Categories
Accents Organization

Geco Hub organizer crams small items into its grabby grid

The Premise. Keys, bags, phones and other things are essential items for leaving the house. Most people opt to use a special bowl or shelf for their varied accoutrements, but their items tend to get messy when all thrown in the same place. Other storage systems that hang on the wall keep those important accessories in place, but can also make them difficult to access.

The Product. Geco Hub offers a way to keep your accessories handy, but organized at the same time. As the campaign refers to it in a way that tugs at the heartstrings, it is the “home for things without a home.” Using a series of rubber pegs and circles, the hub holds your stuff without poking holes into anything. The shelf is easily assembled and can be adhered or screwed into the wall. This organizational accessory comes in different sizes and colors including black, blue, green, pink and white.

The Pitch. Geco’s campaign starts with a video showing the different ways the product can be used and configured to make different patterns with the colors available. Simon Lyons, the British creator, is a little bland if charming enough in the video. The rest of the campaign shows different design possibilities for the wall fixture and details exactly what the reward tiers offer. Geco hopes to raise £35,000 in their 35-day Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. One Geco Hub, which is a 5×5 unit, goes for £25 with an estimated delivery date of October 2014. Other perk levels offer different sizes of the hub up to a 15×15 unit for £269. Reward tiers go all the way up to £540.

The Potential. Other products out there have attempted to solve the whole key and letters by the door problem. Most approach it from a more direct stance like the InterDesign Key and Mail Rack that has hooks and a shelf specifically meant for key rings. The Geco Hub is more versatile in what it can hold and, according to the campaign, can hold a great deal of weight. This nifty product is also great for tools or even bathroom accessories making it valuable all over the house. While a little expensive, the Geco Hub is a cool and multipurpose addition for any home.

Categories
Smart Home

LILA brings storefront security to the many ways into a home

LILAJust as a fence is only as strong as its weakest link, many home security systems can be easily toppled by a door or window left ajar. The LILA system (Leave it Locked, Always) from QL London is designed to make sure that anytime homeowners leave the home, they receive alerts for any unsafely open ports of entry. A self-adhesive sensor can be placed on any doors and windows and will communicate via Bluetooth to the LILA Hub and/or the LILA App if it detects that the an entryway is left open. For £12, a 2-pack of sensors can be delivered (add £7 for shipping outside the UK), making homes safer in September 2014.

Categories
Organization Tech Accessories

Datainer modular storage organizes archived flash cards, hard drives

datainerEven with solid state drives and cloud-based services storing files without taking up space, organizing and preserving old hard drives can be precarious and awkward. The translucent tome-like Datainer line of products is designed to give these drives a safe, neatly organized home for a company’s or professional’s long-term storage and access. Using a modular design, Datainer organizes both 3.5” and 2.5” drives, as well as SD cards, flash drives, and other handheld storage. While supports can make a mix-and-match Datainer system, a $20 pledge is enough for two DataMates (3.5” HDD), a Twin25 Module (2 2.5” HDD), a DataBase Anti-Slip Mat, and a FlashBox Module that can store 35 flash cards, all to be shipped in June 2014.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

Micro Phone Lens brings the lab environment to the mobile world

microphonelensThe microscopic world is endlessly fascinating and always a great way to satisfy curiosity about the planet Earth, but microscopes are bulky, fragile, and expensive. The Micro Phone Lens is a surprisingly low-cost, simple method of keeping a microscope nearby at all times, because it attaches to the camera on any smartphone or device with a 5 megapixel or greater camera. This model is a follow-up to a previous campaign by inventor Thomas Larson, offering 150x magnification compared to the previous model’s 15x. This simple, intuitive microscope alternative starts at just $29 for the lens alone and will be available by July 2014.

Categories
Health and Wellness Wearables

iFocusBand strives to help athletes focus, avoid Gatorade spillage

ifocusbandIn the past decade, it has become trendy to espouse that, like any muscle, the brain needs to get a workout every once in a while to stay in shape. The iFocusBand is a piece of smart headgear that slips inside the band of any ball cap and measures brain waves to determine focus and awareness, which it then translates into audiovisual stimulus to help boost athletic performance. Smart headbands are beginning to pop up all over the crowdfunding scene, but the athletic angle may help iFocusBand stand out. iFocusBand will cost backers $295, and has its eyes on the prize for an October 2014 release date.

Categories
Smartwatches/Bands Wearables

Rufus Cuff is the wrist communicator we were promised

rufuscuffAny science fiction fan knows that a wrist communicator is the one device that truly will usher in the high-tech era. The Rufus Cuff, with a 3-inch screen, built-in microphone, speaker, and camera, makes those Android Wear watches cower in fear. Running a full Android OS and resembling the wrist computer on the old TV show Chuck, the Rufus Cuff can run all kinds of apps and function for internet browsing, fitness, and a whole lot more — alas, no laser shooting. With lots of capability, the only real concern is the device’s battery life and size as it looks a bit clunky and awkward in the campaign video. The Rufus Cuff should beam down in September 2014 for supporters providing at least $229.

Categories
Technology

PanoCam3D enables panoramic 3D capture

The Premise. Most would agree that even the best photos and videos of a moment or place don’t compare to actually being present. Like all interesting technology, photography has certainly evolved significantly from its beginnings but has a long way to go in terms of completely reproducing a moment. The whole issue is further evidence that we just need teleporters already.

