Author: Arthur Tufeau

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Cell Phone Accessories

Nexpaq modular phone case lets you easily snap in new gadgets

Once upon a time in the early days of PCs, enthusiasts customized their desktop machines with a wide range of different hardware — optical and hard drives, sound and graphics cards, and a range of monitors, keyboards and mice.

That spirit of customization lives on mostly in the world of high-performance videogame enthusiasts, but it’s mostly passed on as we’ve adopted tightly integrated laptops, tablets and phones that often have little or no expansion capability. Nexpaq, though, is seeking to bring customization into a new era with a case that can accommodate a wide range of modules, many of which communicate with the phones via Bluetooth. Up to six modules can be installed at any time and they’re all compatible with both iOS and Android.

The range of modules include breath alcohol, temperature/humidity and air quality analyzers, an amplified speaker, a laser pointer, two hot keys (to trigger events on the phone) an extra battery (in addition to one built into the case),  n SD card reader, and up to 4 GB of extra flash or a USB drive. Cases work with either the iPhone 6, Galaxy S6 or the S6 Edge. Nexpaq is seeking $50,000 on Kickstarter by May 30th. A case and four modules is available for $109 and is due to ship in November

Nexpaq has something for everyone, but it’s not enough for everyone to want something.  Unlike slow-burn projects such as Google’s Project Ara, the Nexpaq case allows people to keep their popular phones. But it also raises the bar on the level of components that must be offered by Nexpaq and others it hopes to attract to justify the elimination of their phones’ slim profiles. Without a killer module, Nexpaq will have to count on pocket pack rats who wnat a range of relatively obscure accessories at the ready.

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Connected Objects Home

Smart Iron makes a steamy case for connected appliances

It seems just yesterday that pioneering products such as the Nest and Philips Hue were tying household objects that we take for granted to the smartphone for some concrete benefits. But now the adding of connectivity has become somewhat mundane.

Take, for example, the Smart Iron. While most products have an accelerometer to detect when they move, the smart iron uses it to detect when it’s stopped moving to start off a countdown to automatic shut off.

Smartphone users can also use its companion app to set the iron’s temperature and be notified when the iron reaches it. If that doesn’t seem like world-beating features, consider that the product is something of a proof of concept for Meta Innovation’s Meta Box platform, which the company plans to integrate into a range of similarly simple appliances.

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Connected Objects Music

Auris Zwing implants an Android tablet into a bassy boombox

Once upon a time, the mighty boombox was a staple of audio on the go, a pulsating package of portable partying. When the iPod became a huge hit, a number of battery-powered docking speakers arrived to amplify its extensive music libraries. And more recently, Bluetooth-based products accept streams from smartphones. But the reliance on iPods and smartphones took something away from the mostly self-contained boombox experience.

Those are the days that Auris is trying to recapture and modernize with ithe Zwing, a high-powered (110 dB), bass-tuned portable audio system that features a 7” Android touchscreen between its stereo speakers. Tapping Google Play, the Zwing can access virtually any mainstream music streaming service from a Wi-Fi connection. It can also access video streaming services that it can accompany with powerful audio. At least for music playback, the Auris is rated at 20 hours of battery life, so it should be able to provide the soundtrack through even Charlie Sheen-class blowouts.

The Zwing also has an HDMI connector for easy connection to a TV. And for those who would rather store their music and movies than stream them, it’s offered with up to 32 GB of flash memory plus room for 64 more via microSD. There’s also Bluetooth support for the opportunistic use of a smartphone’s screen versus the Zwing’s. Auris seeks $75,000 in its Flexible Funding campaign (which means it will deliver rewards even if it fails in its goal) due to end June 3rd.

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Music

HearNotes offers hi-fi earbuds from out of the Bluetooth

Historically, enjoyment of hi-fidelity images has conjured up rooms with racks of equipment, speakers as tall as an NBA guard, and a deep seat that evokes memories of vintage Maxell commercials. But even audiophiles have not been immune to the demands that being on the go places on listening pleasure. There are many contenders among high-end wired headphones that cater to the discriminating listener, but most of the wireless products have been plagued by a range of issues, including that they’re often not truly wireless.

HearNotes has sought escape from the constraints of Bluetooth by tapping a dormant audio technology called Kleer. Kleer was developed expressly for the purpose of transmitting uncompressed hi-fi stereo music at low power. Beyond quality improvements versus Bluetooth, it claims better resistance to interference. However, because Kleer isn’t ubiquitous in smartphones the way Bluetooth is, the company has had to develop a tiny transmitter that plugs into the headphone jack. This also means that, unlike with some Bluetooth earbuds, you won’t be able to quickly switch into a phone call should one disturb your jam.

To minimize the inconvenience of transmitter, the company has created a little storage box that charges the transmitter and completely wire-free left and right earbud for about four hours of blissful listening. HearNotes has also put a good spin on the need for the transmitter, noting that it offers virtually universal compatibility, even with devices such as some MP3 players  and even old portable CD players that lack Bluetooth.

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Connected Objects Home

GeniCan smart garbage builds your shopping list, engages in trash talk

As noted in classic Sunny Delight commercials and ads for the Keurig 2.0 brewer, we must always be prepared for the possibility that a random mob might barge into our homes demanding something to eat or drink. That’s not the time to find out a shopping trip is called for. As a result, a number of products have sought to save us from prolonging consumption interruption by reminding us to reorder or automatically doing so.

