Cool Gadgets 2016
5 of the Most Unique Online Finds For 2016
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Did Santa bring you what you wanted for Christmas? Whether you ended up on the naughty or nice list, everyone deserves a fresh start in the New Year. Well, good news! I have found five of the best, most surprising, and unusual online finds for 2016.
1 Rain-Activated Artwork
Rainworks is perfect for creative personalities or budding artists who want to send out positive vibes into the world. Users can spray a message or stenciled picture on a sidewalk using Rainworks, wait for it to rain, and voila — your art is there for all to see! Funded on Kickstarter, the eco-friendly spray works for about two months. Be sure to take a snapshot of your work and email it, along with a precise location, to the company for inclusion in its Rainworks locater map, and you'll be credited as the creator! Rainworks Invisible Spray began preshipping orders this month.
2 Self-Flying Camera
Lily caught a lot of buzz when the prototype was unveiled in 2015. A drone of its own kind, it's an autonomous flying camera that tracks you. Simply throw it in the air to create a new video. It takes awesome photos (12 mp) and video (1080p 60 fps / 720p 120 fps) from the sky, following you by way of a tracking device. It flies for up to 20 minutes before softly landing.
Lily Self Flying Camera ($799)
3 Emoji Decoder For Android and iOS
I consider myself fluent in emoji, so this Poltergeist app is right up my alley. And with the recent addition of new options, you've got a bigger vocabulary to work with. Basically, this app acts as a secret emoji code messenger so no one can read your messages over your shoulder — unless they know how to crack the code! Messages appear in emoji code until you "unlock" them and read the text when you're ready. With Poltergeist, you can set a timer so that messages and photos self destruct after a designated amount of time.
Poltergeist emoji code messenger (free)
Available on Android and iOS
4 BatCole Gear
Full disclosure: I sit on the board of this nonprofit, which supports childhood cancer research. The organization was founded by the parents of Cole Winnefeld, a dear friend of mine who was like a little brother to me and passed away last year. By choosing a name like batcole.foundation, the organization got well-deserved attention that appealed to Batman-loving fans everywhere, and that's helped in selling its awesome products, like t-shirts and hats.
BatCole gear ($8-$25)
5 Coffee Subscription
This modern coffee subscription service starts with a tasting kit to match your taste to the beans it roasts from around the world. A new coffee is available for your taste each month. Use the Driftaway app to keep track of favorites and receive recommendations.
Driftaway coffee subscription (starting at $70 for three months)
