From left to right: Kim Jong Min (Big Picture), Lee Min Gu (The S) and JuYoun Lee (Gaze Lab)
As we attended the Korean Tech Event MIK1111, Ubergizmo picked three companies that are working on cool/interesting products. Our site is a media partner of MIK 1111, and we contributed in the Awards process by nominating cool products. We focused on tech-oriented companies of course, and of the ones we looked at closely, are our top 3 picks:
Big Picture
Big Picture is a VR company working on building affordable VR packages that include a VR headset, a smartphone and a game controller. The company hopes to sell the combo for ~$390. The Headset design is inspired by what can be found on the market and has similarities with Samsung’s Gear VR. It works the same way, by sliding the provided phone into the headset. From there, it’s possible to tweak the positions of the lenses.
At this price range, the company must walk a fine line to reach a level of VR that makes it interesting for first users, while meeting the price requirements. This is an entry level VR experience which could be compared to Google Cardboard, but the headset is much more comfortable than a cardboard, and the controller makes the experience more complete.
TheVue Camera by The S
This company is working on a couple of cameras. One is a home camera that snaps time lapses. The design is very simple and the magnetic mount makes it easy to snap everywhere. It could be fun for parties and events, but you can use it anywhere there’s an interesting time lapse of course.
The more interesting product is an Android-powered action cam part of the TheVue Series that aims to address GoPro’s interface weakness. Running on Android 5.x and equipped with touch screen, the camera interface could be a regular Android app. It also opens the possibility of easily linking multiple cameras. At the moment, the company was showing a working prototype, but the production units are still in the works.
By the way, “The S” comes from “THree Eyes System” – just in case you were wondering.
Gaze Desk by Gaze Labs
Gaze Labs is working on a smart desk called Gaze Desk which can be used in sitting and standing positions, thanks to electric motors that can push the table top up and down. But there’s a technological twist: Gaze’s table has sensors that detect how long you have been working in either position, and will remind you to change position for an optimal alternate between sitting and standing. The project has been public for ~5 months, and is fully funded via Kickstarter, but very few people have seen it in action.
The functionalities are controlled by the mobile app, which serves as a remote control to perform the initial setup but will also track your various position changes. The app also estimates how many calories have been spent while in the standing mode. Korea is a country where many people work long hours in the office, but the same is true for many companies in the west as well.
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We talked to other Korean companies, but unfortunately, we don’t have enough time to report on all of them. If you are curious, they are: Nanobiz, PLAYLAND, THE EDUCLOOUD, Clair and Who’s Good.