Author: Julia Herrick

Categories
Aquatics Cycling

Glide along the water with the Schiller S1 water bike

Water sports present the opportunity for athletes to enjoy thrilling activities with little risk. As long as they’re wearing a lifejacket, they’re good to go.

Schiller S1 is an exciting new entrant to the water sports market, offering athletes the chance to cycle on the water. This water bike consists of a rust-resistant bike that sits in between two floatation devices. Using a catamaran-like design, the Schiller won’t sink. In addition, a rudder attached to the handles allows for steering while pedaling backwards sends the bike into reverse. Schiller includes a pump to blow up the floaties, which can subsequently deflate for maximum portability. One unit will cost backers a whopping $3,950 for their own with expected delivery by July 2015. Schiller is looking for $100,000 in funding by April 11.

Schiller’s campaign boasts about how portable this bike is, with owners being able to take it on a train, plane or in a car. Backers should beware, however, because the bike weighs a total of 70 lbs. Such heft isn’t exactly considered portable. However, in all other aspects, this is a fun product thatoffers a great way to get out on the water without getting super wet.

Categories
Cooking

Fourneau Bread Oven cooks bread at home, saves dough at bakery

Despite the current war on bread, most people eat bread every single day. Unfortunately, this gluten-infested treat is slightly complicated to make. Those with bread makers may take the plunge, but everyone else usually opts to visit the bakery instead.

Now, the Fourneau Bread Oven lets timid bread-lovers make their own. This little metal hatch goes straight into the oven. When preheating is done, stick the loaf into Fourneau and close the door. The Fourneau Bread Oven provides the type of tight steamy space the loaf needs to bake without any hassle. The folks at Fourneau also offer a peel (otherwise known as that giant wooden spatula bakers use) and a book of bread recipes.

There are plenty of DIY methods out there to designed to cook bread at home without a bread machine, but they’re all fairly makeshift. Fourneau is a good option for those looking for an easier alternative. The device appears to only cook baguette-type bread, which may limit its appeal going forward. Still, backers who would like one can donate $195 for delivery in August 2015. Fourneau is hoping to raise $90,000 on Kickstarter by April 7.

Categories
Connected Objects Kids/Babies

Quiet Night offers music for baby and sleep for parents, allegedly

Babies are cute, except for when they wake up at all hours of the night. When most babies wake up, they don’t really need anything. Rather, they just get bored lying in bed, thereby leaving it up to the parents to rouse themselves to entertain their child back to sleep.

patent-claimedQuiet Night offers a way for parents to sleep through the night while keeping their alert baby entertained. This product consists of a handle that lives in baby’s crib. When the baby wakes up, he/she is supposed to grab the handle which will play music. The longer the baby holds the handle, the more the system will remember that song as soothing to the child. To change the song, the baby need only let go and pull the handle again. Quiet Night features over 125 classical/soothing/acoustic songs handpicked by child psychologists.

The whole idea of soothing classical music comforting a restless child is the stuff of WASPy dreams. The actual execution is doubtful, however. How is an infant supposed to know how to control the music or that holding the handle longer indicates that they like the song? The whole things sounds a little ridiculous and is made even more so by the flaunting of partnering up with child psychologists who supposedly helped design the product. Still, tired parents dazzled at the thought of a full night’s sleep can have one of their own for $59 with delivery set for October 2015. Quiet Night is looking for $100,000 in funding on Indiegogo with a campaign end date of April 23.

Categories
Connected Objects Fitness

Smart Rope skips the gym, provides fitness and feedback in one sleek jumprope

Many people who work out require fancy gadgets, large equipment, or complicated machines to get the job done. They forget that fitness doesn’t have to be so complex and that a good workout can be had with one or two simple tools.

The Smart Rope takes one such humble tool, the jumprope, and ushers it into the 21st century. Smart Rope works with an accompanying smartphone app that tracks the number of jumps, calories burned, and the duration of each workout. It also lets users input their height, weight, and BMI so that the app can come up with the best training regimen for each individual user. Best of all, the rope itself comes equipped with LED lights that, when the rope is in use, displays to the user either the number of jumps made or calories burned.

While Smart Rope’s app isn’t the most sophisticated workout app on the market, it’s a great start for a product that plans to add many more features as funding comes in. Smart Rope doesn’t have the same portability as the very similar Sophia, but it does boast a much sleeker look. For their own, backers can donate $60 for delivery in September 2015. Smart Rope is hoping to raise $60,000 in funding on Kickstarter by April 6.

Categories
Cooking Features

Out There: SteamerWiener cooks hotdogs on a special stick, produces giggles all around

Out There is a feature that highlights weird, wacky or woeful projects.

Hotdogs are one of those foods that are fun and delicious to eat. Not just because they’re made out of mystery meat, but because they’re, well, phallic-shaped.

Now there’s a way to cook hotdogs the way they should be prepared. SteamerWiener looks like a little man with a long, sharp prong protruding from his crotch. To use, stick that hotdog on there and you’ve got yourself one funny sight. It looks like a little metal man cooking his own hotdog on a barbecue! Interestingly enough, this product actually uses a steam engine to rotate the wiener for an even cooking experience.

