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Connected Objects Tablet Accessories

PocketScan lets you capture anything on a page with a quick swipe

The Premise. In order to really kill the desktop computer off once and for all, mobile devices need to be able to do everything their lumbering, clunky big brothers can handle. In recent years that’s come to include lightweight solutions for full keyboards and even printing.  The next hurdle to overcome is scanning.

The Product. PocketScan is a handheld device no bigger than a computer mouse that can be used to skim across any surface and immediately have it display on a tablet or computer. What’s better is that these scans can be instantly edited if text is detected in any language, and translation options are available for foreign documents as well. Because the device is hand-sized and requires movement, the PocketScan can even be used to scan very large items that would not normally fit inside of a scanner.

The Pitch. Dacuda, creator of the PocketScan, show off the versatility and simplicity of the device by showing consumers using it to scan menus, photos, business reports, and everything else including a set of lips! While the video glosses over a lot of the technical details in order to offer up a short and sweet video that captures the device’s wow factor, plenty of space is given in the campaign page to answer questions about connectivity, battery life, and more. Dacuda needs $50,000 to send PocketScan out into the market. Additionally, stretch goals are available making the device compatible with Android devices at $150,000, iPhones at $250,000, and adding a text to speech mode at $500,000.

The Perks. The PocketScan can be picked up for those that pledge at least $99, with scanning software included for Windows, Mac, and iPad. Developers can get a trio of scanners and access to both the SDK and API for $1,250. All rewards are due to ship out in December 2014.

The Potential. Crowdfunding has hosted a few innovative mobile scanners lately, including the robotic page-traversing  Pocket Printer and PPrintee. Putting scanning literally into the hands of users to do as they wish is a great idea, especially as a new way of sharing content while on the go. The light weight, compact design, and long battery life are great ways of making this device as convenient as possible, making PocketScan a great choice for business pros on the go or young artists who need to strike when inspiration hits them. This is a neat device just as a scanner, but the ability to get instant feedback while scanning and edit scans quickly make this a must-have.

Categories
Sensors/IoT

Detecting rain without the cloud, BloomSky reports backyard weather

The Premise. Once upon a time, people relied on local news reports or weather sections of newspapers. Now, every smartphone is well equipped to give local weather and temperature data, but so often it tends to be incorrect or inaccurate due to weather monitoring stations that are several miles away.

The Product. BloomSky is a weather sensor that can be installed outdoors using a spike and can be augmented with a solar panel for continuous charge. Its design is more than just for looks, as it provides accurate detection of temperature, precipitation, humidity, and more while protecting the internals from sunlight, dust, and water. BloomSky also comes with a wide-lens HD camera that takes pictures of the sky and sends them straight to smartphones for a real look at the conditions outside. These pictures can then be combined to create time-lapse movies of the day’s weather.

The Pitch. BloomSky’s pitch is pretty straightforward: those looking for accurate weather conditions and want to contribute to a larger network that provides that data to others will want a BloomSky as soon as possible. The flexibility of the device to come with solar options as well as an indoor sensor also make it a great way to replace a home’s thermometers with something more modern. BloomSky is looking to raise $75,000 to finish development of the app and handle tooling and production of the device itself.

The Perks. A BloomSky outdoor sensor with ground stake is available for $99 and will ship out in December. The indoor/outdoor kit can be had for $129, while the outdoor model with solar-powered charger base is $139 and won’t be out until March 2015. One of everything runs for $199, and developers can get in on the beta for $1,299 starting in August.

The Potential. Like so many other products that opt for a crowdsourced approach, BloomSky’s greatest strength could also be its greatest weakness. The idea behind a completely local weather network that people individually add to in order to complete a picture is a fantastic idea that is solely dependent upon there being enough local users in order to flesh out. Thankfully, BloomSky works well enough as a sort of at-home workaround for the inaccuracies of distant weather stations, so the individual can still have some valuable use out of this product even if none of their neighbors purchase it. Aesthetically pleasing and fully functional, those who never step outside without checking the forecast will appreciate the pinpoint accuracy that BloomSky provides.

Categories
Connected Objects Cooking Sensors/IoT

Range Oven Intelligence delivers the goods on your grill to your iPhone

rangeoiAccident-prone or otherwise disasterous chefs take note: the smart kitchen may be a savior when it comes to getting a meal prepared just right. Products like iGrill are designed to keep users informed of temperatures so no food comes out black and burned, and no kitchens burn down. Now comes Range Oven Intelligence, from the makers of TWINE. Range OI is a complete kitchen monitoring tool that can keep an eye on almost all kinds of cooking heat, give detailed reports, and send alerts to smartphones, smart TVs, and smartwatches. Range Oven Intelligence is available for $98, but backers will have to be patient: this product will be slow-cooked to quality with a release date of March 2015.

