Category: Connected Objects

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Connected Objects Tech Accessories

NanoHive offers users simple personal hosting and cloud access

nanohiveWhile businesses and complex, professional, high-traffic websites have to pay hosting companies to keep their services running, the average consumer doesn’t have to. Those with less demanding needs in terms of hosting or cloud storage can turn to the NanoHive, a small personal server about the size of a mobile phone that only needs an electrical outlet and an Ethernet cable. It is functionally similar to products such as the PogoPlug or Drobo Sync. With a quad-core processor and 8GB of onboard storage which can be supplemented using two USB ports, users will have fast, simple access to their files across all devices. For $75, supporters can connect to their NanoHive in August 2014.

 

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Cell Phone Accessories Connected Objects Watches and Jewelry Wearables

Cuff signals stylish connected piece of mind at the touch of a button

The Premise. When you aren’t with your loved ones, sometimes the worst possibilities run through your mind. Some people use GPS tracking applications to know where there friends are safe, but if they become detached to their phone, they have no way of signaling for help. Wouldn’t it be nice to always have a guaranteed peace of mind that your loved one is safe?

The Product. Cuff is a line of products that look like sophisticated and fashionable jewelry, but inconspicuously hides a wide range of safety features. If your partner is in distress, they simply press a button on their jewelry, and everyone in their circle of close ones receives their location and other information they need to get you help. The current line has products such as necklaces, keys, and of course, cuffs.

The Pitch. Why can’t all Web sites be like this? The graphic design is flawless, the animations are smooth, the pictures are crisp—it all makes the information very easy to take in and absorb. The presentation beams with confidence in the product, and that makes the consumer (or me, at least) confident in their purchase. Oh yeah, their video also looks like high-quality cinematography at moments as well. The pitch is just a wonderful concoction of emotion, credibility, and logic.

The Perks. Currently, Cuff’s line of products are only available for pre-order. As mentioned, there are a variety of options that can range from $50-$150. It depends on what style fits your wardrobe and your fashion, but there are plenty of reasonable options. The Cuff products are expected to be distributed in Fall 2014.

The Potential. Fashion is such an individual thing that it may be challenging to find a Cuff design that will appeal to everyone. However, Cuff is less overbearing and obvious than other tracking applications but provides state of mind that alternative apps do. The only hinderance is the remaining fear that some people may have about privacy in regards to location devices.

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Connected Objects Imaging

Flink photo frame shares pictures instantly over the cloud

The Premise. Sharing photos becomes easier almost every week. The digital revolution continues to streamline the process through smartphones, social media, and sites dedicated to photo sharing, but can the process be made even simpler?

The Product. The Flink Cloud Photo Frame is designed to take digital photo frames to the next level with simple usage and cloud-based storage and sharing. Using their mobile app and proprietary sharing site, once users have decided who to share with and what photos to share, frames around the world can be updated with new pictures as they’re taken. With an 8 inch, high resolution touch screen and only one physical button on the frame, crisp, beautiful photos  of friends or loved ones can appear at any time of day free of complex technical knowledge or cumbersome updates. The Flink app also works to import photos from Facebook or Instagram accounts, and later updates look to introduce slideshows and audio/video sharing.

The Pitch. Patrick Ho, one of the three founders of the Flink, walks viewers through the simple process of using a Flink, then ups the ante later down the page with a video of the prototype uploading a photo  to the frame in less than a minute.  Campaign photos include the evolution of the frame’s design and some key details that clarify how the product will be operated. The Flink Team is hoping to raise $80,000 to help prepare a server base for storing and transmitting photos, complete manufacturing, and get FCC certification.

The Perks. With a May 2014 delivery date, all backers at the $99 pledge level will receive a Flink Cloud Frame and unlimited storage space on the Flink photo site. At twice that cost, the frame can be personalized, and at the $250 tier, a wooden frame cover can be substituted for the black or white plastic versions.

The Potential. Can the digital picture frame by reinvented from the ashes of products such as the Kocak Pulse? Flink bets that mobile is the key. Once a hot holiday category, other digital photo frames with cloud connectivity are already on the market. The companion app makes the process a little easier for the Flink to single out specific photos specifically for sharing, but overall there isn’t much to this product that will change the marketplace, and little to distinguish it from its competitors. Electronic stores could easily carry the Flink, but for the most part, smartphones and tablets have stolen much of the appeal of the digital frame.

