Categories
Sensors/IoT Smart Home

pēq promises home automation and security from behind closed doors

The Premise. The smart home comes with a wealth of benefits in terms of automation, convenience and control. Maybe one of the more overlooked benefits of a connected home network is the ability for appliances and items to act as a watch dog for the home, reporting any unusual behavior to owners in a timely fashion so that the security of the home is never breached.

The Product. The latest entrant into the field of home automation, pēq, promises the combination of control and security that a smart home should provide. With a starter kit hub that comes with window and door sensors to detect any entrance into the home and report it to a smartphone, tablet or computer, pēq relies on connected objects to create and interact with data in real-time. With a connected camera, motion sensing can take pictures of any guests, whether wanted or unwanted.  This same connectivity can be applied to lights, thermostats, even water fixtures.

The Pitch. The promotional video for pēq offers up a bright, whimsical 8-bit retro game motif while explaining the numerous benefits of having one in the home. Unfortunately, this is counter-balanced by the website offering almost no information at all beyond what the video presents and pre-ordering information. In order to even pre-order, one has to enter their full name and email address to gain entry to the device’s Early Access program.

The Perks. Those who pre-order can get a pēq Starter Kit with two sensors for just $49.99, or for some extra security, those who pay the full retail $149 price tag will receive a free camera to connect to their pēq. The pēq service will then have a monthly fee of $9.99 to have maximum functionality.

The Potential. It goes without saying that there have been numerous similar devices put out on the market before, even those that blend automation with security like pēq promises to do. That being said, it really merits more information from the creators to differentiate their product from its competitors. The price tag is high enough that it’s hard to make an impulse purchase on, let alone subscribe to a monthly fee to continue using. Based on the quality of its presentation, it’s easy to feel inclined to give pēq the benefit of the doubt, but for a pre-order crowdfunding campaign there has to be an established level of trust between buyer and seller. With pēq there just isn’t enough public information yet available to inspire confidence in backing it.

Categories
Connected Objects Fitness Health and Wellness

PrO2 helps you breathe easy when it comes to personal fitness

pro2Anyone who has stepped on a treadmill for the first time in months knows how quickly breath leaves unfit lungs. Fitness and how hard one can push themselves has so much to do with how easy it is to breathe. PrO2 is a device that can monitor a baseline breath and with that create a training program to help build endurance and ease of breath. Sending its readouts to any smartphone or tablet, PrO2 is quick and easy to use. The wait-and-see approach of PrO2 feels outdated, however, considering the real-time input/output cycle of wearable fitness trackers and even breathing trackers like Spire. PrO2 will hit the ground running in September for $199.

Categories
Smart Home

Declare doorbell independence and let freedom ring with i-Bell

i-bellThe doorbell is a double-edged sword: it can signify the arrival of friends and loved ones, but it has a tendency to do so at the most inopportune times. i-BELL is a doorbell and video camera that connects to the home’s Wi-fi network and pushes an alert and live feed of the camera to any smartphone or tablet. Audio communication can take place or callers can leave a message if unresponded to. While the utility of this device is great and has built-in security features in case of threats or pranksters, it’s certainly not the first to try this and might get lost among Doorbot, Goji, and Chui. i-Bell will come knocking in November for £152.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Displays

TinyStic turns your smartphone experience into a PC

tinysticIt’s easy to forget just how powerful a smartphone really is sometimes. With the ability to run office programs, stream movies, and play 3D video games, who needs a computer? This line of thinking is the basis for TinyStic, a device that looks like the average thumbdrive. Instead of USB, TinyStic plugs into a TV or monitor’s HDMI port, then syncs up with the phone’s TinyStic app to allow full-screen display with drop down menus and Bluetooth keyboard support. The display looks fast and responsive, and this could be a great way to really get the most out of the latest, most powerful smartphones in hotel rooms or at the office. TinyStic costs $99 and will be out in December 2014.

