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Cell Phone Accessories Tablet Accessories

Holho holograms float animated images atop your tablet display

The Premise. From Star Trek to Coachella, people have been waiting for the day that holograms become a staple in every home. The technology has existed in primitive forms for decades, but it’s always been too costly and complicated for personal use.

The Product. The Holho Full Pyramid can take any smartphone or tablet and turn it into a hologram projector without any modifications or complex installations.  By simply placing the full pyramid on the device’s screen in cooperation with the proprietary Holho app, any image or video properly converted can be displayed inside the pyramid and becomes fully rotatable.

The Pitch. A series of videos displays how the Holho system works on both smartphones and tablets and how owners can even make their own hologram version of Star Wars with a little movie magic. Imagination Farm which already has a Web site going for the product, seeks 8,500 euros to complete the project: the cost of a steel mold, pre-ordering the pyramid base in multiple colors, and finishing the companion app.

The Perks. Twenty-five euros gets you a Holho Full Pyramid for a smartphone, the app, and 4 videos for use with the app available as early as April or May of this year. €50 offers the same reward but for a larger Pyramid designed for 10” tablet screens. Additional money can be spent on purchasing more videos for use with the app or multiple Pyramids. For €438, Holho will create a video of a rotating cube with photos or videos of your choosing on its sides. Distributors can reserve 50 smartphone-sized Pyramids and 50 tablet-sized pyramids for €3,250

The Potential. While it’s certainly a low-tech solution to the absence of holograms in the home, the Holho system is a long way off from having Tupac do that concert in your living room that you’ve always wanted. The need for it to be used in conjunction with a smartphone or tablet at all times also prevents it from being used as a long-term decoration when you’ll undoubtedly need that device for something else. The high cost of the simple videos and thin novelty means that this product probably won’t revolutionize entertainment, but it could definitely be an interesting gift idea for that friend you met in the holodeck.

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Pets

Litter Pro gets the scoop out of the loop

The Premise. Cats can be a joy to have around the house. Anyone who has cared for them, though, knows that it’s not all fun and games. Cleaning a litter box is a chore that most people will admit to not being a fan of, yet it’s an essential part of owning a cat. It’s not only time-consuming, but there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a bit gross as well.

The Product. It’s called the Litter Pro, and it’s being billed as a fast, no-mess device to help streamline cleaning a litter box. Essentially a large strainer that sits atop a five-gallon bucket, the Litter Pro allows the user to simply dump their entire litter box in, as opposed to cleaning it with a scoop. Once the waste is strained, the litter can be returned to the box for a fresh, mess-free start.

The Pitch. One can sympathize with the Litter Pro’s creator; there’s really no appealing way to demonstrate a cat waste product. Right from the start, though, you can tell something is up with the pitch. The video makes an example out of what it already calls and “unlikely scenario” in which a cleaning job could take a great deal of time. In reality, though, everyone who has a cat knows that regular maintenance requires just a scoop or two and can be done in seconds. The video is a bit crudely thrown together, too, which doesn’t necessarily help things at all.

The Perks. The base Litter Pro package (shipping in May 2014) starts out at $25, which seems fair enough as an entry-level price for the system. Things get a bit odd with the perks for this campaign, however. Higher-tier prizes include cat posters and t-shirts, for example, which at least apply to the product. For $500, however, the campaign leader will repair your computer for you(?). Or, if you happen to be Petco, you can order 100 Litter Pros for $1,500. It’s clear that the developer is trying every approach possible to reach the rather unreasonable $30,000 goal.

The Potential. It’s not uncommon for cat lovers to lavish large amounts of money on their fury friends, but usually it’s for things that are actually useful. In many ways, using the Litter Pro appears to be more work than simply staying up with typical litter box maintenance. For those who have a number of cats, it may find some use. Most cat owners, though, will do best by simply sticking with a normal scoop, and may even end up making less of a mess. Of course, there’s always the option of toilet training.

