Month: January 2015

Categories
Safety

iCanWalk adds illuminated safety to nighttime strolls

Many people feel that letting their kids walk to school or a nearby store is much more dangerous today than it was even a generation ago. Distracted drivers on mobile devices and the slowing reflexes of an increasing elderly population can mean more fatalities, even when one stays within the cross walk.

iCanWalk is a small light shaped like a stop sign that helps to alert drivers when the user is crossing the street. It is touted as being small enough to fit in a pocket, functions with a battery that can be recharged via the built-in USB port, and blinks when turned on. The attached handle makes it easy to hold and extend out or up to help with visibility.

This product seems like it may be useful at dusk or night in low light areas where there is a lot of traffic, but other than that, iCanWalk seems a bit over-the-top. Interested backers might also want to check out LightCycle and AquaLight. This project seeks to raise $200,000 by early February. Backers get one product for $100 with an expected delivery of January 2016.

Categories
Chargers/Batteries

Get a tan and power your devices with the SolarPad

The impressive functionality of the smartphones, tablets, and wearables in people’s lives makes it an absolute bummer when they die. Usually, power banks swoop in to save the day, but even those need to eventually be plugged in themselves. In response, products have emerged that charge devices with solar energy, but take a long, long time to do so.

The SolarPad solar charger comes in an iPad Air form factor and is outfitted with monocrystalline cells that are fully charged in just three and a half hours of direct sunlight. The product’s use of coated bamboo is attractive and keeps it that way, making it a worthy addition next to the beautifully designed devices everyone totes around. SolarPad features 2 USB ports for dual charging, and a USB in for daisy chaining or wall charging as well.

Every solar charger tries to pack solar panels onto something new, like the SolarHug and the SunnyBAG, so it’s refreshing to see it designed to be on its own. The SolarPad boasts a seven year warranty, so users won’t have to worry about anything but soaking up some sun. The product goes for $97, and its $35,000 campaign is looking to have it shipped out by March 2015.

Categories
Imaging

CamsFormer triggering system offers DSLRs more options, sensors, settings, everything

A DSLR in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing is a powerful tool that produces high quality shots. But no matter how talented a photographer is, there are just some things that are either incredibly difficult or just plain impossible to capture, such as high-speed events. A photographer’s creative impulses can be tempered by these drawbacks.

The CamsFormer triggering system addresses these weaknesses by attaching to a DSLR’s USB and cable release port and providing a combination camera remote, high-speed trigger, and motorized tilt and zoom. All this alongside CamsFormer’s variety of sensors allows photographers to set sound, light, or infra-red triggers that sets off up to two cameras and flashes from anywhere between microseconds to 32 seconds. A companion iOS app allows for wireless camera control, photo curation and upload. It even enables things like Infinity Mode where a camera can shoot infinitely despite whatever memory limitations it might have. This product offers options available anywhere since it generates its own Wi-Fi network as well.

For the CamsFormer, this is just the tip of the iceberg. It can even add video capability to cameras that don’t have it. The $189 early bird price is a steal, but the eventual retail price of $249 isn’t bad considering everything this product does. The $7,000 campaign is looking to ship the product by July 2015.

The CamsFormer is extremely impressive in that radically expands any camera’s capabilities, adding a dizzying array of customizable settings any amateur or serious photographer would love. The product is another in a long line in creative imaging solutions like the Panlight and MaxStone that do so much to make serious photography more approachable, fun, and wallet-friendly.

Categories
Sensors/IoT

GUARDOOR security system easy to set up, keeps intruders at bay

The main issue preventing many consumers from buying a home security system is the cost. Some consumers are also reluctant to set up a system because it’s too complicated to do it themselves.

GUARDOOR from San Francisco-based company, KIKTEC, offers a simple and relatively inexpensive way to keep home and office doors and windows secure, and it’s simple to set up. Each GUARDOOR is a small, triangular-shaped sensor that the user just has to stick to the corner of a door or window.

When the device senses movement, an instant alert is sent to the user’s Android or iOS mobile device. Backers who provide $59 in financing to the device’s Indiegogo campaign will get one GUARDOOR in April as part of an early bird special. That’s $20 less than its planned retail price and one month earlier than those who provide $79 in backing. KIKTEC is hoping to raise $10,000 to help with the cost of further development, manufacturing and production of the first prototype.

GUARDOOR is similar to Korner, another promising security device featuring small triangular tags that stick to the corner of a door or window. But GUARDOOR does away with the Fob device that is used with the Korner devices and must be plugged into a router. GUARDOOR, however, costs more money if the user is looking to use it with more than one door or window. A Korner starter pack including three tags for three doors or windows costs only $99.

Categories
Music

Jack offers live guitarists option of Wi-Fi rather than cables

Every musician that enjoys doing live gigs dreams of one day having roadies for setup and teardown. In the meantime, affordable Wi-Fi options are often much coveted.

Jack is one such possibility. It allows for real time streaming over a secure Wi-Fi connection, eliminating the need for cables. In order to work, the Jack requires both guitar and amp. The Jack app is supposed to allow the user to connect the Jacks through any Wi-Fi enabled device. The app also allows users to record on their instrument, edit their music, and/or upload it to their Web site or social media profiles.

One downside here is that trying to run this through a phone or tablet is really going to put a drain on the battery. And normal use for your average laptop only offers about two –four hours of life without being plugged into an outlet. Nevertheless, as much of a pain in the butt as cords can be to lug to live gigs, this is actually a pretty exciting invention and seems worth checking into further. This project seeks to raise £20,000 (~$30,300) by early February. Early bird backers get one Jack for £95 (~$144).

