Handsfree shoes, EDC pen with a hidden sewing kit, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

NEWS – This week I’m bringing you four Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns for products that you would carry (or wear) with you.

KIZIK: shoes that pop on

What is it?

KIZIK shoes are specially designed shoes that use a titanium loop in the heel area so that you can put the shoes on completely handsfree.

Why do I like it?

KIZIK are cool because you can slip them on and off without untying them or bending over to remove them or put them on. They are perfect for travel and navigating through TSA checkpoints where you’re asked to remove your shoes. Howard reviewed a pair of their men’s shoes this past year and liked them so much that he made them one of his favorite “gadgets” of 2018. KIZIK sent me a pair of their women’s shoes to check out and I really liked them too. I’d love to check out these new styles although I actually like the men’s Cali style better than the women’s!

Where can I find more info?

The KIZIK campaign ends on 1/5/19 they have already met their funding goal of $15,000. You can pre-order a pair of KIZIK shoes starting at $79. After the KIZIK campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in January 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

PWR2 Traveling PowerStation

blurb by Andy Jacobs

What is it?

The PWR27 is a portable charging device that boasts 7 days of power, AC + USB A & C outlets, the ability to charge 5 devices at once, a solar panel, IP67 water resistance, crush-proofing up to 2 tons and a drop-proof to 1000+ feet.

Why do I like it?

I own several portable charging devices that we use for family trips, work trips, all-day outdoor events and so forth. Most of them work pretty well for their intended purpose, but all of the ones I own suffer from two drawbacks: (1) They can only charge a phone or two, or maybe a phone and a tablet, and (2) They are fairly delicate. The PWR27 solves both of these problems—in spades. As stated above, it can charge up to 5 devices simultaneously. And not just phones and/or tablets, but also larger devices—you can even plug in a two-prong AC plug and power a laptop or other more power-hungry items. In addition to a 120V AC outlet, it has two USB C outlets and two USB A outlets. It boasts a 27,000 mHa battery, as well as a 4-in-1 light with strobe and pass-through charging as well. This thing is LOADED.

Where can I find more info?

The PWR27 campaign ends on January 27, 2019. To date, 1,626 backers have pledged over $295,000, already crushing (pun very much intended) the campaign goal of $35,000. Pledge packages start at $139 + shipping for a single PWR27 shipped to the USA and increase from there based on the options selected. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

DARTER – A Micro Pen with a hidden secret

What is it?

It’s a tiny EDC ballpoint pen no taller than a standard AA battery that holds a complete sewing kit inside the barrel.

Why do I like it?

Tiny EDC pen + sewing kit = you had me at tiny EDC pen. Seriously though, the look of this pen makes me think of steampunk gadgets which I love and just the fact that I’d always have a sewing kit with me makes this 2-in-1 pen attractive to me.

Where can I find more info?

The DARTER campaign ends on 2/7/19 they have already met their funding goal of $22,862. You can pre-order a DARTER starting at $24. After the DARTER campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in June 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

PrintBrush™ XDR -Colors. Everywhere.

What is it?

PrintBrush is a small color inkjet printer that can print on paper, plastic, wood, metal, and more and is controlled by your smartphone.

Why do I like it?

It’s small, portable, and doesn’t use paper because it prints on almost surface just by swiping the printer across the material. I would love to use this little printer in my journals. I also like that they include free ink cartridges for a whole year.

Where can I find more info?

The PrintBrush campaign ends on 1/31/19 they are still working towards their funding goal of $502,250. You can pre-order a PrintBrush starting at $242. After the PrintBrush campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in February 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged:

Handsfree shoes, EDC pen with a hidden sewing kit, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 30, 2018 at 4:30 pm.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

BluFixx repair gel kit review

REVIEW – Fixing broken things is one of the Gadgeteer superpowers. We use a lot of different materials for this, and we were recently offered a new product that can fill those patching and repair needs. It’s a series of light-curing products called BluFixx. These are liquids that are designed to repair everything from your phone charger cable to wood floors and plastic pipe. The liquid is cured with a UV light, just like the tooth-filling material your dentist uses.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

A tube of liquid that flows easily, backed by a UV light source at the opposite end, which cures the liquid into a hard material.

Hardware specs

The product is sold both as a full kit (holder with a tube of liquid and UV curing light together) or just the refill of the actual material. (Since any UV light source, even direct sunlight, will cure the liquid, this is an easy entree into trying out this product.)

