Categories
Cooking

Bakebare lets you handle what’s hot as though it’s not

It seems like the oven mitt always finds a place to hide when it comes time to pull that delectable dish or desert out of the oven. Bakebare offers a whole new line of baking dishes and pans that can be handled without an oven mitt—straight out of the oven.

Cookies, cakes and other delights get placed on the cookie sheet or in the baking pan as usual, and then when they are finished baking, there is a designated area that remains cool to touch. The reason the designated area is touted as being able to stay cool, in a nutshell, is due to the use of a natural honeycomb porous geometry feature and thermal protective coating that work together to dissipate the heat. This keeps the designated area at roughly 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Seems like an interesting product worth checking into further.

This campaign seeks to raise $60,000 by March 10. Early bird backers get one product for $29 with an expected delivery in July of this year.

Categories
Lifestyle

Pandle protects the germophobe from public handles

For the germaphobes of the world, going out in public can be a scary thing. Every door, bathroom, surface and public mint bowl contains bacteria and germs that could cause death! Or at least that’s what extremists think.

Pandle is a product for any such fearful person. It fits over any handle—whether it’s a door, car, or toilet handle, Pandle is there to cover it up. It’s made from rubber silicone infused with nanosilver. It can withstand extreme temperatures, and comes in five different colors: black, blue, red, purple, and green. A strap goes over the knuckles of the hand while the bendy part below covers the surface in question.

Oh, how so many products cater to the germ-obsessed. It’s okay to be clean, but an oven mitt for the outside world seems a bit extreme. Kids especially need to be exposed to germs in order to build up their immunities. Still, for those who can’t resist, one can be had for a donation of $10, expected to be delivered in March of this year. Pandle is looking for $10,000 in funding on Kickstarter by March 6.

Categories
Smart Home

The only finger you’ll lift is a thumb with the xRemote smart home hub

The prevalence of home automation devices has given the Internet of Things a messy start. The more of these products are created, the more a common standard is necessary, and the faster infrared-based devices continue to be phased out.

Since that common standard isn’t here, the xRemote offers users a way to control everything instead. The smart home hub is outfitted with infrared sensors and Bluetooth LE to cover both the old and the new both in the home and a user’s body with the use of an Android app. As a result, preset modes can be designed with the help of the xRemote’s intelligent learning to tailor the home exactly to a user’s liking.

xRemote also boasts abilities like GPS location tracking to warm up or cool down the home in anticipation of a user’s arrival, or the remote control of lights within the home, and long distance control of the home from anywhere in the world through Wi-Fi.

xRemote joins the ranks of products like RoomBox, AnyMote and Puck in offering bridges for the gaps in home technology, but forces the purchase of multiple units to ensure range. A product like NUZii does so much more, but lacks the infrared component, which can be easily added in its case.

The flagship xRemote Gateway will be awarded to backers for $99, and the $100,000 campaign is promising the product in June of this year.

Categories
Food and Beverage

Snackadium: build it on your dining room table, and they will come

There’s something about having a house full of people who love football, food and fun that makes watching a game on that big screen TV the perfect day. Especially when the food is arranged on the table to look like a Snackadium. It adds a perfect pizzazz to the party atmosphere when the snacks are arranged in the shape of a stadium.

The unique food storage container comes with eleven pieces that make up the field, grandstands, and end zone. It’s touted as being customizable, easy to assemble, clean, and microwavable, but it’s not clearly stated if it’s safe for dishwashers. Even so, it might actually be worth the inconvenience of washing this item by hand just because of how clever it looks and the ooohs and aaahs it will inspire from guests. Super Bowl-loving backers might also like to check out the Bottleloft, the Kickoff Kaddy, the GrillOven, and the Rotissa-Fry.

This campaign seeks to raise $250,000 by March 8. Backers can get one product for $100, with an expected delivery in August of this year.

Categories
Fitness

WalkSlide fitness device provides low-impact workout for older folks

Many people choose to engage in jogging in order to stay in shape. However, some of the best workouts come with aching joints. For older folks, it’s important to stick with low-impact activities to stay healthy and avoid injury.

patent-claimedThe WalkSlide was created for older fitness buffs. This product is a treadmill, cross-trainer and Nordic Skier in one. To use, one must stand on the foot pads and grasp the handles on either side. The product can be used to either go uphill or downhill based on which way the WalkSlide is facing.

The WalkSlide joins scores of similar workout products that we’ve seen on Backerjack. It seems like a useful product, especially for those who need a low-impact workout, but doesn’t come with any kind of display of calories burned or time elapsed. In addition, it looks a bit unstable, like someone might be able to lose their balance easily.

For a donation of $129, backers can have one by July of this year. WalkSlide is looking to raise $50,000 in funding by March 6.

Categories
Connected Objects Home

Listnr assists in controlling the Internet of Things with claps, stomps, and snaps

One of the easiest ways to interact with the environment is through sound, and voice-controlled technology is at the forefront of this potential. For instance, Amazon’s Echo is trying to make one’s own voice the cornerstone of the cloud-connected experience. But sometimes, things just don’t have to be that complex.

Billed as a user’s listening assistant, the Listnr pays more attention to sound than to voice. The device’s iOS app allows users to attach connected objects in the homes (like a Philips Hue lightbulb) to actions like clapping, stomping, or snapping fingers. As a result, hands full of groceries or a comfortable position in bed won’t be obstacles to devices in and around the home. In addition, the Wi-Fi-enabled device can send notifications to iPhones, and even identify the emotional tenor of the voices in the room.