While some of these products focus on goods while they’re in the process of depleting, GeniCan steps in at the end of their lifecycle. A barcode scanner that clips onto a kitchen garbage can or recycling bin, GeniCan adds disposed items back into a shopping list under the assumption the owner would like to order that item again. For products without a barcode, the GeniCan incorporates voice recognition for less automated list building.

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Connected Objects Imaging

Whimsical Flex Cam PIC makes you smile, captures it in stills and video

With smartphone cameras constantly improving and the cost of their camera components dropping, there’s the impetus to put cameras into just about anything — cars, doorbells, pet collars and… things that look like mutated Gumbys.

Flex Cam PIC takes what appears to be a low-end smartphone camera (5 megapixel stills, 720p HD video) and throws it into a rubbery casing that allows it to be wrapped around a great variety of objects from bicycle handles to hula hoops. The device sports 16 GB of flash memory and a small internal battery that’s good for only about an hour of video. Taking a cue from the action cam world, it shoots with a wide angle (124°) and is waterproof. While it offers remote activation via Bluetooth, images and video are transferred over USB for higher-speed transfer.

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Connected Objects Health and Wellness

MedWand measures vitals, peeks inside you to further telemedicine

Anyone who’s seen much of Star Trek has probably seen the tricorder, the magical device used by Dr. McCoy to scan patients for a whole host of possible ailments. Interest in the practicality of that device really picked up with the Scanadu Scout that raised over $1.6 million. However, there’s  plenty that technology can do long before the days of warp drives and phasers.

Take, for example, MedWand. The compact device combines seven medical diagnostic tools in one to send data and images to a doctor available via a telemedicine call. The MedWand allows the remote physician to check out the inside of the patients’ noses, ears or throats, or monitor their heartbeat or blood oxygen level.  This information is sent to an app via Bluetooth although it is no doubt the company’s intent to have it compatible with apps from multiple healthcare providers MedWand seeks $75,000 on Indiegogo by May 28th. A $199 unit that represents a $50 discount off the retail price is due to ship in October.

Unlike products with tricorder ambitions, the MedWand is designed for today’s medical landscape… almost. Telemedicine is still immature and relatively unavailable. However, it stands to fill in a critical gap for immobile patior rural patients. The success of the product will likely come down to the company’s ability to convince insurers to at least partially subsidize its costs.

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Connected Objects Food and Beverage

SmartQSine weighs in with a way to tell when you’re running low on stuff

editors-choiceSome products, like colas, come in clear plastic bottles or glass jars that make it easy to see at a glance when you’re running out. But many don’t. making it easy to run out of whatever is needed whenever it is needed.

To combat this kitchen conundrum, NES Italia has developed the SmartQsine, an oddly named series of small connected scales called pads. They come in two versions. Gold pads communicate with the company’s mobile app and serve as a bridge to less expensive silver pads. Despite the colorful names, both versions are white. SmartQsine also has commercial applications alerting shop owners when they’re low on certain products. The company seeks $80,000 by May 28.  While reward tiers include various combinations of gold and silver pads, a gold pad starts at $439 and should be delivered by August.

SmartQsine is a bit like the Neo Smart Jar, which is designed more to gauge the age of items rather than their level. The Neo has some nifty recipe applications, but the SmartQsine pads can be used with a wide range of containers and is less expensive. It also owes a bit to Quirky’s Refuel, which detects the level of a propane tank by its weight. Its low price and flexible configuration point the way to a future of smart refrigerators and cabinets.

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Connected Objects Sleep

Wakē shines a little light — and audio — to rouse without disturbing mattress mates

The smartphone has encroached upon the classic clock radio as the tool of choice for greeting the day, but both offer an escape from slumber via sounds delivered at an elevated decibel. That can mean a rude awakening for the person who shares a bed with the early riser.

Wakē swivels to project a light and parametric speaker (one that can focus a beam of sound) that work together to gently wake owners and their bedfellows individually. The product mounts above the bed on a wall. From there, a companion smartphone app communicates when and how the sleeping should be awoken with a combination of light and sound. Wakē can hone its spotlight and audio beam on bed occupants even if they are spooning. However, pre-empting concern about (unwanted) cameras in the bedroom, the product relies on heat seeking to identify which person should receive its stimuli. Developer Lucera Labs seeks $100,000 by May 30th. Backers can pick up a unit for $250 (or $125 per bed occupant).

Wake has more applications on the drawing board; a reading light is a natural next step. The product represents the most radical rethinking of the alarm clock in a long time. It’s unusual position in the bedroom and need to be charged every few months, though, diminish ts useful impact for couples. somewhat Still, it represents the most clever use of parametric speaker capabilities to date.

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Lighting

SpellBrite helps you let others see the signs wherever you go

Neon’s look draws people in with the mood it creates and the impact it has. But neon signs are pricey and require a significant amout of power. Plus, once they burn out, they’re complicated to repair.

SpellBrite is an alternative to neon that offers several advantages. The products glow in a manner similar to neon lights, but they use LEDs so they are far more cost-efficient and energy-efficient. The signs are also easy to create and customize as they rely on standard letters that snap together and are secured with simple screws. While a full character set is available, though, there’s only one font and one color available though the latter seems like it could be easy to change  with different colored ovelays.

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