Here is the perfect item for coffee coinsures who find the instant stuff to be an affront to their taste buds. Coffee Cuppa allows for the real deal to be available in minutes without having to brew a complete pot. The grounds go in the small coffee holder gadget, which goes in one’s favorite standard sized coffee cup. Then just pour hot water over the gadget. Grinding the coffee beans will still be necessary. If the plan is to have the real stuff available at the office or some other location away from home and there isn’t a grinder there, a bit of preplanning will be necessary, as well as sealable storage baggies for toting. It’s not clear if the gadget is airtight to preserve freshness and prevent grounds from escaping during travels. For £10, early bird backers get one product with an expected delivery of November 2014.
Tag: portable
Smartphones are packed with enough power to tackle a ton of applications or functions, including games. For those that grew up on the classics, however, gaming just doesn’t feel right without a controller to hold on to.
There have been plenty of peripherals released for phones that better simulate the controller-holding console game experience, but the major issue with them is that they require owners to carry one more thing around with them, or increase the size of their phone with a bulky case. Genx Cardtroller is a controller the size of a credit card that gamers can use to play on their phones without carrying around extra weight. When the power switch is slid into the on position, retractable shoulder buttons emerge from the top of the Genx, providing a place for fingers to rest and more ways to enjoy the action.
Genx also has internal memory inside, which the phone will treat as an external storage device for games, emulators, or save files. The Genx charges through micro-USB and can run wirelessly for two hours on a single charge. Inventor Joseph Nathan Cohorst is asking backers to pitch in $30,000 of funding for Genx. Backers can press start on this product for $35 in January 2015.
One of the issues that the campaign video brings up is that not being able to feel the buttons is a big part of why touch screen controls fail for many gamers. At the same time, the compact design of Genx means that the surface appears either flat or near flat, not addressing this problem. It’s a neat little accessory, especially when it comes to size, but ask anyone who’s played with a tiny controller, and they’ll tell you all about the hand cramps.
The Keurig brewer and K-Cups have made brewing single servings of hot beverages easy. Unfortunately, Keurig machines aren’t portable, so anyone wanting a fresh beverage while out of the house needs to stop at a cafe.
KoffeePress is a new way to enjoy Keurig K-Cups on the go. This 10 fl. oz. cup is insulated and clear, able to hold hot or cold beverages. To use, just insert the K-Cup inside and the KoffeePress acts like a French press, pushing the coffee or tea down in the cup to brew. This product is microwaveable and dishwasher safe. For $15, $20 and $25, early backers will get the KoffeePress at a discounted price. At regular cost, the product goes for $30 with an estimated delivery date of March 2015.
We’ve seen a couple of variations on this idea of brewing coffee on the go. Hey Joe uses a battery to brew coffee and regulate water temperatures. In addition, it requires its own specialized coffee cartridges, which is not ideal. The Mojoe had slots for the user to fill with their own coffee, cream and sugar, making it more cost-effective, though the mug itself cost $90.
Even without the convenient temperature regulation for water that KoffeePress lacks, it still has the added bonus of compatibility with K-Cups which can be found everywhere and come in tons of varieties even though they’re pricier than grounds. The mug is also cheaper than most and has the cool French press effect for true coffee enthusiasts. With hot water and K-Cups readily available, this mug makes on-the-go brewing easy.
Eco-awareness is an increasingly important design principle being implemented to confront future challenges. Every little innovation contributes towards its spread, which is why the Granola Strolla impresses. The product is a portable solar-powered charger for all your USB devices, reliably charging them by using a multi-directional design that effectively drinks up the sun no matter what orientation it may be in. The whole of the charger features environmentally materials like HPDE and Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, both of which are non-toxic and last longer. This product could help solve the problem of dead devices and wasteful energy all in one. Econauts can pick up their very own, along with a swag bag, for $55. This will help the company reach their goal of $20,000 by mid-October 2014.
If you look hard enough, most problems have pretty simple solutions. For the problem of shaky videos, pipilala has created Snapshot: a simply designed, lightweight clamp that you can carry around anywhere by attaching it to your keychain. The product lets you prop your smartphone up on a stand so that you can experience a a stable video-recording experience, something many of us could use to begin our Oscar worthy films, according to the creator. But don’t worry as it doesn’t come with a Oscar-level price tag: each Snapsot goes for just $10 if you’re early enough. Pipilala is looking for only $3,000 by mid-October.
