With the number of crowdfunded solutions to lost objects out there, it’s surprising to think that anything is still lost. FIND 2.0 is another keyring solution that works in tandem with a smartphone app to alert users when they are leaving the vicinity of belongings, or through a reverse notification, the phone itself. Where FIND 2.0 falls short is in its manual search, where the FIND vibrates instead of the app using proximity detection like its competitors, but the ability to crowdsource a truly lost item and have anyone with a FIND app privately ping its location back if it is moved past is a great addition that would make this invaluable if widely adopted. FIND 2.0 is available for $17 and ships in June.
Tag: android
The smartwatch race has suddenly gotten pretty crowded with many more devices on the way now that Google has officially blessed them., but the features can vary widely. Most of these products connect to a smartphone. But in addition bo hosting an HD camera, fitness tracking, and cloud services rolled into a customized Android UI?, the inWatch Z packs in a cellular radio while retaining a pretty svelte profile. Battery life, though, could be an issue. Interested backers can get their very own inWatch Z for $199.
In an increasingly wireless world, we still need a whole lot of wires to keep our devices charged. It can be difficult to remember your charging cord at all times and definitely inconvenient when you’re caught without it. Echo Connect aims to fix this problem. This product is a small, silicone keychain that syncs and charges your iPhone, iPod, iPad or even Android phone from anywhere. This British product is a slightly more stylish version of the Chargekey device made with the same idea in mind. Echo Connect costs backers $15 and hopes to raise $50,000 over 60 days on Indiegogo.
Many people own a memory stick that lives on their key chains to carry around their files with them. The GoKey is like that, but on steroids. This small keychain has memory storage, a USB to charge your iPhone 5, Android or Windows phone, and Bluetooth capabilities to help locate your keys. One drawback is that, due to its small size, you’ll only be able to eek a couple of hours out of its charge. The Stiktag also helps people locate their keys, but this is a much more versatile product. A GoKey costs backers $39 at a base price; the developers seek $40,000 in a 31-day Indiegogo campaign.
The Premise. Mobile devices open up the possibility to communicate and collaborate from any location, any time. However, the need to move the keyboard to a touch screen has also reshaped communication down from the blog post and the email to the tweet. What can be done when a full-length message needs to be sent on the go?
The Product. BestBoy is a chorded keyboard that attaches to the back of mobile devices and offers six buttons that users can press to type any characters they should need in communicating. The device operates on Bluetooth Smart technology and offers Braille support, buttons for gaming, and a web-based app is even available for users to get used to how they can type with the keyboard. With practice, using the BestBoy will offer desktop keyboard-style typing speeds and reduce the risk of Repetitive Strain Injury.
The Pitch. The primary video for the BestBoy campaign is literally all talk, with no sign of the product itself. A video is then shown from an older prototype from 2011, with a bit more of a comedic angle. It shows off how the product would look in action and also gives viewers an idea of how long this keyboard has been in development. The explanation of the campaign goes into what steps that journey required, and how the development of Bluetooth Smart has given it new life. BestBoy wants to raise $50,000 to pay for the prototype and production phases.
The Perks. BestBoy is offering its unique brand of control for those that pledge $23 to their campaign. Larger quantities are available from two to 40 keyboards ranging in price from $53 to $699.
The Potential. Will we see the BestBoy at Best Buy? Probably not any time soon. As the developers admit. the chorded keyboard is nothing new, with the Infogrip BAT serving a niche for years now. The solution isn’t extremely advanced or innovative like Grippity, but the company is wise to point out less obvious applications of this device. The idea of having a functional, fast keyboard for mobile devices is one thing, but if it takes learning, one might as well learn Braille while they’re at it. Having real physical buttons to press during mobile gaming is attractive as well, but in a lot of ways, it seems the market has spoken when it comes to keyboard redesigns, especially when two-in-one mobile devices offer such sleek, portable full-size keyboard options.
The Premise. Babies aren’t the best communicators. Parents can get a general idea of a baby’s mood, but beyond that, the reasons for that mood are hard to come by. Any insight a parent can have to stop the crying and fussing is extremely welcome.
The Product. Sleevely is a device that goes around a baby bottle and solves one of the mysteries of parenthood: has the baby eaten? By monitoring the amount of milk or formula in the bottle and when the contents are consumed, Sleevely reports to its app how much a child has eaten or if they’ve eaten at all. That data is all recorded so that parents can monitor their baby’s feeding throughout the day whether they’re at home, work, or anywhere else. With the correct data input to the app, Sleevely can even notify parents when a baby’s meal is going bad and needs to be replaced.
The Pitch. Inventors and cousins Ike Ofner and Dan Gilai have a lot of fun in their introductory video, and it’s hard to not to smile as the product is explained whether viewers are parents or not. For those that want to know the how more than the why, the campaign information discusses which bottles are compatible, how the Sleevely transmits information using Bluetooth, and how the patent pending sensors detect the amount of fluid in the bottle.Sleevely needs $85,000 to move from prototype to production.
The Perks. A Sleevely will set backers back $29, and parents-to-be can look forward to this product’s due date in December. Blue and pink variants are available at $39, Sleevely can be personalized with a baby’s name at $49, and a bodysuit is added in at the $60 level. A baby shower gift package that also includes a compatible bottle starts at $70. All perks beside the basic white model should arrive January 2015.