What’s in the box?

As mentioned, there are two main ways to order: as a kit (including holder and light) or as a refill (liquid in tube with applicator tip. There is also a three-fold brochure on safety and usage tips that is 7”x11” when fully unfolded. The lede photo above shows two kits – one fully assembled on the upper right, and the other disassembled on the lower left. The Refill is just the tube with the white label in the lower center.

Design and features

The design of the product is sheer simplicity. A needle-tipped applicator is used to direct a thin film of product onto a surface needing repair. When the liquid is in the right spot, the user spins the applicator around and activates the UV light on the other end (it’s a push-on/push-off affair), and in 5-10 seconds, the product is hardened into a tough, yet pliable surface.

Setup

While there is really very little “setup”, I thought a few words about how the “pen” aspect of the design. It feels very natural to hold it in your hand, point down, gently squeezing the flexible body of the tube and allowing the gel to flow into the area of application. If it gets too thick, however, the UV light won’t penetrate and cure it. Remember: Thin layers, just like your outdoor adventure guide always told you.

Performance

I found the application and curing process easy to work with, but many repairs have points where the edges do not line up and I needed to build up layers of material to fill in space, or the liquid flows into a deep crevice of the surface, where the UV light cannot penetrate to cure it. Placing just a dab in a deep crack, curing it, and adding another layer is not intuitive to those of us raised on airplane glue. But once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty good stuff.

What I Like

  • No fumes
  • Doesn’t dry out easily if left uncapped
  • Cures instantly
  • Can be shaped after curing

What needs to be improved

  • Not as flexible when cured as some glue/patching products

Final thoughts

If you’re really a Gadgeteer at heart, you are always playing around with stuff, trying to make things do something just beyond the edge of what they were built to do, prototyping, or breaking stuff. If you’re not using a bit of superglue, Sugru, Epoxy, or Duck tape on a regular basis, you’re not living up to your full potential. (As an aside, anyone reading this site regularly needs to know about This to That. It’s a website devoted to helping visitors find the best way to attach one material to another. You’ll get lost in there, so set a timer!) This product is an entry into a new line of connectivity methods that I’ve been exploring. I find it easy, quick, and usually robust. BluFixx’s innovation of different grades of liquid and colors is a needed innovation.

Price: $14.99 for a full kit, $9.99 for refills.
Where to buy Manufacturer’s website and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by BluFixx.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

BluFixx repair gel kit review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 30, 2018 at 11:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Audio Cardio is a workout app for your ears

NEWS – We can go to the gym to strengthen our muscles and improve our overall fitness, but is there anything we can do to improve our hearing? Turns out there might be, and there’s an app for that. Audio Cardio is an iOS app (there’s an Android version coming soon) which uses a patented technology called Threshold Sound Conditioning™. This tech claims to enhance auditory function by 10 decibels or more.

But how does it work? The app tests your current hearing and integrates with many of your favorite streaming apps like Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify, and SoundCloud to deliver auditory stimulation and training through headphones or earbuds. While you listen to your favorite music, the app simulates the inner ear cells causing them to rapidly fire. It’s like a HIIT workout for your ears. They recommend that you use the app for one hour a day for two weeks and then to continue using it to further enhance and protect your hearing. Audio Cardio will set you back $9.99 a month, so it’s like a gym membership for your ears. Visit their site for more details including the results from a clinical trial that was done through Stanford University.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: ,

Audio Cardio is a workout app for your ears originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 30, 2018 at 10:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Aluratek 8in WiFi Digital Photo Frame review


REVIEW – This past year, I have tested and reviewed several digital picture frames that all performed well, and they offered both similar and different features. One of the features that I am always concerned about is cloud storage and the possible security risks, especially when some digital frames make that the only choice. The Aluratek 8 inch WiFi Digital Photo Frame with Touchscreen IPS LCD Display and 8GB Built-in Memory offers local storage features and options while still allowing you to send pictures to the frame from anywhere in the world. Let’s see if it keeps its promises.

What is it?

The Aluratek 8 inch WiFi Digital Photo Frame with Touchscreen IPS LCD Display allows you to instantly share your photos by connecting the picture frame to any WiFi network and binding it to your Facebook or Twitter accounts or both. You can also use the IOS/Android Photo Partner app to send photos from your mobile device directly to the picture frame from anywhere. An FTP function is available to send photos from your PC.

