Month: March 2015

Categories
Connected Objects Kids/Babies

Quiet Night offers music for baby and sleep for parents, allegedly

Babies are cute, except for when they wake up at all hours of the night. When most babies wake up, they don’t really need anything. Rather, they just get bored lying in bed, thereby leaving it up to the parents to rouse themselves to entertain their child back to sleep.

patent-claimedQuiet Night offers a way for parents to sleep through the night while keeping their alert baby entertained. This product consists of a handle that lives in baby’s crib. When the baby wakes up, he/she is supposed to grab the handle which will play music. The longer the baby holds the handle, the more the system will remember that song as soothing to the child. To change the song, the baby need only let go and pull the handle again. Quiet Night features over 125 classical/soothing/acoustic songs handpicked by child psychologists.

The whole idea of soothing classical music comforting a restless child is the stuff of WASPy dreams. The actual execution is doubtful, however. How is an infant supposed to know how to control the music or that holding the handle longer indicates that they like the song? The whole things sounds a little ridiculous and is made even more so by the flaunting of partnering up with child psychologists who supposedly helped design the product. Still, tired parents dazzled at the thought of a full night’s sleep can have one of their own for $59 with delivery set for October 2015. Quiet Night is looking for $100,000 in funding on Indiegogo with a campaign end date of April 23.

Categories
Automotive Connected Objects

SafeNet helps keep you and your family safe on the road

The car monitoring services offered by some car companies are useful, though they typically tend to be costly and can’t always be always be used with every car.

SafeNet aims to remedy this with a simple solution. SafeNet is a portable tracking and monitoring system that simply plugs into a car’s accessory jack. Once plugged in, it allows users to track, monitor and communicate with their vehicle. SafeNet is a small, square device that can be placed anywhere in a car where cellular reception is available. With no additional fees, SafeNet will even alert users when a car has been taken out for a spin by an adventurous teenager or an elderly parent. The device can even alert users when their car is being driven too fast. What’s more, if the car is an accident, SafeNet will automatically contact individuals on an emergency contact list. A 3G version of the device with just data costs $214. A 3G version with data and voice functionality is just an extra $5. While a 2G version is available for $199, the device’s maker recommends that U.S. based customers spring for the 3G model. The device is slated to ship in May provided it can raise $130,000 by May 3.

SafeNet holds promise as it features functionality that not all on board diagnostics (OBD) devices offer. For example, unlike Truvolo, SafeNet doesn’t require an app. Further, SafeNet offers users free access to its SkyNet service which hosts free online mapping software on its website. As an aside, the SkyNet name might not have been the greatest choice considering its association with the villainous intelligence system from the Terminator films.

 

Categories
Connected Objects Cycling

YERKA transforms bikes into their own locks sans Transformers sound effects

It doesn’t matter how much precaution a cyclist takes when locking up their bike; just one slip-up can result in a missing ride. With millions of bikes stolen every single year, there are a multitude of options available for keeping bikes out of the hands of thieves. However, most of these solutions are heavy and ungainly to carry around.

The team behind YERKA is doing away with the need to use a standalone solution by making the bike itself its own lock. The collapsible YERKA frame works by securing the frame’s bottom halves with the bike’s seat on any pole or fence up to eight inches long. A user can also use an iOS or Android companion app to remotely lock and unlock YERKA via Bluetooth. Made from the same type of hardened steel found in Kryptonite locks , YERKA is incredibly hard to break. Even if a thief were to impossibly break through the hardened steel, the bike would remain safe as the locked position would prevent anyone from riding it anyhow. An included anti-theft nut protects the bike’s wheels as well. Interested backers can purchase just the frame for $199, or an entire bike outfitted with YERKA for $429. If successful, the $50,000 campaign with an April 18 end date is looking at an estimated ship date of October 2015.

YERKA is an innovative idea that sits in very good company. Products like Quick Caps or Skylock also offer novel solutions to the problem of bike security. Ultimately, the real question when it comes to bike safety is which solution a user prefers as opposed to a lack of options.

