Journalist and author Don Marquis once said that “procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.”
So in the spirit of completing what we should have done before the final weekend for holiday shopping, here’s a gift guide to 10 gadgets made by Kansas City startups. Special thanks to KCUR for hosting a discussion on these items — check it out below our list of doohickeys.
Rock 360
1) Rock 360 and Omniballs – $60 – $90
These two core-exercise devices have recently been thrust into the national spotlight via Spike TV’s “Sweat Inc.,” which welcomed Tommy Saunders to compete on the reality-competition show. The Rock 360 is an omnidirectional ab roller that holds your smartphone for specific workouts. Omniballs are two hand-held weights that allow for a variety of core and arm exercises. Your New Year’s Eve challenge: get an eight-pack as impressive as the company’s founder.
2) Mixtape – $25
Mixtape is a is a card game that “pairs songs with life experiences,” according to the company. You need three things to play: life experiences or an imagination; a decent recollection of songs and/or the ability to look songs up digitally; and a means to play those songs. Check out a demo of the game here.
Blumoo
3) Blumoo – $100
The Blumoo is a home media device that allows users to control all their contraptions — cable boxes, TVs, audio receivers, speakers and more — via any mobile device. That means no more cornucopia of remotes to lose.
4) ShotTracker – $150
For the basketball player in your life, the ShotTracker is wearable technology that automatically tracks shot attempts, makes and misses. Made of three parts — an app, net sensor and wrist sensor — the ShotTracker is used by athletes around the world, including the likes of Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson. Make it rain!
Toasty Tote
5) Toasty Tote – $35
Toasty Tote is essentially a portable warmth enabler. The doodad quickly converts into a poncho, picnic blanket or chair cushion. It also can be used to carry chairs to outdoor events.
6) Mighty Handle – $10
These convenient handles help a user lug up to 50 pounds of bags or other items. Shaped like an anchor and made of recycled materials, the Mighty Handle is available online and at Walmart stores. Ideal for that person you know who’s determined to carry all the shopping from the car to the house in trip.
7) Tin Man Prints – $38 – $85 +
Tin Man Prints creates custom aluminum prints by infusing dyes directly into specially coated sheets of aluminum, allowing the images to pop with vibrant color and crisp detail. The company also created a mounting system that allows photographers to creatively and precisely display images. Great for small business owners or lovers of photography.
Fitbark
8) Fitbark – $100
A graduate of the Techstars-led Sprint Accelerator program, Fitbark created a wearable tracker to help monitor your dog’s health and activity. The device straps onto a dog’s collar to collect data that is then transmitted via bluetooth to a smartphone application. A Fitbark also allows you to compare Spots’s activity to other similar breeds.
9) The Renegade Broom – $30
Made by Kansas City-based gadget company The Handy Camel, the Renegade Broom is a broom designed like a rake. By pulling the broom’s arched bristles toward you, a user is able to make better surface contact, picking up dirt and debris that a traditional broom leaves behind. Solid for clean up, landscaping and other applications.
10) Filimin – $60
These colorful and attractive lights are nifty ideas for those geographically separated from loved ones. When two or more family members or friends have a Filimin, one user can touch the Wi-Fi-enabled light to change another user’s light’s color, notifying your loved one that you’re thinking of them. Order from the company’s Kickstarter now for an early 2016 delivery.
