As the cameras on smartphones get better and better, the need for a good tripod mount to take better photos on those smartphones keeps growing also.
The New Glif is a redesigned version of the pioneering Glif tripod mount for the iPhone 4 that adds new features and now works with the latest iPhones. The mount’s makers have focused on a quick release mechanism, as well as portrait and landscape support, with the new model.
Anyone who flies knows that the tray table is an uncomfortable evil that food and drinks often claim at the expense of tablet-resident entertainment or productivity.
Airhook is a compact, portable solution that works with the existing tray tables but makes them more useful. The simple design features a collapsible hook that gets widged between the tray and the seat into which it folds. The cupholder portion folds down, making a convenient storage place for a drink throughout the duration of the flight – including take-off and landing. The Airhook also features a docking station for a variety of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, with a bungee cord that helps lock the device in place from the top.
The design is well-executed, and the designers are selling Airhook for $20 each, to raise $15,000 by July 26, 2015, expecting delivery by December 2015. However, frequent travelers may find that the elastic may stretch with continued use, making the device less stable as time goes on.
With welcome warmer days ahead, people are enjoying rising temperatures, but forgetting how hot it can really get.
Now, anyone with a cell phone can cool themselves down. The Quick Cool is a small 2”x2” fan that can plug into any phone via a USB cable. It has a battery life of around four hours and can easily be recharged. Once production starts, the product will be available in a variety of colors.
While the Quick Cool does have the convenience of working with phones, an obvious question looms: Is such a device actually a beneficial? A fan sucking up a phone’s battery life doesn’t seem desirable in the slightest, especially since most phones can barely stay alive for a full day. There are also a multitude of small portable fans already out there. Additionally, the device’s 2”x2” size doesn’t seem large enough to really make any kind of real difference from a cooling perspective.
Still, interested backers can have one of their own for $40 if they’re willing to wait until April 2017 for delivery. Quick Cool is looking to raise $8,000 on Kickstarter by April 29.
For consumers looking for a unique mobile phone with a unique internal and external design, there aren’t many options available on the market today.
The makers of Runcible are out to change that with a mobile phone modeled on the look of pocket watches. Internally, the Runcible’s operating system is built on top of Mozilla’s open source Firefox OS. It features a fully round screen and a palm-sized form factor. Although it uses Bluetooth, LTE and Wi-Fi, Runcible will never beep, alert or otherwise interrupt the user, its maker says.
Runcible is certainly unique, so there might be at least a small group of consumers attracted to it on that basis alone. Beyond that, however, it’s too soon to predict how well Runcible might perform in the marketplace, largely because of the few product details available on Monohm’s website, the device’s manufacturer. The device will ship in late 2015 though product pricing hasn’t yet been provided. Monohm, though, says the cost will be comparable to a premium, unlocked smartphone.
Many people like to express themselves with their clothes. But outside of supporting particular brands or buying a licensed cellphone cover, it’s pretty difficult for people to use cellphones to express themselves in a similar way.
The London-based developer of OwnFone is out to change that by allowing people to 3D-print the phone itself versus just a cover. The company allows consumers to either design the device using its maker’s FoneBuilder App website and let his company make it for them, or design OwnFones themselves at home using the company’s PrintFone Dev Kit.
Don’t expect a lot of fancy-functionality, though. OwnPhone is a voice-only mobile phone that works on a 2G mobile network; the product has already been available in the U.K. since 2012. U.S. consumers can now buy one for about $100, and can select from a version with word buttons, image buttons, a number keypad, Braille buttons, or a few other configurations. OwnFone will ship in the U.S. in July. Its maker is trying to raise £200,000 (~$308,000) by March 21.
There is likely a market for custom-made cellphones such as OwnFone. One large segment that will likely find it appealing is kids. But there are likely many parents who won’t be willing to shell out $100 on a mobile phone for their children. There are also likely many people who will opt to spend $100 on a low-end smartphone than a nice custom-made phone with limited functionality.
It’s happened to all of a us. Enjoying a nice time with friends is usually stunted by the inevitable round of phone checking that happens every ten minutes. If you’re looking to have fun in the moment with your friends without cellular interference, try BLOCK. This bulky candle holder burns down a typical tea light, while also jamming the signal to cellular devices to prevent distraction. It has adjustable jamming ranges and can simply be stepped away from when phone time is necessary. One of these high-tech Dutch candles costs backers €19 for delivery in September 2014. BLOCK hopes to raise €30,000 in a month-long Kickstarter campaign.
