Author: Michael Radon

Categories
Tech Accessories

Veyem display stand lets your monitor rise to any occasion

Anyone who has gotten used to working on dual monitors is probably not about to go back to a single monitor workstation any time soon. But an extra monitor takes up more desk space, and can be uncomfortable or awkward to transition across displays.

The VEYEM stand, which stands for Vertically Elevate Your External Monitor, is a collapsible metal laptop stand that starts out compact and folded before expanding to a stand that can support a monitor above the laptop screen. The basic shelving principle design behind VEYEM means that it can also hold any other object like a book, smartphone, or tablet. VEYEM has a target of $20,000 in mind to manufacture these stands. The stand will only cost backers $40, with a shipping date of January 2015.

There are plenty of solutions that one can come up with to support an external display, from shoeboxes to simple shelving, but something like this that can travel with a laptop and collapse down conveniently is worth looking into for those that use two monitors. The only problems this creates is how to transport that second monitor with the laptop, as well as the actual large size of the stand itself, which does not fold very flat and has fairly large dimensions.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Chargers/Batteries

Belaycord reversible USB cable always knows which way is up

It’s easy to defend the iPhone from its critics in just about every single way imaginable… except for the charger. Think about the last time there was a pristine iPhone charger cable nearby, and it was probably when the phone was still in its box. BelayCords are fixing this problem by offering a durable charger cord with in its own sense of style and a lifetime guarantee. If that wasn’t enough, BelayCords also have a reversible USB outlet, meaning that it can be plugged in no matter which way the cable is facing. For many people, that would be cause enough to stop this write-up immediately and go buy one.

Though BelayCords were designed for the iPhone, they also have compatibility with Android, Windows, and Blackberry devices with Micro USB, meaning that even after a change of brand loyalty heart, there’s still no need to go buy a new charging cord. Designer Made In College is raising just $4,000 to make BelayCords a commercial possibility, and supporters and phone users can desperately grab one up for $30 with a November 2014 release. It bears repeating: this cord has a USB plug that can be plugged in regardless of orientation. What more is there to want in life?

Categories
Connected Objects Displays

SmarTock reinvents the clock as a giant widget for your wall

Once computers and smartphones began surfing the Internet, streaming videos, playing games and also telling the time as a bonus, the wall clock and the wristwatch became obsolete in a hurry.

SmarTock is a wall clock for the 21st century. With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, apps for weather, wallpapers, calendars, and more, SmarTock is designed to provide the convenience and aesthetic of having a wall clock into a package that better fits modern times. Using an LCD display with 1080p resolution, SmarTock will be an appealing, modern addition to any home. Inventor Josh Cotton has set a financing goal of $99,000 to begin mass production. Buyers interested in a SmarTock can grab theirs for $179 to ship out in May 2015.

The idea here is solid enough, though whether this does enough to compete with the “smart” accessories is debatable. Compounding this problem is a lack of information or demonstration on the product’s campaign: the internals are explained, some questions are answered, but instead of more concrete details, too much space is spent on sample wallpaper ideas. This could be an idea with merit behind it, but only time will tell if there’s enough concrete work here to result in a competitive product.

 

Categories
Smart Home

Smart Outlet lends you the power of the plug

The fastest way to create home automation is to start off with the infrastructure. If your outlets are smart enough to be turned on and off automatically, so too can any device plugged into them.

The Smart Outlet from Newbeem is a wall outlet that adds more features than simply providing power. With a built in surge protector, this device turns any outlet into three outlets, one of those three being Wi-fi enabled. With that and the variable dimmer inside, any light or appliance can be plugged in and controlled manually using a phone or set up on a timer or programmable dimming pattern. Newbeem is trying to raise $20,000 CAD to fund mass production of the outlets. Picking up a Smart Outlet will only cost supports $30 CAD, with an expected shipping date of November.

Anything that makes smart electricity more accessible and easy to use is always a welcome addition to the market. Two questions stick out when viewing this product however. First, how does it differentiate itself from competitors like WeMo or Brightup? Second, why is only one of the outlets Wi-fi enabled? Without adequate answers, this may prove to be a product of middling quality at best.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Virtual Reality

ShareVR is another way to get virtual reality using your smartphone

At the top of many holiday wish lists this year will be VR headsets. However, many of the devices that are already household names are not ready to go to market just yet and almost all of them will be rather expensive. shareVR is an interesting new way to make VR possible with head-tracking functions by connecting a smartphone to a PC. With just a micro USB cable, a head mount, and the software that communicates with the PC, shareVR can give a consumer a functioning VR headset for less than $50.

The device works with any game using DirectX 9, 10, or 11, and head-tracking through an Inertial Measurement Unit. With only 30ms of latency, the time between the action on the main screen and what’s happening in the goggles is minimal for most kinds of applications. shareVR inventor Marcin Grygiel is raising £50,000 (~$78,250) to complete the software. For backers, the program will cost only £9 (~$14) and they can use their head mount of choice. shareVR offers an interesting DIY way of bringing VR home, and will be a great entry point for many customers. However, the specific compatibility requirements and technical limitations may be off-putting to purists.

Categories
Imaging

Fire-resistant Obsidian GoPro case captures your burning building rescues

Even before man ever learned to harness its awesome power, fire has had a nasty habit of destroying things. From trees and homes to personal belongings, as Frankenstein’s monster once so eloquently put it: “Fire bad.” The Obsidian is a case for the GoPro Hero 3 camera that has a different attitude toward fire. Obsidian is flame-resistant, and can withstand temperatures beyond 2250 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hotter than actual, real-life lava. This allows for better security footage for firefighters, extreme photos and videos of intense locations, or just plain experimental filmmaking.

