Author: Julia Herrick

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories

Piconizer storage device holds onto photos, frees up iPhone’s memory

As smartphones have replaced traditional cameras due to their high quality, most opt to take photos on their phones. However, photos and videos take up lots of storage space. IPhones in particular can get quite expensive with more storage space. This is why most opt to buy an iPhone with smaller storage capacity.

Piconizer recognizes this inherent truth and wants to keep iPhone photo-taking alive. This storage device is compatible with all iPhone 5 and 6 models. Simply insert into the lightning connector and the accompanying app will open up. This allows users to select photos from their phone that they want on the device. Once uploaded, these photos can be deleted from the phone freeing up storage space so that no photos get thrown out for the sake of extra GBs. Piconizer also features a microUSB port so that photos can easily be uploaded onto any computer or laptop.

Piconizer is just like a thumb drive for iPhones. It comes in several different storage amounts starting at 32GB. This is a great tool for those constantly on the go. However, most know that photos can easily be shared to the cloud or directly uploaded to any computer to free up phone space. Still, it’s nice to have a physical backup of photo files in case the computer crashes. For a 32GB version, backers will need to donate $49 for estimated delivery in March 2015. Piconizer is looking to raise $50,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Connected Objects Technology

Appiom censorship app gives parents control over kids’ Wi-Fi usage

As more and more Lifetime movies revolve around the dangerous effects the Internet can have on young ones, parents are beginning to think they should limit online usage. However, these damn millennials are smart and have figured out ways to get around a lot of censorship tools.

Introducing Appiom. A little box and app that casts a safety net over the kids. The app allows users to choose different profiles and collect devices for each profile. For instance, one child’s profile may include their smartphone and laptop. With Appiom, parents can block certain apps entirely, like Facebook, or for just one hour. Similarly, they can set a timer on Internet usage, blocking kids from going online after their bedtime. Understanding that these kids are much more tech savvy than any other generation, Appiom also has capabilities to block 4g and LTE usage, preventing kids from switching from Wi-Fi to phone data to surf the Net.

Installation for this product is quite easy, requiring no router configuration or software downloads. Best of all, for smartphones at least, it only blocks certain apps, letting parents customize phone time for their kids. It would beneficial if there could be some sort of Web site blocking customization too for laptops. Still, this is an easy-to-use product that allows parents to be reasonable in their control over Wi-Fi time instead of downright Web Nazis. One will cost backers an affordable $29 donation for delivery in March 2015. Appiom is hoping to raise $25,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Imaging

Lume Cube portable flash brightens up your selfie, illuminates environment

Those who love high quality photography are moving farther away from cameras and simply relying upon their smartphones for a great shot. The smartphone camera has come a long way, providing folks with control over focus, exposure, filters and more. However, there are still a few key ways these phone cameras lag behind digital or film cameras.

Lume Cube provides the kind of light that’s hard to find when using a smartphone camera. Each cube is 1.5” and provides up to 1,500 lumens. With a strong magnet on the back and powerful suction cup, each cube can be mounted at least somewhere for the perfect shot. Or use the tripod it comes with to stand it up. Boasting two hours of battery life and no recycle in between flashes, Lume Cube can easily be used for continuous use.

Best of all, though, is the fact that these cubes sync up via Bluetooth to any iPhone or Android with its accompanying app. The app allows up to five Lume Cubes to be used at once. It also allows for dimming and either sporadic flash for photo taking or a continual flash for videos. Last, but not least, each cube is encased in waterproof silicone making it durable for wherever a photograph may need to be taken.

