Category: Cell Phone Accessories

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging Music

Case bridges your smartphone to your DSLR

The Premise. Let’s face it: no one likes to compromise. We make tradeoffs because we’re adults, and we have to. It’s the way it is. We love to take great pictures with our DSLRs but we want it to be as easy as snapping a photo and sharing with a smartphone.

The Product. Case is a generically named camera accessory and smartphone app that attempts to serve you the best of both worlds. While its name would imply a very different and common camera complement, it’s actually a small, lightweight receiver meant to attach to your interchangeable lens camera via USB or reusable tape. Using Case with an Android™ or iOS device, you can upload images wirelessly from your camera to your smart device, control camera functions from your smart device, and change camera settings remotely. With the use of smart sensors Case can turn your smartphone into a remote control for your camera, allowing you to trigger the shutter from up to 50 meters away: especially useful for people who like to capture wildlife.

The Pitch. In the campaign video, members of Cheering Technology explain they created Case to make photography easier.  They demonstrate how to switch shooting modes and change settings for shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and white balance directly from a smart device. They also explain how to easily focus the image and trigger the shutter button in addition to wirelessly sending photos to a smart device. Two versions of the app will be available, however iOS users may need to wait a little longer – timing is tentatively August but TBD. Android users should be happy to know that the app is expected to be available on Google Play by the time units ship. The project goal is to raise $15,000 to fund initial production and units are estimated to ship in July 2014.

The Perks. If the campaign is successful, Case will be distributed to backers for $79 in a choice of white or black. Larger backer commitments afford members the equivalent of a group discount. Up to five backers will have the opportunity to become Development Partners by donating $9,999 to the campaign. Development Partner status affords you 150 Cases, and a trip to China (flight and hotel included) to meet the minds behind Case. Free tour guide also included for the duration of your trip.

The Potential.  Nikon, Canon and other camera manufacturers offer Wi-Fi functionality in their interchangeable lens cameras that covers almost all of what Case claims it can do. However, MaxStone is a similar product on Kickstarter which was recently funded at three times its goal amount, so that can help make the case for Case even if it lacks MaxStone’s charming design.

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Cell Phone Accessories

Jakket keeps iPhone’s plug wound about town

Jakket d6666959fac436d9d8013c3505da314a_large[1]Long days, extended stays, and the entire family having matching adapter cords makes dealing with gadget cords a hassle. But it’s those very annoyances that ushered in the idea for Jakket. It’s designed for the Apple 5 watt adapter ~ iPhone 5/5s/5c, iPad Air, iPad mini and new generation iPods. Not only does the adapter come in multiple colors that can be assigned to each family member or gadget, but it also comes with an adjustable strap for keeping cords organized and gadgets docked. Competition might be a bit stiff for this campaign given the fact that there are campaigns on Backerjack with similar ideas (Tidy, Kero and Ark). For a pledge of at least $10, backers get one Jakket in their color choice with an expected delivery of June 2014. Jakket is made in the USA and offers free shipping within the US.

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Cell Phone Accessories Music Sensors/IoT

Mogees turns virtually anything into a musical novelty

The Premise. Amateur percussionists have always found a way to make music using garbage cans, chain link fences or a desktop as a drum kit. This DIY form of music has found its way to full-blown stage shows, but what if there were a way to turn percussive racket into harmonic music?

The Product. In the tradition of MaKey MaKey, which allowed virtually anything to be a PC input, Mogees is a sensor, a little smaller than a golf ball, that can be affixed to any surface. By connecting to a companion app on mobile devices, the Mogees detects the vibrations of objects being dragged across, tapped on, or any other form of physical contact with the surface it’s attached to. These vibrations generate musical tones like chimes, bells, or strings depending on the app’s setting and the types of vibration.

The Pitch. Bruno Zamborlin, inventor of the Mogees, shows off what the device can do with the help of experimental dance artists Plaid. Among the promotional material is a music video that the two created for a song made entirely with the Mogees, which goes from novel to truly impressive by the halfway point. Additional materials explain how to use the companion app, and an explanation of Song Mode, which allows users to sync up their percussion with a MIDI of a favorite song to play along. Zamborlin needs £50,000 to begin production and keep the price point low.

The Perks. Backers will need to pledge approximately $67 to get a Mogees, either for Apple devices or Android operating systems. The higher quality red sensor and pro version of the app goes for just over $100, and the early access beta version is available for roughly $162. The iOS version is scheduled to ship out in August 2014, with the Android version following in November. Backers who pledge to get the beta device will be making music in May.

The Potential. Upon first hearing what the Mogees is capable of, it’s hard not to feel a sense of awe and childlike wonder of glimpsing a new, musical world with this innovative device. Five minutes later, the feeling is of being stuck in performance art purgatory, where even a heavy dose of Bjork would be a welcome return to normalcy and stability. Artists and urban optimists might be able to create lush dreamscapes and inventive new city soundtracks. Everyone else will likely be responsible for a few minutes of discord and then probably lose interest.