What’s in the box


1 x 8 inch WiFi Digital Photo Frame with Touchscreen IPS LCD Display
1 x USB 2.0 Cable
1 x Power Adapter
1 x Quick Start Guide
1 x Installation Manual (English)
1 x Installation Manual (French)
1 x QR Code Card
1 x Warranty Card
1 x Contact Card

Design and features

Specifications:

  • Memory: Built-in 8GB / SD, SDHC memory cards up to 32GB
  • Connectivity: WiFi, USB 2.0, SD/SDHC Card
  • Resolution: 1024 x 768 (4:3 aspect ratio)

Features:

  • Touchscreen IPS LCD display
  • Connects to any WIFI 802.11 b/g/n wireless network
  • Photo sharing from Facebook and Twitter accounts directly to the frame using a smartphone or tablet
  • 8” TFT true color LCD at 1024 x 768 resolution (4:3 aspect ratio)
  • Built-in speakers
  • Photo slideshows can play in various display and transition modes set to background music
  • Connect a USB flash drive or SD card to easily access and share your favorite pictures, music, or videos
  • Transfer and store files quickly and easily from your personal computer to the frame’s 8GB built-in memory with hi-speed USB 2.0
  • Includes built-in clock, calendar, alarm and weather apps with auto on/off timer
  • Security slot – securely lock your frame to prevent theft
  • Frame adjustable for vertical orientation
  • Wall mountable

The picture frame is a sleek black frame with a glossy finish and no buttons on the front. The screen is a touchscreen.


On the back of the picture frame, there are the controls, the security lock and the mounting options for the stand and for wall mounting. The diagram below illustrates the manual control functions.



On one side of the frame, there are the connectivity options. As shown below from left to right they are the SD/SDHC card slot, the headphone jack, the USB 2.0 port, the mini USB port, and the AC power adapter port.



On the bottom right-hand corner at the back of the frame, there is a mount that the stand connects to.

Performance

This digital picture frame is very sleek looking and setup from beginning to end is very easy. The instruction manual provides clear instructions for binding the frame for use with your Facebook and or Twitter accounts and you can also use the IOS/Android Photo Partner app to send pictures from your mobile device to the phone. In addition, there is an FTP option to load pictures from your PC. The FTP option is the only one that I am still playing around with and trying to get right. I downloaded the Filezilla FTP client and was able to see the frame and send pictures to it. However, I could not do so when I tried from a different network which is strange. It is likely that there is something that I missed and I will provide an update when I figure it out.

I also do not like the design of the stand that is round and only supports one side of the frame. If you accidentally bump the frame, it falls over very easily.

The following are some photos of the various screens that you encounter are you go through the settings:





The next set of photos show the screens after you load your pictures including individual pictures of the slideshow:


The last photo below is a screenshot of one of the screens on my cell phone as I selected the pictures that I sent to the frame:

If you would like to read more about this digital picture frame, click here to read the manual.

What I like

  • The sleek look of the frame
  • The build quality
  • The features
  • The connectivity options that include local storage option

What can be improved

  • The stand

Final thoughts

The Aluratek 8 inch WiFi Digital Photo Frame performs very well and it is very easy to set up and get going. The features make it easy to share pictures and the display is quite nice. Other than the design of the stand and my pending issues with the FTP file transfer for a different network, I have no complaints and I do like this frame very much. Considering that some of the other frames that I reviewed are 4 times the price of this one, I do think that is is a good bang for the buck. Nicely done!!

Price: $69.99
Where to buy: Aluratek and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Aluratek.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

Aluratek 8in WiFi Digital Photo Frame review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 30, 2018 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Use your fidget spinner to get some work done!

NEWS – Fidget spinners may be fun, but they are simply time wasters with no other purpose.  Not this Portable Fidget Spinner Tool from UncommonGoods, though.  This fidget spinner packs in six screwdriver bits, making it fun and useful.  The spinner has a 3.25″ Dia and is about 0.4″ thick.  It’s made of zinc alloy, magnets, and ceramic 608 ZZ bearings for smooth spinning.

It has a set of six CRV screwdriver bits: two straight screwdriver bits, two Phillips, and two Torx tips.  Magnets hold the bits in place, so they won’t go flying while you’re playing with the spinner.  The Portable Fidget Spinner Tool is $22.00 from UncommonGoods.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged:

Use your fidget spinner to get some work done! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 30, 2018 at 8:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.