Categories
Food and Beverage

Ember cools off hot beverages as much as you’d like

There have been several mugs for keeping coffee hot touted on crowdsourcing sites in recent months. But Ember goes a couple of steps further than a device like the Nano Heated Wireless Mug, which promises to keep coffee hot for 45 minutes.

patent-claimedEmber is a temperature-controlled travel mug that quickly cools off coffee or tea that’s too hot. It then keeps the liquid at the temperature its user chooses for two hours when on the go or all day when used with the included, cordless charging coaster, according to its Indiegogo campaign. Its patented microprocessor-controlled heating system works with a network of sensors to accomplish that.

Categories
Smart Home

HUUM portable security system keeps you humming along without a worry

More and more, security systems are coming into their own in this new era of connected technologies, fitting into smaller packages and accomplishing as much or even more than they ever have. The HUUM is another addition in this space, offering a portable security system with a diverse array of features to keep users safe with minimal effort.

The HUUM is as small as a pencil case, but packs motion tracking, temperature monitoring, flood detection, and location tracking within. And since it’s portable, its possible uses aren’t limited to just the home. Although the system is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, the latter is able to utilize NFC tapping technology to easily activate or deactivate your alarms, change settings, or set up new devices, eliminating the need to input codes or any other form of authentication. In addition, multiple smartphones can be connected to a single system to keep everyone informed on an open window on a rainy day or even intrusions, all without monthly fees. The campaign is looking for $20,000 CAD (~$14,500 USD) to get the $89 CAD (~$77 USD) device out to backers by March 2015.

The HUUM works over Wi-Fi and, while that affords it impressive range, it’s also a drawback in that if something is wrong with the connection, it won’t be as effective. Other products, like the Canary and the WataSensor, are similarly handicapped but offer more features than the HUUM. The HUUM’s portability and size are its prime traits and its price compared to other similar systems sweetens the deal.