LEOWAY e-Scooter promises power, speed, and safety

The idea of life with a motorized scooter can seem pretty attractive. It would provide inexpensive transportation that gets you outside in the fresh air. 

But then you start reading the reviews and you learn about their downsides: low power, slow cruising speeds, short battery life and their inability to climb low hills. 

The LEOWAY 2WD eScooter appears to have those problems solved. The scooter's design offers both the power and safety of dual-motor scooters as well as the low weight and high mileage of single-motor versions.

That's apparently the combination that electric scooter fans have been looking for. When the Dutch company E-Lab Leoway launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, it quickly reached its goal and kept on going. The site will continue taking early bird orders for the scooter and related perks until the end of the month.

Why so much interest in this scooter? Start with its dual motors. The scooter automatically switches between a front and rear motor, depending on the ground surface and incline. The vehicle will adjust for slippery surfaces such as leaves or loose dirt.  

The LEOWAY also has dual batteries, each with their own charging port. The two batteries can get a full charge in 2-3 hours - about the same time that a smartphone needs. The batteries also get a charge while the scooter is rolling.

Riders can switch between two drive modes using a button on the scooter's steering wheel. With 2WD, both motors work at the same time. With i-2WD, the rear motor works constantly while the front motor will be activated automatically when it's needed. 

When fully charged, the scooter has a top speed of 28 mph in the US and a range of 56 miles, which is comparable to more expensive scooters. The LEOWAY weighs 44 lbs. - less than many other high-performance scooters - and it can fold down in a few seconds for easy transport or storage.

Other features include an optional seat attachment an anti-theft system that requires an NFC card to turn on the scooter and an optional seat for sit-down riding.

To learn more about the LEOWAY 2WD eScooter, visit their campaign page on Indiegogo where the pre-launch order price is $518. Orders are expected to ship in June. 

By: Ric Manning On 11/10/2021

Continue Reading

Calmmie app fights cyber bullying

My grandchildren are still too young to have their own mobile phones, but oh boy, do they know what they're all about. Whenever they can get their little fingers on a phone, they're taking selfies, watching videos and even making calls.

Fortunately, they don't yet read, so they're not swapping messages. But that time is fast approaching - some research say children will own a mobile phone by age seven - and that makes the adults in their orbit a little uneasy. 

We've all heard stories about how easily kids can be harassed and bullied through their phones and we know it will be our responsibility to monitor what they are doing when they go online. Fortunately, technology entrepreneurs are coming up with new tools to help us meet that responsibility. 

One example is a new app called Calmmie. It's an app that uses artificial intelligence to analyze and sort incoming chat messages. 

Calmmie allows messages with benign or positive content to be read my the user. Messages with aggressive or traumatic content are blocked before they reach young eyes.

The AI system is also designed to identify content that signals anxiety or depression. Parents or a designated co-admin can remotely take action to delete chats or block senders.  

Sarah Sandez, Calmmie's creator, described its purpose this way:

Calmmie was developed to improve safe chatting and create a calming experience for mobile device users. It gives users more control over chats delivered to their phones.

  

In addition to the chat monitor, the app includes other services to help deal with traumatic situations. It displays an SOS panic button in the phone's home screen that is usable even when the phone is locked. When pressed, the phone dials 911 emergency services, determine's the user's location, and captures photos and live video through the phone's cameras. 

The app also uses facial recognition to determine the user's mood and recognize anger signals and offers access to calming resources such as music and videos.

The app is currently the subject of a funding campaign on Indiegogo. Developers hope to raise $12,000 to pay for services and programmers. Early backers can get discounts on the app and service packages.

For more details, check the video below and visit the Calmmie website, the Indiegogo page, and @CalmmieA on Twitter. 

By: Ric Manning On 5/15/2021

Continue Reading

BeatBoxer headphones aim for the top

Now that engineers have figured out how to produce quality sound in Bluetooth wireless headphones, the race in on to see which company can build the highest high-end product.

A Hong Kong company called Sevasis Limited hopes to set the pace with a set it calls ReysorLink BeatBoxer.

BeatBoxer starts with 50mm Neodymium Drivers and adds sub-woofers and surround sound generated by a Qualcomm HD processor.  

It also steps up to Bluetooth 5.0. which delivers twice the bandwidth of version 4.0. That means low latency with no lag for gaming and music play.

It also delivers enhanced sound clarity with active noise cancellation to eliminate background distractions or interference.