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Connected Objects Music Sensors/IoT

Acoustic Stream protects your guitar, helps it dash off a ditty to your smartphone

The Premise. From the first moment of finding a song that they can identify with, everybody wants to be a rock star. Whether it’s a beat-up pawn shop acoustic or a glittery studio electric, nobody forgets their first guitar. But aside from the thousands of hours of practice, one has to learn how to maintain their guitar and also get the necessary equipment to perform with it.

The Product.  The Acoustic Stream is a 4-in-1 solution to the basic needs of a guitar that syncs up effortlessly to a phone or wireless device to serve as a recorder, amplifier bridge, and instrument tuner. Additionally, it will send daily updates to the user’s phone about humidity levels, helping ensure proper maintenance and infrequent need for repairs. The device connects to the guitar’s output jack or can be placed inside or near the guitar or other instrument, and by simply tapping on the instrument its features can be activated. At this time, only iOS support is available.

The Pitch. A broken guitar was all it took to inspire Bob Bean to start dreaming up the eventual Acoustic Stream. With endorsements by up-and-coming musical acts, the promotional videos highlight the ease of use and effortless control that the device can provide musicians. With a $50,000 goal, of which over three quarters is going toward components and tooling, Bean and his team hope to make this tiny tool a staple for performers.

The Perks. Early supporters of the campaign can get an Acoustic Stream for $97, less than half the retail price, and with the inclusion of 5 guitar picks and a download for the music used in the promotional video. A second Acoustic Stream is available at the $294 tier, and at the high-end $3000 tier backers can join the beta-testing/development team and help shape the final product. All products are expected to ship in August 2014.

The Potential. If the Acoustic Stream did just one of the things that it’s capable of, whether tuning or connecting to an amp, it would be a worthwhile purchase for any musician that’s more likely to be without their wallet than their guitar. Tapping the guitar as a method of control seems a little suspect as some performers tap their guitar as part of their compositions, not to mention the potential for errant inputs. The Acoustic Stream could become as necessary a purchase as a quality amp, and the young musicians of the world will want to get their hands on it as soon as possible.

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Connected Objects Lighting

LumiSmart brightens up the smart home, stretches purpose of desk lighting

The Premise. The lamp on your desk right now is probably unremarkable at best. It may be nicely designed or have a few modes of brightness, but its light certainly wouldn’t be one under which you’d pen anything to write home about. Despite its simplicity, it’s still a vital part of your desk layout and you would work in darkness without it. Isn’t it about time that one of the more essential tools of productivity gets an upgrade?

The Product. The LumiSmart is the latest product to enter the “smart” family. The lamp integrates with the user’s living habits in an attempt to seamlessly improves everyday lifestyle. It does this by integrating an ambient light sensor, a temperature sensor, a camera, a motion sensor, a voice recognizing mic, and speakers. By connecting to your phone over Wi-Fi, the LumiSmart can notify you of its surrounding environment. LumiSmart also has an adaptive platform that allows the users to create their own app to customize their lifestyle. Such ideas include an alarm clock, a security system, or a reminder system. The possibilities will go as far as the user’s creativity.

The Pitch. The campaign video shows off the different features of the lamp and how they may improve everyday life. For example, LumiSmart can let you know when someone comes in the house, or remind you when you need to take a break from working. There are tons of examples since the apps can be customized and shared, so its up to the user how they want to use the lamp.

The Perks. The LumiSmart comes with a pretty hefty price tag. The early bird price for a standard lamp will set you back $149, with the price rising up to $200 once that deal expires. Developers can still get a hold to the LumiSmart for $200 to have more access to the platform and various APIs. In what seems like some bad math, people who pledge $999 will receive four LumiSmart lamps with some educational materials. Economic rants aside, LumiSmarts are scheduled to be delivered in September 2014.

The Potential. The LumiSmart embraces some interesting features and ideas, but there’s not much besides lighting that this lamp can do that your smartphone can not. It’s not necessary for a lamp to send you reminders or be an alarm clock, and its simply not necessary to spend hundred of dollars for a redundant piece of technology. Just because something can be a connected thing, doesn’t mean it should.

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Connected Objects Sensors/IoT

Sammy Screamer shrieks when stuff gets disturbed

The Premise. Parenting can be a hard-core mission that can test your sense of sanity. But even for those who say that they enjoy a good challenge, there are days when it’s necessary to use tools that allow you to cheat.

