Author: Ross Rubin

Categories
Furniture

DryAway hides away as a tall laundry drying wall insert

The Premise.  Everyone has to do laundry, but the process of washing and drying clothes is incredibly expensive and can be damaging to items of clothes. To preserve their items, many families are turning to air drying – it’s more economical and doesn’t cause shrinkage. But there isn’t really a sturdy, compact device that provides adequate clothes-drying space.

The Product. DryAway seeks to replace “traditional” laundry hanging racks with something more slender. The company has developed a permanent fixtures that can be tucked away into the space next to the machines or in a closet. Essentially, DryAway consists of tall, bamboo frames with adjustable hanging rods. The frames are mounted onto tracks, which then can be pushed backwards. No unsightly mess and the clothes go out of the way while drying. It’s a similar design to those ultra-thin “pantries” that can be built in next to the refrigerator.

The Pitch. The premise-heavy video spends a lot of time talking about all of the other options that are available and not painting them in a great light, obviously. The campaign page shows DryAway in all of its multiple configuration glory embedded into a wall or available in a standalone closet scenario. Inventor Jim Lutz reads that the product, which now has its own Web site, took four years to develop.

The Perks. To get a DrayAway of one’s own, prepare to slide over $445 for the system. Obviously a set like this is going to cost, but that seems a little excessive, especially when it seems someone with basic handyman skills could replicate the system for less than that. As might be expected of a custom-installed product, the proposition isn’t about a box showing up at your doorstep. If you live within 100 miles of Milwaukee (and why wouldn’t you?),  the project team will install DryAway at your home if you send them the measurements of the space that it will fill. Otherwise, they recommend use of a contractor.

The Potential. DryAway offers discreet high capacity although most consumers probably don’t hang dry all of their clothes and wouldn’t need something this extensive. It does make good use of dead space in laundry rooms and seems to be an environmentally superior option. But it seems anyone who might be able to invest in this probably isn’t worried about the cost of drying their clothes. There seems to be a big middle ground between the flimsy drying stands mocked in the DryAway video and hundreds of dollars for something that’s a custom installation.

Categories
Personal Transportation

E*Lution scooter provides the glide for grownups

E'lutionScooters can be an efficient way to get around town, but sometimes you don’t want to show up on their kids’ toys. The Australian developers at E’Lution Have worked to design a scooter that would work for adults to move around in an urban environment. This includes  overcoming a few challenges, which include supporting taller and heavier humans. They also designed brakes that won’t overhea, and they changed the folding mechanisms on the scooter. While their campaign is quite ambitious with a $600,000 goal, they are happy to take donations of any size. But if you want an E’Lution Scooter, be prepared to drop  $275 AUD.

 

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories

ShutIt makes your Android shut up when you need it to

ShutIT 20140207024507-3D_Model_1_copy[1]For those times when Android phones should be seen and not heard, ShutIt offers a practical solution to quieting all the bleeps and buzzes. The ShutIt provides a novel approach to adding quick access to device controls by plugging into your Android’s headphone jack. It works in conjunction with a specialized app, and saves you the hassle of rummaging through your screens to put your Android on silent mode. It also offers five additional settings of vibration, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Auto-Rotation, and Flashlight. The ShutIt plug comes in slate grey, capri blue, electric red, glacial white, stealth black and champagne. For at least $19, a backer gets one ShutIt plug in slate grey and full access to the app, which should ship to backers in May 2014.

Categories
Home

Dunkin’ Buddy descends your cookies into the frothy white sea below

DunkinBuddyIf you’ve ever longed for a way to dunk your cookies virtually hands-free, your heart’s desire has just been satisfied with the patent-pending Dunkin’ Buddy. The cookie dunking device is compatible with nearly all shapes and sizes of standard, pre-packaged cookie found in your favorite grocery store’s cookie isle. And for you ultimate cookie dunking fanatics out there, you can actually dunk up to two cookies at once – one to eat out of each hand. Dunkin’ Buddy functions via magnetic attraction. The cookies go in the cookie holder which is compatible with a standard sized mug, while the magnetized dunking device remains on the outside the cup. And at the ready for the whim of the cookie owner, volia! Dunked delight! For at least $12, backers get one Dunkin’ Buddy in their choice of blue or pink, with an estimated delivery of June 2014.

Categories
Video Games

Sinister game controller puts the tremble in your twitch game

sinisterPC gamers have finally found a replacement for their keyboards – when it comes to gaming, anyway. The developers at Sinister have created a game controller that works in conjunction with a mouse and utilizes new technology to deliver higher quality vibrations. This control helps gamers feel like they are truly in the game and can create an immersion experience. Any USB enabled mouse will plug right into the Sinister controller and begin working immediately. With the flip of a switch, the mouse disengages and works as per usual on the desktop. The early bird special on this new technology is $100 CAD and the device is slated to ship in April 2014.

