Tag: android

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Connected Objects

Luna smart bed cover covers all the bases to provide good night’s sleep

Objects all around keep getting smarter and smarter. But the bed, one of the most important things that people use every day and a key part of our health, isn’t getting any smarter.

The San Francisco-based makers of the Luna smart mattress cover are out to change that. Luna is able to manage the user’s bed temperature and tracks sleep habits using multiple hidden sensors, including an ambient light sensor and temperature humidity sensor. The thin cover can also be integrated with the user’s other smart home devices to turn off lights, lock doors, change the thermostat, or make sure coffee is brewed when the user needs it each morning. Luna’s dual zone technology provides the option for users and their partners to select different temperatures for each side of the bed.

Luna works with any kind of mattress, its maker claims. Backers who pledge $199 for a queen or full size cover, $219 for a king size cover, or $229 for a California king size cover when it ships in August. The $100,000 Indiegogo goal has been set to pay for product validation testing and tooling to manufacture enclosures.

The product holds great promise, going a few steps further than the ThinkPillow smart pillow and Beddit sleep and wellness tracker that are both more reliant on their apps than Luna is. An iPhone or Android smartphone is required only the first time the user installs Luna. Consumers who are sleep-challenged will find it especially valuable.

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

Snapsme enables your smartphone camera to snap photos of you

While at a party, it would be nice if a smartphone camera could be set up to automatically take photos. That would allow for more mingling at the party without having to worry about snapping any photos manually.

Snapsme allows for exactly that. It consists of an iOS and Android app, as well as a rotating docking station. Users just have to set the number of pictures they want taken and for how long they want it to operate. The dock allows users to fully adjust application shooting to all environments and circumstances. Backers who pay $49 will get the docking station when it ships in May. That’s $20 off the expected retail price. Snapsme’s maker is also fielding a limited edition Lego version of the dock at $99. Its Belgium-based maker is hoping to raise $10,000 on Indiegogo.

Snapsme’s concept is very similar to the Sony Party-shot rotating sock from a few years back that worked in conjunction with a camera from the manufacturer. But Snapsme doesn’t seem quite as sturdy. Snapsme holds some promise if it works as well as its maker claims. It’s likely, however, that at least some of the shots that it takes will be lousy unless everybody photographed is sitting down and not much higher than the tabletop where the docking station and smartphone are placed.

Categories
Imaging

Axsy T-Set leaves photographers all set for camera motion control

Camera motion control accessories are often costly and clunky, relying on knobs and buttons to work. The Axsy T-Set from London-based Axsy is an affordable alternative that combines three devices in one and works in conjunction with a mobile app that lets users control their cameras via touch input on their smartphones.

The product will work with nearly any digital camera on the market. Axsy enables the user to control video, time lapse and stop motion effects. The Triaxis-set is made up of the Centric, Slide and three Spin smart motors. The Centric device, along with the Android and iOS app, serves as the brains of the product and uses a radio mesh network. It gets connected to a camera via USB or a standard shutter release cable. The T-Set’s Spin smart motor accessory and Slide work hand-in-hand to enable sliding, panning and tilting motions. The standard length of the Slide’s rails are 1 meter, but it’s extendable to any length with Axsy’s 50-cm extension rails.

Backers who pledge $230 will get one when it ships in July. Axsy is hoping to raise £35,000 (~$53,000) on Kickstarter.

The product seems promising and should prove appealing to many photographers. It compares favorably to more traditional camera accessories such as the Axis360 from Cinetics and costs much less.

Categories
Technology

Spin remote universally controls home’s devices, doesn’t point to do so

editors-choiceIt would be great to have just one remote control that could control all the devices in the living room. It would make things even easier for many people if that one remote didn’t have more than a dozen buttons, or, even better, didn’t have any buttons at all.

The Spatent-claimedpin remote from the Netherlands features six LEDs that enable it to send out infrared signals in every direction. This eliminates the need to point Spin at the desired device, which is what one has to do with a traditional remote that only has one infrared LED. Just touching Spin is enough to activate it and users can program it with up to 10 presets. Each of those presets can be used to program multiple devices. As such, the average home owner will be able to program all the devices in their home with just two or three presets. For example, the user can turn Spin to the left to lower the volume on a TV and turn down the thermostat, or turn it to the right to make the TV volume louder and turn the thermostat higher. Although the remote can communicate with smart devices via Bluetooth LE, it is mainly meant to be used with non-networked electronic devices, including TVs.

