For anyone who has ever been skiing, lugging around awkward poles and skis can cause trouble. Ski Mule offers a nifty bag designed to carry around multiple sets of skis and poles hands free with a strap to hold them in place. One Ski Mule goes for $51 on Kickstarter with no other reward tiers to choose from. Ski Mule’s creator, Joyce Amend, hopes to raise $3,550 in her 30- day campaign with an estimated delivery date of April 2014.
The Premise. The electric light revolutionized everything. Since then there have been several upgrades from a hardware perspective in terms of bulbs or light output, but not much in the way of operation. While several companies are allowing people to control their lights with their mobile devices, one company wants to put the mobile device in charge and make the whole process automatic.
The Product. The brightup smart lighting system avoids the smart home lighting automation equipment that has been promised for decades but has rarely seen adoption. Instead of installing a complicated network for the home’s outlets, brightup has a set of outlet caps that can be plugged in the home. Then, lamps or other lighting systems can be plugged in, and interface with the home’s central unit. The central unit detects the smartphone on which the brightup app is installed, and turns on the lights to greet users. Settings for dimmer switches that detect TVs or travel mode which gives off the illusion of someone in an empty home are also available.
The Pitch. The designers of brightup use their video to make a lot of vague statements about technology, but once the concept of brightup’s functions start, it’s easy to see the appeal. The campaign’s pictures show off the technology and the internal components, as well as feature several seemingly unrelated blocks of computer programming. To meet its goals of keeping prices low and complete the plastic tooling, brightup needs 130,000, or just over $175,000.
The Perks. The brightup starter kit costs €159 (under $220) with approximately an additional $20 shipping cost outside of the European Union. The starter kit comes with 1 central unit and 1 device (a plug or in-wall dimmer). 2 additional units come in the featured bundle for an additional €40, or the entire house can be connected at the €449 (~$615) level with 1 central unit and 10 devices. Higher tiers are meant to be shared among multiple people and come with up to five central units.
The Potential. Having a home’s light completely set up on the brightup system seems like a great idea, but the price point is a little steep to start with. The system does little to conserve power like competitors unless residents forget to turn lights off when they leave, and the security mode would only work in rooms where brightup plugs were installed. It’s a neat idea, and certainly an innovation where one is sorely needed, but it’s questionable whether or not brightup’s unique features are worth the additional cost. Currently, the technology is not compatible with U.S. electrical systems.
It’s quite possible that every kindergarten teacher and mom of multiple toddlers might stand up and applaud the Wudz’s shoelace locks. It claims to make tying shoelaces a thing of the past with an easy-to-use device the flyaway critters in place. And it still gives moms, teachers and others who might be involved in caring for kids control of shoelace tightness. That way, shoes that get placed on busy little feet stay there — unless mischievous little hands remove them personally. Wudz’s can also be used as a training tool to help kids learn to tie their shoes. The product comes in black or white, and charms can be added for attitude and style. Shoelace locks and shoelace charms are available on Amazon, but it doesn’t appear that they offer the option of being used as a tool to teach kids to tie their shoes. For a pledge of at least $12, backers get a complete Wudz set plus two extra charms. Estimated delivery is April 2014.
The Premise. The only thing worse than a bra that doesn’t fit right would be underwear that rides up. Both are annoying. Sometimes annoyingly painful. While there may be men who can relate to the underwear scenario, one has to seriously doubt that any man could truly understand the bra scenario. Nevertheless, a male named Muyiwa Olumide has decided to try his hand at just such a challenge. He was inspired by a lady friend who apparently had a bad shopping night, and must have issued a double-dog dare in her extreme frustration.
The Product. The Kewi bra is aimed at gals who have at least a “D” cup or higher. These include many women who walk around with a great deal of back pain because of being, well, top-heavy. Kewi aims to bring them something that fits properly and is comfortable. And if it happens to look good too, well, that would be an added benefit. The strapless bra has a specialized device that lifts larger bosoms and therefore takes the pressure off of a woman’s shoulders, neck and back. It’s also designed in such a way as to retain a proportional outward shape, eliminating the issue of improper fit due to one breast being larger than the other.
The Pitch. The video for the $25,000 campaign would have been much better off had Olumide allowed a female to be the spokesperson for the product, possibly the same one who challenged him to make a bra that doesn’t hurt her back. She would have certainly had more experience and knowledge about the plight surrounding what fuller-figured gals need in a specialized undergarment. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how many women explain these particular facts of life is to a guy, he is just not going to get it because, well, as Olumide obviously puts it, he lacks the gender-specific mammary glands.
The Perks. There are six tiers from which backers may choose. The $100 early bird special includes a Kewi bra. It seems worth noting that for $1.000, a backer may also have their own photo-shoot, complete with pictures posted on the website. So if you happen to be an aspiring model with a large chest, or you know someone who is, there you go. Estimated delivery is anywhere from June 2014 – January 2015, depending on the backer’s choice of pledge.
The Potential. If what is generally available in your average store is any indicator of the sizes that most females wear, then the Kewi bra is aimed at a rather narrow niche market. Obviously, it’s difficult to tell if the product delivers from an online description, particularly one without testimonials, but if the two-plied cup can help bring relief to women’s sore backs, that would be huge win for the afflicted.
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Just in time for the approach of spring training, the Lightning Stick training tool is anticipated to be a home run with little sluggers, sluggettes and their coaches. Brooklyn-rased, LA-based inventor Joe Magno uses seven videos to explain how the lightweight, polycarbonate material and overall design aims to help players with the development of fast twitch muscle fiber within their body. That feature, combined with a knocking knuckle grip and flat surface, all work together to promote palm up/palm down swings and teach the batter to get all the way through the ball quickly and keep their hands inside. For a pledge of $40, backers get one Lightning Stick, which is estimated to run about $59 once it goes mainstream. Expected delivery is April 2014.