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Cell Phone Accessories Video

GoPhone weds GoPro to iPhone in protective case of extreme capture

Go Phone iPhone case ba0e3633e1e631062b06ffb49df0ea9b_large[1]If you are a sports enthusiast with aspirations of going pro or someday engaging in the Olympics, you may find the GoPhone iPhone case to be a useful tool for sharpening your game. The iPhone case is intended to be compatible with an iPhone 5 and 5s. The case doubles as a handle and monitor for a GoPro camera. The GoPro app allows the user to have a monitor for their device through the iPhone screen via its wireless technology. The GoPhone case then allows the user to connect the two so that it becomes an all-in-one portable camera kit. Depending on what a person is trying to accomplish and their creativity level, it’s possible that just using an iPhone mount would work just as well as the GoPhone iPhone case. For a pledge of $40, backers get a complete product with an estimated delivery date of September 2014.

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Cell Phone Accessories

ShutIt makes your Android shut up when you need it to

ShutIT 20140207024507-3D_Model_1_copy[1]For those times when Android phones should be seen and not heard, ShutIt offers a practical solution to quieting all the bleeps and buzzes. The ShutIt provides a novel approach to adding quick access to device controls by plugging into your Android’s headphone jack. It works in conjunction with a specialized app, and saves you the hassle of rummaging through your screens to put your Android on silent mode. It also offers five additional settings of vibration, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Auto-Rotation, and Flashlight. The ShutIt plug comes in slate grey, capri blue, electric red, glacial white, stealth black and champagne. For at least $19, a backer gets one ShutIt plug in slate grey and full access to the app, which should ship to backers in May 2014.

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Cell Phone Accessories

Ultima S car mount sequel keeps iPhone secure, stable along life’s bumpy road

Ultima S Car Mount c8165357b4dba6ffc089776c124abf1e_large[1]Nik Conomos has designed the Ultima S as a follow-up to its previous crowdfunded iPhone car mount. The project creator says that it also rivals the former model for being stylishly sleek. However, the all-aluminum iPhone holder is apparently an improvement on its previously best car mount, complete with a suction cup of super strong sucking power and an improved ball joint that stabilizes iPhones in their holders. It’s compatible with iPhones that have either a flat or slightly rounded back. A pledge of at least $45 will get a backer an Ultima S Car Mount in either silver or matte black with an expected delivery date of May 2014.

 

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Cell Phone Accessories

KERO keeps your iPhone cable from moving around the aluminum block

KERO Cable Weight 9998a221511bfe129f2252d045740ce4_large[1] Aarrgh! There goes my iPhone cable again! Seems like those things are always falling onto the floor, flying away like a spastic snake. The good news is that Kero Cable Weight easily converts an iPhone 5 cable into a weighted doc. The  aluminum quasi-dock block has slots for the iPhone connector and its attached cord that allow the iPhone to sit upright at most any dedicated charging area and mobile work station. The iPhone Lightning cable remains anchored, docked and incapable of sailing off into the sunset — or falling onto the floor. One concern: because it is fitted so precisely to Apple cable specifications, third-party cables may not work. A pledge of $18 gets a backer a KERO Cable Weight in their choice of black or silver, with an expected delivery date of June 2014.

 

 

 

 

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Cell Phone Accessories Tablet Accessories

Holho holograms float animated images atop your tablet display

The Premise. From Star Trek to Coachella, people have been waiting for the day that holograms become a staple in every home. The technology has existed in primitive forms for decades, but it’s always been too costly and complicated for personal use.

The Product. The Holho Full Pyramid can take any smartphone or tablet and turn it into a hologram projector without any modifications or complex installations.  By simply placing the full pyramid on the device’s screen in cooperation with the proprietary Holho app, any image or video properly converted can be displayed inside the pyramid and becomes fully rotatable.

The Pitch. A series of videos displays how the Holho system works on both smartphones and tablets and how owners can even make their own hologram version of Star Wars with a little movie magic. Imagination Farm which already has a Web site going for the product, seeks 8,500 euros to complete the project: the cost of a steel mold, pre-ordering the pyramid base in multiple colors, and finishing the companion app.

The Perks. Twenty-five euros gets you a Holho Full Pyramid for a smartphone, the app, and 4 videos for use with the app available as early as April or May of this year. €50 offers the same reward but for a larger Pyramid designed for 10” tablet screens. Additional money can be spent on purchasing more videos for use with the app or multiple Pyramids. For €438, Holho will create a video of a rotating cube with photos or videos of your choosing on its sides. Distributors can reserve 50 smartphone-sized Pyramids and 50 tablet-sized pyramids for €3,250

The Potential. While it’s certainly a low-tech solution to the absence of holograms in the home, the Holho system is a long way off from having Tupac do that concert in your living room that you’ve always wanted. The need for it to be used in conjunction with a smartphone or tablet at all times also prevents it from being used as a long-term decoration when you’ll undoubtedly need that device for something else. The high cost of the simple videos and thin novelty means that this product probably won’t revolutionize entertainment, but it could definitely be an interesting gift idea for that friend you met in the holodeck.

