The death of disco back in the late 70’s was a tragedy that many still have yet to get over. The days of bell-bottomed jeans and ABBA still ring clearly in many minds, which is probably why inventor Colby Homec decided to create the Phone Disco.
The Phone Disco is a very simple accessory: attach it to a smartphone, and it filters the powerful smartphone camera light through a small disco ball to create the iconic light show central to all the best Saturday Night Fever dance-offs of the day.
Two of the most frustrating parts of parking a car are not getting back to it before a parking meter has expired and not being able to remember where the vehicle was parked. The latter is especially the case when it’s a huge, crowded parking lot.
YAB is a small USB dongle that reminds users when their parking meters are going to expire and keeps track of where they’ve parked their cars. It automatically saves the car’s location on the user’s Android smartphone or iPhone when the engine shuts off. YAB communicates using Bluetooth Low Energy. YAB ships in December. Future pricing isn’t provided. But Indiegogo backers can order one for a $29 pledge. Its makers reached their targeted funding of $11,916 July 30.
This is a device that may appeal to any consumer who has ever received a parking ticket because they didn’t get back to their car before the meter expired, or who has been unable to find their car in a crowded lot late at night after seeing a movie or concert.
The unnatural requirement for most office-bound workers to sit for eight hours a day is not only an exercise in boredom but unhealthy to boot. Not being active enough throughout the day because reports need to be typed up and emails need to be replied to is harmful to one’s health in a myriad of ways, something that has prompted many inventors and small companies to remedy the situation.
From wearables to standing desk, every team has a solution. The GAZELAB team’s? Its Gaze Desk, a connected standing desk with a few tricks up its sleeve. For one, both of its sections — front and back — can be independently controlled so that the monitor and keyboard are at different heights, something that helps avoid awkward and sometimes painful positioning of the elbow and neck. This all happens automatically after inputting height and weight into the Gaze Desk’s companion app so that it calculates the optimal height for itself.
Videoconferencing is a pretty good way to communicate with fellow workers and business clients without having to be in the same room together. But existing solutions can be more complicated to use than the average person would like.
Hello is a voice-controlled videoconferencing camera that easily connects to a TV via HDMI. It offers wireless screen sharing and live broadcasting capabilities, as well as security surveillance with motion detection.
Cycling has never been easier nor more connected due to the plethora of gadgets attempting to be crowdfunded that help both lead and light the way. Still, there;s always room for more innovation, a challenge that continues to push small teams to create new, fun form factors like the Shoka Bell.
Like others, the Shoka Bell is a connected bike bell that helps cyclists find their way, light their path, alert others, and alert them to possible theft. Users can consult its companion app to find the safest routes from point A to point B, made safer by real-time updates from other Shoka Bell users. (It also lets users consult routes taken by friends, see anyone nearby, and upload pictures to Instagram, too.) And since it’s equipped with eight front-facing LEDs, the path to point B is made clear without blinding others in the process.
The pursuit of the perfect swing on the green is the goal of every budding golfer out there. Countless hours are spent chasing it, usually with an expensive coach nearby. But while the team behind the IOFIT can’t compete with the value a coach provides, it sure can help.
The company’s self-titled IOFIT connected golf shoes is its attempt. In creating lightweight, breathable golf shoes equipped with waterproof pressure sensors, users wearing them can track balance and weight shift while taking a swing. Bluetooth connectivity pushes this data to IOFIT’s iOS and Android companion app to provide real-time feedback, summarizing a user’s statistics and providing actionable insights to improve their game.
The spark of DIY inspiration sparks everyone every now and then. The problem lies in actually executing it. Even those who are a lot more handy have trouble making sure an important pipe isn’t ruptured or wire isn’t cut, making even the smallest mistake a costly one.
Luckily, the Walabot DIY is here to help. The device attaches to an Android phone and allows users to “see” into concrete and drywall at a depth of up to four inches to reveal the plastic and metal pipes, electrical wires, studs and even movement within.
Many accidents occur when parking a vehicle, often because it is hard to see exactly how much space one has when backing up into a spot. Parking sensors significantly cut down on such accidents, but the vast majority of cars don’t have them and they can be too costly for many consumers to afford.
FenSens is an affordable wireless, connected and sensor-based parking assistance system that works in conjunction with an app for Android and iOS mobile devices. The patent-pending device gets attached to a vehicle’s front or rear license plate frame and is easy to install in less than five minutes. FenSens enables uses to see (through a visual display), hear (through beeps), and feel (via vibration) any near-by objects in a driver’s blind spots from the convenience of a mobile phone screen. An alarm buzzer sounds if FenSens is tampered with and the device will allow users to register it with specific phones, making it useless for unverified mobile devices.
Wireless speakers continue to be popular thanks to the growing popularity of mobile devices and the convenience of streaming music from them using Bluetooth. Networked wireless speaker systems, meanwhile, have become popular also for much the same reason, as well as the success of Sonos.
Sonic Blocks is a wireless speaker system that goes at least a couple of steps further than most rival products. First off, it’s a modular system made up of 6-inch speaker blocks. Second, while most wireless speakers rely solely on Bluetooth, Sonic Blocks also allows users to stream music via Wi-Fi for superior sound quality. It’s also compatible with the DTS Play-Fi multi-zone wireless audio technology for Android smartphones and tablets.
Some folks would just love to take their computer with them wherever they go, especially if they need it for work. But they just hate having to schlep such a large device around with them, even if it’s just a laptop.
Ockel Sirius B is an updated version of the Sirius B pocket PC from Ockel Computers. It’s a Windows PC with the power of a desktop computer, but the lightness and size of a smartphone that allows it to fit in one’s pocket. It comes in a choice of white or black housing with aluminum edges. The computer features a fan-free design, allowing it to operate silently. Other features include HDMI 1.4 output, an Intel processor, 2 USB ports, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, a microSD memory card slot and up to 4 GB of RAM.