App On, App Off — Spark Reimagines the Light Bulb

Spark is a new product that enables one to dim or turn off lights from anywhere. But that’s just the start of its innovative appeal.

It has an interesting story about its involvement with Kickstarter that is a lesson for all startups. It also has a little bit of wiki, where the company is inviting others to think of uses or apps for its new product, beyond the obvious (turn on lights at random times while on vacation) and not so obvious (set the lights to turn on gradually for a more natural “alarm clock”)

Equally interesting is the source of the IDEA for Spark: founder Zach Supalla’s father is deaf and always used flickering lights to tell him that the phone was ringing or that someone was at the door. With his cellphone, he can’t do that. That led to the ol’ “what if…” for Zach. (Okay, okay, yes, it was the spark he needed, or something like that.)

The Wristwatch — A New Cellphone Accessory

One of the more startling qualities of the typical cellphone — yet one which isn’t talked about much — is how it has turned back photography to the quality of the Instamatic and turned back time-keeping to the era of the pocket watch.

Yes, many of us prefer to dig our phones out of our pockets to check the time rather than wear a wristwatch. Those who don’t, though, have dug into their pockets and contributed some $4.5 million through the online entrepreneur-maker Kickstarter for a wristwatch that tells the wearer what’s coming up on that phone in his pocket or in her purse.

The startling fundraising success of the watch, called the Pebble, makes debate on the merits of the product a bit moot. A suggestion for another product, a lot cheaper than $99, though, may be a retractable cord or chain attached to the cellphone at one end and the pocket at the other end, so that one can easily pull out one’s phone without worrying about dropping it or leaving it on the counter of the coffee shop.

In the meantime, feel free to check your watch to check your phone to check your computer…