GADGETS TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EXTRAORDINARY Innovation Coming to Add Awesome to 2017

Here at ManScore, we get what it is like to be new. Bringing a fledgling idea to life as a real product is a hell of a journey that is only reserved for those who dare. This article is to serve as a shout out to a few early companies who have dared to put the “awesome” back into everyday life. Some of these products are early prototypes, and others are hitting the shelves or soaring the skies in the next couple of months. We encourage you to help them grow in the way you’ve helped us grow. Below are five of our favorite new toys that we can’t wait to try out in 2017.


Ember: Ember Technologies
Ember technologies is putting a new twist on an old idea: a coffee mug with an electric heating element. No, it doesn’t plug into the 12v outlet on your ‘99 Honda Civic, instead it features a slick induction charging system, a 2 hour battery life and the ability to select the temperature of your drink right down to the degree. Ember wants you to experience your coffee or tea in its perfect state as it allows you to choose the temperature from an innovative rotary dial or an iPhone/Apple Watch application. The mug will soon be hitting the shelves of select Starbucks stores but is also available online for $150.


Kai: Glimpse Wearables
Forget Google Glass. Kai, by Glimpse Wearables, will add a virtual assistant to literally any pair of glasses and do it at a much more palatable price point (around $200). Kai combines Houndify powered AI voice controls to bone conduction speakers in a slick, 3D printed shell that attaches to the right arm of any pair of glasses and sits behind the ear. The goal of Kai is to allow people to stay connected while getting their heads out of their phones and in tune to the world around them, something we at ManScore support entirely. Kai, is currently on Kickstarter with not much time to go!


Fenix 5 Series: Garmin
Garmin’s Fenix line of watches isn’t exactly a new product offering from the global GPS giant, but with the launch of the new wearable flagship, the Fenix 5 series, we feel it is worth the mention. Let me be clear, the Fenix 5 is a man’s watch. Its PVD-protected stainless steel bezel, beefy rubber strap and optional sapphire screen make it look very masculine, yet refined enough to wear to the office. It packs more sensing systems on your wrist than the entirety of the NSA’s collection. Fenix 5 features GPS/GLONASS GNSS sensors, a solid state compass, altimeter, accelerometer, infrared through-wrist heartrate monitoring, ANT+, WiFi, Bluetooth, full-color LED display with color TOPO maps and the list goes on. Seriously, I will never sound more intelligent than when I read the brochure. The best part is the battery life. 12, yes 12 days in smart watch mode with up to 20hours of continuous GPS use. Does anyone have an Apple Watch that’ll last 12 freaking days!? I think not. The other best thing is that the Fenix 5, unlike many of its smart watch rivals, actually looks like a watch. Fenix 5 starts at $599 and is available in 42, 47 and 51 millimeter versions.


M1: Monday Motorbikes
Vintage mopeds have become all the rage in the “hip” neighborhoods of many of the nation’s metropolitan areas with many large companies like Honda, Piaggio and Vespa building new models that carry with them the vintage styling. If you don’t like mixing oil for a vintage 2-stroke, or think the modern rides are a little feminine, then the M1 by Monday Motorbikes might be for you. The M1 will hit speeds of 40 mph (in sport mode) and travel up to 50 miles without needing a motorcycle license or registration. It will charge from a standard 120v outlet in 5 hours and features regenerative braking, cloud-based antitheft features and the ability to charge your smart phone while you ride. The M1 is currently available for pre-order for $500 to reserve a production slot and will be sold for $5,495 at the beginning of production.


A5: Icon Aircraft
It’s a plane. It’s a boat. It’s the A5 by Icon Aircraft and it looks like hilarious fun. The Icon A5 is an amphibious light sport aircraft with optional folding wings that make it trailerable and small enough to fit into most garages. The fact that it’s a light sport aircraft means that you can fly it without a stringent physical examination every few years and learn how to fly quicker with less training required. It’s the ultimate power sport machine made almost entirely of composites making it strong, light, safe and ready for adventure. Speaking of safety, the A5 features a complete airframe parachute to augment the fantastic reliability of its Austrian manufactured Rotax engine. All of this adventure can be yours for one low price of $189,000.

Achievements in this Article