BeatBox boasts impressive battery life with 35 hours of playing time and 350 hours in standby mode. If the headphones run out of juice while in use, a Type-C charger refuels fast enough to provide 5 hours of use in just 10 minutes.

Other features include:

• A dedicated Active Noise Control switch that lets users adjust the level of noise reduction.
• Dual built-in microphones for high-quality audio calls or game play.
• A mic port for users who prefer an external microphone.
• One-button activation to summon a personal assistant such as Siri or Google.
• A built-in SD card slot to play music, podcasts or audio books independent of the user's mobile phone.

BeatBoxer headphones are scheduled to be introduced Sept. 15 on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. The profile page on Indiegogo doesn't yet list pricing but it will take your email address to get on the list for news and updates, including early bird pricing. Fans who share information about BeatBoxer with #FeelTheMusic will qualify to win a free set.

You can get a closer look at BeatBoxer in the video below and on the ReysorLink website. You can also follow ReysorLink on Facebook, Instagram and @ReysorLink on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 9/04/2020

Continue Reading

Jabbie app seeks to make fitness more inclusive

Physical exercise is typically a solitary activity. Unless you're playing team sports, it's just you swimming laps, jogging down the street or straining on the weight machine.

But adding a social component can often pay dividends. If your friends are biking on Tuesday evenings or mall walking on Saturday mornings, you're more likely to show up.

Exercising together can also get your competitive juices flowing, resulting in a longer workout that pushes you closer to your goals.

The inventors of Jabbie recognized the power of group efforts in the pursuit of personal fitness and they built that component into a mobile app that they plan to release. The app will let users get personalized encouragements from a community of users who share similar personal fitness goals.

Jabbie users can set their own fitness activity schedules and set their personal goals and milestones. But they can also join or create a "troupe of support" and schedule workouts with other troupe members.

With group participation, members send and receive encouragements from other members. While that communication happens primarily online, Jabbie members can also use the app to make connections with users nearby in the offline world.

Jabbie's creators are Bunmi Alo, an entrepreneur and software developer who immigrated to the US from Nigeria, and Dr. Joy Cox,  a body and social justice advocate. They share the belief that "the accessibility around fitness is a social justice issue" and that their app will provide "a safe space for users to be active regardless of their fitness level or location."

Jabbie is slated to be launched by the end of the year. You can learn more about the plans for Jabbie in the video below and on the Jabbie website. You can hear the creators discuss their philosophy and their plans on the Wellness Lately podcast.

Alo and Cox hope to raise $27,000 to finance the production of the app. Supporters can donate using this PayPal link.

By: Ric Manning On 6/01/2020

Continue Reading

Inventor wants to put a wind turbine in your yard

Which renewable energy source contributes the most to US energy production? Here's a hint: It's not the sun.

According to Enerdata's statistical yearbook for 2018, solar energy accounted for 2 percent of electricity production compared to 7 percent for wind power.

Electricity output from wind turbines keeps growing every year. Most of that power comes from sprawling wind farms like the ones in Northwestern Indiana. There, hundreds hundreds of giant turbines have sprouted across three counties where they produce enough electricity to power more than 270,000 homes.

But Roger Phillips, an inventor and entrepreneur, thinks wind power can contribute even more if it's deployed on a smaller scale. Instead of hundreds of massive propellers generating power for thousands of homes, Phillips envisions small generators that could power a single home or a small business.

Here's how Phillips laid out his vision on his website:

What if people could power their homes for free?
What if they could drive their cars for free?
Would they buy an electric car?
What if companies could eliminate their power bills?
Would this change the economy?

Phillips is the brains behind Mighty Watts, a wind turbine small enough to be installed next to a residence or commercial building. The electricity generated by the device would be integrated into the local electrical grid the way solar panels now reduce or eliminate electric utility bills.

Phillips is a Navy veteran who ran two businesses in Minnesota before retiring to life on the road in an RV. About 10 years ago, he began exploring ways to reduce the $1,700 electricity bill he was pay for a commercial building.

Over the past decade the idea evolved into the Mighty Watts turbine. Instead of huge blades mounted on a skyscraping pole, Mighty Watts uses small blades housed in a circular casing that could turn out to be about 13 feet wide.

And Mighty Watts might also work well in areas that aren't especially windy. The device makes use of the Venturi effect to increase the velocity of the ambient wind. Phillips explains the process this way:

The Venturi takes the outside wind traveling at its normal speed, forcing it through a smaller area where it speeds the wind up behind the blades, eliminating the resistance to the incoming wind.

