Categories
Cycling

Hench will clench your bike, protect it from thieves

The Premise. Cycling is a popular and healthy way to get around, especially in the summertime. The only problem is that bikes get stolen all the time. Many locks are quite heavy and cumbersome to carry around when biking. And most thieves find their way around even the heftiest of locks anyway.

The Product. The HENCH bicycle lock claims resistance to all tampering techniques. It’s comprised of a chain wrapped with Kevlar, fabric and Velcro. Due to its materials, the lock is flexible and lightweight. For storage, it wraps around the bar of the bicycle or folds up making it convenient to tote around.

The Pitch. The campaign video shows the lock being hacked away at by several different tools. While the fabric will rip, the lock remains intact. The UK creator outlines his future plans for Hench in the rest of the campaign. He’s looking to produce the lock in different sizes and colors for different kinds of bicycles. Hench has a £25,000 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. HENCH only offers one reward tier. For £100, backers will receive one of the first Hench locks from its initial production run. Estimated delivery date is currently set at August 2014. 

The Potential. Most riders go for a U-lock like those from Kryptonite. Others choose the heavy chain, but neither of these options uses Kevlar which renders the Hench resistant to bolt cutters. Alternative locks are also difficult to transport. One must either place them in a backpack or basket or use a bracket that attaches to the bike bar. These are typically difficult to install and not that reliable. The Velcro makes for a simple way to secure the lock. All in all, the Hench bike lock, while a little on the pricey side, looks like a great new way to secure your bike while remaining unencumbered by extra weight. 

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories

i-Ox suction loop helps smartphone users take a stand, get a grip

i_OxFor those who were never quite comfortable holding their smartphone in the palm of their hand, it can now be worn on a finger. The i-Ox Smartphone Grip attaches to the back of the phone and can also serve as a stand for one-handed functionality when texting, gaming, surfing the net and more. It will adhere to the back of any smartphone or mini tablet with a smooth surface, and it easily detaches. Early bird backers get one product for $25, with an expected delivery of October 2014.

Categories
Smart Home

Sensibo is a smart A/C remote that knows how to be cool

The Premise. In a perfect world, everyone would live in a smart, connected home that could be managed on the go and would conserve energy and cut costs. Of course, not everyone has the money to replace all of their furnishings and appliances with smart ones, but what if old ones like air conditioners could be upgraded?

The Product. Sensibo is a smart climate control system that attaches effortlessly to any air conditioning unit that is already operated by a remote. Comprised of a hub and small handheld pods that connect to the A/C units themselves, Sensibo just needs to be stuck to the surface of the air conditioner before controlling the device smartly through any smartphone, tablet, or even Pebble. The Sensibo can be programmed to change the temperature at certain times automatically or it can be adjusted through the phone in order to cut utility costs or be more responsible with energy usage.

The Pitch.  Sensibo’s campaign video is one of the most professional, entertaining, and hilarious videos in crowdfunding history. The technical specs of the device are mostly glossed over, but the sell job is extremely effective and should be effective in getting the pledges in. Anybody who wants to know more about how the device works internally can check out the rest of the campaign page for plenty of technical specifications and compartments that explain how Sensibo does what it does. Sensibo has set a goal of $70,000 to purchase components, begin tooling, and get all proper certifications.

The Perks. A Sensibo smart hub and one pod designed to control one room or a central air conditioner can be picked up for $79 and will be out in January 2015. Sensibo can be purchased in additional colors for $219, and developers who want to get more out of the device can get access to the API for $399.

The Potential. There isn’t a lot differentiating the Sensibo from devices like the tado°, but the Sensibo does seem to be marginally easier to uninstall and relocate as necessary. Like the tado°, the Sensibo will work with any remote-controlled air conditioner unit, and that’s a great sell for a device like this. If more of these fast-upgrade kits were available, the smart home revolution would certainly be taking off much more quickly.

Categories
Apparel

Hoogle makes winter sports face-friendly

HoogleSome people live for winter. The rush that comes with hopping hills on a snowmobile, zooming down a snow covered mountain and the thrill of a myriad of other outdoor winter sports makes them rush out to greet the first snow of the season, but a face full of frosty air can bring a person to a freezing halt. That’s why there’s Hoogle. The facemask-hood-goggles combo not only protects from cold and glare, but it even offers the option for some attitude with several artistic options. For $20AUD a backer gets the embroidered version, or $49AUD for first production pick. Expected deliver is August 2014 and October 2014.

Categories
Fishing

e-striker nano helps you mine the deep when the sun goes down

E stricker nanoIf the early bird gets the worm, then the early fisherman must get the fish. But if that fisherman (or fisherwoman) is up and casting that line before dawn, it can be difficult to know when the big one is on the hook. e-striker nano is a fishing accessory that lights up when it’s time to reel ‘em in, and it stays secured on the rod until the user decides to remove it. For $5, backers get one product with an anticipated delivery of September 2014.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Tablet Accessories

The paper-thin, foldable Scööb supports your iPad for viewing

ScööbWe’ve all been there. When our tablets won’t stand upright we use folded up socks, staples or any bulky item to try to prop them up. The Canadian-made Scööb — not to be confused with Shaggy’s nickname for his favorite dog —  alleviates this problem. This plastic product is a tablet stand that is foldable and portable. It has two settings for either viewing or typing on a tablet and comes in several different designs. One plain Scööb costs backers $3 CAD or, for customized design, $4 or $5 CAD by September 2014. For only $6 CAD, Scööb will donate one stand to students from a school in Kenya who have recently received free tablets from Qualcomm. Scööb hopes to raise $5,000 on Kickstarter in its 45-day campaign.

