VIXOLE: Customizable E-sneaker
Billed as the world’s first customizable mid-top E-sneakers, Vixole comes with flexible LED screens and eight embedded sensors. Using your smartphone, you can personalize your footwear with thousands of unique designs, animations and photos. The LED screen is built into the surface and wrapped around the back of the shoe, covered by composite half transparency material. It is waterproof and safe to wear in the snow. The charging board powers the Vixole for eight hours with a twohour charge. Vixole Plus features step tracking, and is motion and sound interactive. The open API lets you integrate Vixole Plus with your existing apps and play AR/VR games. You can also develop your own app. It also has an NFC sensor; simply touch shoes with a new friend and exchange contact information. A navigation tool guides you through vibration on the left or right sneaker. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices are $275 for Vixole Basic, $325 for Vixole Plus. Shipping is set for June. vixole.com
THINK INK: Fidgeting Tool for Focus
The 21st-century answer to the stress ball or Rubik’s Cube, Think Ink is a discreet focus tool with a writing implement inside. It’s a titanium, steel pen that twists, bends and spins. The spring-like resistance of the pen’s stainless-steel flexo shaft is perfect for creating fidgeting, as are rare-earth, silent magnets that create a floating, silent spinner. Also, people who habitually click their pen no longer have to be an annoyance to others in the room; a carbon sphere has a smooth rotation that can be played with quietly. Think Ink said it tested the product in a classroom and found that after a few minutes of fidgeting with their Think Ink pen, students finished their work in half the time it took with no focus tools. The suggested retail price is $50, with an April delivery date. thinkinkpen.com
BIXI: Touch-Free Smart Controller
Bixi commands your smartphone apps, LifX & Hue bulbs, internet speakers, GoPro and many other IoT devices with the wave of a hand. You can control multiple actions of two apps or devices at the same time, which is perfect for hands-free situations. You can drive safely and control your music, calls, navigation, SMS and more without looking at your phone. Bixi works via Bluetooth Low Energy protocol. The Bixi app connects Bixi to other devices based on wi-fi or other protocols. Setup is as easy as tapping on “pair,” choosing your profiles and tapping on “sync” at the bottom. The suggested manufacturer’s retail price is $118, with a targeted March delivery. Kickstarter.com
SHAZE: Multi-function Outdoor Chair
Shaze lets you condense many of your needs for outdoor activities into one lightweight package. The 10-lb. foldable chair with a weight capacity of 300 lbs. has high-quality, water-resistant speakers, a USB charger for your phone, a drainable cooler, secure storage with a combination lock, and a towel holder. The chair’s rechargeable, 10,000-milliamp battery lasts for more than five hours of continuous use so you can keep your phone charged and speaker playing. All of its electronics work in extreme climates, including subzero temperatures and greater than 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Shaze comes with a removable power bank so you don’t have to set up the chair near outlets. An attachable solar panel and table that fits onto the chair are available in the deluxe package. The retail price will be $110. Shipping is set for May. shaze.co