Author: Ross Rubin

Categories
Camping Cooking

Tegstove helps to keep bellies, cell phones full while camping

While some people like to go camping in the great outdoors to get away from it all, and away from electronic devices in particular, the idea of “roughing it” certainly isn’t appealing to everyone. For many, completely doing away with modern conveniences is too much of a hassle.

The Tegstove presents a nice solution to that dilemma. The Tegstove is a multifaceted camping stove designed for folks who like to camp but still want to keep the ease of modern day living within reach. The stove lets users cook meals via butane gas, store energy via a thermoelectric generator, and perhaps most importantly, charge their electronic devices.

Overall, the Tegstove seems like an interesting product worth checking out. Camping lovers might also want to check out Campfire in a Can, Charby, Mini-E Camping Stove and Propane Porter. This campaign seeks to raise $50,000 by May 6, 2015.  Early backers can get one stove for $99 with an expected delivery of September 2015.

Categories
Food and Beverage Interviews

The Backerjack Interview: SYNEK’s Eric Stoddard on tapping into the countertop beer market

Having raised nearly $650,000 and netting a Backerjack Editor’s Choice Award, the SYNEK countertop beer dispenser has been dubbed, somewhat misleadingly, “the Keurig of beers.” Backerjack caught up with Synek’s director of customer engagement Eric Stoddard, to trade drinking stories about how company came back from a slow campaign start and was accepted into the camaraderie of small, local brewers

Backerjack: Could you talk a little bit about what SYNEK is?

Stoddard: Sure. It’s a countertop beer dispenser that gives you access to any beer at home on draft at very high quality. The bag holds up to 30 psi, and you can get it from any tap anywhere — whether it be your local brewery or wherever it may be — and you can take that home and you get a shelf life of 30 days.

Backerjack: So, unlike Keurig where you can buy a K-Cup, this is more like a storage method where it stores already brewed beer?

Stratter: Yeah, we’re sort of packaging company, a social packaging company because of how ingrained we are with breweries and helping them connect with their customers. There’s a lot of big issues in this industry, and how we came about as an idea was by considering the problems affecting lots of breweries. Smaller guys can’t afford to buy equipment because it’s a huge fixed investment upfront, so they have no way to get beer unless they use growlers.

The bad thing with growlers is that the beer only lasts for two days, three days if you’re lucky, once opened. It isn’t the most feasible option for most people. We’re trying to expand on that where now we offer this gallon size bag that’s able to be filled up the exact same way you would a growler and it’s available to a larger group of people. Now, these smaller breweries have a way to get higher quality beer out of the brewery.

Continue reading “The Backerjack Interview: SYNEK’s Eric Stoddard on tapping into the countertop beer market”
Categories
Podcasts

The Backerjack Podcast, Episode 9: the lock, the keys, and captures in sticky situations

Steve and Ross start out Episode 9 of the Backerjack Podcast with a quick update on last week’s discussion of the record-breaking Pebble Time campaign before moving on to discussing three impressive projects:

  • Sesame lock, an easy-to-install way to retrofit an existing deadbolt lock and replace your keys with your iPhone
  • Opho Keys, a MIDI keyboard with LED-illuminated keys, gesture control, and even the ability to magnetically attach to other Keys. The keyboard will have support on over 150 apps at launch
  • Podo, a colorful and Bluetooth-connected way to replace the dreaded selfie stick
Continue reading “The Backerjack Podcast, Episode 9: the lock, the keys, and captures in sticky situations”
Categories
Relaxation

Pool Buoy lets you swim in the shade with your cool lemonade

One of the best ways to beat the heat on those hot, humid and sultry summer days is to go swimming. At the same time, it’s important to keep one’s skin from getting burnt in the sweltering summer sun.

The Pool Buoy floating umbrella is an interesting product which doesn’t just offer some extra shade, but also a convenient spot for you to keep your cool glass of lemonade handy. The Pool Buoy incorporates a weighted design that helps keep it upright in the water even in the face of wind and moderate waves. The pole for the umbrella is made out of strong aluminum while the umbrella itself is made out of ABS plastic for enhanced durability. The product measures 7 feet across and comes with five cup holders for easy access.

Overall, the Pool Buoy seems like a product capable fostering relaxation to an already lazy day at the pool. Summer-loving backers might also like to check out Hydropacer, Aqua-100, and Towel’on. The Pool Buoy campaign seeks to raise $75,000 by April 3, 2015. Early bird backers can pick up one product for $120 with an expected delivery of May 2015.

Categories
Pets

Kitty Tub helps foster more love (and perhaps hate) between cats and owners

It would be nice if pets could understand that some of the things that their owners do, such as bathing and grooming, are for their own good. While cats are usually pretty good about keeping themselves clean, there are still times when they need a bit of help, such as when they get fleas, become ill, or when they simply become old and have trouble reaching certain parts of their body.

Kitty Tub is a harness and holding area designed to keep cats from running away during those times when the pet-owner relationship might require a bit more hands-on attention. Kitty Tub positions itself as a practical grooming solution for cats who need fleas removed, their nails trimmed, and who otherwise need a good ole fashioned cleaning. Cat loving backers might also want to check out Catzmat and Lift Dish.