Categories
Imaging Technology

360cam lets you enjoy video in the round

editors-choiceThe Premise. Work and laundry ensure that the period of time directly following a vacation or scenic journey is soaked with depression. This dark cloud is only magnified when trying to reconcile your memories of magnificent landscapes with lackluster photos subjected to your camera’s limitations.

The Product. The 360cam from GIROPTIC is a high definition 360° camera which helps defy some of these limitations, at least in terms of the frame. With three 185° fish-eye lenses synchronized in an almost unique egg-shaped form factor, the 360cam provides real time streaming, recorded video and still photos in a spherical 360° field of view.

The Pitch. The campaign video shows a group of friends using 360cam in real-life scenarios, showing off its use with different accessories like waterproof housing and light bulb adapter. It also features a universal mount which allows you to mount 360cam onto a monopod for easier leverage. GIROPTIC CEO Richard Ollier is featured towards the end of the video and speaks about the inspiration to provide an “immediate and immersive experience” to users, shares campaign details and explains why 360cam’s design is superior. The remainder of the page provides a plethora of information including features and specs, proprietary players to download for best viewing experience, and several photo galleries.

The Perks. Fifty fortunate early birds can back the project for $249 and receive a first production 360cam for an estimated 50% off retail value. Higher commitment levels include other 360cam accessories like underwater cups and Ethernet streaming base. For $4,999 you can be a 360cam visionary, meant for developers who want to integrate an existing app with tweaks to the hardware. The first 360cams are expected to ship in November this year.

The Potential. Interest in a camera with 360° capability seems to be picking up as different form factors arise and costs become more consumer-friendly. A similar kickstarter project called CENTR captures 360° videos in real time in one of the most streamlined designs to date. Additionally, EyeSee360 is expected to release the 360Fly camera in Fall 2014 which will be mountable and waterproof up to 5 meters (16 feet).

Categories
Connected Objects Tech Accessories

iPod-like PPrintee drives around page to print on the go

The Premise. The printer has resisted the march of technology fairly well. The bulky, heavy devices have remained so as everything becomes mobile, and their feature set hasn’t changed much in the last twenty years. It’s time the printer made the jump into the smart age.

The Product. The PPrintee is a mobile printer that looks a bit like an original-model iPod and is just as pocket-friendly. With a display that can manage print jobs but also tell the latest news, weather, and social media updates while idle, the PPrintee is not just a one-trick pony. When it’s time to print, the PPrintee drives around the page determining the dimensions of the paper, and then drives around the page printing material at a rate of 1.5 pages per minute. If a job requires more than one page, PPrintee will even drive around looking for another piece of paper to print on or request that another paper be provided. Multiple PPrintees can even be synced together to complete a job more quickly. PPrintee is compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows devices and jobs can be sent to the printer through wifi or Bluetooth to begin printing right away. The PPrintee can even be steered through the app to provide a printed signature or special touch on any job.

The Pitch. PPrintee is so early in development that sadly any shots of the printer in action are CG simulations of what to expect from the device. Still, its flexibility and ability to handle more than just simple mobile printing are exciting enough to warrant further consideration. PPrintee wants to collect $330,000 in funds to continue engineering the product and bring it to the public.

The Perks. The basic black PPrintee printer is available for $249 and is expected to release in August 2015. The white and orange models cost slightly more, while limited aluminum, titanium, and rounded PPrintee designs are available starting at $299 to launch a month later.

The Potential. Mobile printing is not a new concept, and devices like the Pocket Printer are already looking to revolutionize the market. While the PPrintee lacks the robotic whimsy of the Pocket Printer, it makes up for it in spades in terms of additional features. From the interactive screen display to the app that can send print orders to the printer to the planned color printer/scanner PPrintee planned later, the PPrintee looks to be better choice. The wait for this device is long enough however that a major printer manufacturer may just beat it to market.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Tech Accessories

Recap USB records calls into Mac or PC

Recap USBKeeping track of who said what in a phone call just got easier for both the average Joe and professionals. The Recap USB is an audio adapter that plugs directly into a smartphone on one end, and then into a Mac or PC on the other, which will recognize it as a new auto input device. Phone calls can then be stored in the computer. They can also be edited using Audacity or GarageBand programs.  This is the third go-round for the Recap team on ‘Kickstarter, which seems to keep developing new takes on the call recorder as soon as the previous version ships. For $79, backers get one product with an expected delivery of December 2014.

Categories
Sports

Challenger tennis aid tracks speed and impact, makes players better with the ball

Every sport out there has become smart. With golfing aides and fitness rings, it’s now possible to examine every way a player can improve their game.

Enter Challenger, a tennis racket attachment that measures various aspects of a tennis player’s swing. This nifty little gadget attaches directly to the strings of a tennis racket. With Bluetooth, it communicates various metrics to the accompanying app. The Challenger is impact-resistant, weather-resistant and features a highly visible touchscreen display with four hours of battery life.

The app measures the speed of the swing, impact points on the racket and spin of each ball hit. It also keeps track of play time, types of swings, and how long the strings of the racket last until they need to be restrung. The app provides individualized profiles of players, gives tennis tips, and tracks progress over time.

Challenger offers lots of data that will certainly be helpful to tennis players looking to take their game to the next level. All it’s missing is a way for the app to interpret that data to provide feedback on how to improve, like the similar runScribe for runners. However, it’s feature of connecting the user with different players in their area is a nice plus. One can be had for $150 with delivery in January 2015. Challenger hopes to raise $75,000 in funding.