The Product. Sammy Screamer is one device in a family that totals eight members that go by the name BleepBleeps. They were designed with the intent of “making parenting easier.” The devices each have different tasks ranging from monitoring the baby to keeping little Johnny out of the cookie jar to tracking your teens. And if all of that isn’t enough and you feel the need for more excitement in your life, there are even a couple of devices that can assist with knowing when it’s the most opportune time for “Mom and Dad” to enjoy rediscovering one another and engage in some family planning activities. But getting back to Sammy Screamer, it is essentially a cute, red triangular motion sensor that can emit what seems like a not-very-loud sound when it is activated as well as sending a signal to a smartphone app. The app also allows you to control the device’s sensitivity and volume but, alas, not those of a child.

The palm-sized motion detector has a magnetized back so that it can attach to, say, a refrigerator door, thereby possibly causing the offending door-opener to utter words that ought to be BleepBpeeped. The triangular tweeter also has a loop fixing so that it can be attached to a book bag, or on those days when a good, hardy laugh is needed, the dog’s or cat’s tail. Sammy works with Bluetooth LE up to 50 meters, which means you’ll have to be in the general vicinity to hear its plaintive cry.

The Pitch. The minimalist video for the $20,000 campaign opens with music that sounds like some trippy 1960s throwback keyboard player. Sammy is given a gender and becomes “cute” in the eyes of “her” creator throughout the video. Along with demonstrating some potential applications that includes cookie jar and refrigerator patrol, the rest of the product family makes a cameo

The Perks. There are a whopping ten tiers from which backers may choose. The $60 early bird special offers a complete Sammy Screamer product with free worldwide shipping. The $150 early bird special includes three Sammy Screamers, one app and free worldwide shipping. The estimated delivery is Aug 2014 for most levels.

The Potential. Sammy Screamer could be useful to young parents, teens, and those who enjoy practical jokes. (Imagine secretly attaching a Sammy Screamer to your friend’s jacket or purse when he or she isn’t paying attention.) It’s not presently able to be used with Android, but that’s only temporary. While there are other mini motion detectors out there, they while they are intended for fixed home security applications, Screaming Sammy is always happy to go along for the ride.

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Connected Objects Pets

iCPooch offers videochats, snacks to defeat doggie doldrums

The Premise. Snoopy has it pretty good. He can act out the carefree antics of Joe Cool, have exciting Red Baron adventures, mess with little kids as the Easter Beagle or Great Pumpkin, win first place in a Christmas light contest, and perhaps best of all, demand dinner on a whim. Meanwhile, other dogs are stuck at home in an empty house while their owners get to have all the fun!

The Product. iCPooch is one dog owner’s attempt to bring relief to the depression that many dogs experience when their entire world has walked out the door a duration that seems unending. Owners simply connect the doggie delighting device to a wireless router, and then they can easily stay in touch with their four-legged family member. Yes, now even dogs can make their own selfies of sorts as they videobark with their humans by using their very own smartphone or tablet attached to an included adjustable mounting bracket. And just like any savvy record representative for a major label or a Hollywood studio lawyer, the owner maintains control. In this case, that’s with the iCPooch Android app, iOS app, or Web browser. Owners can even deliver a treat at the click of a mouse if their doggie is behaving. Several treat sizes will be compatible with the enclosed reloadable and removable bin.

The Pitch. The video for the $20,000 campaign, which doesn’t shy from playing on viewers’ emotions for funding, aims clearly at those with busy lives who see their dog as being more than just their stay-at-home pet. It’s quickly revealed that the product was invented by a poised 14-year-old, a pretty impressive feat even if she did get a bit of help from Dad with the details.

The Perks. There are eight tiers from which backers may choose. The $99 early bird special offers a complete product, plus Fido’s name in computer monitor lights via a listing as a Founding Pet who helped bring the project into the lives of other struggling doggies and their grateful owners. The estimated delivery is May 2014 for all levels.

The Potential. iCPooch could be useful to any smartphone vidchatter who feels that their dog needs a little extra tender loving care and a little less privacy. However, it seems that trusted neighbors might be able to check in occasionally to calm an anxious pet until its human family can get home. iCPooch appears to be a one-of-a-kind product that can make a dog’s life a bit less of a dog’s life when you’re away.

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Connected Objects

Fitlime cuts off juice, puts the squeeze on laziness

The Premise. If it wasn’t for distractions such as work and the family, fitness would be so much simpler. Well, okay, the TV, video games, smart phone, computer, social networking, iPad and various other gadgets might have a little something to do with it too. What if there was an electronic device that could assist people with restricting such distractions?