Mobile games have become an unignorable aspect of the gaming landscape. Players have access to thousands of games wherever they are, but the one complaint most people will always have is control. Game Cover is a thin Android gamepad that slides out from the side the way keyboards slide out on certain phones. Only 8mm thick, Game Cover fits any phone and provides plenty of buttons for precision control. Game Cover also works as a remote for media or camera controls. The thinness is great for compatibility, but long-term use may cause hand strain without something larger to grip onto while playing. Gamers can power up their phones with a Game Cover for €25.
Despite its admittedly light-hearted name, the Solderdoodle Pro tackles some serious issues with current soldering irons on the market. Its 3D-printed, open source cordless design houses a Maxim charge controller and a USB rechargeable lithium-ion battery that takes three hours to fully charge, eliminating pesky cords from the picture. The tight design culminates in its ability to stay at a temperature of above 700ºF for over an hour, enough time for most garage hobbyists to complete even the most lengthy jobs with minimum battery angst. One Solderdoodle Pro will cost backers $39 USD, with the the project’s creator aiming to raise $37,800 during the month long campaign.
With all the accessories that drain a phone’s battery life, it’s always nice to see one that actually prolongs it. Cabin is a slim, ergonomic attachment for the iPhone that uses the magnetic connection to lock into place and charge without obstructing any of the pivotal iPhone features or even the handheld size of the phone. While this makes for great on-the-go charging, it also works with a custom dock that allows data synchronization and charges both iPhone and Cabin simultaneously. This looks like a convenient way to add more battery life without making the iPhone clunky, but the requirement of a whole new dock just to charge both at once seems a bit much. Cabin will be out in November for $99.
The Premise. How many times has showing a video to a co-worker or friend turned into a fifth or sixth replay of the video as more and more people enter the room and wonder what’s so funny? Or needed to give a presentation and didn’t want to haul a laptop to the conference room or deal with the potential formatting hiccups of sharing it and running it on a different machine? The solution is finally here.
The Product. Odin is a smart projector, not any larger than some phones, that can be connected to tablets, smartphones, or even game consoles to display video like any traditional projection display. On top of that, the Odin also comes with Bluetooth speakers, meaning no extra devices need to be connected, just the home of whatever file needs to be shared in a group environment. The quick set-up and utilitarian features make Odin work just as well under professional environments as it might for throwing a killer house party. Powered by Android, Odin can communicate with devices through Wi-fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, and USB.
The Pitch. Odin creator Dos Owls make a strong first impression with a pitch video that’s youthful, confident, and well-directed if not for a curious lack of lighting probably caused by the need to replicate conditions where the device would function best. Still, the development process for this product have led to a great number of videos and explanatory images outlining the many ways and situations in which Odin can prove useful. Dos Owls is projecting a need to raise $10,000 on Indiegogo following a much larger campaign on Kickstarter to get Odin out into the real world.
The Perks. The Odin can be picked up for almost half the retail price for $445, with shipping expected in December.
The Potential. Projectors have been a suitable audio/video display solution for decades, and this seems like a great way to have something with that same kind of power but is pocket-sized portable and pairs easily to most modern devices without having to do any complex wiring and tweaking. Odin looks like the right tool for the job of converting the powerful processors of mobile devices into something that can be used for demonstrations or parties. The flexibility and capabilities of Odin make it a fantastic accessory for any phone, tablet, or other device.
For most, when mid morning hits, it’s necessary to get a caffeine fix. For those who don’t have access to a coffeemaker, a trip to the local café is the only option, which can get costly and time-consuming in the long run. For on-the-go brewing, try Mojoe, a portable single serving coffee maker. Simply load up the filter with your own coffee and put sugar and cream in on the other side for a fresh cup of java. Mojoe is similar to the Hey Joe Coffee Mug, but has the added benefit of letting the drinker use their own coffee, making it more cost-effective and convenient. One Mojoe costs $89 for delivery in December 2014. This portable brewer hopes to raise $50,000 on Indiegogo.