The Premise. Parents who want to keep track of their kids almost always resort to giving them cell phones nowadays. But a cell phone for a child is a lot of responsibility and risk. Kids are hard on phones and may even lose them as they go out to play and explore the world.
The Product. Tinitell, the smallest mobile phone ever created, is a cell phone that is worn on a child’s wrist. First of all, this device is water- and sand-proof, making it perfect for children. It comes in different colors equipped with GPS tracking, voice recognition, Bluetooth capabilities, a long battery life and call forwarding. This wrist-phone comes in many different fun colors and only has three buttons that operate it, making it simple enough for the smallest of children to use. The phone’s preferences and contact list are managed from the Tinitell iOS/Android app or website.
The Pitch. This Swedish product’s video shows a delightful scene which effectively displays how easily children can get lost while battling monsters. The children in the video use the device easily, reinforcing Tinitell’s asserted childlike simplicity. The rest of the campaign outlines each of the phone’s unique features as well as the back story of what inspired Tinitell. This tiny phone hopes to raise $100,000 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. Early backers can enjoy the Tinitell for only $99. The exclusive Kickstarter price is $129, while standard retail price is set at $179. Reward tiers climb from there to $5,000, offering the product in different colors and packages. Each level offering the product has an estimated delivery date of April 2015.
The Potential. Tinitell seems like a good solution for keeping track of your kiddies while they go out and explore. This is not the only product out there, however. The hereO GPS watch tracks children but has a shorter battery life and no call function. Similarly, FiLIP offers the same peace of mind to parents in a wristband package with calling abilities, but only allows five numbers on the contact list. On the other hand, or wrist, FiLIP offers an emergency response system that Tinitell would do well to add. Unlike FiLIP, however, which is currently tied to AT&T in the U.S., Tinitell allows you to add your own SIM for more carrier and coverage flexibility. All in all, Tinitell is a clever device at the right price, but could definitely elaborate on its original design to result in an even better product.
![The Phone Sitter 6b88386fffa1d1483ea6df9b070261ab_large[1]](http://rossrubin.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/The-Phone-Sitter-6b88386fffa1d1483ea6df9b070261ab_large1-267x300.jpg)
The four hundred billion dollar question posed in connection to this particular campaign via its video: Do you use your phone in the bathroom? Given the fact that 1.4 billion phones have been dropped in the toilet, there are apparently many who do. And the above noted amount is a rough total in losses. The Phone Sitter is a plastic phone mount that is specially designed to dock your phone on your bathroom wall while you dock yourself nearby for a more pressing matter. While it won’t actually do anything to prevent your phone’s demise should it go for a swim in the porcelain pool, the idea is that having a dedicated place to put one’s phone should help avoid positioning that leads to such unfortunate circumstances. The creator’s goal is to get this handy-dandy gadget mounted in every bathroom in America – even in your place of employment. (So much for hiding in the bathroom to escape the boss for a while.) For $30, a backer gets The Phone Sitter in their color choice with an expected delivery of June 2014. Or you could just leave it on the sink
We’ve all been there. Driving around with a GPS only to have it fall off the windshield, make a big noise and almost run you off of the road. Hangatablet offers a solution to the ever-falling GPS. Using a secure mechanism, Hangatablet attaches to the dashboard of a car and hangs your tablet or smartphone down the center console. Product creator and camel photography enthusiast Steve Jacobson has can also created a kid brother for handsets called — you guessed it — the Hangaphone. both can be used to let your digital displays dangle for different purposes around the house or at work. Smaller The dashboard drop-ins go for $59 and larger ones for $69. Hangatablet hopes to raise $160,000 in their 45-day campaign on Kickstarter.
Tremble, Androids. Quake in fear, iPhones. The Shine one is out to — What’s stronger than conquer? — uber-bliterate the Smartphone market. Playing the numbers, the Shine one wields 256 GB of ROM, 8 GB of Ram, an 18-megapixel camera , a wireless “Pulsometer,” bracelet and fitness software, 8, yes 8-speaker sound, a thermometer with app that suggests how to normalize temperature, doubly redundant (three) batteries good for nine to 12 days of life (there’s likely a good reason it’s not shown in profile), and a multitouch screen which recognizes gloved touches.
The campaign on Indiegogo — no stranger to superphone campaigns — includes prose clearly translated from another language so details are a little foggy. However, it appears that the Shine one claims to be the first phone with a tripod aperture, and that a built-in wireless charger may also be included. The backers are even throwing in free phone repair. Of course , that won’t include repair of competitors that see their screens shatter trembling n fear of the Shine one’s over-the-top specs.