Eddie (President) will lead the Q&A, and Sam (CTO), John (Lead Electrical Engineer), and Chuntze (Lead Industrial Design) will also be on deck to answer questions about the product and process.
Please brainstorm what questions you would like to ask and leave them in the comments below in this update! We will try to go through them all and any you ask during the stream.
----
Last weekend you helped unlock the $600k stretch goal, so now every Jack will come upgraded with volume buttons! We will do this without growing the size of the device.
The next stretch goal will be for a silicon sport case for the Jack. Jack is already water-resistant against sweat on your skin, but if you'd like to purchase that extra protection or to keep your device extra pristine, we will create that option at our next stretch goal. Pictures are coming as soon we finalize the design.
Like always, we could definitely use your help in hitting those stretch goals! Word-of-mouth via Facebook or other platform is a powerful way to do so, and we'll send you an extra reward as thank you :)
Looking forward to the Q&A and Final Week with you all!
Best,
The Podo Labs Team
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(End of Jack-related announcements.)
*Promotions Ahead + This time, a Free Giveaway!*
These promotions help us reach our stretch goals at no cost to you or us :)
1. Looking for Jack Brand Ambassadors!
Would you like to help spread the word about Jack and earn extra rewards? Please contact us at [email protected] and join our new ambassador program!
2. Jack Backers-Only FREE Upgrade + Giveaway!
Our friends at BackersHub are joining us to offer one of the most epic giveaways ever!
BackersHub is giving 10 of our Backers a FREE UPGRADE to the Family Pack (total: 4 Jack Adapters) + a Mystery Bundle full of other awesome products from projects we love! What do you need to do to get this deal?
Click the link below and signup for the BackersHub list to be entered. It's an exclusive list, consisting of Kickstarter backers only. Receive weekly deals on awesome projects and get in on other awesome giveaways like this one. You must also be a Jack backer at a minimum $25 level.
The guys over at OYO Fitness have successfully combined thousands of dollars worth of gym equipment into this simple, lightweight, portable gym. You can use it ANYWHERE! At home, at the office, at the park, or while working out. No campaign on Kickstarter is raising more money right now, and it's no wonder why! CLICK HERE to check out OYO Fitness' Portable Gym that fits in the palm of your hand!
4. SELFLY Camera: The smart, flying, phone case camera
An autonomous flying phone case camera which is only 9mm (3/8in) thin and easily fits in your pocket. Click Here!
Sport Case Pictures and Jack's Amplifier Announced (and it's awesome!)
about 7 years ago
– Mon, Mar 06, 2017 at 07:12:13 PM
Dear Backers,
Thank you to everyone who joined on the live chat today! It was great to meet and answer your questions. We hope we answered everything satisfactorily.
The amplification circuit is an important part of listening to digital music. We are happy to announce today that we've settled on a high quality Maxim amplifier. Some technical jargon: It can drive 2Vrms into 600ohm loads. For those curious, you can see the data sheet here: https://datasheets.maximintegrated.com/en/ds/MAX97220A-MAX97220E.pdf
This Maxim amplifier will, very simply, make everything sound better. You'll hear it drive some great lows and give the sound overall more strength. It will also provide the oomph and volume to drive high quality headphones and home theater systems. It's used in lots of highly rated audiophile equipment, and is specifically designed to juice up portable devices.
As one example, it is the amplifier used in this $70 digital to analog converter, according to their listing:
We're very proud of this inclusion, and combined with our CSR8670 Bluetooth chip and aptX audio codec, we're confident that the sound quality powered by Jack will be superior than that of any competitor.
2. Silicon Case Concepts
We have 48 hours to go and we're shooting for that next stretch goal! Today we've completed the concept for the case, and we need your help to choose the color.
Skin-safe silicon will completely cover the micro USB port and buttons and it will be highly weather-resistant for running in the rain and will keep the device pristine for you clean types. The case will not allow Jack to be submerged underwater.
If we hit the stretch goal, the case will be available as a $8 add-on accessory. We unfortunately won't be able to give them away to everyone for free. However if you want the case, we hope to make the option to purchase it available for you! If we do not hit our stretch goal, we will unfortunately not be making the case this summer.
Estimated ship time is in June, along with the Jack, but we will learn more later on in its development. In any case, we will not charge extra shipping for adding it on to your pledge.
Hooray for more voting! You can place your vote here:
To help reach this stretch goal, please share our campaign! If you tell a buddy about us, please let us know via the form on our main page so that we can send you a free 3.5mm stereo connector. Another easy way to help us reach our goal would be to increase your pledge, either with more Jacks or more accessories :) Jack will not be available again anywhere else for the $25 add-on price.
Thank you everyone!
We look forward to these last 48 hours with you, and then to the next step in the journey.
Best,
The Podo Labs Team
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Vote For Next Stretch Goal! ($400k Reached + Media Quotes)
about 7 years ago
– Fri, Feb 24, 2017 at 12:35:53 PM
Dear Backers,
We hope everyone had a great Super Bowl weekend! You guys sure were busy over the weekend, helping us hit our $400k stretch goal. The headphones add on will now come with volume buttons. Nice!