The Product. Panocam 3D, the world’s first 3D 360 degree camera, has kicked photography evolution up a notch. Now making 3D 360° videos easy for anyone, the camera is actually made up of 12 synchronized Full HD cameras which span 360° horizontally and 160° vertically. Once your photos are uploaded to your computer VideoStitch software automatically stitches them together for easy 360° viewing. With additional software you can also make and view 360° videos, which can be viewed using a virtual reality headset, which is where the real fun comes in.

The Pitch. The Panocam 3D is presented in an under-minute campaign video which gets straight to the point. While the video features a few clips of 360° video, it does not show off examples of the camera’s vertical span and leaves viewers wanting a little more. Later in the campaign page there are video downloads available, which helps make up for the initial shortage. A flexible funding campaign, the Panocam will receive all funds it raises and aims to earn $25,000 in 40 days. If funded, prototypes are expected to start shipping as early as May.

The Perks. Interestingly, Panocam 3D offers five backer levels before getting to the one that provides a prototype of the product. Outside of the E.U., you may back Panocam to the tune of $3,999, not including value-added tax (VAT) and fees from customs, which could get hefty. For E.U. residents, these duties are already built in to backer levels, so $4,799 USD will get you a Panocam complete pack if you are one of the first 20 backers in the E.U. Once the early bird closes out, backers can expect to pay $4,999 (not including VAT and custom duties) for a Panocam 3D complete pack, which includes the software for stitching everything together. The project creators have added a stretch goal of $100,000 to make the product available in a variety of colors.

The Potential. Clearly, at this point, the cost of the product makes it less realistic for the masses but potentially an avenue for professional filmmakers to consider for attractions. The bloom has been off the 3D rose for some time, but may be making a comeback as glasses-free technologies make progress. 360Heroes was a like-minded project on Kickstarter with the intention of making 3D video recording more available to the general public. The project failed to meet its funding goal although it seems to be carrying forward. Another 3D video device, the Tamaggo ibi, has been missing in action since its public debut back in 2012. At CES 2014, Voxx announced products by Carnegie Mellon offshoot EyeSe360, which should provide 360° 2D video at a more consumer-friendly price.

Categories
Accents

Ziggy hooks up with belongings as modern wall art

ZiggyMany home accessories that make life a little easier forget design and succumb to functionality only, much like the U-Hook. Ziggy — not to be confused with the comic strip character (even though it resembles the detail on Charlie Brown’s shirt) — is a functional hook with a little bit of interior design added on. One Ziggy looks simply like the top of a triangle, but when put together, these hooks look like zigzags. Items either hang off or rest on top of this nifty hook system and sizes are easily customizable. One of these Australian-made hooks goes for $15 AUD with a black or white option and an estimated delivery date of August 2014. Its creators hope to raise $10,000 AUD in their 30-day Kickstarter campaign.

Categories
Wearables

LingvoHelmet aims to shatter language barrier, dating opportunities

lingvohelmetImagine Douglas Adams’ fabled Babel fish, the tiny fish inserted in the ear to understand any spoken language, finally come to reality. The LingvoHelmet may not be as tiny or invasive, but it promises the same features. The headset, which seems to eschew cloud-based translation but does include Wi-Fi, looks like an NFL coach’s headset designed by Fisher-Price, and the campaign video is a pretty humorous and awkward exchange, but the premise of helmet-to-helmet communication is enough to generate excitement. Having a personal translator that can make international travel much less intimidating is a dream that most people have wished for at some point. The LingvoHelmet supports four languages and a bevy of features, starts at $199, and is slated to arrive in November 2014.

Categories
Music Smart Home

Musaic takes on Sonos with standards-based multi-room speaker system

The Premise. Multi-room audio has come a long way from the days when it required installation by a professional and cables running throughout the home. Not only have wireless technologies made it much simpler to install and music , but also smartphones and tablets have solved the complexities of how to control it from nearly anywhere in the home.

The Product. Musaic is a wireless audio system that can be set up in the home over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or classic analog input. Controlled by the Musaic app for iOS and Android, users can set their own preferences, search for genres or nationalities, enjoy streaming radio options like Rhapsody, Soma FM, and Napster (still distinct from parent Rhapsody), and queue up tracks for the perfect wireless listening experience. Musaic is also part of the emerging AllSeen Alliance for smart-home integration, with planned integration with WigWag and LIFX already.

The Pitch. London’s Musaic is keen on some basic design tenets that are easy to get behind. In the team’s video, two members of the Musaic team (including CEO Matthew Bramble) show how easily a home can be setup with the wireless speakers to deliver high-quality sound in a multitude of formats. What really stands out is the simplicity and variety of options available with the Musaic control app. The system looks easy to set up, control, and customize for individual users, or for events and parties. Musaic needs £60,000 to finish developing the software and complete the applications for certifications and regulatory approvals.

The Perks. A Musaic MP5 player with metal stand can be had for a contribution of £160, with free shipping to North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The larger, MP10 model is available at a £260 pledge, with a MP5/MP10 combo package starting at £370. Musaic should start filling homes with music in September 2014.

The Potential. Just by premise alone, Musaic is easy to write off as just another, albeit well-designed, option for wireless home audio that challenges the multi-room market leader and powerful newcomers. After seeing the app in action in the campaign video it’s hard to argue with the proposed platform. The song selection options, ability to queue up tracks, and plethora of streaming options make Musaic extremely attractive as are the presence of physical buttons to make switching up tunes simple when closer to a speaker than a table. That said, the company has a long way to go to catch up with the streaming options offered by Sonos.