Categories
Health and Wellness

Collapsible Lily Cup goes with the flow as a tampon alternative

Tampons, maxi pads and the like can be a huge pain. Not to mention the fact that their disposable nature makes them costly and bad for the environment. Lily Cup is a recyclable cup to use during your period. It’s flexible and comes in two different sizes. The pink cup folds into a discreet case so it can be carried around anywhere. According to the campaign, the cup works for up to 10 hours, much longer than any tampon. For $33, lady backers will receive one Lily Cup in their choice of size and color (dark pink or light pink) for estimated delivery in December 2014. Lily Cup is looking to raise $7,800 on Kickstarter.

For women who are used to the whole tampon/pad routine, switching to the Lily Cup may be a bit of a shock. Still, most agree that tampons aren’t exactly the best for women’s health. The Diva Cup is known as the original menstrual cup, but the Lily Cup takes ease of use a step further by adding portability. All in all, it may be worth it to make the adjustment in order to save money and waste.

Categories
Kids/Babies

Strollbright pimps your baby’s ride

Walking the baby at night in a stroller can be just the thing when baby doesn’t seem to want to cooperate and go to sleep. There’s just something about cool night air that soothes and calms. But walking at night can also be a safety concern: that’s why Strollbright was created. The battery-powered lights use white LEDs that work for 72 hours, offer 360 degree visibility, are waterproof and tangle-resistant. It is compatible with most strollers on the market. At the press of a button, users have the option of steady or flashing lights and the battery has a self-charging system. For those who want to do double duty and walk the dog while walking the baby, consider The Watchdog campaign for pet safety, too. The Strollbright campaign seeks to raise $5,000 CAD (~$4,400 USD) by November 27, 2014. For $25 CAD (~$22 USD), early bird backers get two strips of led lights with an expected delivery of December 2014.

Categories
Health and Wellness

Goodwell toothbrush wants you to open wide for an open source mouth care kit

Like most products made by huge companies, toothbrushes aren’t designed with sustainability in mind. Usually made from non-biodegradable plastic and having to be replaced at least three to four times a year makes the item a prime polluter. On average, all this adds up to 12 pounds of waste per person or 80 billion pounds worldwide, annually. In an era of increased ecological awareness, this simply won’t do.

Goodwell is looking to do its part in reducing this unnecessary pollution by offering a sleek, modern toothbrush that functionally provides everything necessary to do so. The hybrid toothbrush, tongue scraper, and flosser is made from medical grade aluminum for strength, sport charcoal bristles and binchotan to more effectively fight plaque and clean teeth, and all of its attachments are made from bamboo composite which are fully compostable. Those attachments are open source as well: by releasing their CADs for their attachments, Goodwell is letting users create any kind of attachment they want, like chopsticks or forks and knives. There’s even a small compartment at the bottom of the brush to hold items like aspirin or spare bills.

The brush is a two-part proposition in that you can buy the kit itself with the option of subscribing to their delivery service. This entitles users to receive a new brush head every month along with a product from a collaborator like Maak soap or Marvin toothpaste for an additional $79 a year. Although it may seem like a hefty initial cost, new brush heads every month for that price comes out cheaper than buying a new toothbrush every month and the brush heads are at least biodegradable. If you want to spring for just the toothbrush, though, that will only run $69.  Goodwell is looking for an $12,500 infusion to begin manufacturing by the 26th.

Categories
Kids/Babies

Interlocking Fidget chair is for kids who rock

There are some who say that the energy children have should have been reserved for older tired people. But since things didn’t work out that way, Fidget helps kids to find a way to manage all that energy when they are in an environment where they must sit. The chair is suitable for ages 3-6, though there are plans to make one for ages 5-9. Basically, it moves with the child as they squirm around, helping to facilitate their focus for activities that require mental energy rather than physical energy. They are also modular, and when flipped around, can be used as chair and desk combo. Some backers may have an issue with the fact that the chairs are made of high density polyethylene (petroleum based) but this makes them easy to clean. Seems like such a chair may actually have an appeal to some adults, especially those locked into doing desk work all day long. In the meantime, this campaign seeks to raise $50,000 by November 30. 2014.  For $70, early bird backers get one product with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Tablet Accessories

Clamp Champion provides a well-rounded way to get iPads on curved surfaces

Smartphones and tablets have become essential to our lives. Whether we use them for work, fun or even monitoring our health. Due to their flat nature, however, none really stand up by themselves. Most mounts or stands cater to flat surfaces, but few tackle round surfaces. The aptly-named Clamp Champion aims to fit onto those unfittable places including the back of your couch, train seats, plane seats, refrigerators and much more. It fits tablets between two and 12 inches and swivels to get that perfect angle. Using rubber, it grips onto your expensive device for maximum security. One Clamp Champion will cost backers $25 with estimated delivery set for November 2014. This product is looking to raise $2,000 with the help of Kickstarter.

