Kickstarter Pick of the Week is Vulcan Post’s weekly series where we share some of the most noteworthy and creative projects that pose to make positive improvements in our lives. Come across anything interesting on crowdfunding websites? Let us know at team@vulcanpost.com!
One time, my Android phone smacked the floor. The impact was so great that its back cover came off and landed in a drain. It was about 20 inches tall and had hideous-looking bars. Since I couldn’t reach in to grab it, I called my dad for help.
He came with a measuring tape that had a masking tape attached to its tip. It sounds ridiculous, but I’ll have you know, it did the trick. What can I say, desperate times call for desperate measures.
I’m frugal when it comes to cellphones. I always wait out for my phone contract to end before getting a new one — of course, it then hit me that the new upgrade I got was the phone that other people bought it two years ago.
But back to the subject. I had a lot of problems with my phone for the next two years. It would shut down by itself. The music player becomes faulty. For an audiophile, this is a nightmare. And don’t get me started on the phone speed.
However, with this Kickstarter project, phone drops- no more! And perhaps this just might change my mind about buying only cheap phones. Hailing from Denver, Colorado, a mother-daughter team has come up with a clever solution and they’re bringing it to Kickstarter. According to the campaign page, it’s called Griptipz, “a soft, santoprene, rubber like material that provides a comfortable bumper for fingers to pull against.”
This simple system of individual finger bumps simply peel and stick to the flat back of your device in any array that naturally fits your hand, and the way you use your device. Griptipz give you the ability to grab and hold your product tight – with more comfort and security. — Griptipz
Since we can place the bumpers wherever we want, it works for everyone — yes, even arthritis sufferers. During an email interview, Robin shared that they see them as a potential large market. With Griptipz, we no longer have to hold our phones in an uncomfortable way. With Griptipz, you’ll forget what it’s like to have sore, cramped hands while holding the phone. This goes to show that these little fingers bumps are tremendously beneficial to our hands and wrists in the long run.
With 15 days left, Griptipz is well on its way to hit USD$15,000. A quick scroll shows that the founders are aiming to hit their USD$200,000 stretch goal. They have the backers’ best interests in mind, and they’re giving an extra Griptipz for free. That is, if they share the project on social media. This sweet deal sounds pretty good to me. The word-of-mouth is an extremely powerful tool; it’d be silly to not leverage it.
Also read: Kickstarter Pick Of The Week: RiutBag, Pickpockets Aint Gonna Touch This Bag!
Vulcan Post spoke to the people behind this simple yet amazing idea.
Was the Griptipz based on observation or a personal experience?
Yes, I personally dropped my day old, larger smartphone in a pedicure bowl while trying to thumb through emails! That was the ‘aha’ moment. My daughter Hannah and I set out on a quest to find gadgets that would help us handle our devices more comfortably and securely. But we only came across elastic bands that you had to slide your hand into, or large clumsy balls or popup gizmos that again, were not fit for an individual’s hand.
How did the name come about?
We began to think of other scenarios where someone would need to get assistance pulling against a flat surface and immediately thought of indoor rock climbing. A climber wouldn’t be able to scale a flat wall without the bumps to pull against, yet when they have these, they gain the resistance needed to get a secure hold. It’s the same concept here. We’re all trying to hold these large, flat backed devices without having any resistance to pull against. Griptipz are individually placed bumpers that enable a user to configure a gripping array that fits their hand(s). The name Griptipz emerged as a simple name that gives a user a general idea of what the product does.
It’s never easy working on a Kickstarter campaign — especially if you have full-time jobs! What is your occupation and how do you find balance?
I am a Sales Executive for a global technology consulting firm. Hannah is an Educator. Balance is the grand question. We both love our jobs and developing Griptipz. This is a fun process that we get to do together evenings and weekends. We’ve had to put some other hobbies (piano, painting, etc.) aside for the time being but it’s just a matter of prioritising.
Is Griptipz suitable for people suffering from arthritis?
Yes. We believe arthritis sufferers are a potentially large market. Trying to hold onto iPads and other tablet computers is very uncomfortable. Again, Griptipz provide a much more comfortable and secure way to hold devices.
What is the product lifecycle like?
This product has a long lifecycle with varying shapes, colors, etc. on the product horizon. The utility patent that is pending encompasses varying shapes and colors include surrounds to enable people to easily identify and customize their devices.
If you have to use one word to describe Griptipz to convince everyone to back this project, what would it be?
Folks who have held their devices with this have used words like: “Brilliant”,”Genius”, and “Game-changing”.
Have butter fingers? Head over to Kickstarter to back Griptipz!
Also read: Kickstarter Pick Of The Week: The Drinking Jacket, A Beer Lover’s BFF