Phillips believes the widespread use of Might Watts devices could eliminate the need for fossil fuels and reduce the threat posed by global warming.

To get his invention rolling, he launched a campaign on Go Fund Me where he hopes to raise $350,000. The money would be used to hire engineers, conduct a computer fluid dynamics analysis and build a 9- to 13-foot prototype for real-life testing.

Once the prototype is built, tested and perfected, Mighty Watts could move on to manufacturing. With funding, Phillips says the engineering phase could be completed in less than six months and the test device built within another three months.

For a closer look at at the ideas behind Might Watts, watch the video below and check out the Mighty Watts website.

Mighty Watts it also on Twitter @mightywattswind and on Facebook and Instagram.

By: Ric Manning On 12/07/2019

Continue Reading

AutoDock promises easy phone charging

Every few months we’re presented with new advancements in mobile phone technology, yet the best brains in that business have yet to deliver a fast and convenient way to recharge the phone’s battery. A corner of my kitchen is still devoted to a snuggle of cables with different plugs for different devices.

But the people who invented the AutoDock are convinced they have a better idea. Its a phone dock that automatically connects the phone to the proper cable plugs and immediately begins delivering a fresh charge.

The charging station works with all of the standard connection plugs: iPhone’s Lightning, Micro-USB or USB-Type C. Users choose the proper tip for their phone and make a one adjustment at setup. Then, when they slip their phone into the AutoDock - as shown in the animation below - the charger makes the connection and begins working.

The charger will work with multiple phones that use the same type of connector plug and with phones in a protective case, so long as the cases have a similar thickness and don’t obstruct access to the charging port.

The AutoDock can be used as stand-alone charger or connected to a computer for syncing and data transfers. And it’s designed to be compatible with any type of fast-charging technology.

To finance production, the AutoDock will be the focus of a funding campaign scheduled to launch in the first half of April. To be notified about the launch date and early bird deals, sign up with your email address on the AutoDock website and follow @the_autodock on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 3/29/2017

Continue Reading

How nanoparticles extend engine life

I had a Jeep Cherokee through the 1990s that treated me well for many years - until it didn’t. As I drove its last 2,000 miles, the engine got loud and lost horsepower. It was clean that the end was near.

Had it been available back then, I would have given it a dose of TriboTEX. But this is Space Age stuff built around nanoparticles that was only developed in the past couple of years.

The creators of TriboTEX says it’s works like the ceramic protective coatings used in some of high-performance engines. It reduces friction better than engine oil alone while it repairs damage and reverses engine wear. The result, they say, is a quieter engine with at least 3 percent more power and improved fuel economy.

An injector of TriboTEX is slated to cost $99 when it reaches the retail market this summer. In the meantime, the developers have a campaign on Kickstarter where they have raised more than $90,000. Backers who pledge $50 or more will get one application, good for 40,000 miles.

By: Ric Manning On 3/01/2017

Continue Reading

Audio Streaming Box delivers TV sound

My mobile phones and tablets can play music and other audio streamed from my desktop computer. Why can’t they also play audio from my television?

That’s the idea behind Audio Streaming Box, a WiFi streamer that lets TVs get in the game.

The ASB is a palm-sized portable device that uses the WiFi Hotspot approach to deliver streaming audio to a mobile app. ASB users connect the box to the TV to broadcast the sound. Listeners connect their mobile devices to the N-Sound Hotspot, then launch a companion app.  

Developer Keith Cheung sees the ASB delivering high-quality audio in a variety of situations including, bars, restaurants, gyms, lecture halls, waiting rooms or tour buses.

Cheung hopes to raise $15,467 through Kickstarter to get the ASB into production. The first retail units are scheduled to be available in December, 2016 for $1,200. Early backers can get one for $680 plus shipping ($150 for US destinations).

For a closer look at the ASB, visit his Audio Streaming Box campaign page at Kickstarter.

By: Ric Manning On 11/15/2016

Continue Reading

Lotus 2D will create games without coding

If you’re a fan of video games, you probably have an idea for your own original game. A good place to start is with a gaming engine that provides the basic tools that will bring your digital world to life.

Lotus 2D is a game engine that offers a library of modules that lets users design and create a unique 2D world and populate it with characters and other entities that can interact with the player. The cross-platform engine can create games for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and the Web without the need to do any coding.

