There are many charging stands and docks available for smartphones and tablets, but relatively few can accommodate the multiple mobile devices that stuff our modern pockets and bags, much less are ready for the emerging wave of smartphones. Straight outta Brooklyn comes the oxymoronic Firststand 2, however, employs a clever hollow tube-like design that not only plays well with a smart — or really any —watch, but also accommodates resting phones and even tablets. The space inside the tube can be used for cables, keys and other small items. A bevy of length configurations stretch from a $29 early bird to a $99 combo that includes a 10″ and 4″ stand. Alas, backers’ digital darlings will likely have to flail about in lesser homes until at least May 2014.
Author: Arthur Tufeau
The new hotness is not so welcome when it gets uncomfortably warm in your lap. The designers of the Hive Airdesk agree with this sentiment, which led them to create an aerated surface for setting down your imperfectly engineered hottie and a few of its accessories. The Hive Airdesk uses a “solid surface material” that supposedly performs better in dissipating heat. One can say with certainty that does a better job of dissipating your money compared to cheap versions with vulnerable fans. Early birds can pick one up for a cool $68 CAD while late birds will find their laptop-cooling worm jumps to $118 CAD. Add in another $25 CAD to ship outside of Canada. Or you could put that money toward upgrading from your 7 lb. Pentium 4. The Hive Airdesk is slated to go from buzz to product in March 2014.
An early Kickstarter success story was the olloClip, a nifty add-on lens kit for the iPhone that earned more than four times its campaign goal in 2011. Since then we’ve seen other successful lenses. But for the Moment, one team is using its cinematic lens design chops to devise a 2x telephoto and wide-angle lens that it claims will offer unparalleled quality. Alas, their output and perhaps honor has been tragically degraded by Kickstarter. As one might expect, they’re starting off with the iPhone but are working on a Galaxy option as well. Other phone users are out of luck as the right match of size and weight was paramount in the design process, according to the interview-centric pitch video. With great quality comes great aversion to cheapness. The lenses could be improving your iSight by February 2014 at $49 for either or $99 for the set.
Inspired by adulation for the Hydro Flask bottle that has helped him kick the soda habit, Hawaiian Chad Burch has developed the a handle adapter for the the container. There’s no hinge in order to keep the bottle swaying vertically as it’s carried, but it gets the job done as the product’s slogan enjoins you to “handle your jugs”; you see what he did there. The reward tiers are nearly as simple as the accessory itself, starting at only $3 for a JugLug. It is expected to ship in March 2014.
Who wants to play some football? Unless you’re on an organized team in a league, you may not have the privilege of battling for the gridiron on a lit-up field. Throw Glow seeks to make your nighttime pigskin escapades more enjoyable via an iridescent condom that envelops nearly all of the football. A side benefit, according to the humor-attempting video, is that the surface is supposed to make the spheroid easier to grip. Throw Glow covers take about 30 seconds to stretch over the ball and inventor Chris Pike has designs on attracting licensed graphics to adorn the covers. If you’re ready to toss out about $12 to the campaign, your football may be ready to rule the night by April 2014.
Mae West never inquired as to whether a gentleman admirer had a drone in his pocket. But anyone of her time would be happy to see this multicopter with a footprint smaller than that of an iPad. The Pocket Drone is not only small but mighty, powerful enough to hoist aloft a video camera to capture some impressive videos shown off by the campaign page. According to the project creators, though, the power won’t come at the price of complexity as they note they’ve been through “dozens of iterations to create the perfect drone product that can be used by everyone.” Those wanting to test that claim will need to pledge just under $500 and wait until June 2014, at which point they can command their drone to “go up and see me sometime.”
In theory, the wedding ring is something that should never be taken off. But the reality is that life often provides situations that demand jettisoning the jewelry. In fact, it can be a regular occurrence in many professions such as the chef and dental hygienist endorsing the RingSafe Solo, a way to securely keep your ring on your key chain or a necklace. Unlike other options, the RingSafe allows the ring to lay flat against your chest. While a version is in the works that can accommodate a ring up to 11.5 mm wide, the standard stainless steel version can accommodate rings up to 7 mm. It is slated to become available to backers in June 2014 for $25, a small sum to help protect that which lends dazzle to your digits. The project creators will also make versions available in sterling silver ($250) and solid gold ($2,000).
Organization products don’t come much simpler than stuckToIU. With a name that sounds like it came from an ’80s pop single, the magnetic disc is affixed to your wall ready to hang your keys or other small metal object like an Old West outlaw. The video for the modest $3,500 campaign begins with a jerky slow-mo shot of keys literally being flung at the the stuckToU, which catches them neatly despite the clattering aftershocks from impact. After a $12 early bird, the reward prices shoot up to $45 for a “once in a lifetime” custom magnetic disc. The better course is to use a bit more of that lifetime to wait until the thing ships and pay $15 for it if you miss the early bird. StuckToU is slated to adorn the walls of backers in June 2014.
Fans of portmanteaus will appreciate the Plumen 002, the second in a line of light bulbs that take on unusual shapes. After the success enjoyed by the squiggly design of the the Plumen 001, the London-based team is taking on settings that demand a softer light — as well as a James Bond-like naming scheme — with the 002. In addition to the novel shape, the bulbs conserve energy. But instead of being based on trendy LEDs, they use compact fluorescent technology. Plumen’s campaign talks about the rock star design team that created the inspiration for the bulb, which can illuminate your setting for a pledge starting at $30 or $60 with an elegant Pendant lamp. Whole rooms full of Plumens are available for more; let’s hope they’re packed well when they ship out, which is slated to be June 2014.
Kickstarter has been something of a haven for iPhone docks ever since the Elevation Dock raised almost $1.5 million in a groundbreaking campaign. While that product featured one look and was engineered for one phone, the Varius Dock subscribes to the “flat Earth” theory both with its low-profile base and support for bearkt every popular smartphone and tablet on the planet. Product design Michael Schoening splits his campaign videos between a featured product showcase and a more personal appeal later on the campaign page. But that’s nothing compared to the no less than 12 reward tiers. Selecting one of them will get you the Varius Dock for $69, a $20 discount. But the stronger appeal is probably for people who want to charge multiple devices, which is $10 more. They are slated to start juicing up your mobile screens in April 2014.