The presets can be set by downloading a free Android or iOS app. If the company gets more funding, they plan on supporting more OS’s including Blackberry and Windows. Backers who pledge $92 will get a Spin remote when it ships in September. This product is looking to raise $1,000 on Indiegogo.

The design of the remote is stylish and certainly far more advanced than such devices as the simplistic IRring. The remote will work with all infrared electronic devices, including Blu-ray and DVD players, a huge convenience. But users will not be able to turn on and off an unlimited number of devices with Spin. The number of devices in one preset for a function like turning on and off devices will be limited to only five. one major drawback of this product.

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Cell Phone Accessories Connected Objects

Bluewire Bluetooth headset recorder puts the “call” in “recall”

Recording conversations on a smartphone, tablet, or a computer can be an awkward process filled with all kinds of programs that need to be installed and run in a very specific way. While one method may indeed work well enough for one platform, it won’t always work for another. In this space, the need for a one-size-fits-all solution is apparent.

The Bluewire smartphone and VOIP recorder are looking to streamline the process of recording conversations with their Bluetooth-enabled headset from up to 33 feet away. With this device, a user can pair any Bluetooth device capable of making a call and have both sides of a conversation recorded and stored onto its 16GB internal memory. If a user has their own Bluetooth headset they’d rather use, Bluewire can be used as an intermediary instead.

A companion smartphone app unlocks even more functionality. For example, a quick double-tap on the headset or tap of the headset onto an NFC-enabled phone will instantly sync the conversation to the device and email the file. When synced, the app allows users to manage their recorded calls, enables a tracking feature for both keys and device, and activates the BlueGuard burglar alarm. When Bluewire isn’t being used, it supports wireless Qi charging. Early birds can score a Bluewire headset for $149, a significant portion off of its $269 retail price. The $40,000 Indiegogo campaign is looking to ship the product in July 2015.

Bluewire is a promising product that offers tons of functionality in an attractive package for professionals, journalists, and business types looking to make sure they never miss a single detail. It provides a great service for those who may have to keep detailed accounts of calls such as salespeople, interviewers and journalists. While apps exist that can record conversations on smartphones, they aren’t universal solutions like Bluewire, a trait that will ensure Bluewire’s success on the market.

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Connected Objects Toys

RC Brick moves building toys, couples smartphones with fun

Building blocks are the, well, building blocks of spatial learning for children. These toys are not only fun, but also allow kids to be creative while they learn to work with their hands.

RC Brick lets kids combine the fun of building things with the convenience of technology. This product works with most brick toys already on the market. It consists of motorized wheels that can move brick creations around. Using a charging cord, RC Brick plugs into any Apple or Android smartphone. The accompanying app lets the user control the movements of their RC Brick.

While this is a fun product that many kids will enjoy, it’s limited by the cord. RC Brick would do well to experiment with Bluetooth technology in order to make their device wireless. Backers will need to donate £27 (~$40) for the base model for estimated delivery in May 2015. RC Bricks hopes to raise £65,000 (~$97,400) on Kickstarter.

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Virtual Reality

ViSR VR cardboard headset is a low cost of entry for a high-quality virtual experience

One of the boldest moves in the past few years, in the midst of tech companies chasing the dream of virtual reality, was Google coming out with Cardboard. If you hadn’t heard, it was a pair of VR googles made completely made out of the ho-hum material that worked in tandem with Android devices. As ridiculous as it may seemed, what most surprised everyone was that it worked. 

Now, there are Google Cardboard imitators pretty much everywhere, but the folks at ViSR VR would be quick to point out the superiority of their Mark I headset. Theirs is a laminated, high-quality quality cardboard visor that is extremely durable and can last as long as most smartphones.