The campaign does a fantastic job of showing backers just how powerful this light can be, with some nighttime action shots and a before and after selfie. Lume Cube clearly delivers what it boasts. The only drawback is that they’re a bit bulky. If its creators can flatten these cubes out so that they’re less, well, cube-y, then they’d be much more portable which is the whole point of shooting with a smartphone. Backers can have one for $59 by February 2015. Lume Cube is looking to raise $56,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Furniture Kids/Babies

Lemon Pie kids’ furniture enables the ultimate couch pillow fort

When you’re a kid, there’s nothing like building a fort to play in. All of the pillows, blankets and cushions in the house must convene in order to make the perfect fort. Lemon Pie was designed to give traditional fort-making materials a break. This product is made of different parts that can either be assembled into a couch or chair and then reassembled into a fort or any other kind of fun structure for kids. Designed from soft, flame-retardant materials, this is perfectly safe for children.

The oddly-named Lemon Pie certainly offers function not only for children, but for adults as well. It looks fun and forces kids to be imaginative in the way they build their forts. While it’s not the most attractive piece of furniture around, it’s still great for parents who don’t want their living room to become a full-blown play area. For the most basic chair, backers can donate $335 with estimated delivery in April 2015, if Lemon Pie can reach its $15,000 goal on Kickstarter.

Categories
Pets Wearables

Arden Collar combines LEDs, GPS and Bluetooth to help find and identify lost pets

Pets have the tendency to wander off, much like children. When they do, they have a much harder time finding their way home. Not only that, but they run the risk of getting hit by a car or snatched up by some Cruella de Vil type. Once pets are gone, pet owners must resort to flyers which usually produce no results.

The Arden Collar works to keep your pet safe at all times. This silicone collar features a GPS tracker which hooks up via Bluetooth LE or Wi-Fi to an app so that you can see where your pet is. In addition, with the help of NFC, those near the lost pet will be alerted to its missing status. The collar will display the pet’s information on their phones, including name and address as well as the vet’s name and address. This makes it possible for others to easily help Fido find home.

This collar isn’t only useful in times of emergency. With Hi-LED lights that can be activated at the push of a button, owners can walk their dogs at night with maximum visibility. Also, the collar tracks the dog’s activity, temperature and other vitals and stores the data in the cloud. This way, owner and vet can make sure the pet is healthy. For maximum convenience, Arden has a detachable battery to make charging possible without removing the whole collar.

The Arden Collar has lots of cool features that will make it useful to lots of dog owners. It takes GPS tracking a step further by giving strangers the opportunity to help. In addition, it monitors the dog’s health like a FitBit does for humans. The one major drawback of this product, however, is that it may cost up to $45 each month for the services it provides. For those who don’t mind the monthly bill, one will cost $149 for estimated delivery in October 2015. Arden is looking to raise a ridiculous $400,000 on Indiegogo.

Categories
Displays Tablet Accessories

Project Wedge is a cheap, portable projector for tablets

Lots of young millennial have figured out that televisions are expensive. However, with the right cables and devices, they can project television shows and movies onto a blank wall or screen for entertainment. Since companies would rather have consumers spending money on expensive equipment, the typical project model is lagging behind in innovation.

Project Wedge is a mini projector for the young adult consumer in mind. Working with tablets and smartphones via an HDMI cable, Project Wedge projects images from these devices. It looks sharp on a screen or wall up to 60 inches. With a battery that lasts for four hours, it’ll be easy to watch a move on the big screen, perhaps streamed from Netflix or Amazon Prime.

Not only is Project Wedge easy to use and compatible with a wide range of devices, but it’s also quite compact, not much bigger than a tablet with a stand. All in all this is a nifty little product, perfect for those who don’t care for cable or flatscreen televisions. One will cost backers $150 for delivery in September 2015. This product is looking to raise $100,000 with the help of Indiegogo.

Categories
Kids/Babies Nutrition/Hydration

Goldilocks-approved Moozi Formula Pod serves up infant nutrition at the right temperature

Newborn babies are both a joy and a pain in the tuccus. For those who have chosen not to breastfeed their children, formula is the only alternative. However, it can be difficult to get the bottle to the right temperature so as not to burn your baby. Moozi is like a Keurig machine, but for baby bottles. Fill the reusable pods with formula and push go. Not only will this machine make a formula bottle for you, but it will also get that formula to the perfect temperature for your little bundle of joy.