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Connected Objects

Hicon keeps notifications for every network as close as your wrist

hiconNobody should be surprised that the average person checks their smartphone over 100 times per day. Many people know all too well the “phantom vibration” of a notification that isn’t really there. Hicon is a smart, modular bracelet that can be outfitted with icons representing top apps and social networks, that will light up and alert users when notifications come in. Additionally, Hicon can also share contacts with others with a handshake, or find people close by with similar interests. This kind of social bracelet has been tried before, but Hicon hopes to be the one that people enjoy using. Hicon can be purchased for $49 and should be out in November.

Categories
Imaging Video

Lightbox frees social video from the camera in your smartphone

lightboxSocial video is king these days, whether it’s livestreaming an event, sending quick videos through Instagram or Vine, or even just playing video games to an audience. Lightbox is a device designed to make social video that much easier, streaming video and photos through a smartphone and to the cloud for instant access. Lightbox is small but packs some serious picture quality, and comes with a magnetic clip to make mounting the camera on an object or article of clothing incredibly easy. We’ve seen other “smart cameras” before, such as the MADICE, but Lightbox looks powerful enough to hold its own. Lightbox is due out in November 2014 to backers who pledge $149 or more.

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Connected Objects

LaMetric is the personalized ticker worth sharing and showing off

lametricSmartphones and smartwatches keep everyone in the know on important things like emails, stock prices, and breaking news. Still, the data is often private and requires interrupting what’s going on to take a look at notifications. LaMetric is a portable or desktop ticker that can be programmed using its app to show various kinds of data and can filter out the things that are less important. The device uses bright pixels to display text, logos, charts, and more. The device appears to be extremely flexible, giving users the ability to get all the information they want without having to dig out their phones. LaMetric is available for $119 and will be available in January 2015.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Music

Freer makes digital audio setups a snap on any device

freerEven though most people today keep their favorite songs on their phones or tablets, access to a nice, high-quality audio system to really enjoy that music can be hard to set up. Freer is a simply Wi-fi bridge that allows devices to be connected to any DAC wirelessly, and then provides a USB output to connect that bridge to quality home audio equipment. With built-in, easy to use compatibility with both Android and iOS devices as well as with home Wi-fi networks. Freer is expected to ship out to supporters in September of this year, and is available for a pledge of $49 or more.

Categories
Sports Video

The AirDog drone takes amazing videos of action sports

airdogThe GoPro camera revolutionized the way extreme sports enthusiasts captured footage of their stunts and amazing feats, but the camera angles were limited, required someone to follow the action separately, or came out too shaky and jarring. AirDog is a remote-controlled quadcopter drone that can be programmed via smartphone or that can simply follow the action by tracking a bracelet and keeping it in frame, recording it through a GoPro. The finished product is remarkably smooth, and examples of what the AirDog can do make up the vast majority of the product’s introduction video. AirDog takes flight in November 2014 for $1,195.

Categories
Tech Accessories

Wi-Stick: Another wireless-enabled flash drive to add to the pile

wi-stickPortable hard drives are great, but in today’s world if files aren’t on the cloud, they may as well not be accessible. Wi-Stick is a portable flash drive that functions wirelessly, allowing up to eight devices at any time to connect to it and access any stored files. Wi-Stick offers compatibility with most major operating systems (iOS, Mac OS X, Windows, Android) and has a battery that lasts for as long as five hours before it needs to be recharged. Other similar devices are on the market, but Wi-Stick’s compatibility is how it seeks to set itself apart from the competition. Wi-Stick starts at 8GB for €70 and is estimated to deliver in August 2014.

Categories
Connected Objects

HomeE aims to deliver a free tablet to organize your family

homeeManaging a daily task list and staying on top of everything can be difficult. Doing that for an entire family is almost impossible. HomeE is a flat-screen, wall-mountable display that syncs tasks from all smartphones registered to the device and provides a group to-do list that everyone can keep track of. With the inclusion of group messaging, it becomes easy to delegate tasks and have everyone on board if plans ever change. Interestingly, the goal is for HomeE to be free as it is supported by local ads, so interested parties only need to sign up on the website to receive a free device.