Tech Crowd

10 gadgets changing the nature of summer fun

The best of the summer gadgets

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A gas grill and Styrofoam cooler won't cut it this summer if you want to keep up with the "gadget" Joneses and improve your fun and relaxation.

It's the season for morning golf outings, lazy beach days and all-day grilling. But this summer is different: Crowdfunding is creating a slew of gadgets that could force the Colemans and Callaways of the world into an endless summer game of catch-up.

Consider the high-tech Coolest Cooler, which raised more than $1.9 million this past week on Kickstarter. The cooler offers USB ports, removable waterproof speakers and a functional blender, among other features.

Here's a look at 10 of the best summer-themed gadgets being manufactured by the crowd.

—By Ike Ejiochi, special to CNBC.com
Posted 15 July 2014

An end to overcooked burgers

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The Range Oven Intelligence, or ROI, is a brain for your oven or grill. It sticks to your cooking appliance and communicates temperature, time and oven activity to your smartphone via Bluetooth. No more excuses for burnt burgers.

The ROI set a $250,000 fundraising goal on Kickstarter. It has raised $105,967 to date.

The campaign ends on July 22.

The project page is here.

No caddy required

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DV8 Sports has created the most portable set of golf clubs ever seen on the back nine. It takes only five seconds to assemble the patented golf shafts, which attach to 14 different types of club heads. All of this equipment fits inside a sport-inspired backpack.

DV8 Sports set a $50,000 goal on Kickstarter. It surpassed its goal, with $84,785 raised to date.

The campaign ends on July 15.

The project page is here.

Paradise regained

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Edyn is a smart garden system that lets you know what's happening on your lawn and in your flower beds at all times. All you have to do is stick the Edyn garden sensor into the soil. It then gathers and analyzes data about changing weather and soil conditions. The sensor then sends the information to your phone, via the Edyn app, and displays the data as a real-time snapshot of your garden. It will send you alerts and suggestions to maximize plant health.

Edyn almost quadrupled its original Kickstarter goal of $100,000, raising a grand total of $384,201.

Although the funding period just ended, consumers can preorder the garden sensor here.

A fridge set to roam

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The Anywhere-Fridge is the world's first solar-powered portable fridge/freezer. This collapsible fridge harbors a built-in ion-lithium battery, which is charged by solar panels. On a full charge the device can sustain functional ability for a full night. Nothing like extra cold beers or soft drinks for a hot day at the beach or camping retreat.

The Anywhere-Fridge set a $1,000 goal on Indiegogo. It surpassed its goal with $95,987 raised to date.

The funding period ends on July 18.

The project page is here.

Upping your AC IQ

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Sensibo is a tiny device that connects your air conditioner to the Internet. It can be used with any air conditioner that has a remote control. Sensibo also comes with a free app for the iPhone, Android and Pebble that helps you control all of the settings necessary from anywhere. It has the ability to reduce an appliance's carbon footprint by an average of 40 percent. A hot item designed to keep things cool.

Sensibo set a $70,000 goal on Indiegogo. It surpassed its goal, with $148,932 raised to date.

The funding period ends on July 19.

The project page is here.

A new way to power walk

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The Go Kin uses the motion of walking to charge electronics and batteries. Imagine the horror of your phone dying on a hike in the middle of an emergency. Or maybe your GPS device runs out of power in the middle of the woods. With Go Kin, two retractable cords extend from a Go Kin Pack and attach to the backs of your hiking boots, running shoes or a provided ankle strap and, simply by walking, charges whatever device you are using. A five-minute walk provides enough power for a 10- to 25-minute phone call, giving a whole new meaning to power walking!

Go Kin set a $30,000 goal on Kickstarter, with $15,803 raised to date.

The funding period ends on July 17.

The project page is here.

Surfing the turf

The Golf Board.
Source: The Golf Board

The Golf Board changes the nature of golfing transport. It is an easy-to-ride board that makes traveling from hole to hole more fun than a stodgy golf cart and has enough space to fit all of your clubs. Gold Board provides users with a great core workout similar to snowboarding.

The Golf Board surpassed its original Kickstarter goal of $100,000.

For more on the Golf Board, visit its website here.

An energy kick

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The Soccket is an electricity-generating soccer ball that provides fun and power to those who play with it, storing up energy for later use as a portable power source. Employing the kinetic energy created while playing, a small pendulum inside the ball turns a generator connected to a rechargeable battery. The battery can run an LED lamp that can be connected to the ball, or it can charge any device via USB.

The Soccket raised a grand total of $92,296, surpassing its original Kickstarter goal of $75,000.

For more on the Soccket, visit its website here.

Deep-sea diving ... in the pool

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The FunUnder makes it possible and affordable for two swimmers to stay and play underwater in a pool for as long as they want. FunUnder uses surface-supplied air, which means that anyone who can swim can use the device. The air is pumped through a 25-foot main-air-supply hose, which is then pumped through two additional 25-foot swimmer air hoses.

The FunUnder set a $80,000 goal on Kickstarter. It has $16,827 raised to date.

The funding period ends on July 19.

The project page is here.

Wired into fitness

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FreeWavz is a wireless Bluetooth set of earphones that includes built-in fitness monitoring. By tapping a button on an app, users can set up alerts for heart rate, distance, time, calories and O2 saturation, among other fitness-monitoring data points, and have it delivered into their ear. The earphones are sweat- and waterproof, which is perfect for workouts and aquatic sports. And you can also listen to your favorite music.

FreeWavz set a $300,000 goal on Kickstarter. It has $100,816 raised to date.

The funding period ends on August 7.

The project page is here.