AirPods were arguably the flashpoint for the truly-wireless earbuds industry. The market has seen models launched by big and no-name companies alike, some with nearly perfect functionality, others that are barely usable. Now that these wire-free earbuds are more common and competition is stronger, we're seeing makers pack increasingly useful features into their own offerings. Firefly is no exception.
Bloxvox, a contraption you hold and/or strap to your face, wants to help quiet down the open office workspace, enable phone conversations in libraries, and keep private details private. The device, which is being funded on Kickstarter, is similar to the HushMe devices introduced last year, but designed to accommodate a user's existing headset rather than a proprietary one built into the unit.
A Japanese company is hoping to launch an e-ink portable typewriter in the US market, a model called Pomera. The typewriter resembles a folding keyboard, but with a twist: a 6-inch e-ink display appears alongside the keyboard, enabling users to type out a document without carrying around a full-size laptop or a large battery. The company is seeking funding on Kickstarter.
There's a Hifi music player called HiBy R3 out in the wild this week, and it's made for Tidal alone. This is a mobile music player made by the folks at HiBy Music. It has a touchscreen and connects to Wi-Fi to play music specifically and solely through Tidal. It's not made by Tidal, but it works with its own version of the Tidal app - and that's it. This is the specificity you've been waiting for.
Coffee is serious business but, despite plenty of companies trying to bring traditional brewing methods into the 21st century, one has lagged behind: the French Press. The Rite Press aims to change that, though this is no internet-connected, Tweeting and HomeKit-enabled gadget for geekery's own sake. Instead, it's a thoughtful and effective upgrade to one of my favorite ways to make a cup of coffee.
Back in October, Japanese company Yukai Engineering introduced a therapeutic pillow called Qoobo. Though it is a pillow, it has a big twist compared to other pillows: it is styled after a cat, including soft fur and a wagging tail. That makes Qoobo as much robot as it is cushion, one designed to give someone a sense of comfort without squeezing an actual living cat.
A new Kickstarter campaign seeks funding for PITTA, a sphere-shaped multi-purpose camera device that can function as a drone, action camera, and more. According to the team behind it, PITTA is a "modular transformative drone," one that has mountable and wearable functionality as well as being aerial. That makes it a complete package of sorts, able to meet different needs at different times while maintaining a compact size.
This morning Kickstarter Drip, or just Drip, emerged as a direct competitor to Patreon. The folks at Patreon made a community in which artists and creators of all sorts can obtain subscription cash in exchange for access to their creative projects and products. The folks at Kickstarter acquired the music patronage group Drip in March of 2016, and here in November of 2017 they've re-launched as a broader coverage service.
Hate cleaning the toilet but not willing to hire a maid? Enter SpinX, a robotic toilet scrubber that does the nasty work for you. No, it's not a literal standing, scrubbing robot, but rather an attachment that stays affixed to the toilet, going to work when needed. The company behind the robot says this is the first toilet cleaner of its kind; whether it will prove to be as popular as the Roomba is anyone's guess, though.
This week the folks at Peak Design released a new Kickstarter, this time re-doing a number of projects of the past. This newest crowd-funded campaign centers on three original accessories for high-end cameras: Capture v3, Pro Pad, and Slide. These three accessories work to keep big cameras safe and secure at the same time as it's available at a moment's notice.
A new speaker has arrived on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter, and it claims to be more durable than just about any other consumer-tier speaker on the market. According to the team behind Gigaboom, this speaker is essentially crushproof with the ability to withstand up to 4,000lbs of weight; it is also said to be bulletproof, though it's hard to imagine when that would come in useful for a portable Bluetooth speaker.
Lomography is back with yet another instant camera, this one the Lomo'Instant Square Camera. As with past Lomography gear, the company is seeking funding for its product on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter, where it explains that this camera produces old school print images alongside some modern features, including an LED exposure counter and more.