Just Arrived! Gadgets to root for

Kick Varibike

Can’t be bothered with pedals when you cycle? Then the Kick Varibike is for you. You can push along as though you’re on a scooter or turn the cranks by the handlebars to increase upper-body strength on the move. It has a three-gear system and brakes on the front and rear. With a prototype recently on show at the Eurobike exhibition, commercial versions are expected to become available soon. But with an estimated RRP of €1,600 (£1,160) it’s wheely expensive.

codingFarmers
If you prefer a low-tech way of learning, here’s a board game that teaches children coding with nary a computer in sight.
In codingFarmers, players have to move around the board using action cards that feature the instructions in Java code. There are optional longhand instructions to give you some backup.
With a retail price of $30, the game is set to launch on Amazon this November. The makers are going to reinvest their profits into teaching coding.

PetBot
If you are lonely without your labrador, or just anxious about leaving your doggy companion behind at home, PetBot will let you keep tabs on your pooch at a distance. Marketed as the first ‘smartphone for pets’, it features a webcam, a treat dispenser and recordable audio — all controllable from your smartphone.
It also boasts an automatic selfie-taking feature so you can record your dog’s antics. And with a rather unlikely sounding ‘bark recognition’ feature to boot, this gadget certainly takes the (dog) biscuit.
It is currently open for funding on Indigogo and pledging $149 will get you the basic model.

OnCourse goggles
It’s easy to veer off course when swimming in open water, but technology can help. OnCourse goggles let you lock on to a spot such as a buoy by pressing a button. If you deviate from your course, the goggles warn you by flashing an LED light on the side you’re straying towards, until you’re back on track. Pledging $149 on the Kickstarter campaign will get you the goggles, which are expected to ship in February.


O Watch
Step aside Apple Watch, the O Watch can do more than boost your street cred. Designed by an eight-year-old called Omkar Govil-Nair (in pic), it’s an Arduino-based 3D printable watch that can be programmed to tell the time, play games and even measure temperature, pressure and humidity, thereby teaching wearers the basics of coding. You can even customise your own case to look extra stylish.
Backing the O Watch on Kickstarter will set you back $85 for the base kit, and $109 with a sensor board included.