Author: Boot Bullwinkle

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories

Pocketable Torso helps your smartphone to charge, pose

The Premise. As smartphones have grown exponentially more powerful, battery life has been incapable of keeping up. Active smartphone users often have to charge their phone once or twice a day, and that means bringing a charger to wherever they need to go. The problem is, these chargers aren’t as portable as the devices they give life to.

The Product. A followup from the Portland team that delivered the similar Twig charging cable that gained over three times its funding goal, the Torso is the spork of charging devices. This all-in-one charging device is an extremely portable charging device for both iPhone and Android devices. At about the length of a thumb and the thickness of a Samsung Galaxy S4, the Torso can easily slide into your pocket discreetly with all your other essentials. The Torso also has moldable legs that allow it to double as a cord-wrapping device and triple as a tripod that props up the phone vertically. (And you’re not one of those folks who take vertical video, right?) Likely due to the thinness of the iPhone Lightning connector — which was not supported by the Twig — the iPhone version has a small grippy head to hold it steady; this reduces the flatness of the form factor somewhat.

The Pitch. The simple campaign video gets the point across straight away. It starts off by demonstrating the issue we’ve all faced with tangled cords and charging cables, and comparing that to the simplicity that the Torso provides.

The Perks. Backers can pick up the miroUSB verison of the Torso for Android and Windows Phones for $17, a 30-pin version for older iPhones and iPods at $17, and the Lightning version for $25, a bit of a premium over the relatively similar to the $19 price tag of the 0.5 meter charging cable from Apple. Shipment of the Torso to begin in April 2014 — a pretty decent bet considering the team was just a couple of weeks late delivering its first Kickstarter project to which the Torso is so similar.

The Potential. The Torso is a refreshing perspective of what used to be a one dimensional product.  There are cheaper and smaller on-the-go charging cables, but particularly for those up for a quick video chat, it’s a versatile bridge between a nearby USB port and your smartphone.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories

Dots911 amplifies cell signals, points you toward coverage

editors-choiceThe Premise: There have been too many cases where people have been lost or stranded without cellphone reception to make a call for help. People often have to wander off blindly in search of a stronger signal in hopes of getting out of their sticky situation. Not being able to find a cell signal — a nuisance in daily life — can turn into a life-threatening scenario, particularly in extreme temperatures.

The Product. Dots911 is a combination of hardware that boosts signal strength and software that directs you to the nearest signal if you don’t have any. It’s an insurance product to make sure that you never end up stranded without signal, and it can sometimes be the difference between life and death. The app, which is available for Android and iOS users, doesn’t directly control the product. However, it is a good complement, providing a quick access map of cellphone coverage in the area, while the amplifier — which resembles a small, clear satellite dish — boosts whatever signal there is to make a stronger connection.

The Pitch. In their video, the creators provide examples of people who have been stranded and unable to call for help because they didn’t have cell-phone coverage. They show how their app uses color-coded dots to direct the user to the closest signal, and how the signal booster can fit within the trunk of a car for convenient signal access.

The Perks: The app for Dots911 is available only to those who make a $35 pledge or more. That pledge is also enough for a compact 8-inch signal enhancer that requires no power and works with any mobile phone in the world. You can pitch in more money to receive larger signal enhancers for increased signal power.

The Potential: While the potential value of the Dots911 system is compelling, there are other cellular amplifiers on the market, many of which are more compact. Their signal enhancer looks like the product of a garage, some extra plastic, and an old camera tripod. It’s not portable enough to be a product that campers or hikers would consider bringing, and for the average cellphone user, a laptop sized satellite isn’t exactly the number one solution for a text message that won’t go through. However, throwing one in the trunk of your car might not be a good idea if your travels will take you to remote and potentially dangerous places.

Categories
Connected Objects

Bringrr sets off social search parties to find your lost items

The Premise. News flash: People lose things. Whether it’s a wallet, cellphone, bag or pet, we’ve all misplaced something or left it behind by accident. Tracking devices have always been subject to high prices and the world of spy movies, leaving the average “loser” stuck relying on memory to find the wayward object.

The Product. Bringrr hopes to prevent people from losing anymore items. The original concept is a normal car USB charger—with a twist. On top of being able to charge any USB device, Bringrr will notify the driver if their phone is in the car or not. For every other item, there’s BringTags. The small circular pieces have a small and simplistic design that makes them easy to pair with any commonly lost item. With a very initiative and sleek design interface, Bringrr’s iPhone app can also help to locate lost items by providing information about distance and direction.

The Pitch. The Bringrr video very simply demonstrates the practical uses of the USB port and BringTags. By showing many different real life scenarios where the Bringrr helped people avoid losing their items, it becomes pretty clear how much it can benefit everyday life. There’s also a cute storyline to follow of a girl who uses the Bringrr community to reunite her with her lost cat, which leaves a nice hint of “happily ever after.”

The Perks. For the person who loses just about everything, $89 will land a Bringrr and four BringTags with the color of their choosing. For $49, you’ll be able to keep track of your phone and one other item with a BringTag, and for $39, a Bringrr USB charger will always remind you if you drive away without your phone. The price of the items you’re scared of losing in sentiment or monetary value probably far outweighs the dent in your pocket these pledges will make.

The Potential. This is a very cool idea, that’s useful for just about anyone, right? Well, Unfortunately for the Bringrr folks, at least half a dozen other companies have also thought so, creating products such as the Zomm, Kensington Proximo and  Stick-n-Find. O Nearly 50,000 people have already pledged to receive The Tile. Essentially, BringTags and Tiles have the same features except one is circular, and the other is a rounded square.