Categories
Aquatics Safety Wearables

Shunning sharknados, ORCA eliminates the need for a bigger boat

The Premise. Recreational ocean activities are a favorite for many. Whether they’re snorkeling, scuba diving, surf or simply out on the water, people on the coast love to spend their time in the sea. However, sharks are a real concern for those out in the ocean and a shark attack can seriously harm or even kill someone.

The Product. ORCA stands for Ocean Recreation Comfort Apparatus. It is a band worn on the wrist or ankle while in the ocean that emits sound waves mimicking the killer whales that sharks are afraid of. The battery lasts for up to 12 hours and is rechargeable with an included USB cable. ORCA is powerful enough to emit its sound up to 100 feet around the wearer. This wristband is black and gray and looks much like a traditional digital watch. In addition, the sound it emits isn’t actually harmful to sharks or any other marine life.

The Pitch. Cue the dramatic music as ORCA’s video starts off with a surfer afraid of the sharks she may encounter in the water. Of course all is well once she puts on her watch and paddles out to sea. The rest of the video chats with various marine enthusiasts and gets their take on “sharky” situations. All agree that while shark attacks do occur, it’s important to find a peaceful deterrent for attacks rather than kill all the sharks. This Hawaiian product has a high campaign goal of $175,000 in its 38-day run on Kickstarter.

The Perks. ORCA offers two early-bird tiers for the product at $71 and $91 for estimated delivery in February and March 2015 respectively. At the full Kickstarter price, ORCA will cost backers a $97 donation for delivery in March 2015.

The Potential. It is a wonderful notion to use brains instead of brawn in dealing with a problem like this. As explained in the video, sharks are a vital part of the ocean eco-system and killing them off can have drastic consequences for the entire world. ORCA isn’t the first of its kind, but it certainly is the most humane option for shark deterrents. The SharkShield uses electrodes to create an electrical field around the swimmer, but according to its own website, this product causes painful muscle spasms for the shark which is what causes it to swim away. ORCA uses a simple and compassionate way to repel sharks while allowing swimmers to enjoy the ocean and for this reason it is guaranteed a place in the ocean-lover market.

Categories
Connected Objects Sensors/IoT

Smart Plant is a smarty pants plant monitoring system

Smart PlantFor those with only green-tinged thumbs, it can be difficult to gauge the health of your plant. Smart Plant is a device from Turkey that tells you whether your plant is good, thirsty, over-watered, too hot or too cold. The device is inserted directly into the soil and even hooks up with a smartphone app via Bluetooth. The Smart Plant can even be programmed to water your plant for you, much like the Daisy.si. However, unlike the Daisy.si, Smart Plant provides a bit more information regarding the plant’s health and does so with cute smiley faces. One of these intelligent plant monitors costs $185 with estimated delivery in January 2015. Smart Plant is going for $26,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Connected Objects Tech Accessories

Nabtobox bypasses the firewall without opening up the floodgate

The Premise. Setting up a smart, connected home network is an exciting process that opens up the possibility to efficiency and home automation. However, the security-conscious will also have in place adequate digital protection and firewalls, which can prevent these devices from being accessed from anywhere except the home network.

The Product. Nabtobox is a little device that can be connected to any home network behind a firewall to enable one-touch access from mobile devices to connect to the network securely behind the firewall but not be denied access from afar. The basic principles behind the box are those found in peer to peer networking, VPNs, and port tunneling, without any of the shady elements of those activities. Nabtobox provides access without sacrificing security, plain and simple.

The Pitch. Nabtobox isn’t a flashy or sexy concept for most people, and so the pitch video is appropriately scaled down to match. Still, there’s a sort of human element to it that makes it enjoyable to watch and easy to relate to. Nabto are out to raise $75,000 for their plucky little device in order to bring it to the masses at large. At $125,000, Nabto will include a GPIO PIN header, and at $250,000 will include virtual USB access.

The Perks. The tech-savvy can get their hands on incomplete alpha and beta versions and bring them up to full speed for $29 and $34 respectively, to arrive in August for alpha and September for beta. The first release model will be launched in October for $39 and will need some new firmware updates to reach maximum potential. The market-ready version is $49 and will be out in November.

