There are days, and even nights, when the business of life just distracts a person from making sure that their gadget is fully charged before leaving home. The only problem with charging at work or a friend’s house or perhaps a public charging station is the threat of unintended data share, or worse, malware or hijacked data. So USBCondom was designed to allow gadgets to be charged safely by cutting off the data pins in the USB cable and allowing only the power pins to connect through. The safety tool looks like it could if could beef up its own resilience with a better enclosure, though. For $10, backers get one product with an expected ship date of July 2014.
Month: May 2014
The Premise. File storage is something one can never have enough of. Whether it’s for music on the go, apps, or taking extensive photos and videos, it’s important to know that running out of room is never a concern for any device.
The Product. Fitting in the palm of a hand and offering up to 256GB of storage, the MBLOK is a portable storage device that can sync to any device using a traditional fold-out USB connection or via Bluetooth. The USB port is also used to charge the device’s 300-hour battery, while still allowing it to transfer files. Files can be moved at speeds up to 24 Mbit/s and can store any kind of files to be moved from phone to PC, or tablet to tablet, all wirelessly.
The Pitch. The MBLOK’s campaign mirrors the device itself: urban, fast-moving, stylish. The man-on-the-street interviews with people about the device paint a common picture of a device that is portable, useful, and attractive. MBLOK creators Kwelea Inc. are looking for $120,000 CAD to produce components and give the storage an interface for iOS and Android devices. Numerous stretch goals are offered to provide native audio and video output at $300,000, and official support for many more devices after that: $500,000 for Blackberry, $700,000 for Windows, $900,000 for the Pebble watch, $1,100,000 for Kindle Fire HD, and $1,300,000 for the Neptune watch. At $1,500,000, a final stretch goal is unlocked to create a smart shuffle algorithm for playing music through the MBLOK.
The Perks. A 128GB MBLOK is available in either emerald green or sapphire blue for $189 CAD. The 256GB model will cost backers a pledge of $279 CAD. A stylish wood-faced model is only for those who kick in $499 CAD to the campaign. All rewards will ship out in January 2015.
The Potential. This is the natural evolution of the thumb drive — something pocket-sized that can easily share files between any USB or Bluetooth device without the need for complex bridges or file sharing setups. MBLOK isn’t the first to attempt this, with storage big shots like Kingston and Seagate offering the Wi-Drive and Wireless Plus devices in the market already, but MBLOK looks like the first to do so via Bluetooth, offering a week of battery life as opposed to the mere hours offered by the competition. Add to that the even smaller body and the MBLOK looks like a great way to move files around painlessly and easily across any compatible devices.
Listening to music can be one of the most relaxing ways to unwind at the end of a long day. But if a person wants to use headphones, lying down is not a comfortable option. This can be especially frustrating for those who are bedridden, which was exactly the case for the husband of Mysiga’s creator. The health challenges of her hospitalized husband spurred her to create puffy headphones that would allow for music to be enjoyed while lying on either the back or sides. For $125, early bird backers get one product with an expected delivery of January 2015.
The Premise. As people choose to ride their bikes more and more, car on bike accidents have been on the rise. Sometimes cars don’t realize how close they get to bikes and vice versa. Accidents like this can be deadly for the cyclist.
The Product. Cycle Guardian is a cyclist protection system. This product attaches to the seat pillar of the bike, just below the seat itself, and emits a sound when the bike is too close to a car. The sound can be just a regular tone or can be programmed to play the cyclists favorite tune. Either way, it acts as a warning for those on the road to keep a safe distance.
The Pitch. The Cycle Guardian video features a short cartoon dramatization of the product doing its job. The rest of the campaign talks about bicycle safety as well as the creator’s passion for cycling. It would be helpful to see an actual photo of the product, instead of just drawings which is all the campaign shows. This British product has a goal on Indiegogo of £30,000.
The Perks. For the product, backers have a choice of only one tier that offers a first production-run of the Cycle Guardian at a donation of £49. This product will be available before the official product launch and is characterized as a “limited edition” product.
