Tag: music

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Music

Secure Grip Earphones stay in place while you run your race

Many people enjoy using earphones and listening to their favorite jams while exercising. However, not all earbuds are created equal.

The Secure Grip Earphones system was created with sports lovers and exercise enthusiasts in mind. The product has been designed with a focus that includes where the ear cushion and ear canal meet. Small treads have been added to increase the points of contact with the ear, which also reduces outside noise for a better overall music experience.

Seems like a great idea for indoor activity or at the gym, but using earbuds while exercising outdoors (such as running, cycling or hiking) can put a person at a bigger risk for being victimized by crime or bodily injury. Interested backers might also like to check out MagClip and Tiny Earin. This campaign seeks to raise $10,000 by February 10, 2015. Early bird backers get one product for $15 with an expected delivery of April 2015.

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Music

Jack offers live guitarists option of Wi-Fi rather than cables

Every musician that enjoys doing live gigs dreams of one day having roadies for setup and teardown. In the meantime, affordable Wi-Fi options are often much coveted.

Jack is one such possibility. It allows for real time streaming over a secure Wi-Fi connection, eliminating the need for cables. In order to work, the Jack requires both guitar and amp. The Jack app is supposed to allow the user to connect the Jacks through any Wi-Fi enabled device. The app also allows users to record on their instrument, edit their music, and/or upload it to their Web site or social media profiles.

One downside here is that trying to run this through a phone or tablet is really going to put a drain on the battery. And normal use for your average laptop only offers about two –four hours of life without being plugged into an outlet. Nevertheless, as much of a pain in the butt as cords can be to lug to live gigs, this is actually a pretty exciting invention and seems worth checking into further. This project seeks to raise £20,000 (~$30,300) by early February. Early bird backers get one Jack for £95 (~$144).

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Music

Badger Brown Tone Bar offers steel lap players multi-genre freedom

Getting just the right sound on a guitar when playing country music means having the right tone bar. And many country music lovers who play a lap steel string guitar have multiple tone bars so that they can get just the right sound for every song. But carrying around multiple tone bars is pretty inconvenient, and it’s a hassle when it’s time to jam or do a live concert.

The Badger Brown Tone Bar lets country musicians get the sound they need all in one tone bar. The gadget has a rounded tip on one end for those Hawaiian, and jazz numbers, as well as a fluted tip dobro on the other end for bluegrass, blues and edgier rock styles. The comfort fit is one-size-fits all, but those who have shorter fingers may want to ask a few questions to make certain it will be a good fit. Musician backers may also want to check out Kiln, bnd stand, and SoulPedal. This campaign seeks to raise $10,000. Backers get Badger Brown Tone Bar for $35 with an expected delivery of April 2015.

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Connected Objects

Duo Bluetooth speaker splits apart to produce true stereo output

This is truly the age of the Bluetooth speaker. They come in every shape, size, color, and price point, from the extremely small and portable to the huge formidable types intended to replace your actual stereo. One of their most glaring problems, though, especially in the larger ones, is their lack of true stereo sound. With the vast majority of Bluetooth speakers comprised of just a single speaker, the ability to create that room-filling sound is compromised for convenience.

The team behind the Duo Speakers gives you the best of both worlds. The product’s looks are deceiving: although it is packaged as a single Bluetooth speaker, its magnetic connection can be loosened to free both halves. This results in two Bluetooth speakers connected to a single device such as a smartphone that provide a more mature sound. Bluetooth 4.0 allows the speakers t0 be placed up to 32 feet apart and can work for up to seven hours on a single charge, making them mighty versatile. The campaign is looking for $17,500 to get the $75 speakers delivered by March 2015.

The Duo Speakers seem to be a well-crafted device, and pretty attractive to boot. Being that it boasts 3W Hi-Fi speakers, it should pump out some quality sound as well. It’s small form factor makes it multi-functional too, as opposed to other solutions that use existing speakers to spread sound around or a single speaker to omni-directionally fill the room and, as a result, are stuck in the home.

Categories
Food and Beverage

Das Kühling makes your beer cold as ice without much sacrifice

If there is anything that the Germans can do right, it’s beer. In fact, if there’s a way to arrange it so that the beer comes out of the kitchen faucet, they will find it.

Das Kühling makes beer lovers’ dreams come true. This portable music amp turned beer amp can easily go from the kitchen sink to road trip to rock concert since it only takes 12V DC to make it function. So it can be hooked up to a car or truck battery. The user connects a beer keg directly to the amp, set it to the desired temperature and in minutes the beer is cold and ready for drinking. An indicator light lets the user know how much has been poured. Once the beer is gone, the amp self-cleans when hooked up to a line of fresh water. It’s not entirely clear how much the product weighs overall, and it is presently compatible with G-type coupler kegs, though broadening the compatibility is in the works.