The Potential. This is a nice little idea that can make remote connectivity to a complete, and more importantly, secure home network a reality. However, the catch here is that setting up a home network isn’t always a cakewalk either, depending on what the desired setting and devices are, and so putting one in place already requires a bit of tech savvy. Probably enough to take the necessary steps to get by without a Nabtobox. Still, there are certainly enough people out there who just want what’s only going to be easy to set up and control, whether at home or from a distance, and for those people, Nabtobox looks like the right addition to get everything exactly the way it should be. After all, that’s the whole point of a connected home system.

Categories
Food and Beverage Travel

Mojoe satisfies the need for mo’ joe on the go

MojoeFor most, when mid morning hits, it’s necessary to get a caffeine fix. For those who don’t have access to a coffeemaker, a trip to the local café is the only option, which can get costly and time-consuming in the long run. For on-the-go brewing, try Mojoe, a portable single serving coffee maker. Simply load up the filter with your own coffee and put sugar and cream in on the other side for a fresh cup of java. Mojoe is similar to the Hey Joe Coffee Mug, but has the added benefit of letting the drinker use their own coffee, making it more cost-effective and convenient. One Mojoe costs $89 for delivery in December 2014. This portable brewer hopes to raise $50,000 on Indiegogo.

Categories
Luggage and Bags

Duffel-pack hybrid claims to be light as Aer

AerFor anyone with a busy lifestyle, multipurpose items are the way to go. However, most office workers carry two bags to work, one for laptops and files and the other for gym accessories for an after work gym visit. The Aer duffel bag makes it possible to carry everything in one neat package. This bag features a ventilated shoe pocket for sneakers, a secure case for carry around a laptop and a quick-access section for pens, phones, and other smaller items. While the creators have done a nice job of combining a backpack and duffel bag, the Aer still seems a little bulky to carry around. One Aer will cost backers $129 on Kickstarter. Aer has a campaign goal of $45,000.

Categories
Cycling

A low maintenance ride is the #1 Priority

The Premise. The design of modern bicycles has changed little over the years. Since its conception, the typical bike operates just as it did many years ago, but only with better materials. Simple problems that this design comes with have been tolerated because there are so few better options out there.

The Product. Priority is a completely redesigned, updated bicycle. Its creators have made a number of changes to the typical bicycle design all in the hopes of making cycling easier and more convenient for everyone. They started out with a completely aluminum frame for ease of portability without the hassle of rust. Priority’s seats and handlebars were made so that the rider maintains a straight back and good posture. This bike has 3 speeds which exist in its internal hub. For breaking, the rider simply needs to back pedal, which cuts down on the amount of maintenance the bike will need over time. In addition, Priority’s creators have decided to use a belt instead of a chain around the bike’s gears. Chains need lubricant, can rust and usually end up ripping clothes while a belt is smoother and will result in a quieter ride. Finally, the tires are puncture resistant and the use of bolts instead of quick-releases means that the bike is theft deterrent.

The Pitch. With a clean and simple campaign video, Priority’s creators show off the features of their bicycle in an appealing way. They manage to be convincing but not cloying and make the bike really seem like an improved alternative to traditional rides. The rest of the campaign goes more into detail on design specs and even invites interested New Yorkers to stop by the workshop to test ride Priority. This new-fangled bike hopes to raise $30,000 in a month-long Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. For $349 backers will receive the Priority bicycle by December 2014. The highest and only other bike tier offers 10 Priority rides for $3,499.

The Potential. Bike riding has recently exploded as a great way to not only exercise but to also get around the green way. Once pointed out by Priority, the annoyances of the modern bicycle do seem somewhat intolerable. Bikes that offer more convenience in addition to unnecessary gadgets cost upwards of $1,000. Priority is made extremely intelligently, eschewing tech additions for smart design. While it may not be the flashiest thing on the road, the bike does take everyday concerns into account to make for a simple but dazzling product. Due to its great design and incredibly low price, Priority will certainly take over the bike market in no time.