The toolbox that comes with Lotus 2D contains an advanced mapping system, multiple battle engines, online functions, an animation editor, custom scenes and menus and weather effects. It also has support for Ruby scripting.

Designers can use tiled layers to quickly place assets into a map with a tiled grid, much like the foundation used in classic RPGs. Precision layers are another option for perfectionists who want to place assets anywhere without being bound to a grid - a useful approach for adding detail to your maps.

You can see screen shots and get more details on this Kickstarter page where the developers hope to raise $29,702 to hire artists and programmers to create the engine.

By: Ric Manning On 6/23/2016

Continue Reading

Epee Defender is a friend on a dark street

Late one night several years ago I got a call from a distraught daughter who had walked away from a nightclub in a sketchy neighborhood and needed a ride home.

Of course I was off in a flash and she was soon home safely but I remember wishing then that she had some sort of protection in addition to her cell phone. Something like the the Epee Defender.

The Epee Defender is a personal safety device that has multiple functions. When activated by pulling a connecting pin, it emits a harsh 120DB siren that wails for one minute. That should be sufficient to scare off an attacker and draw the attention of people nearby.

The device device also uses a text messaging network to send an SOS to a phone number that had been previously entered by the user. And after the siren subsides, it will place an automatic call to another preselected number.

The Epee Defender also works with a mapping network to determine the location of a user sending a distress signal and passing along the location to the user’s friends or family members.

The device is currently the focus of a funding campaign on Indiegogo where the developer, Muskogee Tech, hopes to raise $55,000 to put the Epee Defender into production. Backers will get a discount off the $99 retail price when the device his launched late this year.

For more details, check out the video below, the Epee Defender website and the description on the Indiegogo campaign page.

By: Ric Manning On 6/21/2016

Continue Reading

Robot kit encourages STEM education

How do you get school-age children more interested in studying science, technology, engineering and math? How about letting them build and program their own personal robot?

That’s the idea behind IronBot, an inexpensive educational robot kit for kids age 8 and older. IronBot has mechanical legs and arms, but its brain is a smartphone and its eye (or eye) is the phone’s camera.

The kit includes parts to make three different designs: a humanoid robot, a biped robot or a robotic arm like those used on industrial assembly lines. In addition to structural metal pieces, the kits also include a battery module, digital servos and an electronic controller. The robot is programmed by linking different modules using free mobile app.

IronBot was created by a team robot fans as part of a hackathon competition that included young makers from the US and China. The team hopes to raise $30,000 through a campaign at Indiegogo in order to put the robot kit into production.

As part of the campaign, early supporters can get a standard IronBot kit when they contribute $89. Delivery is estimated for September.

For a closer look at IronBot, watch the video below and check out the funding page on Indiegogo.

By: Ric Manning On 5/26/2016

Continue Reading

CarVi monitors driving behavior

When I think back to the first year or two after I got a driver’s license, I wonder how I survived. Like any typical teen, I thought I was in complete control, even as my brain was swarming with distractions. If CarVi had been around in those days, I would have been riding the bus.

CarVi is a video-based system that monitors and analyzes a driver’s performance. The CarVi camera and transmitter mounts on a vehicle’s windshield, so it can be used in any vehicle, regardless of it’s age.

Working with the driver’s mobile phone, CarVi knows if the driver changes lanes or passes another vehicle when they shouldn’t. And it collects and stores the data where it can help drivers improve their skills or be reviewed by a third party - a parent, for example, or an insurance company. And, wouldn’t we all be safer if drivers had to achieve a minimum safe-driving score to qualify for insurance or even keep their license?

CarVi raised more than $100,000 with a funding campaign on Indiegogo and it recently got $5 million in venture capital funding to get he product into production. More details and and a pre-order form are available on the CarVi website.

By: Ric Manning On 5/02/2016

Continue Reading

Jacket stores and powers all your gear

The PowearIN2 jacket has a long list of special features for plugged-in people, but here’s the one that immediately got my attention: a channel in the sleeve where you can thread a charging cable to your mobile phone. That goes along with an underarm pocket designed specifically for power banks and another pocket for wireless charging.

“With the rise of mobile technology, two things have become incredibly important: pockets and power,” says Powerin, the people who created the jacket. “After all, we need somewhere to keep all of our cool gadgets, and none of those gadgets are much use when the batteries die.”

The PowearIN2 jacket is designed using a modular concept so owners can incorporate the element that suit their needs and their gear.