Categories
Tools

E-Z Backscratcher makes relief easier when life’s an itch

EZBackscratcherQuid pro quo no more! The EZ Backscratcher was created for solo use. It is a curved piece of plastic that slightly resembles Little Bo Peep’s shepherd’s hook and makes it extremely easy to scratch those hard-to-reach places. The EZ Backscratcher is designed specifically for people with limited ranges of motion such as the elderly, injured or disabled. For $20, backers can scratch away at themselves unhindered. Upon reaching the $28,000 goal, EZ Backscratchers are estimated to be available by May 2014.

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Organization Toys

Lenz Frenz wear your kids glasses, store them for safekeeping

LenzFrinzAlthough kids look adorable in glasses, sometimes they can have trouble keeping track of them. Sometimes kids can be nervous about having to wear their glasses, and the Lenz Frenz was designed to give kids a cuddly way to keep track of their eyewear while easing the adjustment to their augmented visage. The soft, plushy toy has a built-in case in the back of the toy, and it also has a design that allows your child’s glasses to be worn on the animal’s face when they’re not wearing them. This is a cute idea that would be great for kids. The creators  have a small size puppy available for $25 and the full-size bear for $45, with expected delivery in May 2014.

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Technology Toys

Sabertron lets the foam be with you with illuminated scored swordplay

editors-choiceThe Premise. You may have seen them dressed up like knights or monsters, waging epic battles in your local city park. For years, foam combat enthusiasts and LARPers have been getting together for sparring, but have mostly had to rely on the honor system to determine a winner until now.

The Product.  LevelUp’s Sabertron is a foam sword combat game that is looking to bring 21st century innovation to 16th combat. Beneath the humble foam exterior is a polycarbonate plastic core housing an accelerometer to detect hits, LEDs to display player damage, and a speaker to output the sounds of combat. Five different game types are available and sensitivity settings can be adjusted by the players to even the fight.

The Pitch. The campaign video explains the technology behind the game while backdropped by demonstrations and battles. It also introduces the basic game rules, lay out planned expansion for the line (including body armor and helmets that will open the game up to be played on more than a one-on-one level), and project lead David Lynch explains the project’s genesis. There are also plenty of photos that range from scrapped prototype ideas to future possibilities, a look at the technology inside each sword, and a companion Web site already developed. LevelUp is looking to raise $195,000, which will help it finalize a market-ready design, conduct safety testing, and get the swords ready for store sale. If the project reaches $400,000, the stretch goals decree that the faux swords will be equipped with a rechargeable lithium ion battery that can be charged via MicroUSB.

The Perks. At $99, backers will get a pair of Sabertron swords. The pre-release batch set to ship in August 2014 is already sold out, but backers can still pledge the same amount to get a pair of the medieval-style swords delivered by September. Sci-fi fans can get a pair of illuminated swords in the color of their choice for $125, while a model where colors can be changed on the fly is priced at $199 for a pair.

The Potential. Sabertron is designed to bring laser tag-style uniformity and gamesmanship to foam combat sports. While weekend wizards and warriors might be reluctant to give up the DIY craftsmanship they’ve practiced for so long, this would be a great way to interest new people to try out their various games. Sold in toy stores, this could easily become a high-ticket must-have item for this year’s holiday season.

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Organization Tech Accessories

Frack Pack parties with your laptop in the back, is all business in front

FrackPackLaptops can be very hard to use in those on-the-go moments when there is no place to sit down to use them. The Frack Pack that looks like a regular old backpack is a dual-use product, specifically designed to tote around your laptop but then also fold down to use as a portable work station. Those indifferent to nerdiness stigma can swing it around to the front, flip the compartment down and work on their laptop while standing up. In this way it is a bit like the (just barely) successful crowdfunded Trego for iPads that is sleeker and less expensive.  After donating at least $259, backers may expect to receive have a place in which to pack their frack in April 2014.

Categories
Imaging

Miggo cradles your camera, goes from strap to wrap in a snap

The Premise. Smartphones have made photographers of us and it’s a lovely thing. Paradoxically, as photography becomes more a part of us, we’ve become less willing to take pictures with our cameras. Let’s face it, convenience wins for most people in most situations. A DSLR might snap a better shot, but ain’t nobody got time for lugging that thing around.

