One of the new features of Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel, in addition to a color screen, is what Pebble calls “Smartstraps“. Basically, the new Time/Time Steel watches will have connectors near the straps that will allow the straps to add new hardware options like GPS or heart-rate monitors to the watch, making Pebble Time extremely upgradeable and modular.
There are many bags that offer charging and backup batteries for your gadgets; unfortunately, most of these scream “tech bag”, and aren’t terribly pretty. Worse, they’re not the kind of thing you can carry into the office or a meeting, especially if you want to look professional. Leoht Tech Handbags has a Kickstarter with a potential solution!
For the audiophile out there, one thing that a lot of us compromise on when using our mobile phones with headphones is one thing, sound. Thanks to a new Kickstarter by the name of UAMP, the possibility of having more bass for that jamming song, or the HD quality sound you want when watching a movie is now enriched with this audio amplifier.
One of the lingering problems I faced when purchasing my 11-Inch MacBook Air was the lack of the SD slot that the 13-Inch model has. I get it, Apple needed a feature to separate the two, and for a lot of people, this was it.
If you’re one of those folks who happen to be in the market for a versatile yet minimalistic portable desk but can’t be bothered with the funky patterned colors, or the spongy cushion material on your lap while surfing the web, the Portable Lap Desk Kickstarter by Liyang Liu may just solve all of your problems.
Although it’s a little late for Valentine’s Day, Sand Sign wants to write a love note on the beach for you! Their Kickstarter campaign has 22 days left and they are looking to break the record for the Most Love Declarations Written on the Beach. In return for your Kickstarter pledge, Sand Sign will write and photograph your love note.
Hand of Fate is a card-based roguelike that found funding through Kickstarter just over a year ago, and has now been released for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game blends the RPG and collectible card games genres easily and with a style that is bound to appeal to fans of both game types.
We’ve reviewed internet radios in the past, and the Sugr Cube is similar to those, but it also does much more. It can stream music directly through your router’s WiFi from sources such as Tunes music, Pandora, BBC radio, 8Tracks and Douban FM, and you can transfer hundreds of songs from iOS, Android, PC and Mac devices to it.
Back in the pre-Doom world of 1992, Ultima Underworld was a revelation – coming before Wolfenstein 3D it offered 3D immersion, player-based choice and consequences, and a richly detailed and dynamic world to explore. The game was hugely influential and led to games such as Thief and Deus Ex. Now the adventure continues with Underworld Ascendant from the original creators.
Last summer GRIN Studios had a Kickstarter for their unconventional un-fairy tale Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries. Woolfe looks at the adventures of an adult Red Riding Hood as she seeks to avenge her parents deaths. The game was successfully funded, and is progressing towards release. Now GRIN announces that the game is available for Early Access on Steam.
Do you have trouble focusing on tasks that need to be done? Did you try setting reminders and timers, only to get distracted by your phone, a call, your DVR, or facebook? Hit up Kickstarter, and check out Esington Glass; it’s a fancy hourglass timer that wants to keep you on task!
Regular readers of Gear Diary may remember that I’ve mentioned before that I played a lot of rugby in my college/post college years. Besides blood and dirt, the defining substance of rugby is probably beer. Ruggers love their beer. So the Handle This Cup Kickstarter project has my attention as a way to hold beer AND keep it cold!
I wear a fitness tracker; not because I’m some athletic superstar, but because I like the constant reinforcement I get by seeing if I’ve reached my goal of 10,000 daily steps. They usually aren’t that fashionable — much less personable — though; that’s where the Mira comes in.
We all know that proper hydration is critical, especially when being active. When we’re away from home we bring water bottles or other hydration sources, but there are risks such as hyponatremia or weaker muscles or bones from too much acidic fluid intake. DYLN contains a VitaBead diffuser that generates alkaline water for maximum benefits.
True story: a great deal of the gifts I got for family and friends this year came from either Kickstarter or Quirky, and if this keyboard waffle iron had only been available in time, I know exactly who I would have given it to! It wasn’t, but for $60 I’ve backed it, and I’ll be ready for next year!
As a person afflicted with obstructive sleep apnea, I recognize when I have had a good night sleep. One issue I struggle with is that I hear my machine as well as other sounds when trying to sleep. On Kickstarter, I came across this interesting project that aims to change that with Hush, the first smart set of earplugs.
Greg Ward is one of my favorite young artists, and has been featured here in my ‘Best of 2011’ with his ‘Phonic Juggernaut’ release and in my ‘Best of 2012’ with ‘Living By Lanterns’. His group ‘Fitted Shards’ released the acclaimed ‘South Side Story’ in 2010, and now has a Kickstarter campaign to help fund a new album. So why do I think you should check out and help fund this campaign? Some background … Here is what I said about Greg Ward’s Phonic Juggernaut: I found out about Greg Ward because I loved his stuff on Sam Tracpchak’s album,then…
In late 2012, along with 3400+ other people I backed a Kickstarter project called Instacube (which has since been renamed Hashtag Cube, or #Cube). The premise was simple: it was to be a stand-alone Android-based device that would wirelessly stream and display Instagram photos, when you could only view Instagram photos on iOS or Android devices. I backed at the early adopter $99 level, and the wait began.
If you want the smallest iPhone and iPad travel charger possible, and you don’t want to fool with cables, then the TravelBuddy is going to be your perfect solution. This compact wall charger makes it possible for you to plug-in anywhere and charge your iOS device. For as little as $30 you can get in on this Kickstarter project. The makers of TravelBuddy have already made it through one successful Kickstarter charging product, and they will be producing it in an Apple-Certified Chinese factory. Apple has already approved their initial design, so you can back this product with confidence — it’s not some fly-by-night…
When we moved into our house, the seller’s realtor presented us with a small remote for the blinds in the living room; the prior owners had installed electronic blinds there. We thought it was a silly gimmick, but we have found it quite useful. Now you can automate your blinds, too! Just back Tilt My Blinds on Kickstarter!
The Koala Case is very different from most iPhone cases; it has a minimalist design, allowing the timeless iPhone design to shine through while still protecting your phone from drops. The Koala Case clips onto the corners of your iPhone while crossing the back in an X shape with its unibody design. The Koala Case is now campaigning on Kickstarter.