story – Backerjack

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.

PopSwitch turns light switches into simple animations

It’s quite possible that kids are the only ones who pay attention to light switch covers – but maybe that’s because your average cover is pretty boring and little kids are actually fascinated with the result of flipping the switch, which adults tend to take for granted. PopSwitch takes the idea of pop up story books and creates an interactive light switch that may very well double as a child’s newest “toy” if installed. For those who won’t mind the constant on and off flickering, the only instillation involved is the base plate, which requires a screwdriver. After that, the sliders get placed on top of the base plate, and the magnetic cover mounting holds both pieces in place.

This constant switching of scenes means that the pieces may get lost when mom or dad’s back is turned. Nevertheless, the product does seem like a fun one to own. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000 by December 10, 2014. Early bird backers get one single switch scene for $30, or one double switch scene for $40 with an expected delivery of December 2014.