Categories
Cycling Nutrition/Hydration

BackBottle cuts you some slack, keeps hydration in reach

Quick and easy access to water or a sports drink is a must for any serious cyclist or triathlete. Understandably, hydration packs are extremely popular for this very reason. But because hydration packs can only hold so much liquid, riders are often forced to carry another bottle or two with them. This can be quite burdensome. And for serious riders who race competitively, awkwardly reaching for a bottle mid-ride may even result in a disqualification

The BackBottle addresses  all of these problems by offering 18oz of easy-to-reach hydration specially designed to neatly fit inside of a riding jersey’s back pocket. The BackBottle form factor is just big enough as to remain steadily in place no matter what kind of terrain a cyclist is riding over. This helps give riders who might otherwise worry about hydration packs flying off their bodies some much needed piece of mind. Between a hydration pack and the BackBottle, athletes can breath easy knowing that they wont need to make frustrating pit stops for water at nearby gas or support stations.

Unfortunately, most bike cages won’t support the BackBottle’s odd shape so some riders might opt for two bottles instead of one. A single BackBottle goes for $10, while four can be had for $30. The product’s estimated ship date is September 2015, provided the $7,777 campaign goal is met by April 3.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Connected Objects Displays

headsUP outfits motorcycle helmets with HUD, no bank rolls necessary

The fascination most have with motorcycles has as much to do with culture as it does with the feeling of danger and the exhilaration that comes from riding. All the same, safety should always be part of the motorcycle riding equation.

One of the more dangerous actions a motorcycle rider can do is to check his or her speed. At 60 miles per hour, riders can cover 150 feet in the split second it takes to quickly look down and check the speedometer.

Inventor Tyler Collins is hoping to make checking motorcycle speed a safer endeavor with headsUP. headsUP, as the name implies, is a heads-up display that can be affixed to any motorcycle and display both speed and navigation information. As a result, riders can keep their eyes on the road while at the same time maintaining an increased level of awareness. The device’s Bluetooth connection allows the helmet to pull navigation data from both iOS and Android devices, transforming that information into a simple to read message on the HUD itself. Backers can purchase their very own headsUP unit for $200 if a campaign goal of $125,000 is met by April 2015. First shipments are expected to begin in January of 2016.

Offering simplicity while not having to shell out an exuberant amount of money makes headsUP an attractive option for any rider interested in this sort of technology. The headsUP succeeds in offering a bare-bones alternative to something like Skully’s AR-1, a far more feature rich, pricey take on the motorcycle helmet.

Categories
Apparel

uGALE keeps cooped up feet from offending coworkers

It can make for a really long work day when the guy or girl in the cubicle next to you decides to relax and take off his or her shoes, unleashing smelly feet upon the entire staff.

uGALE provides a nice solution to this odorous problem. uGALE is a unique insole designed to keep feet cool, dry and odor free. The product also claims to offer relief for foot problems such as athlete’s foot, mycosis, dermatophytosis or intertrigo. The uGALE insole includes a micro-compressor that sends air through built-in ductwork and keeps feet cool in the process. This prevents the sweating and bacterial growth that causes foot odors, an especially common problem when feet are cooped up in shoes all day long. Notably, the foot cooling mechanism in the insole is connected to a Bluetooth controlled app that is compatible with both iOS and Android.

uGALE seems like a great way to keep feet cool, comfortable, and healthy.  Shoe-loving backers might also like to check out ZEM shoes, and Bast Shoes. This campaign seeks to raise €18,000 (~$20,000 USD) by April 16, 2015. Early bird backers can get one product for €260 (~295 USD) with an expected delivery of June 2015.

Categories
Food and Beverage

Vigore bread box implements vacuum effect to keep bread, fruit fresh

There’s nothing like the taste of fresh bread; sandwiches are more savory, garlic bread is more robust, and getting up in the morning is somehow easier when flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth French toast is on the menu. And once a bread-based meal is finished, there’s no greater dessert or snack than some fresh fruit. Keeping both bread and fruit fresh, however, can be a challenge.