As our lives become more entangled with our devices, new solutions need to be found for ease of use. Clamp Champion is one of those solutions. It’s incredibly versatile not only in the devices it works with, but also in the places it can be used. The price isn’t too bad either!

Categories
Food and Beverage

FridgeBarista makes cold-brewed coffee in the place it belongs

There are coffee drinkers and there are coffee connoisseurs. Coffee drinkers are okay with the instant stuff. Coffee connoisseurs will not tolerate anything that isn’t fresh ground and brewed. FrigeBarista is made with the cold-brewed coffee connoisseur in mind. The filter is made of stainless steel wire mesh while the rest of the unit consists of food grade plastic. The extra wide mouth allows for grounds to be easily scooped into the filter and room temperature water to be poured on top. While it does have to be stored in the refrigerator for 12 hours before enjoying, the height of the unit itself and easy-serve tap near the bottom allow for easy storing and pouring. For those who want an easy way to have the hot stuff one cup at a time, check out the Coffee Cuppa campaign. Busy corporate America urban-dwelling coffee drinkers might appreciate the Smash Cup for those mornings when they need to sip and run. This campaign seeks to raise $8,300. Backers get one product for $30 with an expected delivery of December 2014.

Categories
Luggage and Bags

RiutBag ditches outside zipper for traveling peace of mind

Urban dwellers and travelers often find a backpack (or rucksack as they say in the UK) to be the most effective way to tote their essentials. Unfortunately, anyone who happens to be standing behind the wearer often has easy access to those personal items. RiutBag offers an alternative that was clearly designed by a small team that knows a little something about what makes a great travel bag. The zippers are designed in such a way that they are not easily accessible to the general public who happens to be along for the ride on the subway, bus, train or plane. Multiple storage pockets range in size from large enough for a laptop, to a place for one’s keys. There’s even a hidden pocket for paper tickets when digital or e-tickets aren’t an option. This campaign seeks to raise £29,700 (~$47,000 USD) by November 26, 2014. For £55 (~$88 USD), backers get can nab one with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Organization Tech Accessories

Cablestop is a small cylindical weight to tame your cables

Desks are notorious for wires shooting out all over the place making a messy work environment. It’s hard to keep them all organized as we continue to add more devices to the mix. Cablestop is like a paperweight for your wires. It’s small and discreet, using little slots to slide the wires through. This product comes in several different colors. In addition, Cablestop doesn’t use any type of magnet or adhesive so it can be adjusted easily. To use, simply snake through one or two wires.

Each Cablestop only holds up to two wires, which is good from an organizational perspective, but not so great from a financial perspective. The typical backer with a cluttered desk will probably need at least two to tidy up. One will cost backers $21 AUD (~$18 USD) for delivery in April 2015 from Australia. This product is looking to raise $29,000 AUD (~$25,000 USD) on Kickstarter. Some backers may opt for a more do-it-yourself approach to the wire situation by using binder clips as wire holders. For the less creative, however, Cablestop is a nifty little solution to your clutter problems. 

Categories
Sports

LoadUp Pro gets physical to produce tight baseball bat swings

All sports demand tight, consistent form, which takes a whole lot of time and practice to properly master. A big problem when learning these techniques is that it’s hard to know when you’re not doing it right. This means leading some down the wrong path and forcing them to correct themselves when someone clues them in on their mistakes.

The folks at LoadUp Pro think that time would be better spent learning correctly from the get go. They’ve built their batting aid to teach players how to correctly load up power and swing while still keeping balance. The Pro does this with two bars that work in tandem to create physical cues to teach, improve, or refine form, eventually leading to improved muscle memory and an overall better swing. The company’s approach is novel as it shies away from a sensor-centric design like the Zepp which forces players to analyze their swing after the fact. In contrast, the LoadUp Pro offers instant feedback the same way the Jump Shot Pro does for basketball — an invaluable trait in the sports world. The LoadUp Pro can be had for $75 with an estimated delivery date of January 2015. The campaign is looking to raise $5,000 for success.

Categories
Cycling Safety

A strip show on wheels, LightCycle helps nighttime riding safety

Those little red squares on the back of most bikes claim to be some sort of brake light, but, in reality, are as useful as having nothing there at all. With the safety concerns associated with an increase of bike riders in high traffic areas, you would think companies would figure out a better alternative, but that hasn’t been the case. Instead, a slew of companies over the years have presented their own solutions to varying degrees of success.

LightCycle’s small, battery-powered brake system is easy to install on any bike and lights up every time you apply the brakes. This avoids unnecessary collisions and the potential for more dangerous accidents by increasing visibility. Revolights is another brake light system that handles this issue in a similar way but includes the front of the bike to achieve maximum visibility; even if the creators of LightCycle claim to use LED lights, the campaign video wasn’t convincing enough to prove it. That said, if you’re looking to make sure everyone sees you while you ride, the 8rlicht is the way to go — a large screen with custom messages will get surely rid of any doubt. LightCycle is currently going for $65 with an expected delivery date of January 2015. The campaign is looking for $2,000 to make it happen.