Categories
Nutrition/Hydration

Fred Water Flask holds water flat; fits just about anywhere

Girls who hate purses and guys who don’t carry a briefcase must depend on pockets for everything they need. However, water bottles won’t fit in pockets, so some are missing out on getting their recommended amount of water each day. That’s where the Fred Water Flask comes in. This particular water bottle is made of 100% stainless steel, which means it’s food-grade safe and BPA-free. With a height, width and depth of 5.8 x 3.4 x 1.8 inches, this flat flask is more transportable than any water bottle that is round, square or even rectangular because it fits better in a pocket.

It may also fit well in a purse, briefcase, book bag or gym bag, although it likely will need to be refilled frequently in order for a person to actually drink those 32 ounces of water per day that are recommended for optimal health. Other water bottle options that backers might want to check out include Aqualight, Trimr, Intlishake, and for those concerned about pet hydration, there is K9. This campaign seeks to raise $30,000 by December 31, 2014. Early bird backers get one product for $19 with an expected delivery of January 2015.

Categories
Music

The Magnet guitar camera mount tells your visual story when drilling technique

While the old adage about practice makes perfect has a certain amount of truth to it, practicing bad technique leads to bad habits, which in turn leads to limited skills and a lot of frustration trying to fix something that could have been avoided. A good teacher can help their student with technique during a lesson, but what to do in between? The Magnet guitar camera mount works with the user’s smartphone to create the perfect angle for capturing where those mistakes are happening so that they can be corrected. It adjusts to fit nearly any smartphone, and the phone can be used either upright or in landscape position.

An adaptor for the magnet allows for users to capture both their left and right hand at the same time, though two separate phones have to be used to accomplish this. Backers strapped for cash may just want to consider looking in a mirror while playing instead. This campaign seeks to raise $55,000. Early bird backers get one Magnet for $30, with an expected delivery of August 2015.

Categories
Tech Accessories

Leather Budy seeks to partner with disgruntled earbud wearers

Perhaps the item that should be given the distinction of the eighth wonder of the world is the item that most effectively keeps earbud wires untangled. It seems that this particular unsolved mystery is one which nearly every creative and inventive person seeks to unravel, and Leather Budy is no exception. The newly emerging earbud wire taming gadget attaches to a button on a shirt or blouse to help keep earbuds in place when in use. Then the wires can be folded into the holder to keep them from getting tangled so that they are easily unwound and quickly available for the next use. It’s made of 100% Italian leather, and comes in multiple colors.

Great idea as long as one doesn’t wear anything without buttons down the front. Interested backers might also want to check out the Mous Musicase, MagClip, and earMC campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise €2,800 (~$3,500). Early bird backers get their very own Leather Buddy for €9 (~$11) with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Running

Bionic Runner blends safe running training with great outdoors

One of the best things about running is being able to enjoy the outdoors and still do something healthy for one’s body. But training outside can mean an increased chance of injury from awkward foot strides, over-extension or impact fatigue. So Bionic Runner was specifically made for runners who prefer being outdoors. This bike has an eight speed gear hub that allows runners to perform advanced training techniques such as resistance, intervals, and threshold. While it duplicates the motion of running and is a great cardiovascular workout, it significantly reduces the chance of getting injured. In addition, it’s foldable for maximum convenience and portability.

Since the high risk training techniques running usually presents are transferred to the bike, runners can spend more time focusing on their gate when they do actually run. Interested backers may also want to check out the Hamtoner, Go Kin, Spyder 360, and Most Fit campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $40,000 AUD (~$33,300 USD). For $965 AUD (~$800 USD) backers can have their very own Bionic Runner with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Cycling

Indigo Uni Mount takes cyclists’ smartphones for a ride

Where to put the smartphone when riding a bike so that it is safe and still easily accessible can be a conundrum. Indigo Uni Mount lets cyclists have the benefit of their phone in the center of their handlebars, which means that the GPS function is also easily usable. The 1/4 Garmin mount allows for the phone to swivel so that it can be used in either standard or landscape mode. The phone mount is made of UV grade acetal thermoplastic, and uses 3M VBH tape for attachment, so no tools are needed.

At the present, it is not compatible with rubber, silicon, textured and porous surfaces, but efforts are being made to change that. It’s also not recommended for use with mobiles that have a screen that’s over 5 inches, another inconvenience. Backers in search of a phone mount might also want to check out the Linkmount and Squido campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $4,000 AUD (~$3,300 USD). Backers can get one Indigo Uni Mount for $16 AUD (~$13 USD) with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Food and Beverage

Chill Lizard watches over cans chilling in the freezer, tells you when they’re ready

If it is indeed true that global warming is, in part, caused by consuming warm beer, then Chill Lizard seems to have a most noble cause. The Chill Lizard band gets attached to one’s beverage of choice, set for one’s desired temperature, and the coaster buzzes when the beverage has hit the ideal cool spot, averting explosive freezer messes. The wireless sensor in the band is how the coaster receives the alert, similar to a system used in various restaurants for when a table is ready for waiting customers. The product automatically defaults to a temperature of 36 degrees and can be adjusted up or down. It will go as low as 29 degrees for frozen treats.