At the end of the day, though, it isn’t a very new idea to upgrade Google Cardboard with better material, but its durability will certainly attract those who had been previously been on the fence about VR. Compatible with iPhones, Android devices, and Windows phones, most anyone can get into the VR game as long as they have £15 (~$23) to spare. Notable stretch goals include special edition versions in gold, a day with the team, or even a backer’s own ViSR game! The £25,000 (~$37,900) campaign is looking to ship the Mark I ViSR by March 2015.

Categories
Connected Objects Displays

E Ink cloud display Vikaura lets your smartphone blow off some steam

Our smartphones are carriers of so much valuable information. So much, in fact, that much of it gets lost in the bowels of camera rolls, or in the depths of the rows and rows of apps. As useful as having that many photos and information may be, they’re worthless they can’t easily be accessed.

The Vikaura Screen is a 4″,6″, or 9.7″ E Ink display that’s capable of linking with multiple iPhones or Android smartphones at once. Once linked, information like photos, weather, or simply messages can be pushed to the device using Bluetooth LE technology. This enables situations where things like recipes can be displayed on the screen while running around in the kitchen, or messages can be pushed from a child’s smartphone to a screen to avoid a no cell policy at school.

At-a-glance information can be set up by subscribing to feeds on the Vikaura, always ensuring important information like news is available right by the bedside, for instance. An open API will make sure that more uses will continue to be developed too. Impressively enough, there aren’t any sort of wires as its internal, replaceable batteries support a vague “thousands” of screen updates; feasible given E-Ink’s low power requirements. Early birds can score the 4″ model for $99, the 6″ for $129, and the 9.7″ for $199, all sizable discounts on their eventual retail prices. The $125,000 campaign goal is looking to have the Vikaura Screen shipped by June 2015.

Second screen experiences are slowly becoming more and more popular, and given the wealth of information our devices contain, it makes sense. An E Ink styled display is a novel idea, and echoes the InkCase Plus in its use of E Ink. As energy saving as E Ink can be, though, it robs photos of their color, making a product like Fireside so much more attractive.

Categories
Chargers/Batteries

Hydra phone charger increases talk time, stores files too

The fast and furious plethora of phone charges hitting the market doesn’t look like it will be slowing down anytime soon. So it’s more important than ever for consumers to consider what is going to work best for their lifestyle.

The Hydra phone charger has features that will be appreciated by busy professionals and students alike. Some of these include a lithium battery that offers over two hours of talk time, and a flash drive and USB charging cable that can connect to any Android or iPhone 4, 5 or 6. Hydra also features an LED flashlight and emergency hammer. This is another charger that easily attaches to a key ring. So unless one leaves their car keys at home, it’s going to actually be there when it is needed.

For those who often take their laptop or tablet with them, a flash drive backs up computer files and pictures, and holds up to 64GB of Micro SD memory. While Hydra is a good product, there’s not much that sets it apart from similar products. And the emergency hammer feature is a little random.

This campaign seeks to raise $1,800 on Indiegogo. Early bird backers get one product for $20 with an expected delivery of March 2015.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Virtual Reality

Pinć VR smartphone case offers portable virtual reality, Minority Report-like gestures

True, accessible virtual reality seems so tantalizingly close yet so very far at the same time. Big names like Oculus Rift are mentioned in the news every day but are never actually seen outside of events like trade shows, limiting the kind of effect VR is supposed to have on technology and culture.

The Pinć VR is a virtual reality kit folded into a 15mm smartphone case that, when unfolded, can be worn around the head. The system is really a marvel, managing to tuck away a pair of glasses and the necessary optics to allow users to manipulate virtual elements with the help of Pinć Rings. These small input devices are worn on the finger and allow gestures like scroll and rotate while in the virtual world. With help of the introductory Pinć apps like Browser, Video, and Mall, the grander possibilities of the true portable virtual reality system are getting closer and closer.

Pinć VR is already an engineering marvel, but the company behind it has a lot of work going up against the cultural rejection Google faced in their bid to introduce a similar, wearable, augmented reality in Glass. As impressive as it is, it isn’t sure to be a hit, although curiosity is at an all-time high. The $99 CAD (~$85) case can be purchased for iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and an array of popular Android devices. A successful $50,000 CAD (~$21,500) campaign will see Pinć VR shipped in July 2015.