Month: July 2015

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Loogun uses high power water stream to replace nasty toilet brushes

Everyone hates toilet brushes. They’re universally gross but they’re a necessity for keeping the toilet clean.  Although some companies try to make single-use pads to cut down on the gross factor, they’re horrible for the environment and can cost over $100 a year buying refills.

But for $42, the Loogun is a sleek and elegant solution. It features a reservoir and a motor that creates a powerful stream of water that can handle the toughest bathroom messes.  The design is absolutely more attractive than a typical toilet brush, and because it never touches the toilet, it’s free of bacteria.

The creators of the Loogun are in the UK, and they’re hoping to ship worldwide by January 2016 if they meet their $62,850 goal by August 9, 2015. As far as toilet brushes go, the Loogun seems like a pretty and efficient alternative to the usual nasty bristles.

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Technology

ProSounds X-Pro earplugs give noise the silent treatment

Earplugs can come in handy whenever people are faced with loud, irritating noise for extended periods of time –- such as on an airplane or at an especially loud concert that a heavy metal fan friend has dragged them to. But there are several problems with earplugs –- among them, that they can sometimes block out too much sound and they can also often be very uncomfortable.

ProSounds X-Pro solves both of those particular issues. They are manually switchable earplugs that have been designed to fit comfortably in any ear. After the X-Pro is placed in the ear, the user can activate its hearing protection with the push of a button. Its closed valve will protect the user’s hearing by providing 30 decibels (dB) of noise reduction with its foam tips (24 dB noise reduction with silicon tips).  When the user needs to hear again, instead of completely removing the earplugs, the user can simply press the button again to open the patent-pending acoustic valve, allowing sound to pass through naturally.

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Tech Accessories

Cusby releases the potential of USB-C, one module at a time

One day, USB-C — the reversible connector that represents the first change the USB “A” port since its inception — will be everywhere. In addition to everything older USB connectors can do, it can accommodate video connections and power. However, in their eagerness to take advantage of the port’s great versatility, laptop purveyors such as Apple (with its new MacBook) and Google (with the Chromebook Pixel 2) have  offered a limited number of ports with few choices for adapters.

Cusby takes a modular approach to releasing the potential of the USB-C connector. It consists of a number of modular components that allow those with USB-C ports to break out dedicated connectors with tile-like units that are about 1.6″ square. These include the more traditional USB-A, HDMI, and one (or more) USB-C ports.

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Connected Objects Nutrition/Hydration

Nourish health shake fabricator mixes your personalized wellness potion at the touch of a button

The Keurig pod coffee maker has become a cultural touchstone for choice and convenience that hasn’t been lost on crowdfunders. Alas, products dispensing helpings of caffeine, sugary soda or booze don’t tend to contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

Nourish has applied the idea of customized countertop concoctions to the protein supplement market. The device, which features a full display touchscreen front, accommodates 16 pods/”seeds’ that dock into the top of the device and which are surrounded by disco-like rings of light when being tapped. The seeds contain multiple nutrients that Nourish can  combine to produce a mixture that is optimized to one’s nutritional needs as determined by an app-driven assessment. There’s also a companion Apple Watch app to check in and remind when it’s time to guzzle down more nutrients.

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Displays

Slidenjoy gives your laptop multiple slide-out screens

Today, laptops can do just about everything that a desktop computer was once able to to do. But there are still a few differences. For one, monitors on desktop computers tend to be larger, offering more space to work. And advanced users often connect two or even three monitors to extend their work space even further.

That’s not something that’s been practical on laptop monitors despite the availability of many portable displays. However, Slidenjoy is hoping to ease the task. The product sits behind a laptop screen and makes one or two extra HD displays available, allowing up to three including the one built into the laptop. They are connected via USB using a standard called DisplayLink.

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Technology

Ubik Uno smartphone was made for you and me

These days, using a smartphone may seem easy to many of us, but making them is tough. There are a lot of tradeoffs that companies must make — the better the specs, the pricier the device.