The Kitty Tub campaign seeks to raise $60,000 by April 14, 2015. Early bird backers can get one tub for $49 with an expected delivery of October 2015.

Categories
Organization

Zeepers helps create storage solutions for the stuff you use most

Finding a quick, convenient place to store things like pot holders, keys, and small tools can often be challenging. This problem is made all the more frustrating when kids rooms are involved. While messy floors in kids rooms might sometimes be the result of laziness, it can also be caused by a lack of viable and convenient storage options.

Zeepers are multi-functional organizational tools that help kids easily get things off the floor while also offering adults a convenient place to hang the little things in life that are used too frequently for drawer storage. The magnetic mounting device on Zeepers sticks to a wall via a specially designed sticky gel that won’t cause any damage. Zeepers lay flat, and also come with a hinge so that they can be used along a wall corner.

The product certainly seems like an interesting idea, but there aren’t enough details about its true utility or even how it actually attaches to walls. Disorganized backers looking for organizational motivation might want to check out Kubonets, PowerTower, and Elevation Rack. This campaign seeks to raise $65,000 by April 1, 2015. For $20, backers get one kit with an expected delivery date in August 2015.

Categories
Health and Wellness

MachoMax makes working out easier to work in to your busy schedule

Working out is a great way to relieve the daily stresses of life while also retaining the ability to fit into one’s preferred clothing size.

For those times when the weather gets too cold or life gets so busy as to make getting to the gym impossible, MachoMax provides a convenient way for users to get a bit of a workout while staying warm and indoors. MachoMax provides resistance training and is reminiscent in appearance to Silly Putty. The product is specifically designed for improving endurance and speed. Conveniently, it comes in a disk shaped package that will most likely fit in any pocket, backpack, or purse.

The product boasts that it gives users the ability to work out anywhere, an ambitious claim given that a good full-body workout typically requires a healthy balance of cardio and weights. Still, MachoMax seemingly has potential and certainly offers users a convenient way to workout at a moment’s notice from the comfort of their own home. Interested backers might also like to check out Gym Handle and WilkWear.

The MachoMax campaign seeks to raise $15,000 by April 1, 2015. Early bird backers get one product for $15 with an expected delivery date of April 2015.

Categories
Apparel

Shnap + Laces lets you run your race without falling on your face

Stopping an exercise routine, or even stopping in the middle of a race, in order to tie one’s shoes can be extremely inconvenient and frustrating. For that matter, stopping to tie one’s shoes even during the middle of the day can be an annoyance.

Shnap + Laces aims to resolve that. The product works by attaching a button to the end of each shoelace and subsequently inserting a ball stud in the upper eyelets of one’s shoe. Next, a retainer clip locks the ball stud into place. Conveniently, the laces then snap into place and remain out of your way for the duration of the day. The product presents a nice alternative for those who don’t want to fuss with double knotting their shoestrings.

Notably, Shnap + Laces isn’t just limited to shoes. It also works with drawstring shorts and pants. What’s more, it can even be mounted to a wall and used to help keep track of any item on a lanyard or keychain.

The campaign seeks to raise $9000 by March 28, 2015. Early bird backers get one pair for $10 with an expected delivery window of April 2015.

Lastly, users interested in Shnap & Laces might also want to check out Powerlace. And for an artsy storage solution for large shoe collections, Sole Stacks is certainly an option worth exploring.

Categories
Organization Tech Accessories

Cable Cube transforms spaghetti-like piles of cords into sweet rolls

No matter how much of a neat freak a person might be, keeping gadget cords from turning into a spaghetti-like pile under desks or behind the entertainment center is a near impossibility.

Then when something needs troubleshooting, trying to figure out which cord goes with what becomes something of a guess-your-best type of game. Cable Cube aims to transform the frustration of the spaghetti and organize it into something more manageable. The colorful, plastic box allows just enough cord on the outside to connect to electronic gadgets, while keeping the excess rolled and organized on the inside. The numbers help the user to keep track of which cord goes with what device. Two sizes are offered: large (200 mm cubed) and small (100 mm cubed).

The use of numbers to keep track of which cables go where may help with keeping track of gadget wiring organization, but the fanciful style won’t be a great match for every decor. Interested backers might also like to check out Power Tower and WrapAround. This campaign seeks to raise £5,000 (~$7,700 USD) by March 20, 2015. Early bird backers get one cube in their choice of plywood or finished Perspex for £10 (~$15 USD) with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Health and Wellness Kids/Babies

UviCube emits rays to zap badness from baby bottles

Concerns about how to keep baby happy and healthy are on the forefront of any good parent’s mind. Cold and flu season can heighten that concern. UviCube was created to help keep baby’s bottles and eating utensils free of germs, and the UV rays it emits are touted as also working to kill 99.9 percent of germs on mobiles, remotes, and other items that are handled on a daily basis.

If one has a child that has special health issues, this product might help to bring some extra peace of mind. For all others, the dishwasher will be fine to sterilize bottles and eating utensils because of the temperature of the hot water. Or there’s always the old fashioned way of putting bottles, rings and nipples in a pot of boiling water to sterilize them. Other items can be wiped down with anti-bacterial sprays. Interested backers might also like to check out Phillup and WetHeads. This campaign seeks to raise $25,000 by March 23,2015. Early bird backers get one product for $199 with an expected delivery of June 2015.