 

Categories
Fitness Health and Wellness Lifestyle Relaxation Sports

The Navigator points your putter to the precious precise path

GolfNavigatorA bunch of golf lovers led by “Dirty Larry” Feiistel (who seems like quite the clean-cut fellow) got together to develop a product to help other people learn how to golf. This training aid helps new golfers improve their putting game. It involves an attachment to a putter that helps the golfer realize the alignment of the base of the putter, which in turn, determines the direction that the ball will go. They say that it improves the swing after just 15 minutes of use; that might be a tall order, but it’s not impossible.  The developers are asking for $60 to get the first run of the Navigator, which seems to be a big step up for an idea that was borne out of pipe cleaners. It is due to navigate its way to backers in April 2014.

Categories
Apparel

RoPix sneakers designed for jump rope, won’t skip past your pledge

The Premise. Almost every sport has a dedicated shoe that helps improve performance and makes the experience of playing the sport better. But what about jumping rope? Many athletes jump rope extensively as part of their training, and their is also a whole world of competitive jump roping. Well, now, they have a specialized shoe.

The Product. The RoPix Jump Rope Shoe is designed to help jump ropers jump higher, work out longer, decrease pain and increase their overall fitness level. The shoes have extra internal padding that cushions and helps with rebound. In addition, they are lightweight and don’t have long laces that might get caught in the jumprope.

The Pitch. The video goes into great detail about the shoe itself, as well as the reasons for using Kickstarter. The text provides lots of diagrams and the evolution of the different shoes, as well as showing the user that RoPix is the official shoe of USA Jump Rope. The video also states alternate uses for the shoes, like yoga or martial arts.

The Perks. Aside from providing a great all-around shoe, this shoe really delivers for anyone who spends a lot of time jumping rope. Early birds will get a pair of the shoes for $55 – which is practically a steal for any type of sporting shoe! The shoes are available in multiple sizes and colors and are slated for delivery in May 2014.

The Potential. These lightweight, breathable shoes offer a lot of versatility and could soon be a staple in every athlete’s closet. Shoes like this are great because people are cutting back on their gym memberships and doing more workouts at home. Jumping rope is one of the most simple and effective exercises a person can do, and these shoes will help an athlete jumping longer, faster, and with less pain. That’s absolutely a win.

Categories
Automotive Video

Window-Wedge makes it easy for GoPro to come along for the ride

window wedgeAmateur filmmakers have been revolutionizing at-home videos with the GoPro mountable camera, and innovators are constantly looking for ways to help videographers mount those cameras in new places. The Window-Wedge eschews suction cups and lets users to easily attach their GoPro camera to the window of almost any car by simply clipping the mount to the top of the car window. As an added bonus, the mount works to film the interior and exterior of the  car. So if backers wanted to film the occupants of a vehicle having an argument for a short film (right, Jerry Seinfeld?), or film a car chase scene in the rain, they could do it. That’s right – the mount creates a water-tight seal, so the interior of the car isn’t going to suffer. The early bird offer on the deal is $15 for the Window-Wedge, which is a really good price for camera equipment.

 

Categories
Health and Wellness

AlumaDeck puts some grating in your skating

alumadeckEver wondered what it would be like to ride an aluminum skateboard? Well, these guys did, so they developed one. The AlumaDeck is much more durable than your average skateboard, so serious skaters can get some really good use out of it. It’s also lighter than an average board and won’t warp if you ride through water. The video features skaters that wax poetic about the board’s handling and durability. However, you’ve got to be willing to drop $150 just to get a short board, so only serious skaters need to kickflip over to this deal.

 

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories

Ultima S car mount sequel keeps iPhone secure, stable along life’s bumpy road

Ultima S Car Mount c8165357b4dba6ffc089776c124abf1e_large[1]Nik Conomos has designed the Ultima S as a follow-up to its previous crowdfunded iPhone car mount. The project creator says that it also rivals the former model for being stylishly sleek. However, the all-aluminum iPhone holder is apparently an improvement on its previously best car mount, complete with a suction cup of super strong sucking power and an improved ball joint that stabilizes iPhones in their holders. It’s compatible with iPhones that have either a flat or slightly rounded back. A pledge of at least $45 will get a backer an Ultima S Car Mount in either silver or matte black with an expected delivery date of May 2014.