638
Backers
$67,570
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on October 24, 2011.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
Pledge $1 or more and receive a digital CAD file in STL format of the ALUMNM™ kickstand. You can have this file 3d printed at Shapeways.com (or similar company) giving you your very own ALUMNM™ kickstand in whatever material you prefer (some assembly will be required). You will also be able to vote on final Levitatr aspects throughout the development cycle at this level.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
Pledge $25 or more and receive an ALUMNM™ kickstand that fits in the palm of your hand, holds virtually any tablet or smart phone and measures in at only 5mm thick while collapsed. The ALUMNM™ kickstand is machined from aluminum, anodized green and laser-etched with the ALUMNM logo. U.S. shipping included (add $7 for international shipping). The projected retail price is $29. You will also be able to vote on final Levitatr aspects throughout the development cycle at this level. Double your pledge to double your reward.
Pledge $79 or more Pledge $79 or more
Pledge $79 or more and receive your very own Levitatr™ keyboard. Featuring a machined/anodized aluminum chassis, a gloss black polycarbonate face/bottom cover and a machined/anodized built-in ALUMNM™ kickstand, this unit will be identical to the retail unit (projected retail price is $99). U.S. shipping included (add $15 for international shipping). You will also be able to vote on final Levitatr aspects throughout the development cycle at this level. Double your pledge to double your reward.
Pledge $99 or more Pledge $99 or more
Pledge $99 or more and receive a Special Edition Levitatr™ keyboard. Above a standard Levitatr, this unit will feature a “kickstarter green” activator button, slider button and built-in ALUMNM™ kickstand. Said ALUMNM kickstand will also be laser-etched with "kickstarter backer". These units will be custom made for kickstarter backers only and NEVER retailed. U.S. shipping included (add $15 for international shipping). You will also be able to vote on final Levitatr aspects throughout the development cycle at this level. Double your pledge to double your reward.
Pledge $105 or more Pledge $105 or more
MIDNIGHT EDITION LEVEL. Pledge $105 or more and receive a Midnight Edition Levitatr™ keyboard in either QWERTY, QWERTZ or AZERTY. Above a standard Levitatr, the Midnight Edition Levitatr keyboard will feature an anodized, all-black chassis. These units will be custom made for kickstarter backers. U.S. shipping included (add $9 for international shipping). You will also be able to vote on final Levitatr aspects throughout the development cycle at this level. Double your pledge to double your reward.
Pledge $109 or more Pledge $109 or more
NEW LEVEL. Pledge $109 or more and receive either a Special Edition Levitatr™ keyboard -OR- a standard Levitatr keyboard in AZERTY key format (not both). This pledge level was specifically created for our supporters and friends overseas. U.S. and international shipping included. You will also be able to vote on final Levitatr aspects throughout the development cycle at this level. Double your pledge to double your reward.
Pledge $109 or more Pledge $109 or more
GERMANY LEVEL. Pledge $109 or more and receive either a Special Edition Levitatr™ keyboard with QWERTZ layout -OR- a standard Levitatr keyboard with QWERTZ layout (not both). This pledge level was specifically created for our supporters and friends in Germany (you have been heard loud and clear!) U.S. and international shipping included. You will also be able to vote on final Levitatr aspects throughout the development cycle at this level. Double your pledge to double your reward.
Pledge $159 or more Pledge $159 or more
Pledge $159 or more and receive a bonus pack including one Special Edition Levitatr™ keyboard + one standard Levitatr™ keyboard. Share Levitatr love with friends or family. U.S. shipping included (add $17 for international shipping). You will also be able to vote on final Levitatr aspects throughout the development cycle at this level. Double your pledge to double your reward.
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
Pledge $500 or more and MAKE IT RAIN! Two Special Edition Levitatr™ keyboards + three standard Levitatr™ keyboards + five ALUMNM™ kickstands + a taste of Dayton including Mike Sells potato chips, the Pine Club salad dressing, Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce, Mamma DiSalvo’s pasta sauce and Killer Brownies from Dorothly Lane Market. U.S. shipping included (add $25 for international shipping). You will also be able to vote on final Levitatr aspects throughout the development cycle at this level. Double your pledge to double your reward.
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You can still pre-order the Levitatr keyboard even though our kickstarter campaign has ended! Just visit store.levitatr.com to pre-order the Midnight Levitatr or standard Levitatr!
