Hasta La Gadget!

You’ve seen them on planes, in coffee shops, maybe even at the office: tablets tethered to Bluetooth keyboards. Those users pecking away at hardware keys because using their slate’s software grid is nothing more than an exercise in futility. Dryft is a soft keyboard built by Swype co-founder Randy Mardsen that aims to change that. You see, most of us are touch-typers and rest our hands on the ‘home row’ of keys to tell our fingers where to reach all the other letters. But, the smooth surface of tablet displays prevents our phalanges from finding the proper orientation. Dryft eliminates that problem by automagically positioning the keys beneath your fingertips wherever they may be, and by allowing users to rest their hands on the screen.

Dryft can do this because it doesn’t rely solely on the touch sensors embedded in the screen, it also uses accelerometer data to determine if your fingertips are taking a break or are pecking away with purpose. Because of its reliance upon high fidelity signals from the accelerometer to work well, Dryft needs low-level access to that sensor’s data — and that means we won’t be seeing a Dryft download in any app store. Instead, Mardsen is taking the same route as he did with Swype, and is planning to license Dryft for use on Windows Phone, Android and iOS. Plus, developers will be able to integrate Dryft in individual apps thanks to a forthcoming SDK. Want to see Dryft in action? A video awaits after the break.

Filed under: Tablets, Software

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Source: Dryft

We’ve all heard of wireless charging before, but most solutions still require your phone to come in touch with a base station. Well, Cota is a technology that aims to power your mobile device completely wirelessly — without any physical contact at all. Hatem Zeine, a physicist and CEO of Ossia Inc, demonstrated the technology on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt when he successfully charged his iPhone when plugged with a Cota prototype, seen above, while holding it several feet away from a charging station.

It all seems like voodoo, but the secret lies in sending a magnetic charge over the same 2.4GHz spectrum that WiFi and Bluetooth already use. If you’re concerned about safety, Zeine assures us that only one watt of power is transmitted — that’s a third of what cell phones already transmit. Line of sight isn’t required, and Zeine claims that one station can power multiple devices at once. Just like a WiFi hotspot, you can set it so that it only works with certain devices or simply open it up so that power is available to all Cota-enabled handsets within range, which is around 30 feet.

Filed under: Cellphones, Science, Mobile

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Cota by Ossia

Seeing as how Chef Sleeve is best know for its combo cutting board / iPad stand, the company’s latest product isn’t a huge leap. Sadly, the it didn’t actually have a prototype of its Smart Food Scale at its booth here at TechCrunch Disrupt, but we did get a chance to chat a bit about the product, which just had its Kickstarter page open up. The device is a food scale that communicates via Bluetooth with your iOS device. Put the food on, input what it is and it will send that information to your iPhone and iPad.

The app offers up USDA nutritional information, letting you keep track of calories, fat, vitamins, minerals and other information. The company’s also looking to expand the functionality of the software, to open things up to chefs and other folks who might appreciate such info. The Kickstarter page still has 29 days left to hit its $30,000 goal, and pledge of $79 or more will get you access to the scale. When it hits retail, it’ll run closer to $99.

Filed under: Household

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Source: Kickstarter

Plants need TLC just like any other living thing, but sadly, they’re not really great at telling you what they want. Bitponics is looking to take a bit of that guess work out of hydroponic and aquaponic gardens with a WiFi base station that monitors your plant life and connects to automated accessories that help you care for them. The device ships with monitors for pH, water temperature, air temperature, humidity and light, connecting to the company’s Bitponics Cloud system, so you can monitor things remotely via web browser. The system’s not cheap — it’s set to run $499 when it ships, fittingly, this spring. Check out a video walkthrough of the setup just after the break.

Filed under: Household

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It was just about a week ago that we first told you about Siva Cycle’s Atom, a pedal-powered battery charger that’s currently taking Kickstarter by storm, healthily surpassing its $85,000 goal, with 21 days to spare. Lo and behold, the kinetic peripheral popped up on the Hardware Alley floor at TechCrunch Disrupt, here in NYC. Actually trying the thing out is a bit much to ask in the crowded Manhattan Center, but the company was nice enough to demo the device with a little good old-fashioned hand power.

The system is pretty minimally invasive, from the looks of it. The removable battery pack sits next to the rear wheel axle, and there’s also a USB port just below the seat for charging devices more directly. Get in early, and you’ll be able to pick the system up for $85. Not convinced? Check out the company’s plea in a video just after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation, Mobile

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Source: Kickstarter