It has storage and charging options for tablets, headphones, smart watches and other battery-powered gear with a hub that will charge up to five devices at once.

Other features include a face guard for blocking the wind and a eye hood for snoozing in the airport waiting area. There are also compartments for earbuds, keys, pens and passports.

Power is currently raising money to put the jacket into production with a funding campaign on Kickstarter. The jacket will have a retail price of $229 when it is launched in the fall but early backers can reserve one for at little as $109.

For a closer look at the jacket, visit the campaign page and check out the video below.

By: Ric Manning On 4/27/2016

Continue Reading

Micflip USB cable works up or down

There are several Android devices and other gadgets in our home that use micro USB cables and charging them is always a hit-and-miss affair. It always takes at least two tries to get the tiny plug inserted correctly because, like Apple’s old 32-pin connector, there’s only one way to do it.

That frustration ended when we got our hands on the Micflip cable from Winnergear. It’s the first Micro USB cable that has a reversible plug. It doesn’t matter which way you grip the end that attaches to your device, it will always slip in smoothly.

While the reversible plug is it’s main attraction, the Micflip has other attributes. For instance, the plug tips a gold plated, making them more resistant to corrosion. And the cable itself is sheathed in braided fabric that not only looks classy, it also reduces snarls and tangles.

Launched last year after a successful funding campaign on Indiegogo, the Micflip cable is now available for $19.99 on the Winnergear website. The cable comes in three lengths and three color combinations: silver, gold or red with black tips.

By: Ric Manning On 4/06/2016

Continue Reading

God of Gam3z plans a perfect match for online gamers

Online multiplayer games take different approaches when they create player groups. Some try to match players by their skill levels, based on previous scores, while others toss you in with whoever is available.

The people at God of Gam3z takes player grouping much more seriously. They have developed an algorithm that matches players based on both their skill level and other specific preferences. Let’s say you’re a teenage girl who would like to play with other girls at the same skill level.  God of Gam3z plans to make that possible.

Players who want to use the God of Gam3z matching engine can register with the service, list the games they play and their gaming systems. They also select a skill level (Novice to Expert) and their gamer personality (Casual or Competitive) and the types of players they want to be matched with (Age range, Gender and Personality).

The system also let players rate their matching experience to help fine-tune the matching algorithm. And it allows players to create and join teams, guilds and clans.

The God of Gam3z developers have launched a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of raising $10,000. Backers who pledge $15 will get early access to the God of Gam3z website and an extra month of usage. Backers who pay $69 or more get a year’s access to the system among other perks.

By: Ric Manning On 3/12/2016

Continue Reading

Lobster expanding its user content marketplace

If you’ve ever searched for images to use on a website, blog or business presentation, you probably know that great photos often come with steep license fees. Lobster is changing that equation by opening up access to millions of images created by social media users.

I wrote about Lobster in 2014 when the service was just getting started by giving Flickr and Instagram users the ability to earn money by making their images available for licensing at affordable prices starting at less than a dollar. 

Since then, Lobster has expanded its platform to include Google Photos (previously known as Picasa), which has more than 2 million photos and about 7,000 active contributors.

Buyers can search Lobster by topic, tag or location. When they purchase an image, they can download it immediately. A copy of the license that goes with the image will arrive by email.

Lobsters has also  completed a funding campaign on the equity crowdfunding platform SyndicateRoom where it sailed past its target of  £300,000. Olga Egorsheva, CEO & Co-founder of Lobster, said the new investment will be used to fund the company’s global expansion efforts. Egorsheva said Lobster plans to add as many as 12 more social media content sources in the year ahead. 

For more information, check the video below and visit the Lobster website.

By: Ric Manning On 3/11/2016

Continue Reading

This beverage coaster will also charge your phone

Like most smartphones, mine can always use a little extra juice. By the time I arrive at a pub or restaurant for an evening drink or meal, my little battery icon is well below the halfway point.

And, of course, I don’t have a charging cable and there’s no power outlet nearby. But there would be if the table included a set of Circle coasters instead of cardboard disks sports a beer logo.

The Circle is an elegantly engraved wooden disk that has a charging cable nestled inside it’s outer rim. While the coaster collects condensation from your glass, the cable recharges your iPhone or Android device.

The Circle is the creation of ChefCherger, a Boston-based and MIT-affiliated collection of inventors and thinkers. The crew is currently raising production funds with a Kickstarter campaign that aims at collecting $45,000 over the next four weeks.