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Cell Phone Accessories

Neutron S is a magnetic square that keeps your smartphone there

The Premise. Aaah, vacation time! The car is packed, hotel booked and route preplanned in your favorite mobile. But one question looms as you seek to keep your smartphone’s maps available at a glance. Can’t anyone make a mounting device that’s at least a halfway decent and also provides easy viewing? Ananda Svarupa Das of Bunglejungle has had a very similar thought – only he likely believes that his solution is well beyond halfway decent.

The Product. The Neutron S offers quick attachment or removal and works with nearly any phone or tablet whether in its case or not. Machined from solid aerospace aluminum, bead-blasted and anodized, it complements even top Apple and Android devices. The mounting mechanism consists of shielded permanent neodymium magnets that won’t lose their hold and are hindered by neither burger grease covered fingers, the sweat of sultry summer days, nor frigid winter nights. The magnets offer easy mounting: a metal surface or the supplied 3MVHB tape, which is apparently similar to duct tape in effectiveness — only less bulky and no fun colors for adventurous types. Neutron S itself, however, comes in sleek matte black or attention-grabbing silver.

Its slim attachment disk is about the diameter and depth of a penny and has the really cool Bunglejungle palm tree logo etched on it. The attachment disk goes on the backside of a mobile device or case for easy flaunting and potential prompting from friends and passers-by of, “Hey, what’s that really cool silver disked palm tree thingy stuck on your mobile’s backside, dude?”

The Pitch. The video for the $10,000 campaign was designed with showing and not telling in mind. The upbeat music is cleverly coordinated with the click of various mobile devices attaching to their corresponding mounts. On the few occasions that written phrases clarify a point of importance, the print could be darker so that the words are easier to read. It’s notable that no magnetism passes through the Neutron S to mobile devices, making it safe for all mobile devices. Bunglejungle has had campaigns on Kickstarter before and Ananda Svarupa Das indicates that he and his colleges have learned a great deal from that. They seem to be well suited and organized to follow through with the project.

The Perks. There are eight tiers from which backers may choose. The $15 early bird offers backers a complete product; if it’s exhausted, though, the $20 level will still offer about a $10 discount from the expected retail price. Estimated delivery is April 2014 for most of the levels.

The Potential. Neutron S will be useful to anyone who has a recent metal iPhone and and wants to enjoy the convenience of hands-free availability. Of course, those with plastic phones — and there are many — will either have to stick to adhesive or find some metallic case or plate attracted to magnets. There are other magnetic mounts and holders on the market, but the Neutron S is considerably smaller, convenient and attractive.

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Cell Phone Accessories

ComboZip zips together USB cables for on-the-go charging, syncing

The Premise. People use their smart phones all day and everyday because they’re convenient. They become inconvenient when the battery dies or when the memory becomes full. Because of this, it is necessary to keep USB cables and even memory cards close at hand to avoid losing important information.

The Product. ComboZip is a bracelet with a built-in USB charger cable and microUSB cable for Android phones. The USB cable has a microSD card inside of it that allows for OTG file transfers on the Android. The bracelet looks like a giant zipper and comes in five vibrant colors: black, blue, pink, yellow and white. But the benefits of the zipper literally extends beyond aesthetics or wearable utility, enabling the cable to join source and target up 40 cm apart. The exterior of the bracelet is made with plastic silicone for a durable, splash-proof product.

The Pitch. ComboZip’s campaign kicks off with a straightforward video of the creator, Gary Lap Kei Tao, talking about what ComboZip is and how to use it. He states several times how fun and fashionable his product is,. but that probably applies only to pre-teens. The rest of the campaign shows the prototyping process, the several different ways to wear ComboZip and the materials used to create the battery-bridging bangle. Gary and his two partners (pictured in unenthusiastic photos) seek  a relatively low £2,000 after canceling a first campaign attempt seeking thrice that amount.

The Perks. For £8, early-bird backers will receive a ComboZip that has only charge/sync functions. For £10, early-bird backers get the ComboZip that has OTG file transfer capabilities. Later backers pay a little more for each version; £10 for the charge/sync ComboZip and £12 for the OTG ComboZip. Estimated delivery is currently set at April 2014.

The Potential. ComboZip makes sense for students and businesspeople who run around all the time with their phones and laptops. Sometimes, it is entirely necessary to recharge or back up important files throughout the day. ComboZip provides a way to carry around a charging/memory cable without it getting all tangled up. As a fashion statement, it’s doubtful that many will want to actually wear ComboZip because it’s a bit clunky and gaudy, though the campaign states it can easily be kept in a bag or clipped onto a backpack. Indeed, it faces plenty of competition from other compact cables such as the most stylish popcord, versatile Torso or jigsaw puzzle piece-like LifeLink as well as many commodity retractables. Younger users into colorful plastic bing may not appreciate ComboZip’s OTG file transfer feature and card reading capability, but its place on a wrist should make it worthy of a Snapchat photo from the mall food court.