Tablets have really distinguished themselves in the market as cross laptops/smartphones with tons of capabilities in a portable package. As such, there’s lots they can do, but their potential isn’t always met with lots of insufficient accessories. Now the Amp aims to harness the power of the iPad Air and iPad Air 2. This durable tablet case also functions as high quality Bluetooth speakers that work with music, movies and TV shows and as a stand to prop it all up. The tablet snaps in and out of place easily. When the tablet is disconnected, Amp works just like any other Bluetooth speaker system, compatible with smartphones. All folded up, the case is discreet and durable, so the speakers can easily be carried around everywhere. Amp is a well thought out addition to the tablet accessory market and not only offers great function as a speaker system, but also as protection for your iPad Air. It’s a shame it doesn’t work with other tablets, but surely Amp will consider adding more models to its repertoire in the future. One will cost backers $199 by February 2015. Amp is looking to raise $50,000 with the help of Kickstarter.
Month: November 2014
Perhaps it is every company’s dream to have a customer base so loyal that they would change their lifestyle rather than change products. That being said, those who love their Nalgene water bottle can now use it in the car and enjoy having it along when they are on the road. Puffer Lite is basically an adapter for a car cup holder that only holds a standard sized drink. It’s not entirely clear what the product is made of or what the circumference of the main piece is, but it does appear that an effort is being made to make certain that the cup holder fits all typical commercial cars, and a free 2.75″ and 3″ diameter sleeve will be available with the main piece just in case some backers have a more unusual make or model. This campaign seeks to raise $15,000 by December 3, 2014. Early bird backers get one product for $12, with an expected delivery of April 2015.
Drones are our modern days kites. On a clear day, you can see any number of them whizzing around at the nearby park with kids and adults alike on the ground controlling them. They easily maintain interest and have slowly become more and more accepted, even if most of the time they can be bulky and pretty unwieldy. The folks at Anura want to make it easy to have some flight with you anytime with their Anura drone. It’s only slightly larger than a full size smartphone and weighs in at only 4oz, making it extremely portable to the point that you can place it in your pocket. Instead of a huge remote control, all users need is an iOS/Android phone to stream live images or video with its builtin Wi-Fi, and take advantage of features like one click auto-land and return home for easier use. Unfortunately, your fun will be limited to about 15 minute unless you’re carrying around a few interchangeable batteries, which kind of defeats the purpose. In any case, the Anura drone can be had by April 2015 for $195. The company has achieved their funding goal of $100,000.
Walk down the streets of pretty much any big city and you’ll notice the scores of fitted hats that people are wearing these days. Adorned with everything from team logos to colorful characters, wearing fitted hats today is a strong fashion statement. But trends, like everything else, don’t stay stagnant. This one in particular has evolved to favor flat, straight brims over the curved brims we’d see in a baseball game, requiring constant care and vigilance to maintain that shape. The QCLIP is a straight, wooden mold that fits over the brim of most hats to maintain that flat shape. The device does is straightforward, light, and can protect a hat even in transportation as well, adding to its versatility. There are many people, like those who sprang for a Live Lid, who would find this simple product to be an extremely useful tool, but they may be turned off by its $50 non-early bird price, especially being that most could MacGuyver themselves a similar solution. The QCLIP campaign is looking for $60,000 to have the device into backer’s hand by January 2015.
Many solutions to dying smartphones have been flooding the market in recent months. Some include portable USB cables while others opt for smaller microUSB/wall outlet types of products.
Kodiak is a product with charging smartphones in mind, but is a portable battery pack with USB ports for ease of charging. Coming in several different sizes and subsequent charging strengths, the Kodiak is completely waterproof, so it really can go anywhere that you do. Kodiak also has several color options including black, red, green, blue and camo. There’s an indicator light so that you know exactly how long it’s going to last for
Kodiak joins scores of similar products, as stated above, but ups the ante on portable chargers such as Pronto with its waterproof shell and durability. It’s also nice that Kodiak offers three different sizes, the smallest working in a pinch and the largest able to charge multiple devices several times over. The small version will cost backers $25 with estimated delivery in March 2015. The campaign is looking to raise $30,000 on Indiegogo.