The Product. The Fitlime Air System is a combination of hardware and software that is ironically used to keep you from some of your favorite hardware and software. A bland black loxkbox prevents use of videogame consoles while the app is used to restrict permissions on phone or tablet apps such as games. The key for the lock device can be left with a trusted friend until workout goals are completed. Fitness goals are registered in the app by the user along with the offending gadgets of distraction; the company is planning to integrate with popular exertion tracking apps and devices such as RunKeeper and the Jawbone UP.

The Pitch. The idea for the product came to founder Trevor McGerri back in 2011 while working toward his dentistry degree; the aspiring oral doctor struggled with the newest gadgets distracting him from his fitness goals and studies. The campaign video hits on the idea of distractions interfering with fitness goals by using 1960s Woodstock-style music and a guy who zones out with his smartphone when it’s time to say his name. The point is accentuated by a woman who rolls off the gym treadmill while answering her ringing smartphone. Of course, as soon as someone says they’ve never heard of such a thing, a McDonalds-style lawsuit will be splashed all over mainstream headlines on just such an event.

The Perks. Before you have the privilege of self-denial, you’ll need the discipline to send at least $74 to the campaign, which is the price for a console. This includes the hardware locking device and a remote to unlock it plus apps to connect up to 10 devices, Depending on which tier a backer selects, the estimated delivery date would be anywhere from March to May of 2014

The Potential. From the time of Odysseus and the sirens, we’ve known that precommitment can be a powerful aid in resisting temptation. More recently, we’ve seen sites such as Stickk that require you to pay money when you miss certain goals. The Aim hardware device is similar in concept to Bob, designed to control tasks such as TV watching and game playing for kids. It, like the Aim, is ineffective for battery-controlled devices such as the iPad. Fitlime is trying to set straight tech junkies, game addicts, and those who tend to get wrapped up in TV, the Internet and social networking to the point of losing track of the time once they get started. But the veneer of prevention that it provides doesn’t appear to be enough of a deterrent.

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Connected Objects

Game of Drones quadricopter survives fire, shotgun blasts, your ex’s scorn

GameofDronesThe robots destined to rule Earth as our indifferent masters will one day chuckle at how we primitive humans enabled them to resist our weapons.  Two guys in Northern California have developed a prototype indestructible drone with a four-pronged body that can survive multiple falls, flying through glass plates and fire, landing in water, and being shot. For $125, you can get the unassembled parts of the product and put it together yourself. Or for $600. you can get one fully assembled. Perhaps the only thing it can’t resist, though, is a ticket. If you’re flying unmanned aircrafts, make sure you abide by your local drone laws. Happy piloting!

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Connected Objects Health and Wellness

QardioArm puts blood pressure readings on your handset

The Premise. Many people have to monitor their own blood pressures multiple times daily due to various medical conditions. The means having a bulky blood pressure cuff with them, which can be unsightly and to some, embarrassing.

The Product. QardioArm revolutionizes not only the look of a blood pressure cuff, but also the usability and feasibility. The company has created a product that is sleek and doesn’t look out of place in a work bag or purse, while simultaneously creating a product that brings blood pressure monitoring into the digital age. The QardioArm can connect via Bluetooth to your iPhone, where it syncs the data with its secure cloud storage system. You can then share the information with your family or doctor, if you choose.

The Pitch. The video for the $100,000 campaign is professionally shot and features not only the developers but a physician who speaks to the merit of the product. After a brief personal story of how the item came to be, the video shows various stages of product, usage, and puts the QardioArm in a series of shots that are the contents of peoples’ bags, to show it doesn’t look out of place.  The text gives more information and details, as well as a brief few sentences about an upcoming product that is a wearable EKG monitor that will work through the same system.

The Perks. For $85, a backer gets an early bird special price on a QardioArm, and for $160, a backer receives two. However, the company is also marketing to physicians and hospitals, and offers five QardioArms for $400 and 100 for $7500. That shows forward thinking and a great way to reach out to the medical community. The product offers perks for those who have to track their health, but one drawback may be the security these devices provide. By linking to a cloud and to doctor’s offices, there is a chance of hacking and so forth.

The Potential QardioArm follows earlier connected blood pressure monitors such as those from Withings and iHealth that attached directly to the iPhone, but makes improvements in terms of portability and Bluetooth connectivity. Making blood pressure readings more convenient, even consumers who have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure may be incentivized to do so and gain greater insights into their health.