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Home Tools

CaulkKnocker makes home repairs more smooth; not as dirty as it sounds

Roofing sealant, caulk and other sticky substances used for home repair or construction are often a pain to work with. It’s often difficult to manipulate them into where they are supposed to go.

CaulkKnocker was created with the do-it-yourselfer in mind. The smoothing tool has a head made of ice, so sticky substances stick to the proper surfaces and not the tool. The product consists of a handle that is attached to a reservoir and mold. Water gets poured into the reservoir and then the product gets placed in the freezer so that an ice mold is formed on the head of the product.

This seems like a great idea, though if one is on a roof or is not close to a freezer, a cooler may be necessary to help keep the ice head from melting too quickly. To keep this product cold, ready to use and at one’s fingertips, backers may also be interested in Icebuddy. This campaign seeks to raise $55,000. For $100, backers get one kit with an expected delivery of August 2015.

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Automotive

SCIRT keeps snow and ice out of vehicle wheel wells

Some outdoor enthusiasts live for winter. Skiing, snowmobiling, sledding, ice skating and all the other snowy sports that are fun for winter lovers mean a car or truck is often necessary for getting to the best spots to enjoy the snow and ice.

While these are all fun, putting chains on tires is often a necessary evil. So SCIRT (Snow Chain Instillation and Removal Tool) was created to make said evil a bit more bearable. Even four-wheel drive vehicles need snow chains when traveling to mountainous and icy areas in the winter. The tool is specifically designed for diamond-pattern tire chains, and helps with the removal of snow and ice in wheel wells. The product seems to be aimed at more experienced outdoorsmen than hobbyists, and there is not a great deal of detail available on how the product works. This product seeks to raise £2,000 (~$3,120). For £17 (~$27), backers get one product with an expected delivery of January 2015.

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Imaging Video

One-touch Flagg’it makes editing sporting highlights less of drag

Over the last few years, sports have embraced action cameras as a way to capture those incredible moments that are often missed to later share with others. Their usually small sizes offer high-quality HD recording options, but their downside lies in having to manually turn them on and off which ultimately takes the focus off the action.

Flagg’it is a wearable button that functions as an instant marker for any and all cameras someone may have. A single button press marks a video track with a flag, and the included Flagg’it software allows users to import their video with the attached flags. Having these markers lets users more easily edit their video without having to review the entire thing for notable moments, a process that can easily eat up so much time.

Those behind Flagg’it are banking on the fact that it’s easier to begin the editing process in the moment rather than back at a computer, so they’ve made it easy to do so. The device doesn’t function through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi but rather emits an audio signal which it uses to sync instead, allowing Flagg’it to work with any camera at any distance. And its 50 hours or more of battery life relieves batteries worries, too. A Flagg’it device goes for $69, and is expected to ship July 2015 if the campaign raises $50,000.

What Flagg’it does, it does very well. Sports enthusiasts will no doubt absolutely love the ability to set up flags on their recorded video in real time, so its functionality will be met with warm welcome. It’s also shock, dust, and shock resistant, but even then it isn’t certain Flagg’it will be able to truly withstand the punishment it surely will receive.

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Health and Wellness

Solo helps toothbrushes and razors stand up to germs

A cluttered bathroom sink is one of the realities of home life. But the creator of Solo seems to think that a minimalist design is the solution. The razor and toothbrush holder is made of aerospace grade aluminum, making it more durable than the average holder. Because the razor and toothbrush are elevated to upright positions, the product offers a more germ-free solution than what is presently on the market – even though there are plenty of products out there doing that.  Solo is compatible with nearly any razor or toothbrush, and makes the claim that it reduces bathroom clutter because the average toothbrush holder is too bulky.

Perhaps this would hold some water if Solo could hold more than one toothbrush at a time. As for razors, they tend to become rusty no matter where they happen to be, even when sitting upright. This campaign seeks to raise $7,500. Early bird backers get one product for $20, with an expected delivery of April 2015.

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Home

POD 2.0 electric laundry machine washes unmentionables, saves water

One of the worst things about dorm or apartment living is the common lack of a washing machine. There’s nothing worse than having to scrounge up the right kind of coins in order to wash your delicates under the close scrutiny of other laundry-doers. It’s also a huge waste of time having to wait for clothes to wash due to fear of leaving clothing unattended.

The POD 2.0 is an electric washing machine for anyone without their own laundry facilities. To operate, put one and half gallons of water and one teaspoon of detergent in the POD. The wash cycle can be adjusted between zero and 15 minutes. When it’s finished, drain the water and replace with clean water for a rinse. After that, drain the water and hit “spin” for the spin cycle.

POD 2.0 boasts water savings and energy efficiency. It’s capacity can take either 20 pairs of underwear, three business shirts, six t-shirts or two pairs of jeans. When finished, just hang the clothes to dry on a drying rack.

This product is incredibly convenient for those lacking a washing machine. It’s hard to say that it can really replace a washing machine, however. The capacity is a bit small and better for washing delicates or trying to get the stain out of something immediately. Still, for a single college student, this product definitely saves time and stress, and is reasonably priced too. One will cost backers a $99 donation for estimated delivery in May 2015. POD 2.0 is hoping to raise $100,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Lighting

LIVING room lamp moves around at will, boasts presets and dimming power

Lighting can make a huge difference in any household. Great furniture and fixtures are lost when there’s not enough light to illuminate them.

