Category: Accents

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Accents Connected Objects Maker/Development

With The Light Clock, it’s always time to light up

LEDs are everywhere these days, including inside our TVs and the Sunn smart light fixture.

The Light Clock finds another usage for them, featuring colored LEDs instead of normal clock hands to tell the time. The lights, which are placed around the clock’s perimeter, create a neon-like underlighting effect. Colors on the wall clock can be customized using Wi-Fi and a mobile/Web app available for computers, iOS and Android to match the user’s room décor or their mood. The device uses 120 LEDs to tell the time and each of those LEDs is able to display more than 16 million colors, according to its Kickstarter campaign.

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Accents Connected Objects

SmartMirror, SmartMirror on the wall tells you who’s the most informed of them all

Humans are a vain species, spending upwards of two weeks a year prettying themselves up in front of mirrors. The SmartMirror is looking to give people the option of making that time more informative and entertaining.

The 15 pound, 1920×1080 edge to edge LCD not only serves as a mirror but also serves up the time and date, calendar appointments, weather, news, Twitter mentions, sports scores, data from other connected products in the home, or even cat facts if the user is so inclined.  And with its embedded Raspberry Pi B+ and Wi-Fi connectivity, widget possibilities are limited only by what people end up developing for it.

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Accents Connected Objects

Coolest Clock immodestly takes its time, projects it on wall below

Having a projector in the home is a big deal. An adjustable screen capable of displaying all kinds of content in sharp, high quality fidelity is something anyone would be happy to have, mainly because of the versatility it affords. It turns out that magical things happen when projectors are combined with other things, too.

The aptly named Coolest Clock mixes a projector with a clock to offer people a little bit of everything when they look up at the wall. The name is a bit misleading, though — it isn’t only a clock, and for all intents and purposes it’s everything but a clock. Think of it as the home screen on a smart device, only bigger and littered with widgets for everything from  social media notifications and live weather to breaking news and quotes. The Wi-Fi enabled module can hang anywhere on the wall, and both its projection size and clock skins are completely adjustable when used with an iOS app or web interface. The Coolest Clock is going for $179 now, shooting up to $199 later. The product is scheduled to ship in December 2015 if the $20,000 campaign goal is achieved.

The Coolest Clock is very multi-faceted and unsurprisingly boasts some other, useful task-oriented features like to-do lists and scheduled reminders. Unfortunately, the product lacks sound notifications unless a stretch goal is reached, a feature that should be in the main build anyway. The SmarTock is a similar product, but the Coolest Clock trumps it on sheer variety of options, making it an interesting purchase for those wanting something unique in their home.

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Accents

Décor Flame might help you kindle the fires of romance

There are certain things that add just a touch of romance to getting together with that special someone. One thing in particular is a cozy spot in front of a flickering fireplace. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a fireplace, which is where Décor Flame steps in as a possible substitute.

The small fire containment unit includes fire-resistant glass that appears to encase a base of one’s choice of either stainless steel with a wood-looking surface, or plain stainless steel. The fire itself runs on bio-fuel. Whether or not the gadget actually produces any heat is questionable, but it may serve as an interesting conversation starter. Though the product is touted as being portable, it’s not clear what its measurements are. Backers might also like to check out the Lampp, the Playbulb, and the Prizim.

This campaign seeks to raise $20,000 by March 17. Early bird backers get one product for $150, with an expected delivery in June of this year.

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Accents Tech Accessories

Portable Lap Desk offers space-challenged offices a small landing pad

It seems that the workplace is constantly requiring more mobility and interconnectedness. And when one is working on the road, or just works in an office space with limited seating, a portable desk can be great item to have around. Portable Lap Desk was invented with the space-challenged office in mind.

The bamboo plank balances on two metal brackets, which are attached to the wall. While the piece of wood is portable, the rest isn’t. The desk can be set up either at a standing height or sitting height.

It seems that a trip to a home supplies store or hardware store would offer the same materials and “freedom” that this product boasts. That being said, the Alden Lap Desk might prove to be even more convenient and be a better product. Interested backers might also like to check out ZestDesk, The BU Desk, and Lappito. This campaign seeks to raise £3,000 (~$4,600 USD) on Kickstarter. For £60 (~$91 USD), backers get one product with an expected delivery of June 2015.