The World’s First Kids Guitar offers a six-strong guitar that’s specifically designed for kids. With a child’s size and accident proneness in mind, the right-sized instrument is designed to be lightweight with fragile parts better protected than they are on regular guitars. Different reward tiers offer a variety of perks including studio session time and the like, but the most basic reward tier that includes the guitar goes for $250; the project creator justifies the price by moting that the guitar uses premium components and materials. The current estimated availability is July 2014. The World’s First Kids Guitar’s creators are looking to raise $10,000 on Kickstarter in their 25-day campaign.
Guitar picks come in all different colors and patterns, but never quite like this before. Nose Picks offers guitar picks with different types of noses on them. Nose Picks’ creator, Luke Wattchow, includes sketches of different noses on his Kickstarter campaign, awkwardly displaying three prototypes he labels as “white man”, “jew” and “hairy”… may not the best way to attract backers. Also, each Nose Pick costs $10, a staggering amount of money for a guitar pick. Wattchow hopes to raise $1,000 with his 30-day campaign, estimating delivery by April 2014.
The Premise. Lace-up sneakers can take awhile to get on and off. Some people are too lazy to untie their shoes and opt to slip their shoes on and off, but this creates friction at the back of the sneaker. Because of this, their shoes end up wearing out quickly.
The Product. ZIPPED offers custom-made zippers that attach easily onto lace-up sneakers. The product resembles a narrow piece of cloth with eyelets on the side and a zipper in the middle. Instead of having the laces cross as they do normally, they stay on one side and ascend up the eyelets of the ZIPPED. ZIPPED com, ultimately being knotted solo. The product comes in different styles, shapes, patterns and colors.
The Pitch. ZIPPED’s Indiegogo campaign is rather sparse, but shows the different styles that ZIPPED can be ordered in, along with a guide for how to get the proper measurements for a custom ZIPPED that will fit. The video compares take shoes on and off with and without the ZIPPED and shows how much time using ZIPPED saves. ZIPPED has low goal of $2,500 for their 60 day campaign. More information can be found on the company’s Web site.
The Perks. Early-bird backers can enjoy a pair of ZIPPED in their choice of color and style for only $10. At a regular rate, ZIPPED costs $16. Reward tiers go all the way up to $250. Current availability is set at June 2014.
The Potential. Any product that appeals to the most basic of human instincts, laziness, is always welcome on the market. A similar product called Hickies had huge success on Kickstarter a year and a half ago, raising six times its intended goal. Hickies uses stretchy connectors in lieu of shoelaces, making putting shoes on and off that much easier. Lock Laces are another product aimed at battling the evil shoelace and are less expensive than ZIPPED. It’s easy to see how the ZIPPEDs might not look so pretty with age, but , once you’re done threading it, it presents an intuitive and colorful option for the lace-averse.
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If you’re of the opinion that the dog beds presently on the market are too boring and ugly for your four-legged family member, Ginger Beds founders would agree. Not only does Ginger Beds offer some unique and colorful options than what can be found online, but the material used to make the bed stuffing is made of 2 liter recycled plastic bottles. The company has also partnered with various community organizations that benefit dogs and people. One such organization includes a non-profit that will handle part of the production process and uses the services of those with disabilities so that they can have meaningful employment and an improved quality of life.
But it will cost you. Ginger Beds come in 24, 36 and 48 inches wide and are made entirely in the USA. For a donation of $160, backers can get the 24 inch bed. Other sizes are available for larger donations. While there are dog beds available for considerably less, Ginger Beds seems to be more oriented toward giving back to the community than your average company. Estimated availability for shipping is May 2014.
The Premise. For health nuts and gym rats everywhere, protein shakes are a must. The only problem? Mixing them requires either inconvenient stirring or shaking up, usually resulting in a huge mess.
The Product. PROMiXX is a battery powered mixer that utilizes what the company calls Vortex Mixing Technology to agitate liquids into a vortex. The mixer runs on two AAA batteries in the base, which is detachable from the rest of the bottle to make cleaning a breeze. PROMiXX comes in white, black and hot pink all with a clear body. The blade inside is capable of mixing protein shakes, cocktails, baby formula, beating eggs and more. The PROMiXX 2.0 has supplement storage, brushed aluminum features and runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
The Pitch. The Kickstarter video is as posh and polished as the British men are who created PROMiXX. They definitely believe in the whole ‘sex sells’ tactic of advertising because they show half-naked women exercising a little too often, though none of them once use the PROMiXX. The best part of the video, however, comes at the end with the blooper reel; making the creators seem playful and less serious than the video suggests. More information can be found on their Web site. PROMiXX is looking to raise $30,000 to shake up their 60 day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. The PROMiXX costs backers $30, but for only $35 they can get it a month earlier in April 2014 instead of May. The early-bird and regular priced donation tiers for the PROMiXX 2.0 are $40 and $45 respectively. Reward tiers go up to $100, all offering free shipping to the UK and US.
The Potential. There are plenty of other products out there with PROMiXX’s same goal in mind. The All Ware Typhoon Portable Mixer actually looks and operates exactly like the PROMiXX, except its motor isn’t detachable, making it far less convenient. On Kickstarter, the Umoro mixer bottle received full funding last year and is known for storing supplements on top and then releasing them into the bottle with the push of a button. While not motorized like PROMiXX, the Umoro bottle has the convenience of adding pre-measured supplements to the liquid without even having to open it. For the most part, the PROMiXX appears to be the most versatile bottle of its kind, but could definitely go even further to help beef up its loyal fitness-focused customers.