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Easily Add a Rear Backup Camera to Your Ride – No New Car Required

By on June 22, 2016 in apps, cameras, cars, design, gadgets, general geekery
These guys used to work at Apple. They've got it going on.

These guys used to work at Apple. They’ve got it going on.

While it probably won’t be long before back-up cameras become as standard as air conditioning – and may even become required in new cars, those of us with older models need not despair. Three engineers who met while working at Apple decided to form their own company, Pearl Auto, to solve the problem owners of older cars lament over.

Their brilliant adaptation to existing car hardware allows even the most mechanically inept to quickly install a rear camera ala a license plate frame. The cameras in the plate are solar powered and communicate wirelessly to your phone – so no wiring is needed.

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Pearl RearVision has a companion app for Android and iOS.

The Pearl RearVision lets you see in in wide angle what is going on behind you. It has a companion app for iPhone and Android so you have a view of what’s going on right on your dash, as you would with a factory installed backup camera. It gives you audio cues as to how close you’re encroaching on hitting an object. Thanks to the two cameras onboard, you can toggle between wide and normal views.

Also with the RearVision kit, a car adapter that gets information from your car, including speed.

The Pearl RearVision is not cheap, but considering what it does, it’s a pretty low cost to giving your car a major upgrade. My only regret is that there is not a front facing plate frame with camera to go with it. While in bumper to bumper traffic, the views may be fairly low and miss some things as far as being a super effective dashcam, it would be very helpful for pulling into awkward spots where you think you might be about to scrape the bottom part of your car off on a high curb… but I have a hunch, this group is not done in the innovation department.

You can learn more about Pearl Auto by visiting their website, liking them on Facebook, following them on Twitter and checking them out on Instagram.

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Two cameras, solar powered, wireless communication – all for $499

Titanium Split Keyring Carabiner That Files Your Nails – for REAL (and it has a magnet!)

By on June 9, 2016 in gadgets, general geekery, kickstarter, magnets, shiny metal objects, shut up and take my money!, tools
This thing is just gorgeous - and it does everything but massage your neck.

This thing is just gorgeous – and it does everything but massage your neck.

For those kindred spirits that follow my blog because they love finely machined metal objects like I do – here is your fix! It’s a Titanium Carabiner that is also a split-second keyring (keys don’t fall out/off ring, but it’s easy to add/remove keys without ripping out your fingernails or even using your nails at all!) and is also a small wrench and a fingernail file. I’ve covered a couple of items by this Renaissance man, Denis Stewart, before. He doesn’t shoot the best videos, he shows off his creations with his dirty fingernails and his Kickstarter campaigns are not very polished – but this man makes the coolest designs and creates simply gorgeous gadgets you can actually use.

The companion ring is a helpful add-on or something to throw on your second set of keys. Look at these beauties - but don't drool on your keyboard. :)

Stewart doesn’t let any surface area of his inventions go to waste and this new design is the best example of that. You can open bottles with it, turn nuts, suspend your body by this thing with a chain (it is truly that strong), carry your keys and when you’re super-duper bored, you can file your nails. I’m not even kidding. 

The parts of my brain that are dedicated to the love and appreciation of shiny metal objects, beautiful finishes, clever solutions for problems you didn’t know you had and more – are sending out fireworks that are nearly sending sparks out my ears. The finished product is beautiful. I am backing this project on Kickstarter because it’s affordable and gorgeous and I know I will use it.

Those dirty fingernails aren't mine - those callouses belong to the man who designed this awesome thing - he works hard and has the dirt & scars to prove it. Those are the hands of a geek inventor. All hail the geek!

Those dirty fingernails aren’t mine – those callouses belong to the man who designed this awesome thing – he works hard and has the dirt & scars to prove it. Those are the hands of a geek inventor. All hail the geek!

Stewart uses a CNC machining process to make precision corner cuts and to help make the final product so refined. He’s got this design patent pending, which is a great idea, since I’ve seen a ton of split keyring designs that keep getting copied by various manufactures – but none of them look this nice and have all these features.

He’s including this kettle bell style gizmo on one of the backing options that has a super powerful magnet in it to increase how you can hang your keys.

As of this writing, there are still over 40 days left in his Kickstarter campaign, so there’s still time to get your own. You can follow the campaign on Kickstarter, or check him out on Facebook.