Because the Obsidian is hinged, the GoPro can easily come in and out of the case, meaning it only stays protected when the camera needs to be protected. It also means that all the regular GoPro features are still accessible all the other times it isn’t on fire. Obsidian has run out of money for developing the product and needs to raise $55,000. Backers can grab one to protect their GoPro from anything less than being thrown into the sun for $200 in June 2015. With a product like this, you might not have any use for it, but isn’t it nice to have just in case?

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories

Gyzmo is another Bluetooth button to remotely control your smartphone

For decades, senior citizens with medical conditions have counted on emergency paging necklaces to notify medical responders of an emergency. Gyzmo operates primarily as a wireless panic button that can be used to contact emergency contacts with precise GPS location by activating the functions programmed into a smartphone. This way, trusted and reliable friends and family members will know where the Gyzmo owner is, and that something is wrong. Additionally, Gyzmo can be used to activate functions on any smart device wirelessly, by again using one of three pressed buttons to activate features set up through the owner’s smartphone.

The Gyzmo battery lasts up to six months, ensuring that it won’t go out in the middle of an emergency if properly managed. Stadson Technology, creators of the Gyzmo, are looking for $75,000 to develop the app, test, and go through production. Buyers can pick one up for $49, having it delivered in April 2015. As just a panic button, Gyzmo is a pretty solid idea and device that could potentially save lives. Trying to market it as a smart home controller seems a little far-fetched, as it still has to be routed through a smartphone, and most smart devices already have companion apps for wireless control.

Categories
Home

Odor-eliminating toilet seat fans your stink into the wild

Without getting into specifics, many people have a certain degree of embarrassment or even panic about dealing with the aftermath of using a restroom, particularly at a friend’s or date’s house. Many a comedic movie scene or shameful story has been made about these moments of desperately opening a window or finding a chemical spray to mask the smell.

The Fresh Air Plus is a toilet seat designed to prevent this situation from ever happening again  by pumping the foul air out of the toilet before it ever has a chance to escape. Powered using a nearby electrical outlet, the Fresh Air Plus uses a hose to an outdoor vent to remove the smell discreetly and privately. The Fresh Air Plus fits any standard toilet and replaces the existing toilet seat. It also includes a no-slam system that eases the lid down gradually.

This product offers people who are sensitive about bathroom matters a chance to avoid the stinky subject entirely, as the odors never even have to leave the bowl. Adam Payz, the inventor of the Fresh Air Plus, is trying to raise $80,000 to move the product from the prototype phase. It only costs $160 to get rid of the dirty bathroom smell forever, once the Fresh Air Plus ships in March 2015.

There’s a subtle contradiction in purchasing an item for your bathroom to hide the evidence of smelly behavior when that item requires hooking up a hose to your toilet, plugging it in, and adding more lights to the toilet than the average pachinko machine. The Fresh Air Plus is certainly doing its best to innovate, but when you have to drill a hole in the wall and run a hose to hide something that everyone goes through, maybe, just maybe, the issue is more mental than physical and odiferous.

Categories
Running Wearables

Universole steps up to measuring pressure tracking in your shoes

For most readers of this site, it will have been decades since learning to walk, and most would probably consider it a skill that they’ve mastered. UniverSole is a smart shoe insole that houses several pressure sensors to point out the ways in which one can improve their walking, running, or sitting to prevent strains or injuries. The sensors in UniverSole are paper-thin, and the feel of the insole is comfortable and familiar, preventing users from walking differently while using the product. Also because the design is so thin, UniverSole fits virtually every kind of shoe available for sale.

By acting as the point of contact for tracking, UniverSole offers more accurate data than a wrist-worn activity tracker, while also not advertising to the world that you use a gadget for fitness. With a Bluetooth 4.0 module built right in, data about weight balance, stride, and distance are all tracked and transmitted immediately to any smartphone or tablet.

UniverSole is looking to collect $75,000 in donations to finalize moldings and start production. Backers can run out and get a pair for $200 in November 2015. It’s a great way to discreetly track fitness data, and is a great addition to the new wave of sole trackers we’ve seen recently, joining similar products like the runScribe that tracks while you go.

Categories
Sensors/IoT Smart Home

Notion can sense just about anything around your home

There are a wealth of different smart home solutions available to tackle specific tasks or watch certain parts of the home. From home intrusion tags on windows and doors to humidity sensors that can detect potentially dangerous conditions for collectibles, having a home that does all of this requires a lot of products, not to mention a lot of money.

Notion is a smart home sensor that prefers to do a lot with a little. The small adhesive pucks that Notion uses for sensors can be placed on any surface or device and programmed to monitor multiple different kinds of data, or just do one specific task. From detecting water leaks to safeguarding valuable or dangerous materials, when one of Notion’s built-in sensors is tripped, it sends a notification to the user’s phone, as well as to any approved contacts if the homeowner is not in a position to respond quickly to urgent matters.

Notion can sense eight different kinds of stimuli: acceleration, light, sound, proximity, temperature, orientation, water leaks, and natural frequency. Whether a window is left open upon leaving the house or if a smoke alarm is going off, Notion promptly reports it. Loop Labs, Inc., maker of the Notion, needs $50,000 for testing, design, and production. The base kit including one hub and one sensor puck is priced at $129 and will launch in July 2015.

Notion isn’t the first all-in-one smart home super-sensor, nor will it be the last. But as the smart home grows and develops, and companies try to tackle the functions of the ideal smart home one at a time, it’s refreshing to be able to invest in a product that pulls its own weight in every room of the house.