Consumer tech is a field that has seen constant innovation, with new and unique products being launched by startups as well as mega corporations on a regular basis. The success of any new tech in the marketplace strongly depends on its utility and cost-effectiveness.
With rising disposable incomes worldwide, consumers are willing to try out new technology, even though some of them cross into the realm of the absurd. If you are keen to experiment with something new beyond your iPhones and Fitbits, here are 8 crazy tech products that you should consider splurging your money on. They are ridiculous, no doubt, but a whole lot of fun also:
8. Onvi Prophix
The Prophix toothbrush by Onvi is actually an extremely useful product in case you are suffering from serious dental problems. With a built-in video camera (1080p video, 10 megapixel stills), the Prophix connects to your phone and uses its app to show you pics and a livestreaming video inside of your mouth.
The toothbrush system has four interchangeable attachments- a brush, a prophy cup, a rubber picking tip and a tiny mirror that will help you easily clean away any flecks or gunk stuck between your teeth. Your Dentist in Greenbelt can pre-order it for around $300.
7. June Intelligent Oven
Made by former Apple engineers, the June is a smart countertop oven that utilizes internal cameras, a chipset and artificial intelligence to recognize what all food items are being kept inside it and cooks the food automatically. This intelligent convection oven costs nearly $1500 and most reviews suggest it works fine, though recognizing food ingredients to an exact accuracy is yet to be achieved.
6. CHiP Smart Cookie Oven
An oven exclusively for freshly-baked cookies! The Chip is a smart looking compact oven with WiFi connectivity and makes baking cookie a much easier task than before. You simply need to scan and drop the dough into a proprietary ‘cookie pod’, press start and voila, your cookies will be piping fresh in just 10 minutes. An app helps you notify when the batch is done and you can order new pods accordingly. Preorders for the Chip start at $129.
5. Belty Good Vibes
Batman’s utility belt is something that all nerds desire to possess, but would you spend your money on a health belt that claims to give good vibes? French startup Emiota thinks you would and their ‘smart belt’ called Belty Good Vibes is precisely aimed for the same.
Apart from being a fashion accessory, this belt reinforces a healthy lifestyle for people by using AI and other technologies to determine their everyday activity. It comes with a companion app (obviously) and vibrates when it senses that you have been sitting for too long or not standing straight etc. Belty Good Vibes was supposed to be available from December 2016, but purchase orders have not started yet.
4. Hidrate Spark
Hidrate Spark, a smart water bottle that helps you stay hydrated throughout the day may sound a bit over-the-top, but given the long working hours at office, lengthy gaming sessions and the era of Netflix binges, people usually forget to drink enough water.
The Spark pairs up with a companion app over Bluetooth and gives you a walkthrough for staying properly hydrated. The bottle looks chic and when you reach your thirst-quenching goals, it gives a glow which is kinda cute. The price for Hidrate Spark is $55 and if you facing issues staying hydrated due to a hectic schedule, this may well turn out to be quite a smart investment.
3. Juicero
The rising focus on healthcare has also resulted in people opting for a balanced diet that includes a lot of fresh juices. Enter Juicero, a new WiFi connected juicing system that celebrities have been raving about. How does it work? The app connects your juice pressing system to the internet and you can select your purchasable pack flavors (costing $5-$7 and consisting of raw organic produce) for your desired drink.
You can schedule weekly deliveries, keep a track of what all nutrients are being consumed and restock accordingly. The company has slashed the price from $700 to $399, making it a convenient option for those who are always on the go and rarely have time to make a fresh glass of fruit juice.
2. Flosstime
Flosstime is a smart floss dispenser that can be mounted on a bathroom mirror and when you tap it, gives 18 inches of tooth rope. The idea behind this device is to get you into the habit of flossing regularly. You most certainly would, once you see a floss machine staring right at you on entering the washroom. At $30, Flosstime comes with replaceable floss cartridges and has a kids’ option also with a frog snap-on that is fun to look at.
1. i.Con Smart Condom Ring
What is this incredible stuff now? We have smart condoms? Well, not exactly a smart condom. iCon is a sex wearable (guess that will catch up pretty quickly, just for the crazy experimentations) and is an adjustable, waterproof ring that goes around the guy’s base.
During intimacy, this will track the ‘thrust velocity’, skin temperature, calories burned, detect any infections like chlamydia and syphilis and churn out other stats as well. You will be able to share these details with other iCon users also, though god knows why anyone would want that. Of course, there is an option for complete anonymity also, which would be preferred by most users. The i.Con ring is available for pre-order at $74.