The Product. Miggo helps make your DSLR or mirrorless camera a bit more convenient while protecting your precious. It’s a camera strap which can be wrapped up around your camera to protect it like a camera case, allowing you to throw it in your day bag rather than carry an additional camera bag. Made of impact-absorbent neoprene foam and Lycra, Miggo comes in a variety of colors and designs. Depending on your preference for a camera around your neck or around your wrist, the product comes in four versions: Strap & Wrap DSLR, Grip & Wrap DSLR, Strap & Wrap Mirrorless and Grip & Wrap Mirrorless. Its smart design even incorporates a pocket to keep track of your lens cap – something that tends to vanish as quickly as socks in the dryer.

The Pitch. Miggo makers, Ohad, Ran, Yuval and Guy were award-winning developers and designers of camera bags when they witnessed the shift in social behavior: people were leaving their cameras—in their bags – at home. A video convinces why Miggo is your camera’s best amigo, and midway through features Ohad, Yuval and Guy who show us many prototypes and tell us they need backers to help fund the initial production to bring Miggo to market this June. Further down the page, they show you how to use a mouse cord to measure your camera in order to see if it’s Miggo compatible. There’s also a gallery of early sketches and prototypes along with project necessities like a 52-year old sewing machine, a pink chair and cookies which presumably kept the project going.

The Perks. For early birds, pledges of $30 secured amigos for 200 cameras – a backer reward which sold out quickly. Today, you may contribute $35 or $40 to net either a Grip & Wrap or Strap & Wrap Miggo of your choice. For a $200 pledge you can custom design your Miggo pattern and have your name heat pressed into any one of the four styles.

The Potential. Miggo dual identity offers a lot of appeal, helping to cut down the bulk that often convinces those who purchase excellent imaging products to forsake them on the go. While ideal for photography enthusiasts, this product may not be as appealing to advanced amateurs who like to bring spare lenses and even batteries along to shoot with. But for the one-lens wonders out there. it could be the colorful cushion that becomes the go-to way to carry and coddle your camera.

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Organization

Play Ultimate? Better get a bucket

HucketBucketUltimate Frisbee is the number 1 “bro” sport, but an Ultimate Frisbee enthusiast has brought the bros a solution to their sporting woes. While the sport isn’t associated with a lot of gear, there isn’t any Ultimate Frisbee-specific tote for the Frisbee-ers to carry their gear around in. In addition, many ultimate ganes are played in open fields with a dearth of suitable seating. This Ultimate Frisbee bro has “designed” the six-gallon Hucket Bucket, with a lid and a strap, to carry your gear and double as seating. It’s a good idea, but at $30, it seems like it might be cheaper to skip the branding just buy a bucket and use an old duffel strap, or something.

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Tablet Accessories

DuCase supports your iPad in a range of sticky situations

DuCaseEver notice how so many iPad cases aren’t nearly as functional and cool as the iPad itself? Presenting the DuCase, an iPad case with a hinge providing 270 degrees of rotation so that a perfect angle is possible for every activity. Most iPad cases only provide two or three angling options, so the This allows it to be used in a range of pictured scenarios such as hanging off the foot of a bed.. The DuCase works with iPad versions 2, 3, 4, Air, and Mini. Pricing is a bit higher than other premium cases at $50 and a DuCase with genuine leather costs $65. Upon reaching a funding goal of $50,000, the DuCase will be available to backers in June 2014.

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Camping Kids/Babies

Portable potty packs flat, goes where kids go

LeilasPottyTraveling with little kids can be a challenge, and it’s even more difficult if they are potty training. The toilets that kids use when they’re learning to “go” are not travel-friendly. One, they’re bulky, and two…gross? So Leila designed a portable travel potty to help  kids go, even when they family is away from home. Her design gave encompasses  a multi-use, collapsible, portable potty that can be easily stowed in a diaper bag or purse. You do have to have use a plastic bag with the product, so you’ll need to keep those on hand as well. The clever design is as biodegradable as its intended contents and a set is available to backers for $25.