A key to these tracking devices’ success is the involvement of the community when items are lost. Therefore, the larger the community, the more likely you are to find that item. Tile has a bit of a head start building a community, but Bringrr has a snazzy USB charger for your car that could help prevent having to head back if you left your phone at home. At nearly identical prices, it’s going to be a battle, with many other players vying to find your misplaced objects.

Categories
Smart Home

Webee seeks to boss around home controls

The Premise. Technology is meant to seamlessly intertwine with our lives to make every day living more efficient and productive. But with so many devices, it can be hard to keep track and manage every single one. So imagine if you could control every appliance in your house, from a simple app on your phone.

The Product.  Not to be confused with the identically named children’s educational computing system that mounted an unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign in 2012, the Webee is a smart home system that connects and controls your devices though an app on your phone. While there are other such systems on the market, the Webee claims that it is unique in that it learns from your patterns and makes suggestions based on your style of living. (However, the Kickstarter-hosted Ninja Sphere  makes a similar promise.)

Webee promises to upgrade your lifestyle and save a ton of money by reducing your energy bill. Simply plug in the small “Boss” box and install the app to start controlling your smart appliances vs. modules known as Bees, and turn your regular appliances into smart appliances with a smart Plug that automatically pairs with the Webee.

The Pitch. In seeking  $50,000, Webee’s campaign page why people would want a smart home. The video shows just how easy it can be to manage all of your appliances to maximize their efficiency. The system’s designers show how the user interface can make suggestions based on your patterns in order to save money and live in a smarter universe.

The Perks. For $299, one can claim the Early Webee Lifestyle package to get started on your Smart home. That package includes a smart hub (Boss),and a host of  things to control (Bees) including a smart plug, a smart lamp holder, a door closing/opening sensor, a Smart Station, and a Smart Host. If you want to test out the system to see if a smart home is for you, you can get a smart hub and smart plug for only $129.

The Potential. There are other smart home devices on the market such as the Revolv. All promise to reduce the cost and complexity of automation dramatically, but it’s really anyone’s race right now until the use case is better proven out.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Connected Objects Imaging

MaxStone wirelessly triggers virtually any DSLR from your camera

editors-choiceThe Premise. Photographers often have to choose between the simplicity and accessibility of an iPhone or the quality of a DSLR camera. It can take a myriad of cords, set up procedures, and a small army to remotely control the camera shutter of a DSLR, and the state of high quality photography and video would be much higher with a simplified solution to this problem.

The Product. The MaxStone is not a film noir detective but rather a beautiful combination of intuitive technology and minimalist design. Compatible with virtually any DSLR camera, the MaxStone turns the iPhone into a remote control for the camera shutter. Simply attach the dongle to the camera shutter, turn the camera to IR mode, open the app, and you’re ready for action.

The Pitch. The video does a tremendous job of emphasizing and highlighting the simplicity of the Maxstone. They also took the opportunity to show that the MaxStone can help to avoid disaster by reminding you if you stray too far from your camera, and also that the MaxStone can control your iPhone camera as well. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the video was that the MaxStone was used to record the entire pitch.

The Perks. Project backers quickly claimed three pledge categories that would have landed you a MaxStone for under $30. However, for $35, you can claim their Kickstarter special and receive a vivid green MaxStone, or for $39 you can choose between ore black or indian red. For a cool sum of $3999, you can visit MaxStone’s home city of Beijing, China (round-trip ticket and 7-day stay in a five-star hotel included).

The Potential. The MaxStone has come along way since its inception, and it still has room to grow in areas such as energy consumption and range. Depending on how often it’s used, the battery can last anywhere from six to 12 months, and it only works reliably within a 100-foot range. It’s truly a tool that aims to improve photo taking efficiency, and it even offers in-app explanations and advice for learning photographers. Therefore, it’s a must have for anybody with a DSLR and an iPhone.

Categories
Connected Objects Smartwatches/Bands

Haloband taps into smartphone features from the wrist

The Premise. When you’re in a rush and on the go, it can be difficult to access the key features on your phone. Fumbling through the process of unlocking your phone, opening the the app, and waiting for it to boot up can often end up being a waste of time. This can make accessing smartphone apps a problem.

The Product. Using NFC technology, simply tap the phone to your Haloband to access your favorite apps. You can quickly unlock your phone, change the song, turn on the flashlight, check in to social networks, open the camera, and access many other features all with a simple wrist movement. The silicone band is not only flexible and waterproof, but it doesn’t require any batteries either.

The Pitch. Product Manager Sam Luo starts off the video by showing some of the Haloband’s main features and how they’re accessed with a simple tap. At around the 50 second mark, the video suddenly takes a turn towards the realm of high school video projects. If you can get past the cringe-worthy awkwardness of the acting, the video turns back to Luo who asks for a donation to put the Haloband into mass production.

The Perks. For just a $19 donation on Kickstarter, pledgers will receive a black Haloband, and for $22, you can choose your color as well. This is one of the cheapest options for wristband technology today, so it may be worth checking out. If you want to pledge more than $2000, the Haloband team will take you out to dinner along with a tour of Shanghai, China (travel fee not included).

The Potential. Smartphones have incorporated software that improves the accessibility of their phones already, so the Haloband’s purpose of improving their efficiency falls short of the mark. However, if accessing applications on your phone still remains a challenge, the Haloband may very well be an effective and economical solution for your needs.