Tag: feeding

Categories
Pets

Catzmat adds artistic flair to your kitty’s feeding time

Keeping the floor clean around the area where kitty feeds can be a challenge. Many of the mats on the market are, well, boring. So Catzmat aims to add some interest to the whole process. Using an attachment clip to the wall, the mat comes in tons of different designs ranging from flowers, to Renaissance art to a photo of pet owner and kitty. The mat even works in a corner area if preferred. It appears to be easy enough to clean with just soap and water and a dishcloth or paper towel.

In terms of aesthetics and artistic appeal, Catzmat may have a bit of an advantage over other products on the market. Honestly, though, a cat mat is a cat mat. Other products in which cat lovers may have an interest are Mousr, Automatic Kitty Groomer, and WindowKitty. This campaign seeks to raise $8,400 NZD (~$6,500 USD) on Kickstarter. For $18 NZD (~$14 USD) backers get one Catzmat with an expected delivery of March 2015.

Categories
Kids/Babies

The Little Globetrotter bib rolls up for travel, won’t rock your world

Any new parent knows that it’s astounding how many time they must change a baby’s clothes over the course of one day. Little Globetrotter aims to bring a bit of cleanliness and a potentially diminished laundry load to moms and dads. This bib not only features a wider shoulder design, but also an optional snap together pocket to help catch spills – or allow baby to hide those yucky Brussels sprouts and asparagus until he or she is able to learn from siblings the more effective and smoother way of passing that stuff off to the dog when mom isn’t looking. The stain-resistant material is a nice touch considering how quickly a bib can start looking pretty nasty. When it comes time for mom and baby to hit the road together, the bib can be rolled rather than folded – which is probably a plus for those who really, really hate folding stuff, or just have an issue with crease lines in bibs. This campaign seeks to raise $4,000 by November 2014. For $30, backers get one bib with an expected delivery of December 2014.

Categories
Kids/Babies Nutrition/Hydration

Sleevely uses Bluetooth to bracket baby’s bottle binging

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.

Categories
Kids/Babies

Quix baby bottle makes parents twist, quiets baby’s shout

The Premise. Powdered baby formula and being mobile just don’t go together very well. Of course, there’s always the premade canned stuff that’s far more expensive. Leave it to prolific parents to come up with a much more workable solution for busy parents and baby caregivers.

The Product. The Quix baby bottle claims to reduce stress and mess by offering a baby bottle that keeps powder and water separate until the demand to blend arises. The two components are stored in one convenient baby bottle container, but are separated by a closed valve. Before rushing out the door with baby, powder goes in the bottom portion, water in the top portion, and ring, nipple and plastic cover seal the top. Then when you’re on location and baby decides that it’s time to eat, mom, dad, or perhaps a helpful sibling opens the valve, shakes, and baby gets the easily digestible version of bone apatite. Aaah, hear that? Peace and quiet for all involved.

The Pitch. The cost of a music license is likely all that kept the old 1961 Twist and Shout song written by Bill Medley and Bert Berns  out of the campaign vid/eo. Maybe some major company will pick up on that if this product makes it out of the crowdfunding stage. Anyway, thiere is nothing quixotic about the Quix. In fact, it’s so user friendly that, uh, yes, a child could do it. So, a great deal of detail really wasn’t needed to explain this product to viewers.

The Perks. There are 11 tiers from which backers may choose. For $25, backers get one Quix baby bottle and a guarantee of radically reduced crying…until it’s time to change the diaper anyway. Expected delivery for Quix is October 2014.

The Potential. As new parents are tirelessly reminded, breastfeeding is best, but there’s still a huge market for baby formula. The Quix seems to uniquely solve a problem common to many parents of babies, a group that’s always looking for a little extra help wherever they can find it.

Categories
Connected Objects Pets

iCPooch offers videochats, snacks to defeat doggie doldrums

The Premise. Snoopy has it pretty good. He can act out the carefree antics of Joe Cool, have exciting Red Baron adventures, mess with little kids as the Easter Beagle or Great Pumpkin, win first place in a Christmas light contest, and perhaps best of all, demand dinner on a whim. Meanwhile, other dogs are stuck at home in an empty house while their owners get to have all the fun!

The Product. iCPooch is one dog owner’s attempt to bring relief to the depression that many dogs experience when their entire world has walked out the door a duration that seems unending. Owners simply connect the doggie delighting device to a wireless router, and then they can easily stay in touch with their four-legged family member. Yes, now even dogs can make their own selfies of sorts as they videobark with their humans by using their very own smartphone or tablet attached to an included adjustable mounting bracket. And just like any savvy record representative for a major label or a Hollywood studio lawyer, the owner maintains control. In this case, that’s with the iCPooch Android app, iOS app, or Web browser. Owners can even deliver a treat at the click of a mouse if their doggie is behaving. Several treat sizes will be compatible with the enclosed reloadable and removable bin.

The Pitch. The video for the $20,000 campaign, which doesn’t shy from playing on viewers’ emotions for funding, aims clearly at those with busy lives who see their dog as being more than just their stay-at-home pet. It’s quickly revealed that the product was invented by a poised 14-year-old, a pretty impressive feat even if she did get a bit of help from Dad with the details.

The Perks. There are eight tiers from which backers may choose. The $99 early bird special offers a complete product, plus Fido’s name in computer monitor lights via a listing as a Founding Pet who helped bring the project into the lives of other struggling doggies and their grateful owners. The estimated delivery is May 2014 for all levels.

The Potential. iCPooch could be useful to any smartphone vidchatter who feels that their dog needs a little extra tender loving care and a little less privacy. However, it seems that trusted neighbors might be able to check in occasionally to calm an anxious pet until its human family can get home. iCPooch appears to be a one-of-a-kind product that can make a dog’s life a bit less of a dog’s life when you’re away.