Month: June 2014

Categories
Toys

Prime Swords fires up kids’ creativity

Prime SwordsDragon-fire swords, Ice swords, Raven swords, oh my! King Arthur and his knights would be envious of such sleek weapons – if they weren’t actually just foam toys. Nevertheless, Prime Swords have plenty of potential to encourage creative play. Since the parts to these unique items of imaginary fencing are interchangeable, kids can create their own sword to match their exclusive storyline. For $30, backers get one sword (multiple swords available with larger donation) and an expected delivery of November 2014.

Categories
Sensors/IoT Smart Home

Neoji blends automation with energy monitoring

The Premise. The smart home revolution is banging down the doors of houses and apartments redolent in their wasting of energy; both for utilities and in the way residents have to get up, go home, and be present to control anything. Now that that revolution is here, homeowners need access to an automation hub that shares their goals and priorities.

The Product. Neoji can control the entire home using an app on a smartphone or tablet. Equipped with air sensors, a microphone, and an HD camera, homeowners can monitor their own home at their leisure or be alerted to motion or sound when they’re not paying attention. Because Neoji can learn about what’s part of the daily routine and what’s out of the ordinary, phones won’t be littered with notifications about pets playing or kids coming home from school.

The Pitch. Neoji introduces itself as a flexible device perfect for everything from baby monitoring to home security. With a focus on cutting energy costs and doing its part for the environment, Neoji takes things a step farther by planting or preserving a tree for every backer. Neoji wants to collect $100,000 in pledges in order to complete development and move beyond the prototype stage.

The Perks. A Neoji with app, energy coaching, and 24/7 technical support will arrive in April 2015 for those who pledge $299 to the campaign. A color choice between white and black is available for $349, and the model with an HD camera and air quality sensors can be had for $399. A flexible development kit with wall-mounts and access to the SDK goes to backers with $499 to contribute. Additional tiers offer multiple Neoji devices.

The Potential. Neoji is trying to be an all-in-one home automation system that revolutionizes the way homeowners interact with their property. The problem? It’s a little late to the party. In terms of its features and compatibility, this is really in the realm of what consumers are expecting from a device like this. The only way Neoji stands out is in its ecologically-focused presentation. If the campaign video is any indication, Neoji is somewhat fixated on reducing energy costs. For those that have a similar mindset, this will be the smart home environment controller that will be the best fit. Otherwise, Neoji winds up being another face in the crowd.

Categories
Lighting

Bright Switch turns off the lights when the kids don’t

Bright SwitchFor those who are beginning to feel like a scratched CD in regard to getting the kids to turn off the lights, there is Bright Switch. Though it’s not entirely clear how it works, from watching the video it appears to be similar to setting up the screen saver on a computer. Users can choose how long they want the lights to stay on in a room that is void of activity before the lights are automatically shut off. For $17, backers get one product with an expected delivery of September 2014.

Categories
Kids/Babies Nutrition/Hydration

EasyGo Dispenser dials down to satisfy baby’s hunger

EasyGo DispenserFeeding baby on the go has become as easy as turning a dial to a downward position. The EasyGo Dispenser lets busy parents stash power formula in a container so that the daycare center or caregiver can dispense exactly the right amount into a baby bottle full of water. The dispenser works with most of the popular brands on the market, and can later be disassembled into four parts that are dishwasher safe. For $25, backers get one product with an expected delivery of August 2014.

Categories
Smartwatches/Bands Wearables

Glance hugs a watch’s band to deliver inconspicuous intelligence

The Premise. Smartwatches are the go-to gadget for 2014, it seems. Big companies are starting to jump in, people are already buying them, and they are bringing out the most of other connected gadgets in a way that is convenient and easy to use.

The Product. At first glance, the Glance is a sort of fake-it-until-you-make-it smart watch. The device hugs the band of any wristwatch and offers a display that can show text messages word by word or identify someone calling so that a conversation doesn’t need to be interrupted unless truly necessary. However, the Glance has even more functionality under the surface, sending out auto-texts when a response is warranted but can’t be typed out at the moment, controlling other smart devices with simple gestures, and even locate a missing phone by calling it automatically.

