Doggie Fitbit, Connected Sprinklers, and Sriracha Flavored Bacon
Every day, tech companies flood Yahoo Tech with announcements of new or updated products. Some we review; some we ignore. And some are in between: products that you might find worth knowing about—but that we haven’t evaluated.
Here are the latest new-product pitches, presented here in 300-character blurbettes as a public service. Let us know in the Comments if some of them strike you as worth reviewing.
WonderWoof. Clip this bow-tie shaped device onto your dog’s collar to keep tabs on everything your furry friend is up to. Download the complementary app to track exercise, training, and schedule social activities. Puppy play date, anyone? $100. (www.WonderWoof.com)
RainMachine. Fight the drought with the Internet-of-Things sprinkler controller. Harnesses big data from NOAA via WiFi to precisely and automatically water up to 16 zones in your yard based on upcoming temperature, wind, rain, and humidity. Access from anywhere from your phone. $180 and up. (www.rainmachine.com)
Kingii. World’s smallest flotation aid helps prevent drownings. Wear on your wrist; when you’re in danger, tug the lever for instant inflation. With built-in whistle and compass. Replaceable CO2 cartridge for multiple uses. $80 and up. (http://igg.me/at/Kingii)
Hang w/. Stream live video from your phone (iOS or Android), desktop, or even GoPro. Broadcast to friends and followers around the world. Stream to Facebook, Twitter, or your own website, or post to YouTube. Choose between public and private. (Hangwith.com)
Urgent.ly. It’s Uber for roadside assistance. Tap the app, request assistance, watch truck on the map as it comes to your rescue, with no annual fee. Urgent.ly’s Family View lets you view your loved one’s service from start to finish. Free on Android/iPhone. Available in 73 cities so far. (www.urgent.ly)
Spruce. A dermatology-consultation app. Conduct a visit through your phone, anytime, anywhere, for $40. You can seek treatment for conditions like acne, fine lines & wrinkles, bug bites, eczema, hair loss and more. iOS; works in CA, FL, NC, NY, OH, PA, RI, and VA so far. (https://www.sprucehealth.com/)
Narwhal Bacon Box. Each month, you get a package of stuff shipped directly to your door. Each month’s goody box is curated by a different Internet entity: from Reddit startups, office warfare and kickstarter darlings, to science mayhem and lifehack loot. $32/month and up. (http://www.narwhalbaconbox.com)
Minds. An open-source, encrypted social network, now in alpha testing. For every vote, comment, swipe, upload, and share, you earn points that you can exchange for views on posts you choose. Designed to protect digital rights, in an effort to regain control of your social world. (www.Minds.com)
If have a new, shipping product you’d like to be considered for inclusion in this biweekly new-products digest, send a 300-character blurb to David Pogue, [email protected]. Include link, photo, and price. Submissions containing buzzwords, jargon, or sales-speak will be tossed.