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Accents

Roka filter uses sand, charcoal to filter water for plants, makes for healthier growth

Plants are only ever as healthy as the water they’re given. Most pay little attention to the quality of the water they use for their plants. Doing so, however, means that many plants get contaminated water, harming them in the long run.

Roka is a filtration system for plants. Looking much like an upside down glass bottle with the bottom cut off, Roka gets inserted directly into the soil of the plant. Then, using several layers of filtration, the kit delivers only clean water into the soil. The top layer is fine sand which gets pathogens and microorganisms out of the water. Second, course sand keeps the fine sand above at bay. Third, charcoal pellets get chlorine and industrial solvents out. Last, the water passes through cotton balls which ensure that none of the sand or charcoal get into the plant. For one kit, backers can donate $50 on Kickstarter for delivery in July 2015. Roka hopes to raise a modest $1,750 in funding.

While the idea of a natural filtration system is appealing, it doesn’t seem necessary to filter tap water, especially for plants. Perhaps in places where the tap water is undrinkable Roka makes more sense. In addition, the campaign fails to clearly state how long each kit will last for. Still, the idea is interesting and Roka’s appealing aesthetic will surely make it popular.

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Accents

Garden@Home offers modular planting boxes to stack and save space

Living in a city has many advantages. Museums, theaters and concert halls are only steps away and everything is open late. While cultural events are ubiquitous in a city, nature is much harder to come by. Garden@Home is a small garden system for those who only have a little space in which to grow plants. Featuring poles, shelves and a support dripping system, you can have several boxes of different kinds of plants and flowers. Some boxes sit above others and their water drips into the lower plants. The basic set holds four planters, but there is also an extension set of two planters available. Garden@Home comes in a variety of color palettes.

The biggest complaint among city dwellers is the lack of nature. Many flee to parks in the spring, summer and fall, but stay in for the winter. Garden@Home is a great system for those who like lots of plants in their apartments, but lack space to house them all. If installation is as easy as the campaign claims, this would make a great addition to any tiny studio. For the smallest set coming complete with two planters, backers must donate $55 CAD (~$48 USD) for estimated delivery in May 2015. Garden@Home is hoping to raise an ambitious $115,000 (~$101,200 USD) on Kickstarter.

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Accents

LeggyHorse takes your wall photos to another dimension

There’s something about framed art and photos that makes a house a home. Usually, the personality of these items is limited to a single dimension. But LeggyHorse has found a way to use picture frames to create new dimensions for framed art and photos. The frame itself seems to be made of leather and acrylic. It’s lightweight and doesn’t require any tools for pictures to be hung on the wall, but the campaign does not clearly indicate what alternative hanging method is used.

Once in the LeggyHorse frame, pictures can be hung on nearly any flat surface, including wood, plastic, glass and ceramic tile. This product seems like a great way to release that “inner artist” without having to put a great deal of effort and time into being creative and imaginative. For $46, backers get a set that includes 12 connect frames and four regular 4×6 frames. More support gets the larger sizes. Expected delivery is set for February 2015.

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Accents Cell Phone Accessories

BLOCK jams cellphone signals, delivers candlelight, conversation

BLOCKIt’s happened to all of a us. Enjoying a nice time with friends is usually stunted by the inevitable round of phone checking that happens every ten minutes. If you’re looking to have fun in the moment with your friends without cellular interference, try BLOCK. This bulky candle holder burns down a typical tea light, while also jamming the signal to cellular devices to prevent distraction. It has adjustable jamming ranges and can simply be stepped away from when phone time is necessary. One of these high-tech Dutch candles costs backers €19 for delivery in September 2014. BLOCK hopes to raise €30,000 in a month-long Kickstarter campaign.

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Accents Arts

Pinch Rail frees poster art that would be framed

Pinch RailThere are some works of art that just shouldn’t be hindered by the confines of a frame. Some of these are found delicately complimenting the front of a refrigerator, or thoughtfully strewn along the walls of a teenage bedroom, college dorm room or first apartment. But seriously, some forms of modern art just don’t look right in a frame. That’s why there’s Pinch Rail. The metal hanging system attaches to the wall, and then two binder clips on the top left and right of the picture allow for it to slide into place. For $50, backers get a gift certificate for a 24” Pinch Rail, with an expected delivery of December 2014.