(note: edited to fix error as volume controls are on headphones, not Jack.. yet!)
We're currently trending right near $1M in total at our current rate, so let's keep it up and get there together! This campaign is growing faster than any we've had in the past, and we're so excited and grateful. Therefore, it's only fitting that the $1M stretch goal will be for you backers to decide.
(Each backer can vote once, which requires a Google sign-in.)
Here are the choices:
Option 1: Jack mobile app (Android and iOS)
If we hit $1M, we will have the resources to make an app that gives you finer control over your Jack. Some examples of what the app may offer are:
Change EQ settings
Prioritize and delete remembered devices
Disable auto-connect feature
Change button press functions
Change LED colors
Change device name
If this option is chosen, we will research these features and add anything else we can think of, and our target for release would also be June. Because we will not start until we hit the stretch goal, we will have a clearer idea of the real timeline after the campaign. Our priority will be to get the Jack itself out first.
Option 2: Multiple Sync Compatibility with up to 4 Jacks
If this option wins, we will work to enable sharing audio with more than two Jacks. This would allow up to 4 people with Jacks to have a silent music party with headphones, or allow you to sync multiple speakers around your house.
While inevitably a wireless signal has some minor delay between source and receiver, we would sync the Jacks together so that they all experience the same delay and are on time with each other.
Option 3: Suggest an idea
We want to hear it! Please do it via the voting form rather than in the comments to make sure the data are collected in once place. Thanks!
These are the 3 options you can vote for on the google form, though to be clear, if we do not hit our stretch goal, we will not be adding any of these.
So how can we make it happen? By sharing our campaign! If everyone recruits even one more person we would very nearly be there :)
and we are excited as ever as we near the midway point in our campaign. Let's have a second half even stronger than the Patriots! (our sympathies to Atlanta fans)
Best,
The Podo Labs Team
--
Here's what the media has been saying about Jack:
Gizmodo: "There are official dongles to bridge the gap, of course, but a new product by Podo Labs offers one of the best solutions we've seen to this problem so far."
ValueWalk: "there’s now an inexpensive gadget that will turn those expensive headphones into wireless headphones."
TrendHunter: "Despite its tiny size, this innovative gadget boasts powerful technology that can help to solve an everyday problem."
GQ Italia: "Questo piccolo adattatore, delle dimensioni di un accendino, si può indossare alla cintura o portare comodamente in tasca e ti permette di utilizzare le tue cuffie con il cavo come se fossero senza fili."
Les Numeriques: "Il existe déjà sur le marché d'autres adaptateurs pouvant remplir la même fonction, mais le Jack entend s'en démarquer sur plusieurs points."
TrendBlog: "Der Bluetooth-Adapter Jack von Podo Labs ist klein, elegant und vielseitig."
IndiaTimes: "This tiny clip-on device brings wireless Bluetooth capability to all of your audio devices -- including wired headphones of any existing kind -- for as little as US $25 a pop."
Early Adopter: "크기도 5cm 정도로 작고 무게도 고작 20g밖에 나가지 않으니 옷이 늘어날까 걱정을 하지 않아도 될 것 같습니다."
Yahoo Japan: "手持ちのイヤホンがワイヤレスに変身
コードの煩わしさから解放され
音楽を自由に楽しむことができるガジェットが登場です。"
---
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(End of Jack-related announcements)
*Promotions Ahead*
These promotions help us hit our stretch goals at no extra cost to us or you :)
1. SuperYR - The Last Calendar You Will Ever Need!
Obnoxiously big, magnetic, dry erase, reusable calendar. The ultimate tool to plan success for entrepreneurs, students and creatives. Click Here!
2. asap Connect: The future of USB Cables
With the world's strongest neodymium magnet technology & 18K gold plated connectors, asap Connect will change the way you connect to your phone forever. CLICK HERE for 46% off RRP.
3. TwoEyes VR 360 camera
TwoEyes VR is the First Binocular 360° VR 4K Camera that mirrors human eye sight. Shoot stunning 3D, 360° or Virtual Reality content. Click Here!
TiScribe-Bolt™: Ultimate Titanium Bolt-Action Fidget Pen. An addicting EDC pen with a unique bolt-action mechanism. CLICK HERE
5. MiiXR | Can your sports bottle do this?! First day specials available now!
BLEND | DRINK | CHARGE | GO. MiiXR is a beautifully designed Vortex Mixer that will charge your devices while you workout. Click Here!
New Stretch Goal Announced!
about 7 years ago
– Fri, Feb 24, 2017 at 12:31:41 PM
Dear Backers,
We hope you've had a great week, and welcome to all of the new backers to the group!
After 10 days, our group numbers 8,276 strong and will have soon unlocked the firsttwo stretch goals: the Navy/Gold option and upgraded headphones. With a full 21 days left in our campaign, we are announcing our next two goals!
Unlocked at $600,000: Volume controls buttons added to Jack
Unlocked at $800,000: Weather-proof Sports Case (as Add-on)
(Stretch goals fundraising milestones that allow us more resources to use on upgrades for you, without impacting our projected delivery time.)
