Month: November 2014

Categories
Food and Beverage

Recyclable shaker cup lets you toss one back, toss one out

For those who don’t like swallowing all those nutritional supplements in pill form, there are nutritional drinks that help to make up the difference where healthy lifestyle is concerned. The creators of Go-Shake know firsthand that a busy lifestyle can mean that those drinks become an on-the-go item. And when the cup doesn’t get cleaned in a timely manner, it can be a pretty gross sight and smell. So this product idea offers a disposable cup that is specifically designed for those nutritional drinks that require measuring out powder and mixing with the appropriate liquid.  The cup has a standard metric scale printed on the side, and the “shaker breaker” does the mixing for the user. The lid has a re-sealable plug that allows for easy shaking, drinking and transport.

The 24 oz cup seems like it would be suitable for most drinks and the product seems very convenient overall. This campaign seeks to raise $9,200 by December 7, 2014. For $19, backers get a 20 pack of the product with an expected delivery of January 2015.

Categories
Imaging

MagSphere and MagBounce flash diffusers mellow the harsh

Photographs are important to us. They document the best moments in our lives, they inform us of what’s going on in the world and they keep our memories alive. That’s why bad photographs are the enemy. No one wants a giant shiny forehead front and center in their wedding portraits. That’s why the folks at MagSphere have come up with a way to calm your flash down for more flattering light. It fits over the MagMod, a flash modifier, and looks like frosted glass. MagSphere dims and softens light so that it spreads in a more flattering way instead of tacking itself to your every flaw. Best of all, it includes a gel slot so that colored light is also possible if you want to get really fancy.

The similar MagBounce, also included in the campaign, is an open version of MagSphere that increases the size of your flash by 300%. It still softens the light, but expands it as well for when you need some extra shine. For more detailed information on all things light, visit the campaign.

Usually, a product that is only compatible with a certain brand, as the MagSphere and MagBounce are with the MagMod, seems a little inconvenient. However, backers don’t seem to mind, flocking to this campaign with support. Similar products we’ve seen on Backerjack, like the Flekt, offer light diffusion, but are limited in their options. They work to expand light, much like the MagBounce does, but few aim to soften light, like the MagSphere. For $79, backers will get one MagSphere and one MagBounce. Higher reward tiers offer the MagMod, a smart move on the part of the creators, for estimated delivery in February 2015. These light diffusers hope to raise $50,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Food and Beverage

ShotGunR punches a hole through the inebriation time continuum

There is a line from a particular song that comes to mind with this product: “So You Had a Bad Day…” It seems, though, that the creation of ShortGunR might be tied to more than just one bad day.  To borrow a concept from a popular comedian, one might need a career change if one feels the need to invent a more effective way to shotgun a beer.

Nevertheless, until that dream career is obtained, downing multiple beers as rapidly as possible is, well, one way to kill the time…not to mention lots of brain cells. That aside, it’s not entirely clear what materials are used to create this instrument of party animal assistance, but it is interestingly similar in its design to the OXO Steel Bottle Opener. This campaign seeks to raise $10,000 by December 7, 2014. Early bird backers get one product for $4, with an expected delivery of January 2015.

Categories
Toys

Sit-n-Skate weds skateboard with street luge for low riders

The depths of boredom breed some of the most innovative and imaginative ideas. Just think back to all those evenings in your childhood where new games and ridiculous forms of transport using supermarket carts and whatever else you could find were created and played. That’s probably how the Sit-n-Skate was created, the oddly-shaped contraption that’s a Frankenstein melding of a skateboard and a seat that you can sit on. As much as it would seem cumbersome of an idea, the Sit-n-skate still retains a certain ease of use as it acts like a longboard, so you can pick up speed, slow down, and stop on a whim.

Unfortunately, it’s pretty awkward to have to use your legs to pick up speed and although the inventor states adults can use it, it’s difficult to imagine how so. In any case, the demand has to be there for a product so superfluous to experience success and with enough unnecessary Chinese manufacturing in action these days, we don’t need another uninteresting product. The Sit-n-Skate will be at backer’s doors by August 2015 for $79. The campaign is looking for $79,000 in funding.

Categories
Aquatics

Wake Wing offers a widebody alternative to parasailing

Athletes and other active types are always looking for new ways to up the ante. Extreme sports are the way to go, but once you’ve tried them all, they can get boring. That’s where Wake Wing comes in. It’s a new kind of water sport. Similar to wakeboarding or waterskiing, you’re dragged behind a boat attached by a rope. To set up, stand on the board before starting the boat. Once you get going, presumably you’ll be lifted up into the air, compliments of the ground effect; the same effect that allows airplanes to fly. The campaign claims the product will lift you up four to six feet into the air, though there’s no photographs or footage to substantiate this claim.

If this product actually works, it looks like a cool and fun way to enjoy the water. On Backerjack, we’ve seen all kinds of extreme sports devices like the WingBoard, a board that is similarly dragged, but behind an airplane (!) instead of a boat. Wake Wing lets you float in the air without the threat of death. The campaign is seeking to raise $4,000 on Kickstarter and does not offer the actual product at this time.

Categories
Lifestyle

Cubicle wallpaper covers beige partitions, can’t conceal life of quiet desperation

It’s a sad thought that anyone should lead a life of quiet desperation and go to the grave with their dream still in them. Perhaps Change Your Outlook cubicle wallpaper can at least help those who don’t like what they see to imagine that they have achieved “corner office status.” The cubical art fixtures are touted as being able to spruce up any drab office environment with happy scenes from Wall Street, the Oval Office, the golf course, exotic overseas destinations, or even the option to make it more personal with home office scenes or favorite family photos.