The Potential. Bike accidents happen all the time and are one of the few drawbacks of cycling instead of driving. Helmets can only do so much when an accident occurs, but the Cycle Guardian takes the interesting approach of attempting to prevent accidents. It is unclear from the campaign if the tone emitted will be urgent and loud enough to warn drivers who may not have their windows down. The Bright Bike system uses bright LED lights to alert drivers, which is effective, but mostly only at night, but being able to detect threats seems to be the wave of the future.
The Premise. The internet is absolutely full of content that would take several lifetimes to sift through. Even the stuff that may be of interest comes out too often for a busy person to keep up with. To get through it all takes an assistant to give out only the relevant details.
The Product. The GemWhere is like any other smartwatch out there right now with one key difference: GemWhere will read through news reports, tweets notifications, and more, and read aloud a breakdown of the most key points of each. The watch has a built-in speaker or can be paired to any Bluetooth audio system. With a dual-core processor, GPS, Wifi, Bluetooth, and 3G, this Smartwatch can hang with the big boys while also saving time by reading the important facts (and only the important ones).
The Pitch. Taking a cue from the introduction of the Macintosh, the GemWhere watch cleverly narrates the video introducing itself. At the Gem Web site, viewers can see what the GemWhere does to articles and preview multiple news stories broken down into what the GemWhere watch would read aloud. The photos are primarily tech-oriented, showing off the design materials and even a sample of the code that GemWhere uses to pick out the right snippets to read. Creator Steve Chen will ship GemWhere if it reaches $100,000 in pledges; enough to finalize the software, purchase the components, and enter production. A stretch goal is available at $350,000 to replace the boxy, classic watch design with something sleeker and more fashionable.
The Perks. The GemWhere smart watch will launch in October 2014, with supports who pledge $199 receiving one for themselves complete with the pre-loaded software.
The Potential. Unfortunately, GemWhere seems like kind of a one trick pony. The idea of having an AI read the news during a commute is helpful to only the most connected and busy of individuals, and if the technology is really that desired, it won’t take long for assistants like Siri to follow suit. As a smartwatch, the GemWhere looks like it’ll function just fine, but lacks the extra power under the hood that its competitors in the market are already offering, and driving a speaker can require a lot of power for a constrained device. What’s left is a functional concept, but nothing else unique enough to set this wearable tech apart.
The Premise. Out of whack steering can be scary when you’re driving. Bumps, potholes, hitting curbs or everyday wear and tear can mess up your wheel’s alignment over time. It can be costly and time-consuming to bring your car to the mechanic in order to have the alignment checked.
The Product. The QuickTrick SL is a wheel alignment diagnostic system. The product attaches easily to your wheel on the ground, so no lift is needed. It comes with a digital reader that uses arrows to alert the user whether or not the wheel needs to be realigned. The product is made of metal and is about the size of a tire iron, making it easy to store in the car itself if needed.
The Pitch. The campaign opens with a high-quality video showing the QuickTrick being manufactured as well as narrative from the creator about the inspiration for the product. She goes on to explain in detail how to use the product. The rest of the campaign shows testimonials for people who like the QuickTrick and different statistics about the U.S.’s high rate of tire use. QuickTrick hopes to raise $28,250 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. Early backers can nab a first production-run QuickTrick SL for $145 with an estimated delivery date of July 2014. Later backers will receive the QuickTrick for a $195 donation in August 2014. The highest $5,500 reward tier offers a trip to Alabama as well as accommodations. The creators plan to use the money from the stretch goal toward attending and competing in a large automotive venue new products competition.
The Potential. While the Internet offers a slew of “home remedies” for diagnosing alignment problems, all depend on feeling instead of hard data. The QuickTrick SL is a great way to save a trip to the mechanics by doing a simply diagnostic all by yourself. The reliability of the instrument is unknown, but if it is completely accurate, the QuickTrick will no doubt enjoy success on the automobile accessory market.
The Premise. Getting home from a hard day at the office or throwing a party for friends would be better if nobody had to play bartender the whole night. One can always pour their own cocktails, but getting the ratios right can be difficult and what should be refreshing can turn out overpowering.