We spend a lot of time in cars, but they’re not really designed for comfort. ArmRestor tries to change that by providing utility and comfort. The product fixes itself to an attachment that slides in between the window and weather stripping on the door. Coming in both beige and black, ArmRestor features a coin slot, space for general car accoutrements, a tissue dispenser and cup holder. For ease of use, the cup holder moves around and is even detachable so it’s not in the way. The top is lined with foam-filled leather for maximum comfort for your arm. In the campaign, the creators even claim that the rest is out of your line of sight so it won’t distract your from driving. Provided that the ArmRestor fits into your car, it doesn’t really seem to follow that someone would want to rest their left arm while driving. Usually, the right arm is reaching for stuff and adjusting the music so the left is always on the wheel. Still, interested backers can donate $36 for one by April 2015. This product is looking to raise $20,000 on Kickstarter.
Those old iPhones still need some love too, you know. It can’t be right to throw them off to the side after they’ve faithfully served us for so long, can it? Instead of chucking it to the side, reconsider its value while attached to the Iron Man of phone cases: the Smartphone Case Projector.
Although the product might be a little too simplistically titled, it gets a little tricky depending on which iPhone model you have. The iPhone 4/4S version of the case comes equipped with a built-in .5W speaker, a modest 15 lumen lamp, and projects images or video on up to 50″ surface. The iPhone 5/5S version of the case is a lot more versatile, equipped with a brighter 50 lumen lamp that can wirelessly project images, videos, and even Internet pages for up to two hours while simultaneously being able to dock and charge it. The case is in good company as many other products are exploring the hybrid projector model, like the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro.
Unfortunately, the creator didn’t have Tony Stark’s sense of design and, as a result, the Smartphone Projector Case is a behemoth that wouldn’t realistically pass most people’s limits of bulk, especially for just a single feature like projection. If the case still intrigues, the iPhone 4/4S version goes for $200, while the iPhone 5/5S version goes for $300. The campaign is seeking $100,000 to make this longshot a reality.
USB charging cables determine the stress levels involved in our daily lives. As we’ve become more dependent on our phones, technology has not followed, resulting in battery lives that are far too short to meet the demands of a technology-focused day. inCharge is a portable USB cable on one side and a microUSB or lightning cable on the other that folds onto your keyring. This way, you’ll always have power available to you. inCharge comes in many different fun colors, is flexible, and short enough so that it won’t get all tangled up in your keys. The one downside of this product is that it doesn’t have a wall outlet port, so you must be able to attach it to a computer or laptop for power, unlike the similar Tiny TravelBuddy wall charger. Even so, this product will soon become a must for all smartphone users who depend on their phones. The most basic form of this Italian-made product goes for a $9 donation with estimated delivery set for December 2014. inCharge hopes to raise $20,000 on Indiegogo.
Usually to get a well-rounded workout, you’ll need to visit lots of different machines at the gym. These machines promote strength, good form and have adjustable weights and grips. Now, you don’t need a machine. The Cradle Coach is a relatively small device that lets you workout in a number of different ways. Shaped, well, like a cradle, one can use it for body weight, core, strength and functional training. The core of Cradle Coach is hollow and allows for different sized weights to be inserted. However, the opening isn’t huge, so there’s a limit to how much weight you can add. Cradle Coach joins scores of other fitness devices claiming to let you have it all like the Battle Flex, but it lacks the portability that others offer because it’s bulky and doesn’t fold up. Backers can enjoy one Cradle Coach for a high donation of $300 for estimated delivery in February 2015. This product hopes to raise $25,000 on Kickstarter.
How to get just the right amount of plastic wrap off of the box without it ripping or clinging to itself is a challenge that we’ve all faced. For those who have better things to do with their time than attempt to unravel that, there is Kronholm. This particular dispenser is made of ABS plastic and actually has some sharp teeth for cutting through plastic wrap. In addition, it’s easy to clean and assemble. Kronholm also ups the ante on aesthetic, looking sleeker than most other plastic dispensers. This is hardly the first company to try to make a better plastic wrap dispenser. Jimbox is one case in point. For those who would like to get away from the plastic wrap scene and go for lids instead, check out the Silicon Lid campaign. This campaign seeks to raise kr60,000 (~$10,300) by December 3, 2014. For kr 250 DDK (~$42) backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015.