This product will likely have wide appeal from the young adult to the baby boomer who appreciates rock-n-roll classics and memorabilia. And of course, anyone who feels that it’s the beer that makes the party. Backers who like to add some games to their beer and fun might want to check out the Allin and Shot Timer campaigns.  This campaign seeks to raise $150,000. For $499, backers get one Das Kühling with an expected delivery of August 2015.

Categories
Connected Objects Winter Sports

Shredz audio helmet kit lets you jam out on the mountain

Skiing and snowboarding are two activities that make winter bearable. There’s nothing like careening down a hill in a sea of white.

Now, you can listen to music or talk on the phone while on the mountain. Shredz is an audio kit for ski or snowboard helmets that affixes earbuds to the riders ears. It works with any helmet that comes with space for headphones already. Coming in either wireless Bluetooth or connected, Shredz is a great way to jam out or keep in touch with loved ones.

This Canadian product is great for habitual skiers and snowboarders. Some may argue that it may be dangerous to listen to music on the mountain, but for experienced riders, it’s probably okay. The only thing is that not everyone wears helmets, so it would be interesting to see if Shredz could develop a version that works well with toques or goggles. The Bluetooth enabled version of this Canadian product is going for $109 CAD (~$95 USD) for estimated delivery in March 2015. Shredz is hoping to raise $20,000 CAD (~$18,300 USD) on Kickstarter.

Categories
Tech Accessories

Cloop is a cool clip to wrangle the tangled

In the tech world of cables that are always getting tangled, it seems like someone is always trying to come up with a better way to keep them from turning into a spaghetti-like pile. Cloop is no exception to the cable-resolution dilemma. This cord management product is made of an elastic silicon band along with two strong magnetic ends. A couple of slits in the middle of the band let the user weave their cable through the holder, which helps prevent annoying tangling. Then the magnetic ends help keep the cord wrapped for storage.

This product has some potential when placed up against some of the other cable management products out there that attempt to solve the cable conundrum because of its unique design. Curious backers may also want to check out the WrapAround, BundeZe, MagClip, and Cablestop campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $15,000 by December 18, 2014. For $10, backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015.

Categories
Kids/Babies Toys

Edwin the Duck smart toy teaches the old duck new tricks

No item is safe from becoming smart and connected. From lights and appliances to cameras and scales, everything is becoming connected.

For proof of this, look no further than Edwin the Duck, a smart rubber duck that offers companionship to children and peace of mind to parents. During bath time, Edwin the Duck goes right in the tub and can report when the water is too hot or when it’s just right, and can stream sing-along songs for cleaning. Once in bed, Edwin pairs up with a tablet or phone to read stories aloud complete with sound effects. Edwin also streams lullabies and functions as a night light.

This collection of features makes the part of the day parents and kids both dread a fun and easy experience. Inventor pi lab is raising $85,000 for safety certification, app development, and manufacturing. Parents can grab Edwin the Duck for their children at the $59 tier level, ready to hatch in March 2015.

Edwin the Duck is designed to give kids something positive to relate to bath and bed time, and the online features and interactivity should do just that. It may be strange shopping for a smart rubber duck, but that’s just a sign of the times.

Categories
Music

Headband-like Dreamphones deliver lullabies, stay on through sleep

Headphones that actually stay put can be a difficult item to find. And trying to sleep while wearing them can be nearly impossible. Most of them lack comfort in a pretty major way.

Wireless headphones may very well be the rave of the future. This would resolve that looming problem that so many people encounter with the constant hassle of untangling. This is one nice feature that Dreamphones has to offer.  Other common issues that this product addresses are keeping earbuds in place while exercising and overall comfort. The headband-style product syncs with any Bluetooth 3.0 device, so even sleeping while listening to music is more comfortable than with standard earbuds. It’s not clear what the headband is made of, but it is indeed washable. The material is thick, and so may be too warm to wear comfortably if one happens to enjoy exercising outside during the warmer months. The user also must be within 30 feet of their Bluetooth device in order for the wireless speakers to function properly.

Overall, this product seems like it will have great appeal to music lovers, exercise enthusiasts, and those who like listening to music while falling asleep at night. It seems like it may be worth exploring further, especially for those who are fed up with the constant annoyance of dealing with tangled and knotted earbud wires. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000. Early bird backers get their own for $59.

Categories
Music

Proper Audio 2 is a mountable Bluetooth speaker that probably won’t abduct you

No, it won’t abduct a person, but it could potentially abduct ears and attention spans. Music lovers always appreciate a good sound system. And Proper Audio 2 offers mini Bluetooth speakers for iPhones that are not only portable, but also mountable. The round shape helps to enhance sound and create a full, home speaker sound for music that is being played through an iPhone. The iPhone can be docked to the speaker, which in turn can be mounted to the wall with a 3M adhesive, or a quick twist of the speaker and the two items can be moved to another location.

While it appears that the speakers are able to be used outdoors, they likely still need to be sheltered from rain or snow, a small detail not taken into account by the creators. This campaign seeks to raise $40,000 by December 9, 2014. Early bird speakers get a set of speakers for $89 with an expected delivery of April 2015.