The Pitch. Keeping it short and sweet, Glance Team shows off all of the device’s key features in a brief video that confidently sells Glance as more than a discount novelty smartwatch alternative. Some other features, including that Glance is waterproof, are touched on later on in the campaign materials alongside the technical specifications and hardware details. Glance Team wants to raise $150,000 CAD in order to finalize all of the designing and manufacturing. Stretch goals are available: At $300,000 CAD, the option to engrave a message on the Glance will be unlocked. At $500,000 CAD, Windows Mobile and Blackberry compatibility will be added on top of the existing iOS and Android functionality, and at $750,000 CAD, a microphone and speaker will be added to every Glance.

The Perks. A Glance is available for $70 CAD and should arrive to backers in October of this year. An advance version is available in September for $700 CAD and a stylish sterling silver edition is available at the end of the year for $1,000 CAD.

The Potential. As an entry point into the smartwatch market, Glance will suffice for some people. It offers a surprising number of features but still isn’t quite as fully-fleshed out as a typical smartwatch might be. It is, however, still a cost-effective solution for calls and texts, and the auto-text feature is great for those that can’t always pick up a phone and send a text out right that minute for whatever reason. It’s a simple concept that looks right at home around the standard watchband, but as the competition begins to become less expensive, the temptation of an upgrade may steer consumers away from Glance.

Categories
Connected Objects Tech Accessories

Sherlybox lets you control your own personal cloud, lets you call it “Sherly”

The Premise. The dream of a vast public cloud of data is dying. Privacy is becoming a greater concern for almost every citizen of the Internet, and so having cloud-style features and access to files across devices and geography is great, but keeping others away from sensitive and personal files is even more important.

The Product. The Sherlybox is a RaspberryPI-powered compact desktop cloud server that can sync with almost any PC and access files over a secure connection even when devices are currently powered down. Because the files are being transferred over a personal server, everything happens behind the appropriate firewalls and there are no limits to the quantity or size of files sent across the house or the globe. With a proprietary software protocol designed specifically for larger files, the Sher.ly service and app can use almost the entirety of a network’s bandwidth to move files quickly.

The Pitch. Sherlybox’s inventor, Blazej Marciniak, and his partner Marek Ciesla introduce us to the Sherlybox with just three simple presses of its sync button. While it’s difficult to really illustrate the speed and security of such a device in a quick marketing video, the passion of the creators shows through their whole campaign, and their promises are indeed something worth considering. To make the Sherlybox a reality, Sher.ly Inc. needs $69,000 for testing, manufacture, and quality assurance.

The Perks. A Sherlybox with an open hard drive slot will be sent out in November to backers who pledge $149 or more. Anyone that wants built-in storage as well can have that hard drive slot filled with a 1 Terabyte hard drive at the $199 level. Personal touches like engraving and color choices are available at higher tier levels. All reward tiers that include the Sherlybox itself also come with lifetime licenses for the Sher.ly app.

The Potential. Despite looking more like an air freshener than a cloud server, Sherlybox offers a lot of compatibility and easy sharing options to make files private but still easy to access to those with the proper credentials. While covering all the mobile app bases may take some time,  the device already plays well with Flex TV and Xbox Media Center, as well as Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs, the Sherlybox is a great utilitarian device that can store and access media across multiple devices in a simple, easy, but also secure way. That extra added touch of privacy could make all the difference in standing out from competitors of this device.

Categories
Cycling Kids/Babies Safety

Jyrobike swaps in gyroscopes for training wheels in helping bike beginners

The Premise. Young children face fear, injury and anxiety when attempting to learn how to ride a bike. For some, it’s natural and for others it can take a long time. Children with disabilities also struggle with the delicate movement and balance needed to learn to ride a bicycle.

The Product. The Jyrobike takes the uncertainty out of elementary bicycle riding. Coming in two different sizes, the front wheel of the bike use stabilizer technology so that the bike will not tip over, much like Weebles. The wheels have three settings. On the highest setting, the bike is its most stable and then becomes less stable with the other two settings so that when the child feels comfortable, he or she can ride on their own without assistance. The wheel charges with a microUSB and also has a speaker that provides fun sounds during the ride. A wireless remote allows parents to adjust settings while the child rides so that they’ll learn to balance on their own.