Ubik Mobile hopes to become a more responsive player in the crowded Android market by tapping into the power of the people in a number of ways. First, by bypassing carriers and other retailers, it can cut out middlemen and the piece of the pie they command. Second, by launching the Ubik Uno,  its first phone on Kickstarter, it gets the benefit of getting case before fulfilling preorders. The Ubik includes many leading-edge components, including a  horizontally bezel-free display, an eight-core MediaTek processor and a 20 MP/4K camera with Sony sensor, at the price of a mid-tier device.

But the third way may be the most novel. The company plans to create a community that will vote on features for subsequent Ubik devices. Ubik seeks $200,000 by August 15th and the price of the smartphone, which is due to ship in September, is $345.

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Imaging

E1 camera blends a 4K GoPro with interchangeable lenses

GoPros and other small cameras have become commonplace for allowing the capture of different perspectives. They’re rugged enough to brave the elements but have a fixed lens that make many shots look similar.

The E1 trades the GoPro’s ruggedness for some of the flexibility and quality of DSLR cameras. Instead of the fixed lens used by GoPro, it can take advantage of the lenses used by “micro four thirds” (MFT) cameras such as those from Olympus and Panasonic. Instead of using the the same fisheye effect to capture everything, MFT lenses can handle long telephoto zooms and wide-angle shots. The MFT system comes close to the quality of full-fledged DSLRs, but the lenses are quite a bit smaller. Even so, the combination can get a bit unwieldy for long zoom lenses.

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Cell Phone Accessories Health and Wellness

Snor uses mobile device, patented tech to ease night breathing

Many people snore and don’t try to remedy the problem even though their snoring often prevents them and their loved ones from getting a good night’s sleep. Snorers often are reluctant to try any of the most common treatments: implants, surgery and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.

patent-claimedSnor is a patented training device that bypasses such methods, strengthening users’ soft palate muscles and enabling them to stop snoring for months, its makers say. The device plugs into Android and iOS smartphones, and users download an accompanying app to their phones. A short tube is then inserted into the Snor device and the user’s mouth. Sucking on the tube much like one sucks from a straw helps to train the soft palate muscle and users can gauge if they are doing it correctly by looking at the app.

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Personal Transportation

Portable A-Bike Electric folds small enough for a backpack

While most people are far more comfortable on a bicycle than on anything else, it doesn’t mean most bicycles are suitable for the demands a busy city commute places on someone. Even the lightest bicycles can be ungainly to carry around and a pain to lock up everywhere, making them less than stellar options for getting around quickly.

The A-Bike Electric takes the compact nature of Sir Clive Sinclair’s original idea and supercharges it with a dual chain drive and brushless motor, featuring a 24V battery providing up to 15 miles of assisted pedaling even up hills. Its 26-pound foldable frame uses telescopic design in order to fold up into an extremely portable, place-it-in-a-bookbag form in about 10 seconds, making the A-Bike a worthy alternative to most commute cutting options. An A-Bike can be had for $900 provided its $76,000 campaign sees success by August 13th, 2015. Backers will be able to hop on and ride in October 2015.

The A-Bike Electric is successful at being compact, cleverly designed, and light while still retaining the familiarity with bicycles most people are comfortable with. Being able to take it along on the train or into a coffee shop is a convenience would prefer versus leaving a bicycle unattended outside. The Impossible E-Bike attempted something similar but ultimately never materialized, leaving a huge gap for products like the A-Bike Electric to be successful.

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Podcasts

Backerjack Podcast #21: Dish-sized Desktops and Roving Robots

In Episode 21 of the Backerjack Podcast, the triumphantly returning Steve and Ross check out some of the latest products seeking funds and preorders:

  • Remix Mini, a $30 PC that you can hold in your hands and runs a Windows-flavored version of Android.
  • Buddy, an expressive, face-sensing robot that can interact with multiple family members when you’re home and watch your home when you’re away.

Download the episode or listen below, subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and subscribe to the Backerjack Daily Digest to make sure you catch all the gadgets we’re covering. Also check out Steve’s great work on Apple World Today!

 

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