James, thanks for the update. Manufacturing can be a frustrating experience. It's better to get it right on the front end. Trust your instincts. You're having misgivings about the manufacturing you're currently working with on some of the parts. Trust yourself.
I knew going into this that this was a start up. That said, I did not expect this would happen fast. It's nice if it does but you're building from the ground up. Designing the product is one thing. Bringing it to fruition is another.
Keep us in the loop. Keep working to find the right balance of quality and cost. It's not easy to do.
And just a reminder, UPS charges like four different fees to the international (including Canada) receiver of the package. A previous kickstarter project cost me $250 and I ended up paying UPS $123 in fees. I can't pay anymore postal fees, so if you use a shipper that requires brokerage and taxes, please please let us know in advance.
Update coming soon everyone. As for the shipping, if these are the new rules of the USPS we will simply not use them to ship.
Best,
James
Oh my I am a patient person, but please keep us updated every couple of weeks.
I do not feel good reading "Estimated Delivery: Jan 2012" under my pledge... We're half way to JUNE and we don't even have a new estimated date for delivery...
Thank you for the link Stuart. For me another coffin nail for USPS.
But back to Levitatr. Then let's use FedEx or whatsoever, they're faster but a bit more expensive. I personally would spend additional USD 10 for using somebody else than USPS for international shipping.
Oh dear - will this be an issue for international backers:
http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2012/pb22336/html/updt_004.htm (via http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/11/usps-battery-ban/) ?
sarcasm?
can we expect delivery by Christmas?
Yikes... just saw this today. http://www.thebrydge.com/
Hello John,
Update coming today! We have some cool stuff to show off.
Cheers,
James
please be so kind to let us know about the new time schedule
Can we get an update? Been a long time...
I just watched the video! What a great update! It really gives a great view of the unique features. Looking forward to this wonderful keyboard!! THANK-YOU for this update!!
James - all the best - looking forward to the keyboard - everything comes to he that waits - let us know how things are going ... Do not get discouraged ...
James,I'll wait to receive my 2 keyboards. There is nothing like it on the market and not only will it be functional but it is a work of art.
Keep the updates coming!
I would very much appreciate a refund. You're already a month behind schedule and showing at least another 3-5 months until delivery. I need a keyboard now...not in 3-5 months.
James: Very nice update. Thanks. I think you'll find most people will really support long delays in shipment if you're posting updates every few weeks. I know I will. Appreciate the commitment to quality!
Hang in, this description of the details shows great
promise for the product - I would rather wait and
get a keyboard that will endure right thru to the iPad 4 or 5. thanks for
sharing, important technical choices and design make or break
the product.
@Kevin, I will post an update within 48 hours. Please accept my apologies for the silence. Everything that is going on at this time is pretty boring stuff...but I will update anyway.
Best,
James
It's been a month since your last update. WTF?
@Laura, updating the Levitatr keyboard will not really be necessary. The Levitatr keyboard will be "hard wired" with bluetooth 3.0 technology that cannot be changed with firmware. The firmware file for a keyboard is very simple and never really needs updated. The firmware will only need updated if there was a problem from the factory with functionality. Your master device (iPad, Galaxy Tab, etc) may be updated to bluetooth 4.0, 5.0 and so on but these newer versions are almost always backwards compatible so they would theoretically communicate with 3.0 devices such as Levitatr.
Cheers,
James
I've been wondering...is the Levitatr going to be updatable via software for future iPad releases and new products from other companies? Or will a person have to buy a new, updated Levitatr?
@Beth, Update coming soon although not much big news to report.
Cheers,
James
How is it going? Would love to hear the latest from you. I am sure you are VERY busy...just keep us all in the loop; we ARE interested in the PROCESS!
Thanks for the latest update. I understand completely about manufacturing delays and how frustrating it can be to bring a completely new product to market.
Anyone who has not received a sleeve yet and would like one, Please send your address to contact@levitatr.com.
Cheers,
James
@Chahlie, you needed to send me an email at contact@levitatr.com because I currently do not have everyones address. You can still send me an email at that email address and I would be happy to send out a free sleeve.
@Reiner, I think I have just the keyboard...:)
Cheers,
James
Did receive my sleeve today in Germany. It's niiice! Now I need a keyboard to fill it :) does someone know a nice keyboard that can go in the beautiful sleeve??? Someone?