SteamerWiener is one of those products that would do well in the initiation packet of any fraternity. Beyond that, it’s useful only for cheap giggles from men who still delight in the sight of penises in unusual places. One of the big ones, oh yea, can be had for a donation of $69 (yes, really) for delivery in July 2015. SteamerWiener is looking to raise $60,000 in funding.

Categories
Kids/Babies Wearables

Baby Check checks on your baby’s health so you can rest easy

When someone is sick, they tell the doctor what’s wrong. Babies, however, can’t communicate except through crying. So when there’s a problem, it can be hard to tell right away whether it warrants a visit to the doctor or not.

Baby Check is a wearable for babies. Like many adult wearables, it keeps an eye on health by monitoring temperature, sleep, position and medicine administration. It stays on the arm and is made from safe materials meaning that it’s fine for baby to wear all day and night. The information detected by the armband syncs up with an accompanying Android/iOS app. It tracks data over time and allows for high temperature alarms to be set so that parents know exactly when their baby’s fever spikes. Baby Check runs on a rechargeable battery with a life of about one year.

All in all, Baby Check appears to be another great product for helicopter parents, much like the Fever Smart. While temperatures and sleep patterns aren’t essential for parents to keep super close track of, there’s value in being able to keep tabs on sleeping positions as babies aren’t supposed to sleep on their stomachs. Parents can donate $50 for their own with delivery in June 2015. Baby Check is hoping to raise $35,000 in funding on Kickstarter by April 1.

Categories
Features Lighting

Out There: Slap It butt light lets you get a piece of that double without any trouble

Out There is a feature that highlights weird, wacky or woeful projects.

So many people see a big jiggly butt and just can’t help but slap it! It’s human nature. Unfortunately, society discourages this type of behavior citing “personal space” as something that must be respected.

Now, the wet blanket of society can suck it! Slap It is a light shaped like a butt. Mount it on the wall, step back, and marvel at its beauty. It’s made from some mystery material that produces a life-like jiggle. To turn on, simply, slap, squeeze or grab. The light comes in ten different colors and a dial lets the user choose which one they’d like to see.

This British-made product will surely find success donning the sound studios of many butt-obsessed rappers. Other than that, it’s actually not a particularly shapely or alluring butt. Still, backers can get their slap on for a donation of £195 (~$295) with estimated delivery set for June 2015. Slap It is hoping to raise £58,000 (~$87,800) in funding on Kickstarter.

Categories
Arts

Pika portable tattoo device gets ink done on the run

Tattoo artists are only as good as their tools. For them, the vibrating needles they use to infuse ink into skin must be sound, clean and accurate in order to deliver the best results.

Pika takes the traditional tattoo gun and adds portability. This battery-powered device allows artists to give tattoos wherever they’d like. It’s also a great way for artists to switch between colors more easily. The cordless unit allows the artist the ability to adjust the speed, throw, and depth of their needles. Pika offers customizable plate design too, so that the artist’s personal taste can shine through their tool.

While Pika isn’t the first of its kind, it does offer the type of convenience a freelance tattoo artist may crave. Unfortunately, the offered customizable plates are fairly lame. Still, backers can have one of their own for a donation of £65 (~$98) by April 2015. Pika is looking to raise £5,000 (~$7,600) on Kickstarter by March 25.

Categories
Toys

GeoBunnies cuddle with kids, teach them math at the same time

Math is important for little kids to learn, but not always the most interesting topic. Kids need to be engaged in sneaky ways in order for them to learn important facts.

GeoBunnies makes it fun for children to learn some important math basics. These plush toys are made from velboa fabric and look like bunny rabbits, but come in three different shapes. There’s a pink hexagon, a blue pentagon, and a green triangle. Each has a formula embroidered into its back for how to find the area of that specific shape.

It’s a little unclear which age group these toys are made for. On the one hand, the toys are cute and definitely more for a younger set. On the other, the formulas they provide are a bit more complicated and maybe more appropriate for middle school-aged kids. Still, the intention is noble in trying to get kids to learn math the “fun” way. For one of their own, backers must donate $16 for delivery in October 2015. GeoBunnies is hoping to raise $9,900 in funding on Kickstarter.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories

i Ready O turns old iPhones into super cool retro radios

As new iPhones come out each year, many people upgrade and are left with what’s considered a useless piece of junk—their old phones. Technology changes so fast that many of these old iPhones are pretty much rendered useless with each passing upgrade cycle.

For those who have old iPhones and nostalgia for the past, i Ready O is worth trying out. This product works with iPhone 4 and 5 models and transforms old phones into retro radios. Insert the phone into the device to assemble. The touch screen is visible for time reading and volume control. All other controls can be accessed through buttons on the top and sides of the radio. i Ready O actually does look like a vintage radio and plays music in the same way.

Many people use their old iPhones solely for music, so i Ready O is already on the right track. It makes old iPhones easier to use while making it look much cooler too, especially for those with an affinity for old time radio. One device will cost backers a donation of $88 CAD (~$71 USD) with estimated delivery in July 2015. i Ready O is looking for $60,000 CAD (~$48,300 USD) in funding on Kickstarter with a campaign end date of March 25, 2015.