Most households use lamps to provide that bit of extra light, but don’t move them once they’re in place. As we move around and use our rooms in different ways, light may have to move as well. That’s why the LIVING room lamp is a pivot lamp with integrated Bluetooth technology. It syncs up with any Android smartphone for complete control over the light’s position. Either move the light around at will or take advantage of the preset timed options available.

The light looks like a typical silver pivot light and reach up to six feet and ten inches. In addition to its height, it also boast a rotation of up to 120 degrees. There’s little information on how bright the light gets or what kind of lightbulb it calls for, but it is able to be dimmed. The creators hope that they’ll soon integrate iOS into the lamp as well.

As an added bonus, the LIVING room lamp is made up of modular parts which can be replaced easily if necessary. The creators of this product may want to consider adding some kind of detector that will prevent the light from smashing into walls if its preset demands it. This light is going for a donation of $850 (!) for delivery in November 2015. The LIVING room lamp is looking to raise $80,000 with the help of Kickstarter.

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Camping

Cinch tents shed light on those dark campsite nights

One of the most relaxing ways to destress and recharge is to spend some time in the great outdoors. And having the right tent is highly important. Cinch is a pop-up tent that sets up and folds down quickly. It comes in two, three, and four person capacity, and is double-skinned to protect from wet weather.

The convenience of two entrances and storage areas are a nice touch, but the one feature that really sets it apart is that each tent comes with a solar pack so that gadgets can remain charged, and tents can provide LED light at night. There are charging ports for up to two mobile devices. The dimensions for the two person tent are 2.8m long x 2.2m wide x 1.3m high. Though this doesn’t really provide much room for an adult to stand upright, the solar power capacity certainly makes this tent worth some serious consideration.

Backers may also be interested in POD tents and CampCaddy. This campaign seeks to raise £50,000 (~$77,800). For £110 (~$170), backers get one tent with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Imaging Video

The Parrot teleprompter for DSLRs helps your yap stay on track

Anyone trying to produce quality video is well aware of the difficulties behind editing hours of content down to that single morsel that will still flow well. The main culprit behind it all is simply forgetting lines, something easily solved with a teleprompter. Unfortunately, most are prohibitively expensive and therefore lock a large segment of individuals out of even thinking about the purchase.

It’s a shame that’s the case, because a teleprompter can dramatically increase the quality of video production almost instantly. Inventor Brigham Arce thought the same and created The Parrot teleprompter for DSLR and mirrorless cameras. The product is a essentially a shrunken down teleprompter that uses a smartphone to help display text. It’s acrylic beam splitter mirror offers 70% light transmission and allows users to still read what they need to while the camera sees nothing. The Parrot and a lens adapter can both be purchased for $100. The product is expected to be shipped in May 2015 provided the campaign reaches its $30,000 goal.

Any product that can drastically reduce the price a lot of folks in the field would like to have but can’t afford will be a sure-fire hit. The product has a wide target market ranging from bloggers to video professionals, and its compatibility with most major smartphones negates the necessity for other expenses. And when users are done, they can use the Lumera to instantly share what they’ve created before they’ve dismantled the entire set-up.

Categories
Cooking

Butter Crayon makes spreading butter better

Many people agree that it’s amazing how much better food tastes with butter than with margarine. And there are now studies out that say that butter is actually better because it is a natural food, as opposed to manmade margarine. But spreading cold butter can be a challenge. That’s why the Butter Crayon was created.

The product’s food safe silicone casing fits a standard sized store bought stick of butter. It also keeps butter safe, acts as a butter dispenser and is heat resistant. Once the butter is placed in the case, it gets pushed to surface via a block that is included with the product, making it easier to butter toast, veggies, put on a skillet surface for cooking and more. Butter can be stored right in the Butter Crayon.

Seems like a great idea for buttering pans and skillets, but when buttering bread, there may be crumbs left on the surface, and with other foods, there may be some cross-contamination concerns. Backers may also be interested in Fab and MasterPan. This campaign seeks to raise $60,000. For $15 backers get one product with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Apparel

Powerlace laces shoes for you, saves time and bunny ears method

When prompted to think about the amount of time spent in a lifetime tying up footwear, most people would shudder. It takes a thought like that to really understand how much time these seemingly insignificant actions take, but it takes innovations like the PowerLacing system invented by the Powerteam to truly do something about it.

The Powerlace auto-lacing sneakers take advantage of this technology. The slim-profiled sneakers feature a heel presser attached to a lacing system connected to the tongue. As a user presses down on the heel, the high-quality laces lock into place and ensure a snug fit every time, and are rated to be good for over 200,000 lacing cycles. To disengage the laces, a small lever on the back of each sneaker is pressed down. True innovation is found within the Powerlaces as there isn’t a single battery, motor, spring, or gear to be found, minimizing the risk of malfunction. In addition, the sneakers are breathable, waterproof, and washable, and also come in grey, orange, green or blue. A pair of Powerlaces costs $175 CAD (~$154), and provided the campaign reaches their $650,000 (~$571,700) goal, backers should expect their own by May 2015.

The Powerlace auto-lacing sneakers are the result of extremely smart thinking. Without a single moving part, the technology manages to do such a simple task effectively to the marvel of people everywhere. It’s surprising another more established company hasn’t thought of this first, but after this gains attention, they sure will.