Hi, am i the only one who did not receive a sleeve? :(
@Dana,
Sorry to hear about the foiled gift! As for a time frame, we are pushing for mid-late February if everything with our manufacturer goes smoothly. Please hang in there as we are working as hard as we can to bring Levitatr to market!
Cheers,
James
James, What kind of time frame are we looking at? I like the bag, nice, except my wife opened the mail and found it before I could wrap it for her for Christmas. Understandable to not send tins with the fiasco of vendors.
@Alex, check your kickstarter inbox.
@Dom, Thanks for the kind words! Happy holidays!
Cheers,
James
Any update for the ALUMNM level backers on when those will be recieved?
James, no problem with the sleeve. Also, 3.0 bt is ok with me. Happy belated bd to you and I hope you have a Merry Christmas And a Happy New Year.
Dom
Is Bluetooth 4.0 definitely ruled-out? From what I hear the power-savings are impressive (although with a backlight and keyboard circuitry to drive, maybe the power-drain due to the Bluetooth radio is insignificant in comparison with the rest of the system?), and a significant number of projects seem to be moving with the times, following Apple's lead, and going BT4.0.
@John, thanks for understanding. We are not going to be Bluetooth 4.0 but we are going from Bluetooth 2.0 to Bluetooth 3.0 which should increase the expected battery life.
Cheers,
James
No worries about the tin. These things happen. Focusing efforts on the final Levitatr product was definitely the right call!
Question on the new chip... Will it be Bluetooth 4.0?
Happy Holidays!
@Beth,
We had a fitment issue with the sleeve in the tin. When we ordered the sleeves, the sample they sent was a slightly different fabric than the fabric they used for the production sleeves (we were not happy about this). When the sleeves arrived they had more volume than the sample sleeve provided by the manufacturer and it did not fit into the tin. Instead of burning up a couple thousand dollars to next day air new tins, I made the call to repackage them by rolling the sleeves, rapping the mini-brochure and finishing with kickstarter themed ribbon. Although it was not what we originally wanted and planned for everyone, we think this new package still looks really great for a gift to someone.
Cheers,
James
HI, I just got my sleeve but it was not in the tin? What happened to the tin? It was wrapped with a picture of the keyboard and secured with a green ribbon. Did I miss somewhere that the tin had been nixed for a ribbon?
Beth
Hey everyone!
Sorry for the silence! We have been super busy as of late. We do have an update coming in the next day or so and the sleeves went out in the mail today (12/20). Thanks for your patience everyone!
Cheers,
James
Any luck on getting the chips yet? Just trying to figure out how bad of a timeframe shift you've had to make. Still really looking forward to the project, it sounds from your updates that things are coming along and final design decisions are coming together.
Can't wait to see the update from James and what the "small surprise" is all about... :-)
As a general question, is the Estimated Delivery Dec 2011still on schedule?
@Dawn, things are going well. We have an update coming tonight or tomorrow with a small surprise coming from the Levitatr team for the holidays!
Best Regards,
James
How's it going?
Hi James,
I implore you to go with the "Buttons up - keyboard on" "Buttons down - keyboard off" approach. Think about - it is elegant and simple. It saves having to create an extra button. The fact that you are making the extra button invisible is very telling! You not only need an extra button, but an on/off indicator of some kind as well.
Some things to think about: What is the point of having the buttons up, but the keyboard switched off? Was is the point of having the keys down, but the keyboard switched on? How much more elegant is it to have that state of the keys tell us whether or not the keyboard is switched on? And finally, what would Steve Jobs do? ;-)
Thanks for listening,
Peter
Dionisio,
We still do not have a final typeface to show. If you do not trust that we can create a beautiful typeface and/or are unhappy with this campaign or the progress of the keyboard, send me a private message and I will issue you a refund.
Thanks for your support,
Cheers,
James
what is the status of the typeface for the keys? after all is said and done, i would either cancel or keep my order based on the appropriateness of the typeface. the current typeface is not befitting of your strong design. any news is greatly appreciated.
@Stuart, thanks for the positive comments. I am a bit confused about your light-up logo...could you clarify it? Also, if the majority of backers dislike the auto power-up we will probably try to integrate the power button into the upper left side of the keyboard like you suggested.
@Dominic, great idea on logo. We will take it into consideration.
Cheers,
James