Chill Lizard is apparently designed with an American marketplace in mind since there doesn’t seem to be a Celsius indicator available. Provided the wireless connection will work from inside the freezer, this product is great for those who can’t plan ahead enough to put beverages in the fridge. This campaign seeks to raise $30,000 by December 30, 2014. For $30, backers get one product and an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Pets

Lift Dish telescopes to keep pets fed and watered

Many pet owners would agree that owning a pet is one of the most rewarding things on the planet. It’s amazing how they often seem to know just when their owners need to have the opportunity to cuddle them the most. Unfortunately, many pet owners experience pain in their back, or elsewhere when feeding time rolls around. So Lift Dish was created with the physically challenged in mind. The handle for the food and water dish telescopes up to 32 inches so that pet owners with back, hip or knee pain or in a wheelchair don’t have to bend or stoop to feed their furry best friend.

This product is perfect for the elderly who have trouble moving around, but love having the company of animals in their homes. Pet loving backers may also want to check out the K9 dog water bottle and Mousr campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $25,000 by December 29, 2014. For $50, backers get one Lift Dish with an expected delivery of March 2015.

Categories
Home

Pizza Bed: is it real or is it a pizza dream?

This product gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “rolling in dough.” Okay, bad puns aside (for the moment), pizza lovers and those with an eccentric sense of humor can’t help but love the idea of a comfort food…er…comforter set that looks like pizza. Too bad the creator of Pizza Bed didn’t think of making it take on the smell and feel of pizza too. Imagine not only the look, but even the smell of pizza wafting through one’s bedroom with sauce and cheese oozing between one’s weary toes. It would be enough to make a person have pizza dreams! Or maybe that was thought about and then considered to be a little too over the top.

Amused backers may also enjoy checking out the, ShotGunR, Wobbly Baron chair, Fan-Hand and Raptor football campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $125,848. Early bird backers get a bed set complete with fitted sheet, flat sheet, duvet cover and two standard sized pillowcases for $75 with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Pets

Romeow woos your Julipet with smartphone scheduled feedings

Leaving a pet alone at home for a few days isn’t only taxing on the animal, but stressful for the owner too. Cats and dogs hate to be put in kennels and it can be expensive to have someone feed and take care of pets several times a day.

Romeow is a smartphone-powered device that can feed and provide water for pets over Wi-Fi. When away, owners can use the wide angle camera to check out the bowls. If empty, a tap of a button will dispense the desired amount of food and water. In addition, the owner can schedule all feedings with the app’s calendar, so pet feeding is never a chore. Romeow also comes equipped with a speaker so you can coo at your pet from afar.

Romeow joins scores of other similar products like the Kittyo and PetPal, though it claims to be the first. While it does have a camera and speaker, it doesn’t come equipped with a laser to actually interact with the pet like other products do, though this feature does seem bit superfluous. This product also offers water dispensing unlike others. The Italian Romeow’s design sets it apart too, opting to go more retro/industrial chic rather than the futuristic spaceship look. One Romeow system complete with two bowls can be had by backers for €249 (~$310) by September 2015, if the campaign can meet its €80,000 (~$99,600) goal on Indiegogo.

Categories
Watches and Jewelry Wearables

Ear-O-Smart measures activity levels in an earring

Most wearables devices come as wristbands that can be pretty bulky. Companies are just now getting around to the fact that most people don’t want to wear these ungainly devices despite whatever benefits they may offer, and designs are starting to reflect that. In all of this, though, the market for women-worn wearables is practically non-existent.

BioSensive Technologies Inc. has noticed, and has designed the Ear-O-Smart, a connected earring aimed specifically at women. The earring is Bluetooth LE enabled and syncs with any iOS/Android phone to provide an activity tracker, heart rate monitor, and a calorie monitor to better inform users of their body states. The campaign is looking for $30,000 CAD (~$26,300 USD) to get the $149 CAD (~$130 USD) earrings out by June 2015.

This company has truly taken a chance in designing an accessory for women as the challenge, first and foremost, is a design one and not a technological one. In addition, that market is extremely saturated and most women enjoy a large selection of accessories at any one time, so asking for the repeated use of just one will be a long shot. The Ear-O-Smart attempts to address these points by being customizable, but even a few different looks may not be enough.