The Vigore bread box can purportedly preserve the freshness of breads and fuitts up to three times longer than more traditional storage options. Its makers, however, don’t add specifics so it’s unclear if the Vigore bread box is being compared to other bread boxes, refrigerator storage, or something else entirely. As for how it works, simply plug it in and the built-in electric air removal pump creates a sealed vacuum effect in the box that lengthens the freshness of the food placed within. The electric bread box turns on automatically for two minutes every two hours and only uses 1.5 watts of power per hour. This helps slow down the production of freshness-degrading microbes.

Interested buyers can check out www.vigore.ca for additional information.  Users interested in similar storage options can check out Rolly Bowl, Silicon Lids and Snackadium. This campaign seeks to raise $50,000 by May 9, 2015. Early bird backers can get one product for $89.

Categories
Cycling

EasyTurn turning signal eliminates doubt while cycling

Both novice and experienced cyclists alike face dangers when riding on roads filled with other cyclists, cars, and trucks — a simple collision always carries the risk of injury or even death. As a result, a cyclist is always responsible for signaling their intentions on the road, especially when turning. However, who’s to say that those on the road can understand such signals, or perhaps even see them in the first place?

The EasyTurn is a brake signal designed to be more visible to others on the road. It accomplishes this via a slanted design that can be seen at wider angles. It sports both left and a right turn signals, as well as an red emergency light that flashes when the product senses that the cyclist is braking abruptly. Cyclists can control the left and right turn signals with a wireless button that can be attached to the handlebar so as to be always within reach. Early birds can grab an EasyTurn for $59, while everyone else can get theirs for $79. An estimated delivery date of July 2015 is listed provided the campaign’s $25,000 goal is funded by April 20.

EasyTurn is compact, easy-to-install, and simple to use piece of safety equipment. Just as important, it’s not terribly expensive. Products similar to EasyTurn include WingLights and 8rlicht, the former of which features minimally designed handlebar-mounted turn signals than can be controlled with simple taps while the latter offers a programmable LED board that hangs off the back of a bike. While WingLights might prove to be worthy competition, 8rlicht may be too complex relative to what EasyTurn provides.

Categories
Connected Objects Fitness

Smart Rope skips the gym, provides fitness and feedback in one sleek jumprope

Many people who work out require fancy gadgets, large equipment, or complicated machines to get the job done. They forget that fitness doesn’t have to be so complex and that a good workout can be had with one or two simple tools.

The Smart Rope takes one such humble tool, the jumprope, and ushers it into the 21st century. Smart Rope works with an accompanying smartphone app that tracks the number of jumps, calories burned, and the duration of each workout. It also lets users input their height, weight, and BMI so that the app can come up with the best training regimen for each individual user. Best of all, the rope itself comes equipped with LED lights that, when the rope is in use, displays to the user either the number of jumps made or calories burned.

While Smart Rope’s app isn’t the most sophisticated workout app on the market, it’s a great start for a product that plans to add many more features as funding comes in. Smart Rope doesn’t have the same portability as the very similar Sophia, but it does boast a much sleeker look. For their own, backers can donate $60 for delivery in September 2015. Smart Rope is hoping to raise $60,000 in funding on Kickstarter by April 6.

Categories
Cooking Features

Out There: SteamerWiener cooks hotdogs on a special stick, produces giggles all around

Out There is a feature that highlights weird, wacky or woeful projects.

Hotdogs are one of those foods that are fun and delicious to eat. Not just because they’re made out of mystery meat, but because they’re, well, phallic-shaped.

Now there’s a way to cook hotdogs the way they should be prepared. SteamerWiener looks like a little man with a long, sharp prong protruding from his crotch. To use, stick that hotdog on there and you’ve got yourself one funny sight. It looks like a little metal man cooking his own hotdog on a barbecue! Interestingly enough, this product actually uses a steam engine to rotate the wiener for an even cooking experience.

SteamerWiener is one of those products that would do well in the initiation packet of any fraternity. Beyond that, it’s useful only for cheap giggles from men who still delight in the sight of penises in unusual places. One of the big ones, oh yea, can be had for a donation of $69 (yes, really) for delivery in July 2015. SteamerWiener is looking to raise $60,000 in funding.