Backers who pledge $80 will get three circles with cables of their choice (iPhone or Android) and wooden charging cradle. Backers who spend a little more can have the coasters customized with text or an image. The Circle is scheduled to be available in March, 2016.

By: Ric Manning On 12/22/2015

Continue Reading

MySportsShare will support young athletes, teams and leagues

We have several friends whose children were highly-rated athletes in high school. One went on to play tennis for his college team while another snagged a softball scholarship to a prestigious East Coast school. We followed their exploits though reports from family members, but we would have welcomed the closer look that will be offered through MySportsShare.

MySportsShare is a website that will provide a platform for athletes, teams and leagues to both share their sporting lives and help fund their activities. And every parent of a sports prodigy knows that summer leagues and traveling teams can be an expensive proposition.

The website is the brainchild of Tony Hubbard, the child of a military family who found joy and achievement in his sporting life. “My friends, family, and community were my biggest supporters growing up, but being in a military family that moved so frequently, it was nearly impossible for any of them to keep up with me. It was the part of my youth that I most remember, but also the part that I most wish could have been better documented.”


With MySportsShare, athletes and their families will be able to post videos, stats and news updates for themselves, their teams and their leagues. It will provide tools for team and league managers to organize rosters and schedules and build a supporting community. The site can also be used to sell tickets and advertising and solicit donations.

Hubbard currently has a fundraising campaign on Indiegogo where he hopes to raise $50,000 over about one month. Perks are available for donors who contribute amounts ranging form $1 to $1,000.

For more details, check the video below, the MySportsShare website and the Indiegogo page.

By: Ric Manning On 12/08/2015

Continue Reading

BagSentry knows when your luggage is abused

When I flew to Las Vegas for the annual CES trade show in 2014 my airline gave my suitcase a little side trip. While I arrived in Las Vegas safe and sound, my clothes flew off to parts unknown. It took the airline four days to locate and deliver my luggage - just in time for my return trip home.

Every frequent traveller has had a similar experience and every one of them would love to know just what happened to their baggage and their possessions. A new gadget called BagSentry plans to tell them.

Developed by CargoSense Inc., BagSentry is a sensor that can record when and how often a bag is opened and if it’s dropped, damaged or left out in the rain. And it will deliver a detailed report that can be used to support a claim for lost luggage or damaged contents.

The sensor is housed in device that’s slightly larger than an ordinary thumb drive and it’s programmed using a mobile app.  Users input in the airline, travel date and flight numbers and toss the sensor in with their clothes and other items.

The sentinel has a light sensor, so it knows when the bag is opened, a shock sensor and the ability to recognize the airport where it departed and landed. After a trip, the data can be transferred to a computer using a USB connection and BagSentry software will produce a detailed report.

CargoSense has completed development of the sensing device and it has a Kickstarter campaign under way with a goal of $100,000 to finance development of app. Backers who contribute $80 or more will be in line to get one of the first BagSentry units along with six trip reports.

The BagSentry system is scheduled to be available in the spring of 2016 with a list price of about $130 with a fee of about $4 for each trip report.

For more details, check out the video below and the full description on the Kickstarter page. You can also follow BagSentry’s progress @bagsentry on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 11/24/2015

Continue Reading

ZUS car charger works double quick

You can buy car chargers for a few dollars in drugstores and gas stations but none of them will do what the ZUS can do. It refuels two devices at once, it does it quickly, and it has a special talent that I’ll get to in a minute.

The ZUS is built by Nonda, a German company that specializes in high-grade USB devices. The ZUS has two lighted ports and an internal chip that detects the type of device that is plugged in and automatically adjusts power output for a fastest and most efficient charge.

Nonda says the ZUS will charge two iPad in less than 4 hours and a pair of iPhone 6 devices in about 2 hours. In each case, that’s about half the time other chargers require.

Now, about that other feature I mentioned. The ZUS will also tell you where your car is parked. As someone who once walked the streets of Georgetown for about an hour looking for my car, that’s a feature that immediately caught my attention. The device remembers your location when you turn off your car’s power. When you need to find the car, the ZUS app points you in the right direction.

Nonda says the finder feature works outdoors, even if you have no phone system and even if your car is 100 miles away. I have no idea how they can do that, but I’m impressed.

The ZUS is scheduled to be available for $49 later this month. Nonda is currently raising production funds on Indiegogo and offering the device to backers for $29 plus shipping.

By: Ric Manning On 11/02/2015

Continue Reading