiple prototypes that started with more simple foods that only represented one of the three main detection groups (fat, protein, carbohydrates). The campaign video is short but sweet, explaining what the SmartFork or SmartSpoon can do, and why backers should donate. To put SmartForks to work making smart eating easier, $25,000 CAD is required to stabilize the manufacturing process of these smart yet simple tools.
The Perks. Bringing a SmartFork or SmartSpoon to the plate only takes a pledge of $99 CAD. Getting both takes $149 CAD, and at $199 CAD these utensils can be added to the prototype SmartBowl which works on similar principles. All products are expected to be delivered before the end of summer.
The Potential. SmartFork embraces some of the same concepts of the HAPIfork but actually determining the nutritional value of what it’s shoveling into your mouth is a tall order. It’s easy to be skeptical about how well these products work. If the tests show an orange slice, or a bit of chicken and calculate it, what about thick stews with lots of ingredients, or ice cream with toppings surrounded by the base flavor? Damir Wallener is confident in the impact of the SmartFork and SmartSpoon; ultimately, this kind of intelligence will be required to complement the wide range of exercise meters on the market.
Working long hours at a computer can be hard on your back, wrists and sometimes soul. It’s easy to forget that even while not in motion, you may not be taking care of your body. Mousebar is a product designed to be ergonomic and friendly to the human wrist. It is long, comes in several different colors and supports your arm from elbow to wrist on the side that you control your mouse from. While slightly clunky, Mousebar is great for compulsive computer-ites and goes for $19 early or $29 regularly on Kickstarter. Mousebar’s creators hope to raise $11,000 in their 30-day campaign.
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If it seems you’ve run out of horizontal space for all your important items, Wave Hooks lets you take advantage of vertical space. The following items are being presented as bath related: shower beer holder, bath wine glass holder, and small cubby shelf unit with hook…just in case you would like some cheese and crackers for the wine, pretzels for the beer, and a hook on which you can maybe hang a bunch of grapes. The holders are made of plastic with suction cups on the back that stick to your bath tile. Wave Hooks is working on creating other important items of “organization” for your home, and for $10, a backer gets the Kitchen Utensils Hook with an expected delivery of May 2014. Wine and beer holders and cubby available for additional backing.
The Premise. The alarm clock is the one thing that seems to be universally dreaded. It’s always there to go off in the morning, cutting off the most perfect bit of sleep with a harsh, shrill, and frankly alarming sound. Shouldn’t the alarm clock go off to announce the perfect start to a new day?
The Product. Alarming Clock is an unusual alarm clock with some thoughtful design touches. The bottom panel of the clock is like a traditional digital clock, where alarms can be set and the time can be viewed. When it’s time for sleep, the Alarming Clock goes off nine hours before wakeup time, telling owners to wind down for the day and start counting sheep by the end of the next hour. But even the alarm is different – designed to simulate the sounds of the woodpecker, the alarm is a small, wooden-tipped piston that will knock against any surface set next to it whether it’s wood, metal, musical, or any other surface. To turn off the alarm, just touch the top of the oak surface with a hand.
The Pitch. London’s Alarming Industries is behind the Alarming Clock, and shows off how simple this oak obelisk is to use and sleep by. Everything about the presentation of the Alarming Clock screams modern, from the design itself to the campaign videos and pictures. The end result is something charming and curious that will surely interest those looking for a new kind of morning. Alarming Industries needs to raise £15,000 to complete manufacturing.
The Perks. £180 will get backers an Alarming Clock to get them up in the morning. £235 will include three of the Alarming Tumblers that can be filled with liquid to create a custom alarm tone, and for £350, backers can pick their own type of wood to have a custom clock. All rewards are scheduled to be delivered in July 2014, and require additional shipping for orders outside of the UK.
The Potential. While certainly more artisan exercise than mainstream bedside companion, the Alarming Clock shows a serious rethinking of the standard digital display-blinking alarm clock that integrates getting enough rest the night before. However, there are legitimate worries for heavy sleepers whether or not the gentle pecking tone is enough to rouse those who sleep like the dead. It will certainly be picked up for those that want a more alternative morning routine without the jarring sensation of a klaxon.