Tag: Wi-Fi

Categories
Connected Objects Displays

SmarTock reinvents the clock as a giant widget for your wall

Once computers and smartphones began surfing the Internet, streaming videos, playing games and also telling the time as a bonus, the wall clock and the wristwatch became obsolete in a hurry.

SmarTock is a wall clock for the 21st century. With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, apps for weather, wallpapers, calendars, and more, SmarTock is designed to provide the convenience and aesthetic of having a wall clock into a package that better fits modern times. Using an LCD display with 1080p resolution, SmarTock will be an appealing, modern addition to any home. Inventor Josh Cotton has set a financing goal of $99,000 to begin mass production. Buyers interested in a SmarTock can grab theirs for $179 to ship out in May 2015.

The idea here is solid enough, though whether this does enough to compete with the “smart” accessories is debatable. Compounding this problem is a lack of information or demonstration on the product’s campaign: the internals are explained, some questions are answered, but instead of more concrete details, too much space is spent on sample wallpaper ideas. This could be an idea with merit behind it, but only time will tell if there’s enough concrete work here to result in a competitive product.

 

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Connected Objects

Share Foil is the Swiss Army Knife of travel routers

When traveling, most people cross their fingers and hope for the best with hotel or public Wi-Fi, and more often than not it’s more of a headache than a convenience.

Share Foil is a portable wireless router that offers a wealth of features perfect for anyone away from home. As a router, Share Foil can create strong Wi-Fi signals for up to ten devices, and has enough power inside of it to charge a smartphone to full battery twice during its 10 hour battery lifespan. Share Foil also allows devices to store and open files or even stream media by uploading it to the router or using the SD card slot. Same slot can be used to take photos off of a camera and transfer them to smartphones for easy sharing while on the go, turning vacations photos into live social media updates.

With a USB 3G adapter, Share Foil can take 3G signals and convert them into Wi-Fi that any wireless device can use. If signals are weak, Share Foil can be placed closer to the router than the devices to act as a signal repeater, keeping smartphone and laptop usage convenient and comfortable. Share Foil does all of this and costs backers only $60, with delivery expected in October 2014. Made by Trend Power LLC, Share Foil is raising $30,000 to produce the app and make sure all production and manufacturing possibilities are considered.

Share Foil does a lot of tasks in one small device, so if packing space is limited, make sure there’s room for it at least. If only one of these features is needed, or needs to be done at the best possible quality, users will probably prefer a cheaper or more dedicated solution to their network dilemmas.

Categories
Smartwatches/Bands

StopMee removes wires from the smartwatch market

stopmeeWe’ve seen many smart watches lately, but most people don’t appreciate the inconvenience of having another device to look after. If such a smartwatch charged wirelessly, that might be another story. StopMee is a wrist wearable that offers helpful reminders relating to hygiene, incoming phone calls, and even health, all powered by Wi-Fi signals in the area. The campaign video is flashy, colorful, and promises a great deal about the device, regrettably without showing the device working in the real world. Backers beware, this little band may be too good to be true, but those who can keep the faith may want to pick this up. StopMee will launch for $250 to ship in August 2015.

Categories
Home Sensors/IoT

Hoping to sneak in without getting caught? Don’t Blink

The Premise. Break-ins and burglaries happen at a rate that’s sure to make anybody feel unsafe. However, complex home security systems are bulky, inconvenient, and require monthly subscriptions to use.

The Product. Blink is a truly wireless home security system, not even requiring a cable for power. Blink starts with the Sync Module, which all of the Blink units report to and transmit to the cloud for phone access, alerts, and streaming video. Each of the Blink units offers a discreet, wireless camera with a full year of battery life. Each camera also includes a motion sensor, heat sensor, night vision, and an audio microphone. Because of the lack of power cables or ethernet cables, Blink can be moved, adjusted and repositioned to suit any possible needs.

The Pitch. Blink’s pitch video comes off a little strong and very commercial like, but the device speaks for itself. Seeing the alerts, streaming video, and how simple it is to customize a Blink system for any need is enough to put home security system complaints to bed for good. Blink is out to secure $200,000 for its project to complete fabrication, develop the beta version of the app, and conduct in-home trials.

The Perks. One Blink unit with a Sync Module can be picked up for $69 and will be ready for delivery in May 2015. To monitor more than one room, a 2 Blink system with Sync Module is available for $119. Anyone who wants to set up their home security system sooner can get the same package as part of the beta program for $149, shipping in March 2015. Packages for larger homes and resellers are also available at higher tiers.