Categories
Pets Video

Submersible Wi-Fi Camera keeps finned friends in check

The fragile ecosystem of a tended aquarium is one that requires constant attention and care, lest users come home to dead fish every day. When the eco-system is thrown off, it’s important to know why in order to fix the problem.

This is the issue Chris Rusnak is proposing to solve with his Submersible Wi-Fi Aquarium Camera. As this wasn’t a job suitable for a side-mounted GoPro camera, he instead wants to start from scratch developing something that will allow him to check in using his smartphone or other device over Wi-Fi. Each camera comes equipped with pan and tilt capabilities for a full view of the tank.

It’s bad to say, but fish are quite inexpensive and the thought of maintaining an eco-system might seem like a lot of work for some. Still, once this product is designed, a list of instructions and components will cost backers $25, and is expected March 2015 with a successfully funded campaign of $620. Combine this with the AquaSprouts to put those fish to work, too.

Categories
Connected Objects Luggage and Bags

Trackase luggage offers GPS location services so you’ll never lose a bag again

One of the worst hassles of traveling is luggage. Some bags are expensive, but can barely hold up to a plane ride. Others are too heavy to tote around. And sometimes, even the perfect bag doesn’t prevent loss at an airport.

According to Trackase’s campaign, 21.8 million bags are mishandled each year. That’s why they’ve created a bag that will not only stand up to averse conditions, but one that also contains a tracker so the bag is never truly lost. Trackase is made from a type of plastic called polypropylene which is extremely durable. It can withstand temperatures up to 130°C and protects its contents from harmful chemicals. With a colorfast design, the bag won’t fade and can survive strong impact without falling apart.

The bag’s tracker uses cell phone towers to triangulate its position. There’s no need to fear about messing with the plane’s systems while in flight because the tracker only transmits a signal once the user’s cell phone is turned on. Using an accompanying app, it’s possible to see exactly where the bag is. This feature is especially helpful since some airports can take forever to locate a lost bag.

Luggage that can withstand the stress of travel is always welcome on the market. Not only does Trackase offer great design, versatile sizes and tracking capabilities, but it also offers peace of mind. One worry, however, is that the campaign doesn’t mention TSA regulations anywhere and claims that each bag has an internal locking system. Chances are, most airports won’t look kindly on a non-TSA approved lock. Still, backers can have their own super bag in the smallest carryon size for £160 (~$243). Trackase is hoping to raise £30,000 (~$45,500) on Kickstarter by early February.

Categories
Connected Objects

U-Wake headband keeps drivers from snoozing

It’s a sad truth, but even the most responsible, experienced drivers have found themselves dozing off at the wheel every now and then. For the most part nothing happens, but if something does, it can be terrible. With driver fatigue responsible for over 100,000 accidents in the US alone, some fatal, it’s certainly a problem that needs to be addressed.

Besides copious amounts of unhealthy energy drink or sugar-laden coffee, there aren’t very many solutions to keeping a driver up and alert. U-Wake is aiming to change that with a Bluetooth-connected headband device that uses EEG to analyzes a driver’s brain wave patterns to detect unsafe levels of fatigue. If the driver is found to be too tired to safely handle the vehicle, an alert is sent to the U-Wake companion app to keep them awake and to family and friends to keep them informed, too. The device weighs in at a sparse 25 grams, so drivers won’t even notice it’s there most of the time. U-Wake goes for $185 and is expected to ship in May 2015, provided its campaign reaches the $200,000 funding goal.

It’s very important to make sure all aspects of a driver’s trip, from the car to the drivers themselves, are in tip-top shape. What used to need constant supervision now only needs a few different devices, so the U-Wake is in good company even if its construction is a bit ungainly. This product will be especially useful to long-haul truck drivers. A DRIVE and a Bluetooth tire pressure management system are solid options to round out a person’s next trip and keep their attention focused squarely on the road.

Categories
Food and Beverage

Tealightful timer times brewing tea, makes the perfect cuppa’

There is an art to brewing tea. Many tea shops recommend certain water temperatures and, more importantly, specific brewing times for different types of tea to get that perfectly brewed cup.

Tealightful takes the guesswork out of brewing time for tea. This product looks like any standard tea ball and the user can insert their own teabags, loose leaf tea, or herbs of their own choosing. To set the brewing time, just twist Tealightful and drop in the water. When the time is up, the ball automatically closes making sure that the tea doesn’t steep for too long. Tealightful is long with a handle that makes gripping easy and comes in white, beige, black or gray.

This is a nifty little product, plenty useful for those who love tea. All tea comes with instructions on brewing time and Tealightful makes it super simple to follow these instructions. Backers can have their very own for a donation of $25 on Kickstarter. If Tealightful can reach its $40,000 goal, backers will receive theirs by June 2015.

Categories
Automotive

ArmRestor keeps road warriors focused on enjoying their drive

Driving can be one of the best parts of taking a vacation. ArmRestor was created with the road warrior in mind, providing a comfortable and convenient resting place for that left arm.  Since it attaches to the inside panel of the door and window, it can be used with either the window opened or closed. The latch system makes it compatible with most modern vehicles.

As for those creature comforts, ArmRestor provides easy access to one’s water bottle and a place for tissues and coins. The product’s one drawback seems to be the plastic-looking covering rather than cloth, which means that it may be hot on the arm during the summer and cold during the winter. Overall, the product seems like it has some quality to it, and that it’s a great idea – especially for those who spend a lot of time driving. This campaign seeks to raise $16,000 after having canceled their original campaign back in November. Early bird backers get one product for $24 with an expected delivery of May 2015.