NIK Desk, Audiovase passive speaker and more – Notable Kickstarter campaigns

Each week I take a quick look at several crowdfunding campaigns that I think look interesting. The projects that caught my eye this week include a minimalist desk that can be used sitting or standing, a “speaker” for your smartphone that doesn’t use cables or batteries, and a wearable device holder that lets you go hands-free. Click through to see this week’s notable Kickstarter projects.

NIK Desk

What is it?
NIK Desk is a workstation that has been designed to look minimalistic while including some cool features that help with comfort and usability. It is made with a full metal frame that can support up to 250 lbs.

Why do I like it?
It can be used both sitting and standing. While sitting, the front edge is rounded for comfort. To stand, you can pop up a laptop holder that lifts your laptop to the right height for standing work.

A tempered glass back panel keeps items from falling behind the desk and also supports dock shelves that can accommodate small items, a smartphone or tablet.

Where can I find more info?
The NIK desk campaign is seeking $27,800 for their funding goal with 29 days left in the campaign. You can pre-order the device holder for $199 – $389, with shipping estimated for September 2016. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/726246208/the-audiovasetm-by-shuffle-threetm

Audiovase™ by Shuffle Three™

What is it?
It’s a passive sound amplifier for smaller smartphones the size of an iPhone 6. The Audiovase has been designed to almost double the sound coming from the device’s built-in speakers. The idea is that you would use the Audiovase instead of a Bluetooth speaker.

So how does it work? As sound leaves your smartphone’s speaker the sound waves reflect off the bottom surface and reverberate off the vertical walls as they exit the acoustic horn. The Audiovase’s™ elliptical shape eliminates the muffled sound you get using cups and bowls by shortening the distance the sound waves need to travel as they reverberate off the vertical walls.

Why do I like it?
Unlike Bluetooth speakers, the Audiovase requires no pairing, no cables, and no need to worry about recharging batteries to boost audio levels because it doesn’t use any of those things. You can think of it as a minimalist way to increase volume.

Where can I find more info?
The Audiovase campaign is seeking $35,000 for their funding goal with 29 days left in the campaign. You can pre-order the device holder for $20 – $55, with shipping estimated for November 2016. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ifu/sospendo-the-best-wearable-support-for-mobile-devi

SOSPENDO

What is it?
SOSPENDO is a hands-free wearable stand for your smartphone or tablet. You can wear it around your neck or waist so you can use your device while walking, sitting or even while reclining. There are two versions of the wearable stand, the SOSPENDO Smart can hold up to a 7″ smartphone or tablet and the SOSPENDO Tab can hold up to 10/13″ tablet.

Why do I like it?
I think the SOSPENDO would be great for reading ebooks, but I also think that it looks like a comfortable holder that would be perfect for people who might have issues with their hands and arms. Instead of holding the device they, they can wear it.

Where can I find more info?
The SOSPENDO campaign is seeking $38,000 for their funding goal with 29 days left in the campaign. You can pre-order the device holder for $25 – $55, with shipping estimated for September 2016. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.