$600,000: If we hit this stretch goal, we will devote resources to adding volume control buttons to our electronics and design, without growing the size of the device. This goal does not include a built-in microphone.
$800,000: We will release pictures and specifications as we hit our next goal. The case will be made of breathable, skin-safe silicone that will protect your Jack against rain and sweat during runs, workouts, hitting the slopes, etc. It will be an add-on for less than $10, and we will provide more information as we get closer to our goal.
In other news:
You now comprise backers from 89 countries, with the most pledges coming from the US (3,446) followed by the UK (659). The cities with the most backers are Singapore (449), London (258), and Sydney (134).
Keep up the sharing! Over 800 of you have claimed your free reward by sharing this campaign and letting us know via this form: https://goo.gl/forms/zH769foXvUTzSzRX2
If you haven't heard already, share our campaign and tag a friend on Facebook and we will send you a free 3.5mm male to male audio connector with your pledge. You can use this in your TV, speakers, car, anywhere that you might need an extra aux connection. If you don't use Facebook, you can use Twitter, Instagram, or even just email someone who could use a Jack, and let us know via the same form.
Thank you everyone, and we can't wait to keep cooking up new stretch goals and hitting them every week. Special shoutout to the backers who are helping fellow backers in the comments section with information. You all have been really awesome, answering great questions and helping us with your enthusiasm, and we look forward to doing more to make this campaign better for everyone.
Best,
The Podo Labs Team
---
---
(End of Jack-related announcements)
*Promotions Ahead*
These promotions help us hit our stretch goals at no extra cost to us or you :)
1. Introducing the notebook re-imagined: the NoteBook |Modular|
The NoteBook |Modular| introduces a new way to write, sketch and soar. Its magnetic borders allow users to replace paper easily and efficiently. Never walk around with unwanted notes and never be out of pages. Click here.
2. Kello: The Sleep Revolution Device for Better Days
Our friends at Kello are building the only clock that actually improves your sleep. Kello is an advanced sleep trainer that helps you fall asleep faster, snooze less or tune your body clock to wake up earlier.
3. Zubits Never tie laces again! ZUBITS magnetic lacing solution 2.0
Simplify your shoes with our high-tech magnetic solution. No more tying, knots, loose laces, floppy bows, or squeezing into shoes! CLICK HERE
4. Stylish, minimalist belts for travel, work & play
Eight reversible designs with no holes, metal or overhang. Each belt stretches for maximum comfort. Simply adjust to your fit & click! CLICK HERE
(Repeat promotions)
5. Onsen | Bath Towels Redefined
No More Musty Towels. Meet Onsen - the towel that works like it’s job depended on it! CLICK HERE
4. JUISIR - Juicing Without the Cleaning
JUISIR is an innovative cold press juicer requiring no cleaning. 8 tons of force will squeeze every drop of your chosen juice recipe! CLICK HERE
First Week Update - Instructions for free reward
about 7 years ago
– Fri, Feb 24, 2017 at 11:43:53 AM
Dear Backers,
What a week! Check out the global push you guys made after only 7 days:
14x funded
81 countries represented
1.5 Jacks avg per backer
55% iOS vs 44% Android vs 1% other
Free Reward Announcement:
As stated in our last update, any backer who shares Jack on Facebook will receive a free 3.5 mm male-to-male connector with their pledge. You can use this to plug Jack into your TV, car, speakers, etc.
Please enter the email associated with your Kickstarter account so we can properly add the free reward to your pledge!
Other announcements:
1. The FAQ section is up and is constantly updated. Please scroll all the way down the Jack campaign page to find it. We're always happy to answer more questions!
2. The Blue and Navy color option has been unlocked, and you can tell us which colors you'd like for your order after the campaign concludes.
3. Regarding Add-Ons: You will also be able to let us know which and how many "A La Carte" accessories and Jacks you added, after the campaign concludes. As long as you added the correct amount to your pledge total, we will properly credit you with your extra choices! We are hiring a service called BackerKit that will ensure this is properly handled.
4. More stretch goals are coming! Let's keep growing this thing together and unlock more stuff!
Best,
The Podo Labs Team
---
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*Promotions Ahead*
If you are not interested in advertisements, feel free to stop reading now. These promotions help us hit our stretch goals at no extra cost to us or you :)
1. asap X-Connect
The world's first magnetic USB cable that's cross compatible with all Apple & Android phones which means 1 cable for all your USB devices. The world's most advanced magnetic cable, even capable of holding up an iPad Air! CLICK HERE
2. Earthy 360° Flowing Aqua Lamp
Earthy is an aquatic LED lamp that brings the qualities of earth to your room – water, light, and plants in simple harmony! Earthy’s smartphone APP gives you full control of the lamp, and let you enjoy your music with its audio sync mode. Click HERE
3. Intelligent Security | Camera Cover - Webcam Privacy Cover
The world's thinnest, most ergonomic and seamless mechanical webcam privacy cover. Privacy, security, and peace of mind you deserve. CLICK HERE!