The Pitch. Jyrobike’s lengthy campaign video shows the bike in action with small and handicapped children and even shows the bike riding upright on its own to display its stability. The creators talk about the physics of bike, explaining how it works and go through the different features of their reinvented wheel. Jyrobike is striving for a $100,000 goal in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. Early backers will receive the 12” wheel and wireless controller so that they can turn their own bikes into a Jyrobike for $129 or, later, just the wheel for the same price. The 16” wheel and controller go for $149 early or regularly at the same price for just the wheel. For $249, early backers get the 12” bike and wireless controller or, when the early prices run out, just the bike for the same price. Similarly, the 16” bike and controller cost $299 early or the same price for just the bike later. Reward tiers go all the way up to $5,000 with delivery set for January 2015.

The Potential. Plenty of children have learned to ride their bikes without this product. However, the thought of avoiding fear and injury is certainly appealing to both children and parents. The coolest thing about this product is perhaps its potential to help older children with disabilities. It provides the bridge needed to get over the daunting beginning phases of learning in order to really begin to enjoy cycling. Jyrobike’s intentions are noble and it definitely has a place on the market for safety-obsessed parents and clumsy children alike.

Categories
Tools

CombiRadHammer has magnetic effect on radiator sludge

CombiRadHammerPerhaps one of the nastier jobs that comes with owning a home that uses water heat is cleaning the radiator. The sludge and hard deposits that build up over time make for poor water circulation and cold spots that can render a radiator nearly ineffective. That’s why there’s CombiRadHammer. This unique device fits any ‘SDS’ or ‘SDS plus’ drill, and when the hammer setting is used, breaks up the debris through mechanical impact and magnetic disruption. According to the video, the magnet is a Neodymium N52, and is encased in strong plastic casing. For £35, backers get a complete product with an expected delivery of July 2014.

Categories
Camping Cooking

Campfire in a Can bypasses the hunt for wood while camping

Campfire in a CanSometimes the best but hardest part about camping is using a fire to cook food. Dry wood can be difficult to find and cooking over an uneven spit is dangerous. Campfire in a Can solves these problems. It is a compact kit that comes with a vertical burn chamber as well as a grill top to use for cooking. This product burns both coal and wood and evenly distributes heat upward and to the surrounding area to cook food and warm campers at the same time. One Campfire in a Can costs backers $59 at an early price or $68 regularly for delivery in October 2014. Reaching a goal of $80,000 in a two-month campaign on Kickstarter will spell success for this product.

Categories
Nutrition/Hydration Travel

Hey Joe, where you goin’ with that brewing mug in your hand?

The Premise. Coffee can, unfortunately, make or break a meeting, lecture or work event. Without it, it’s hard to focus and getting anything done becomes extremely difficult. While most schools and offices recognize this by providing cafes and coffee carts in house, that cup of java is not always right at hand.

The Product. The Hey Joe Coffee Mug is a convenient way to get that caffeine dosage for hardcore coffee addicts. It looks like any normal travel mug and is tall and black. The mug comes with small cartridges of coffee and with the push of a button will brew a cup of coffee. It is designed so that drinkers are welcome to use their own coffee as well. The temperature can be regulated with the push of the power button and the coffee brewing is powered from a rechargeable battery on the bottom of the mug. Cleaning is easy since the coffee is relatively contained. One simply needs to fill the mug with water and soap and then press brew sans coffee cartridge.

The Pitch. The campaign video really stresses the environmental friendliness of the product. It goes through statistics for how many disposable coffee materials people consume and how the Hey Joe Coffee Mug cuts down on that waste. In addition, the coffee cartridge package comes with seeds so that when the coffee grounds are used, one can plant them to grow into flowers. Hey Joe is looking to raise $20,000 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. Early birdies will receive the travel mug for $39. For $49, backers will receive the mug in black. At the $69 level, backers have the choice of color for their mug and also get 40 coffee cartridges so that they can start brewing. Reward tiers go all the way up to $10,000 with estimated delivery in November 2014. 

The Potential. Coffee convenience has become a thing of concern in recent years. The ever-popular Keurig machine has made it possible to brew one cup at a time easily. This type of machine, however, leaves behind little plastic cups of waste. Other products, like the highly touted AeroPress still requires a source for hot water. The Hey Joe Coffee Mug is the first of its kind that can brew on the go and regulate temperature. This product will certainly be a staple for all caffeine addicts with hectic schedules.