The Potential. At first glance, it’s hard to see what the market would be for a beer (formula?) koozie for a baby bottle, but once the app is brought into the picture, the Sleevely is a very attractive, affordable option for parents. Raising infants is an imprecise art that requires extreme care, so any product that can help take the guesswork out of the process is highly appreciated. It’s hard not to like the Sleevely or the people behind it, and the parenting market will probably eat the product up. Though the prototype is iOS-focused, future Android compatibility due by the product’s launch will be a welcome addition.
The Premise. Sure, the idea of being able to control all the devices in a home with a tablet or phone is appealing. What If all that could be done without a mobile device, however? What all that could be done with a sleek, wearable interface?
The Product. The Nod is the next entry in the field of smart rings designed to keep users able to interface with all kinds of connected electronics without having to pick up any kind of keyboard or phone. This stylish stainless steel ring combines motion-detection with buttons and a touch interface to allow users to control Android or iOS apps, Bluetooth or wi-fi enabled devices, smart lightbulbs, thermometers, and more.
The Pitch. In a simple, one-minute introduction video, the Nod is shown primarily as a tool for slackers to control things by waving their hands around. From Netflix to Halo, the couch-bound hero is intent on accomplishing everything with the ring on his finger. Nevermind the nightmare of trying to play a game with that many buttons using a ring, the Nod is then shown at a business presentation, as a wild, complicated gesticulation becomes a search for a six-letter word. This video does a good job of showing off what Nod can do, but a better job of showing how ridiculous it looks to use. Nod is available for pre-order now.
The Perks. If buyers like it and they want to put a Nod on it, they can get one in fall 2014 for $149.
The Potential. The smart ring is being brought up as a small, powerful interface tool for users to interact with all connected objects. Nod lacks the subtlety of competitor Fin, but appears to offer a wider range of compatibility, albeit trading in subtle thumb slides for wild Wii-like finger swipes. Nod offers a similar sense of style as the previously-covered Smart Ring as well, but Nod’s intent is to be an interface for all appliances, not just a handy way to keep track of phone applications. The idea is appealing, and the execution seems to be there as well, but the freedom from traditional input that a Nod provides seems to come with a sacrifice of simplicity of use. Anyone with a decent typing speed on desktop or mobile might lack the patience for Nod.
The Premise. All modern automobiles come standard with a powerful diagnostic electronics system that handles the electronic functions of the vehicle and monitors the car’s performance. Getting to that data as an end user is not an easy task, however, and is often left to mechanics and auto shops to access.
The Product. The AutoBot is a simple device that can plug into a car via cigarette lighter or if the vehicle is manufactured after 2007, into the ODB-II diagnostic port on the car. While both outlets are supported, the cigarette lighter only offers simulated data compared to accurate readouts from the ODB-II port. Because ODB ports are often inconveniently placed, the AutoBot comes with a long but unobtrusive cable, making the device ideal to set up. Once installed, the AutoBot delivers data to the Android or iOS, including GPS information for up to 60 days, suggestions on how to reduce fuel usage, and driving leaderboard data between friends.
The Pitch. The AutoBot team shows off the project through a series of modern, well-designed images, explaining the device’s functions and how it intends to bring “wearable tech” to the auto market. Questions not addressed in the campaign photos are likely found in the extensive FAQ section of the campaign. Only $10,000 is needed to bring the AutoBot to market, which is needed to distribute the device internationally and not just in China.
The Perks. Getting an AutoBot will take a pledge of $79, packed with both the app and the OBD II and USB cables. Higher tiers simply feature additional quantities. The AutoBot is expected to ship from China in August.
The Potential. As the Internet of Things continues to expand to every imaginable niche, it’s no surprise that now that market includes the car. Simpler diagnostic devices are available to the consumer especially thanks to the development of the OBD-II interface, but the AutoBot offers a more personal profile and advice, not just what drivers need to do to turn off the check engine light. It might not be something that every driver needs or even wants, but for those that treat their vehicles like their kin, keeping an AutoBot handy will help the driver/auto bonding process.
Perhaps there’s little that’s more annoying about fancy technology than the subquality USB cables that seem to break and kink with the least little bit of strain or stress. Finding a place to plug in and charge sometimes means a tight spot such as behind a desk, couch or nightstand. Snakable is a solution to the problem of USB cables breaking and kinking so quickly. The product’s ball joints allow it to move freely, giving it an ability to arch that keeps it from reaching its breaking point. It’s compatible with Apple and Android devices. For $15, backers get one product in their choice of multiple color options, which is 50 percent off of the expected retail price. Anticipated delivery is August 2014.
When planning a day around appointment notifications, there doesn’t appear to be a middle ground. Pop-up alerts or alarms either seem to happen too early to be significant and are quickly closed, or so late that the only option is to stop everything and run out the door. The Smart O’Clock combines the display of a standard wall or desk clock with Bluetooth Low Energy and electronic ink to solve this problem. Using a standard analog clock face with an extra segmented ring, the Smart O’Clock syncs up to any calendar app on iOS or Android phones and blacks out segments of the day that are already spoken for with activities. The approach seems more useful than the e-ink-based aclock. Smart O’Clock will arrive to customers who pledge at least $69 in July 2014.