The Product. The Barobot is a shelf-top device for top-shelf liquor that can hold up to 12 bottles and pour perfect shots into a cup as it moves it back and forth down the alcoholic assembly line. With an open source, open platform design, the Barobot is completely customizable — from the LED lighting displays to the touch-screen interface that makes ordering any drink a snap. New cocktails can be added to the menu easily, and for those that want to have a drink waiting for them, a tablet can be used to place a drink order so that by the time the walk to the Barobot is completed, so is the beverage.
The Pitch. The Barobot pitch is just like its design: colorful, playful, and inviting. The idea alone of a robot that makes drinks for an entire party is something to smile about. The Barobot team is wise not to get too involved in the technical side of things, going so far as to compare assembling the device to playing with LEGO. Barobot is looking to raise £90,000 to handle production of the device.
The Perks. The Barobot is available to supporters for £774, complete with all of the necessary hardware in choice of color, and the app. For those that doubt their construction skills, the fully assembled version is available for £1,479, and those that want a one-of-a-kind personal touch can have their Barobot customized for £3,499. The first batch will ship in August, with more in September of 2014.
The Potential. Between the high-class image that comes with owning a bartending robot, the quality parts, and the open source design, the Barobot is a very tempting item to consider owning. The price point is a little high for a device that moves cups and pours shots, however, no matter how trendy it looks. It’s a shame to be turned off by the price alone when the rest of the machine is extremely likeable, but it will probably prove to be a price point too high for all but the most affluent of home technology show-offs.
Maybe, just maybe, the kids would pick up their bath towels if they stuck to the wall and didn’t have to be hung up. Perhaps it’s worth a try, and Clingies is prepared to stick with persistent parents. As for the other adults in the world, the convenience of a magnetized towel, and when needed, a corresponding docking dot, means less hassle when cooking in the kitchen, working in the shop, exercising in the gym, or wherever one might be that a towel may be needed. For $11, backers get one towel in their color choice and a docking dot with an expected delivery of August 2014.
The Premise. The performance stage has changed for musicians in the last few years, as many performers are finding it easier to just connect their equipment through a MacBook and play through AirPlay. However, going beyond what AirPlay was designed to support can cause a wealth of problems, certainly not the least of which is lag between the performance and the outputted audio.
The Product. Really two separate products, the Brick is a Mac mini-like Ethernet switch designed for professional digital audio that can connect to instruments, mixers, amps, and more, bringing it all together to be controlled with a single application. The Bullet is an adapter to connect audio jack-controlled instruments to Ethernet devices like the Brick, bridging analog and digital. The Brick and Bullet setup is natively supported by and MacOS device running Mavericks, including MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, or iMac.
The Pitch. AVB.io, creators of the Brick and Bullet, demonstrate the difference between using AirPlay with an AirPort Express and using a Brick through simply playing the keyboard. It can be almost painful waiting for the sound to come out after each of the keys is hit on the former setup, but with the Brick the two are simultaneous. While the technology behind the Brick and Bullet is certainly a little more than just end user-level stuff, the campaign for the Brick and Bullet keeps things simple and straight to the point, perfect for performers who just want to know if the device will fix their issues. AVB.io has set its goal at $35,000, largely to finish development of the Bullet.
The Perks. The Brick Ethernet switch will launch in September 2014 and backers who pledge $300 can get their hands on one. For those that want to get the complete rig for live digital audio, a Brick with two Bullets is available at the $850 tier in November, and the set can be custom engraved for $1,500.
The Potential. For performers, adding a Brick and Bullet setup to the stage can certainly make things easier to handle DIY digital audio. For a similar price however, it’s not too much to expect to be able to set things up using a standard analog setup with amps and cables. If it’s digital or bust, then there’s certainly nothing wrong with picking up these items to get the most out of a simple MacBook-style performance setup.
Who knew that eating clams for dinner could inspire an ergonomic kitchen cleaning item, but that’s exactly how KlampShell had its beginnings. Scrubbing pots, pans, countertops and kitchen floors can take its toll on fingers, especially when there aren’t any kids available to whom such tasks can be delegated. So the kitchen cleaning and scrubbing tool grips dish cloths, steel wool, scouring pads and other cleaning items, and can even be used to scoop up the uneatable scraps from food prep. For $25, backers get one medium-sized product and an expected delivery of October 2014.