Moozi joins several other similar products, like the Perfect Baby Bottle Maker. Moozi takes the bottle-making machine to the next level from the Perfect Baby Bottle Maker with a sleek design and, more importantly, reusable pods so that parents aren’t stuck with a limited formula selection. Backers can enjoy the Moozi with a bunch of reusable pods for $150 with an estimated delivery date of May 2015. This bottle maker is looking to raise $50,000 with the help of Kickstarter.

Categories
Home Lighting

Shade light switch auto-dims lights, smartens smart bulbs

The lighting in any home can make or break a room. It’s best to have lots of light so as not to be left in the dark, but have the ability to dim those lights for dinner or intimate time with a spouse. However, constantly running to the light switch to adjust these levels isn’t very smooth.

Shade is a smart lighting system that adjusts light automatically. It will brighten or dim any room based on sunlight. With photocells, this product detects sunlight and brightens or dims accordingly. In addition, it uses Wi-Fi to allow for scheduling, remote control and geolocation settings. However, as Shade is used more and more, the product will learn common habits and adjust the lights to match them. For instance, if brighter light is desired on weeknights, Shade will customize itself to such a preference.

Unlike other smart light switches, Shade doesn’t require a smartphone to turn lights on. It uses a physical on/off switch. This is because the folks at Shade believe such a tool is much easier to use than having to get out the phone, a good thought. It’s easy to get caught up in the technology of it all without recognizing that sometimes the old ways work better.

Shade will definitely make a great addition to any home. For offices, however, it may not work as well. Workers need bright light to see whether the sun is high in the sky or not. Still, it’s great for setting the mood for dinner. Unfortunately, backers much purchase one light switch at a time, so rigging the whole house may prove costly. For one switch, Shade is asking for an $88 donation with estimated delivery in July 2015. This product is looking to raise an ambitious $125,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Input Sensors/IoT

Backtrack monitors spinal movement with eye to those in rehab

As we age, we begin to slow down. For example, our backs give out and injuring them could mean immobility for weeks.

Backtrack is a sensor that tracks movements in real time in 3-D. Connecting to any smartphone, the image shows movements on the screen. With this data, advanced algorithms can be applied to analyze how to improve movements and really show what’s going on, especially in physical therapy situations. The product itself is a small blue piece of rubber (obviously with more stuff inside). The campaign does a good job of showing how moving the sensor tracks those motions on the phone.

While the idea of translating three-dimensional motions onto a phone is a novel one, it doesn’t really seem necessary. The technology is still too new to really do much with the data collected. The campaign mentions vague “advanced algorithms” but it’s confusing what these really are. Backtrack seems to have fallen into the trap of sensor without feedback. Other sensors, like the runScribe track motions and then provide useful tips about adjustment. For their very own, backers can donate $150 CAD (~$131 USD) for estimated delivery in July 2015. Backtrack is looking to raise $50,000 CAD (~$44,000) on Kickstarter.

Categories
Sports

CaddyLok tubes secures clubs in the bag from knocking around

Diehard golfers know that their only option is buying clubs, renting them just doesn’t make sense. It’s a costly investment, but worth it in the end if golfing is a common weekend activity.

In order to protect those expensive golf clubs, try CaddyLok. This system works with any golf bag to keep clubs secure. This product consists of magnetic tubes that keeps clubs in place and locks them using magnets. As an added perk, it also keeps clubs from rattling around cutting down on noise. Using fabric hooks, the tubes affix to the bag itself.

It’s most likely that the golfer’s caddie more than the golfer will rejoice at seeing this product. For them, it means a bag that’s easier to carry and clubs that are more organized to choose from. The price isn’t bad either. A $100 donation will get any golfer a full set by February 2015. Considering what everything else golf costs, that’s a bargain. CaddyLok is looking to raise $20,000 on Kickstarter.