The Potential. In terms of a home security system, Blink is sort of a “do-it-yourselfer.” Being able to access instant alerts and streaming HD video on the go is an awesome way to determine if there is really a break-in happening versus something routine tripping the motion sensor, but without an instant response system to notify law enforcement, that falls onto the owner’s responsibility to review the tape and then take it a step further and call the police. The wireless system is great both for convenience and flexibility, but also to disguise the security system and keep potential threats on their toes. All in all, as long as homeowners can remember to keep the batteries fresh and don’t mind having the cops on speed dial, Blink is an extremely attractive home security option.

 

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Displays

Odin hunts down the projectors of old with flexibility and simplicity

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.

Categories
Smart Home

Declare doorbell independence and let freedom ring with i-Bell

i-bellThe doorbell is a double-edged sword: it can signify the arrival of friends and loved ones, but it has a tendency to do so at the most inopportune times. i-BELL is a doorbell and video camera that connects to the home’s Wi-fi network and pushes an alert and live feed of the camera to any smartphone or tablet. Audio communication can take place or callers can leave a message if unresponded to. While the utility of this device is great and has built-in security features in case of threats or pranksters, it’s certainly not the first to try this and might get lost among Doorbot, Goji, and Chui. i-Bell will come knocking in November for £152.

Categories
Connected Objects Lighting Music

Whome sets the mood with lighting and streamed audio

The Premise.  The primary necessity for any home situation is adequate lighting. Plain light bulbs are so 20th century. Why not have customizable, smart light bulbs that can stream audio throughout the home?

The Product. Whome is a Wi-fi enabled system of LED light bulbs that can be controlled using a proprietary app. Designed for customization and sharing, each Whome supports 256 LED bulbs to fine-tune the color and intensity of the light to fit any room, mood, or social situation. Additionally, each bulb also comes with a built-in speaker, and audio can be streamed to the Whome to provide a whole-home output for party music or ambient backgrounds for relaxing in bed. The app allows users to set timers that will change the bulb’s settings for different times of day and allow easy management of all networked lights in the home, no matter which room.

The Pitch.  Whome is a trendy idea, and so Whome developer WaveBomb has framed its product as young and fashionable in its campaign video. Viewers get a glimpse of the product in action from friends watching a soccer match in proper team lighting to a suggestive bedroom encounter complete with mood lighting and appropriate soundtrack. The Whome’s ease of use in on full display, with simple examples of controlling the light in real-time through the app and connected the bulbs to streaming audio featured. With a goal of £20,000 in place, WaveBomb is hoping to raise the funds necessary to begin mass production and get all the necessary certifications.

The Perks. A single Whome is available for £60, set to launch October 2014. Those who want more than just black or white can get a two-pack in any color for £155. Additional tiers offer quantities of five or seven bulbs.

The Potential. Similar products have been introduced already, either taking the smart light bulb route or the music-powered light approach. Whome feels less like a novelty because it tackles both of these concepts in one device. The design makes the bulbs look a bit like ultra-modern salt and pepper shakers, but being able to stream audio and control lighting color and intensity using a phone and being able to program it to act as a much more pleasant form of morning alarm make this a very appealing product for those that have an easier time rising and shining to their favorite music.

Categories
Imaging Video

Lightbox frees social video from the camera in your smartphone

lightboxSocial video is king these days, whether it’s livestreaming an event, sending quick videos through Instagram or Vine, or even just playing video games to an audience. Lightbox is a device designed to make social video that much easier, streaming video and photos through a smartphone and to the cloud for instant access. Lightbox is small but packs some serious picture quality, and comes with a magnetic clip to make mounting the camera on an object or article of clothing incredibly easy. We’ve seen other “smart cameras” before, such as the MADICE, but Lightbox looks powerful enough to hold its own. Lightbox is due out in November 2014 to backers who pledge $149 or more.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Music

Freer makes digital audio setups a snap on any device

freerEven though most people today keep their favorite songs on their phones or tablets, access to a nice, high-quality audio system to really enjoy that music can be hard to set up. Freer is a simply Wi-fi bridge that allows devices to be connected to any DAC wirelessly, and then provides a USB output to connect that bridge to quality home audio equipment. With built-in, easy to use compatibility with both Android and iOS devices as well as with home Wi-fi networks. Freer is expected to ship out to supporters in September of this year, and is available for a pledge of $49 or more.

Categories
Tech Accessories

Wi-Stick: Another wireless-enabled flash drive to add to the pile

wi-stickPortable hard drives are great, but in today’s world if files aren’t on the cloud, they may as well not be accessible. Wi-Stick is a portable flash drive that functions wirelessly, allowing up to eight devices at any time to connect to it and access any stored files. Wi-Stick offers compatibility with most major operating systems (iOS, Mac OS X, Windows, Android) and has a battery that lasts for as long as five hours before it needs to be recharged. Other similar devices are on the market, but Wi-Stick’s compatibility is how it seeks to set itself apart from the competition. Wi-Stick starts at 8GB for €70 and is estimated to deliver in August 2014.