Overall, the product can be useful but only with a wide variety of actions. Without that, it just isn’t as compelling. Early birds can grab a Listnr device for $99, due to ship in August of this year. The campaign is looking for $50,000 in funding by March 6.

Categories
Connected Objects Games

Juggglow adds glowing balls to the mix, makes juggling easy for beginners

Juggling is a time-honored art; a feat of balance and grace featured at many circuses. Clowns do it while teetering atop a unicycle or walking a tightrope. Even as a simple talent, juggling always manages to dazzle.

Juggglow brings juggling into the 21st century with LEDs and Bluetooth, which allows one to control the balls from the accompanying smartphone app. They can easily choose not only the color of the balls, but also the effects that they display, such as a rainbow spectacle for up to seven balls.

In addition to aesthetics, the app lets users track their juggling accomplishments. They can watch their progress over time, and engage in different challenges that the app offers. It also lets them compare their accomplishments to other Juggglow users. With tips and games, it makes juggling not only attainable, but fun.

As a luxury item, Juggglow brings all of the different dimensions of juggling to the masses. Its tutorials, challenges, and effects make it a great toy for beginners and experienced jugglers alike. Those wanting to dazzle their friends or an audience should look into purchasing their own. A donation of €89 (~$101) is rewarded with a Juggglow, which is estimated to be delivered in July of this  year. Juggglow is looking to raise €10,000 (~$11,300) in funding with the help of Indiegogo.

Categories
Connected Objects

Swiping with Swyp helps lighten your wallet

Walking around with a wallet filled with multiple credit, gift and store loyalty cards can be a major hassle—especially when they can barely even fit in the wallet anymore.

The company Qvivr has come up with a solution to that dilemma called Swyp (pronounced Swipe). The next-generation electronic wallet is a thin electronic device that looks, feels and works just like a conventional credit card, but the device has a chip that can store account information for up to 25 cards, eliminating the need to carry around all the extra bulk. The user can select any of the programmed cards using buttons on Swyp and a graphical image will show which card is being used at any given time. The user’s name, account number and expiration date are all displayed on the card, and the magnetic stripe on the back is programmed to transform Swyp into the chosen card.

Swyp is designed to work any place where the user can swipe a standard plastic card, and should work in any location that accepts magnetic stripe-based cards issued in the U.S. Swyp has been designed to conveniently learn from the user’s behaviors, patterns and surroundings to predict what card they will be using for the next purchase. Users can also share and exchange gift cards with other Swyp users. Swyp can also be used to electronically capture and organize receipts using an accompanying smartphone app. For security, it will lock up and stop working if the user’s smartphone is out of range. Older, similar devices include the Coin and Plastc, but those products can only store up to eight and 20 cards, respectively. Swyp is also similar to mobile wallets, but the latter only work with NFC-enabled terminals.

Consumers can buy Swyp direct from the company’s own Web site for $49 as part of an early bird special. It is expected to cost $99 at retail when it ships this fall.

Categories
Podcasts

The Backerjack Podcast, Episode 6, with Ross Rubin and Steve Sande

As Steve has gotten things underway with Apple World Today and Ross sought to make himself a bit more memorable by introducing himself twice, your two favorite crowdfunding connoisseurs discussed products to keep you safe, in shape, and sanitary in Episode 6 of The Backerjack Podcast.  Among the recent ones that have caught our attention:

  • CarVi, which provides safety features similar to those in advanced luxury cars in a small windshield-mounted, connected device.
  • the LED PLAYBULB for turning your backyard into  a garden of earthly light .
  • The One, a fitness wearable guaranteed not to give you powers like The Matrix’ Neo.
  • the fun (or scary) BrushyBall coaching robotic head with glowing teeth that teaches kids how to brush their teeth.

All the campaigns and preorder pages are still active so check out our thoughts before signing up to back them. Subscribe via iTunes or RSS, download the podcast by saving this link, or listen to it with the player below:

Want to keep hearing smart takes on the latest crowdfundied products? Please spread the word via Twitter and Facebook using the links below and review the podcast on iTunes,. Also, whether you’re a Stitcher user or Zune holdout, let us know in the comments.

Categories
Connected Objects

‘On’ smart tape hugs all your curves for accurate measurements

Shopping online is one of the simple joys that this day and age has been able to offer so many. With one click, pretty much anything can be delivered to the doorstep within as little as a day. Where this model falls flat is the purchase of clothing, a traditionally risky online buy, since no standard exists across between all companies. This means that a small here isn’t necessarily a small there, and this leads can lead to confusion, mistakes, and orders being repackaged and sent back—all of which takes time, and generally makes the process unpleasant.

By combining their expertise in fashion and tech, XYZE Fashion has created the On digital measuring tape. With up to 160cm of circular tape, this Bluetooth connected device makes it easy for users to keep accurate body measurements in their own personal XYZE Size ID. This profile compares the saved measurements against each brand individually to suggest the best fitting garments using a proprietary algorithm and a companion app. As a result, online shoppers needn’t worry about their choices any longer and can expect garments that fit right out of the box. The €60,000 (~$68,000) campaign is looking to have the €59 (~$67) product shipped by May of this year.

On is a truly unique product that has gained lots of attention recently for its simple design and effective solution to a thorny problem. Measuring tape has always been available, but incorporating something automatic that can guide a user to spot-on measurements is invaluable, especially when considering its 3V, 48 month battery life. What remains to be seen is how many brands it can actually recognize, but chances are that fashionistas along with clothing designers will really enjoy On’s ease of use.