Getting A Foot On The Ladder: The Best Mobile Kickstarters
Not all of our devices begin their lives on the production lines of big technology companies. In fact, smaller manufacturers who can’t match the budgets of Apple and Samsung use a Kickstarter scheme to get their new products off the ground.
But what are the best mobile Kickstarters that have built their reputation through the much-loved crowd funding tool? Whether it’s by improving the quality of our smartphone cameras or giving us a better read on the weather, here are some of the best Kickstarter projects that could make their way into your pocket…
What is a mobile Kickstarter?
Kickstarters are creative projects that need funding in order to take them from concept through to creation and eventual launch into the world. Funding is provided through pledges from a community of people, of which anyone can join.
An all or nothing funding system protects backers, who get rewarded at the end of the project, typically with a copy or limited edition of what is being produced or a custom experience related to the project.
Almost half of all projects get successfully funded and numbers stand as testament to the success of this cloud funding program:
$1.8 billion pledged
9 million people have backed a Kickstarter project
2.8 million people have backed more than one Kickstarter project
335,000 people have backed ten or more Kickstarter projects
So, what are the best mobile Kickstarters?
ZNAPS
ZNAPS is a mobile Kickstarter project that aims to take to market a magnetically connected adapter for charging or data synchronisation of Android or Apple mobile phones. A waterproof adaptor plugs into either the micro USB port or Lightening port on the phone while a second magnetic adaptor plugs on to the end of the USB or Lightening cable.
The two connect together magnetically, even with one hand or while not looking. The adaptors snap away from each other easily, which makes the system yank protected as the phone and cable simply disconnect without damage.
The ZNAPS adaptor is fully reversible and has an LED light built in to indicate charging status.
ZNAPS will retail for $9 USD and is currently 25% funded with minimum pledges of $9 USD accepted. The future risk for this mobile Kickstarter could come through the uptake of wireless chargers, but in the meantime there is likely to be a market for it.
Olloclip Studio
The Olloclip Studio system is conceptualised for use with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The product is a protective studio case designed as a mounting solution for mobile photography accessories.
The studio case offers a universal finger grip and has adaptors for mounting lights, microphones and tripods.
The case is compatible with olloclip lens systems as well and these include the 4-in-1 lens (Wide-Angle, Fisheye, 10x Macro, 15x Macro) and Active Lens (2x Telephoto, Ultra-Wide).
The Olloclip Studio Kickstarter is 89% funded with minimum pledges of $60 USD.
Backers rewards run incrementally in line with pledge amounts and include full system kits through to a 3-day expedition with olloclip to tour Southern California.
SipSup
The SipSup Kickstarter is a mobile connected drinking glass that is designed to capture the moments of life in one place. The glass holds an NFC enabled chip and memory which enables anyone at a party, dinner or other gathering to tap the glass with their smartphone to upload their photos of the event onto the glass.
Anyone can upload photos with a simple tap of their smartphone and those memories can be relived and downloaded by anyone, in the same way.
An integral battery, which lasts for up to ten years, allows for memories to be kept and shared over an extensive amount of time.
The SipSup Kickstarter is 7% funded with minimum pledges beginning at $1 USD. Backers rewards include early bird limited editions through to customised SipSups with a two-day trip to Slovenia to see how the SipSups are made.
Weather Point 2.0
The Weather Point 2.0 Kickstarter will end with the production of personal weather stations that plug into smartphones and are used via an Android or iOS app. The Weather Point 2.0 weather stations measure temperature, humidity, UV radiations, atmospheric pressure and light.
The waterproof product will have practical applications under a wide variety of scenarios. Photographers, videographers and anyone interested in outdoor activities will find this Kickstarter device useful with weather and light metering for the exact location, without the need for an internet connection.
“Photographers, videographers and anyone interested in outdoor activities will find this Kickstarter device useful…”
The Weather Point 2.0 Kickstarter is 498% funded so this project is already under-way. The project can still be backed though with pledges from $1 USD. Backers rewards, as with all Kickstarters, depend upon the amount pledged and in this case include Aluminium copies of the device and Titanium copies which are exclusively available to Kickstarter backers only.
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