While a pleasant scene to gaze at during those high stress moments over the course of one’s day can help a person to remain calm, savvy workers are secretly plotting their great escape into the wild blue yonder of dream realization and achievement. This campaign seeks to raise $24,2500 by November 29, 2014. Early bird backers get one medium-sized cubicle fixture for $20, with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Technology

Neutron lets you tote around a PC in your pocket

Part of what made the switch to mobile technology so natural for people is the way that existing technology is always pushing itself to be smaller, more efficient, and more convenient. Somewhere along the way, desktop computers got lost, choosing to stay large, boxy, and cumbersome.

The Neutron is an impressive palm-sized x64 PC that is deceptively powerful for its size. More than just a proof-of-concept novelty, the Neutron can run a full, modern Windows OS(8.1), uses Intel Haswell i3 and i5 processors, and is extremely energy efficient. With a minimum of 8GB of RAM and 256GB of solid state storage, the Neutron is no slouch computer, especially when being stacked up in a pound-for-pound comparison. With a mini displayport, mini HDMI port, and four USB 3.0 ports, the Neutron supports any USB accessories and up to three displays at once.

Available in seven different acrylic case colors, the Neutron is an eye-catching device sure to start a conversation wherever it gets set down and used. The onboard Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11AC Wi-Fi make it a snap to connect with at any location as well. For those that want a little more performance, the Neutron Pro comes in the same size case, but offers a Core i5 Processor, an Intel Iris 5000 graphics card, 16GB of DDR3 memory, and 480GB of solid state storage. If Atom Computer can raise $30,000, backers will get theirs in time for the 2014 holiday season starting at $750.

This isn’t just a neat idea being made available to people just because. This is a legitimate computer that fits inside a cargo pant pocket. For people who don’t mind latching onto displays wherever they can find them, that means having a fully-featured personal computer everywhere and anywhere. And that seems like the next evolutionary step for desktops.

Categories
Automotive

Temporary windshield offers car protection after smashing successes

It doesn’t seem like the most common problem that could happen when on the road, but there are those freak times when a car windshield gets cracked, chipped or smashed. Of course, there are those occasions when a windshield gets vandalized, too. So rather than pay the tow company to get the car to the shop, Ready Windshield offers a safe option to drive it there. The lightweight plastic stretches over the damaged area and is either secured by closing the edge in the door, or in the case of a completely smashed out windshield, attaching to the window frame. The car can then be driven at the safest slow speed to a repair shop since the fix is not intended to be a long-term one.

While it’s not entirely clear how long it takes to attach it to a window, the product seems like it might limit the frustration of waiting the typical 30-45 minutes for a tow truck. This campaign seeks to raise $18,000 AUD (~$15, 800 USD) by December 7, 2014. For $40 AUD (~$35 USD), backers get one product with an expected delivery of June 2015.

Categories
Connected Objects Displays

Ovoid HomePod projects entertainment onto wall

Entertainment and technology are evolving hand in hand, and yet the common experience tends to continue to revolve around a stationary rectangle (or curved rectangle), placed or mounted within the home in various rooms.

The HomePod by KEECKER is the newest way to enjoy multimedia entertainment. KEECKER is a projector that can broadcast any music, TV, game, or Internet content using full-room audio and project visuals onto any surface, indoor or outdoor. Additionally, KEECKER is remote controlled through its smartphone app and can drive to meet users wherever they might be. With Wi-Fi, a terabyte of storage, an Android OS, a panoramic camera, and 90 degrees of movement on its projector, KEECKER is flexible enough to handle any media task.

Additionally, KEECKER can be used to monitor multiple aspects of the home, driving around as a mobile security camera, and using sensors to track motion, noise, temperature, humidity, air quaility, and light. All of these combine to make KEECKER useful in ways beyond entertainment, though it still excels at that. KEECKER needs $100,000 for production and testing costs. The unit costs backers $2,490 and will be available in May 2015.

Consumers may have a hard time grasping exactly what a HomePod entails, but know that KEECKER is essentially somewhere between R2-D2 and DJ Roomba. The wealth of features and possibilities for this device are exciting, but the sticker shock of the price can be a wet blanket for that hype. It’s a very well thought-out device and one that’s capable of replacing several home electronics along with entertaining the dog, but dedicated A/V snobs may find the fidelity lacking.

Categories
Smart Home

Lock-Bot stores, releases keys for renters, AirBnB guests

Sites like HomeAway and AirBnB have facilitated the growing popularity of property rental, making it easier for owners to put their spaces up for rent and for travelers to have lots of choice pretty much anywhere they go. As progressive as these sites and the values they promote are, some aspects of the process aren’t and owners are always on the lookout for solutions to the many unique problems this new economy creates.

When you’re not in, the biggest hassle is safely getting keys to renters when you’re already gone. Think of the Lock-Bot as your own personal desk attendant for your property so you won’t have to worry again. The Wi-Fi connected lock box provides a secure place to for an owner to leave RFID-attached keys for incoming renters with mobile web access, and sends text messages alerts to both parties with check-in and check-out information. You can feel confident knowing that different codes can be set for different users so that no two codes will be alike. The company advises to mount the Lock-Bot onto a wall and its hardened aluminum construction will make sure it stays there all without you having to pay subscription fees. The device is powered by either AC or battery power, so that means users are out of luck if there’s a Wi-Fi or power outage.

The company does mention that they’re working on a four character manual switch, though, but it seems like that should’ve been baked into the original plans. The Lock-Bot comes in at $79 with an estimated delivery date of May 2015. The campaign is aiming for a goal of $100,000.