A bag that charges all your devices, communicates with your smartphone, and transforms from a messenger, to a backpack, or briefcase.
Wired - "Phorce Smart Bag Charges Into the Mobile Marketplace"
Android Rundown - "The project that I have been raving about is called Phorce...for any smartphone or tablet...Phorce is gorgeous"
Mashable - "This smart bag charges all your gadgets"
The Mac Observer - "The Phorce is an intelligent, stylish carry bag unlike any you've ever seen."
GigaOM - "As if that weren’t enough, the bag itself is impressive"
TheNextWeb - "Both have just the right skills to make something like this work...interesting addition to the Internet of Things"
Thrillist - "smarter than most children"
SimonBlog - "This awesome smart bag is your all-around gadget charger on the go....technology is much convenient and engaging"
TMCnet: Phorce: A Smart Bag for Today's Mobile World
TechCrunch - "Anything that gives gadgets some extra life is a worthwhile project in my book."
VentureBeat - "Very cool, smart-looking, and smart-acting"
True mobility has arrived.
Phorce is the world's first smart bag.
We live in the mobile age. You can wake up in San Francisco, spend the afternoon in New York, and be back in the West Coast right on time for drinks. Whether you walk or ride around your hometown, drive to another city, or fly to another continent- your trusty bag is always with you.
Unfortunately bags haven't changed much over time, so they're a little outdated. We designed Phorce to be the ultimate bag for the mobile age. Phorce can hold lots of stuff in its minimalist design. It can power all your devices, even MacBooks! It can communicate with your smartphone. It can transform from a messenger bag into a backpack, or briefcase. And so much more...
Power your entire life. On the go.
Say goodbye
to dead batteries.
Charge all your devices.
Phorce can charge up to
3 usb-devices simultaneously. Charge smartphones, tablets, iPods, GoPro and
other cameras, smart watches, portable speakers, noise-canceling headphones,
and thousands of other devices.
Power your
MacBook.
On top of charging all
your other gear, Phorce for Mac can also power a MacBook for up to 7 extra hours*. So leave that bulky wall charger at home, and enjoy the freedom
to work (or play) from anywhere.
Serious
mobile power.
Thanks to its integrated lightweight battery pack, Phorce is powerful
enough to charge an iPhone 5 over 8 times, a Galaxy S3 about 6 times, or an iPad
Mini 2.5 times. Phorce has more power than you’ll need, so it’s always there when
you need it.
Stretch goals
1) Free international travel adapter kit.
If we reach $250K we will include an international travel adapter kit ($30 value) as a free bonus! The wall charger will include free additional plugs so you can charge your Phorce bag in any country.
2) More power.
If we reach $750K we'll increase battery capacity by 10% - without adding weight - by using battery cells with a very high energy density. You'll have enough power to keep your phone charged for almost 2 weeks without having to plug it into the wall.
Communicate with your bag.
Information
at your fingertips.
Bluetooth & app.
Phorce
connects and communicates with your smartphone via Bluetooth. The Phorce app (iOS &
Android) shows you exactly how much power your bag has left and what you can
do with it. Intuitive graphics display the exact number of times Phorce can still charge your devices, like your phone. You can also
ask Phorce to send you notifications, for example a reminder to charge Phorce when its battery's running low.
Loss prevention.
Did
you forget your bag?
Forever yours.
Losing your
bag means losing a lot of valuable possessions: your laptop, tablet, keys, money, your personal files & documents, and -of course- your bag.
Whether you forget your bag when rushing out the door in the morning, leaving a
restaurant or coffee shop, getting off a plane, metro, or train, or out of a
taxi - you’ll receive a notification on your phone as soon as Phorce is outside
of your range, so you can quickly run back and rescue it from the evil clutches of your arch nemesis.
Transform.
3 bags. As
easy as 1-2-3.
Messenger.
Backpack. Briefcase.
What we bring, where we
go, how we get there, and what we do once we get there varies from day to day.
Phorce can adjust itself to your needs, thanks to its unique construction and
strap system. Phorce can transform from a messenger bag, to a backpack, or
briefcase in a matter of seconds, so you can carry it however you want to.
Transforming Phorce requires no additional components, and can be done on the
go, in a matter of seconds.
Full
360-degree expansion.
Need to bring a lot of
stuff? Phorce has a 360-degree expansion zipper you can quickly create over 240
cubic inches (4000 cm3)
of extra space. Why choose between a compact bag and one that holds a
lot of stuff, when you can have both?
Travel
superstar.
A
frequent flyer’s best friend.
Enjoy the journey.
Phorce makes traveling
more enjoyable. An especially-designed opening on its back allows you to slide
Phorce over the telescopic handles of your trolley, so you can enjoy hands- and
shouldersfree travel. Phorce also has a direct-access laptop pocket to quickly
remove and insert your MacBook or laptop, making security checks less of a
hassle. Keep your phone charged for over a week without bringing a wall charger
or travel adapter. With mobile power for all your devices, multiple carrying
modes, and expandability, Phorce is a traveler’s best friend.
Advanced
materials.
Clean.
Organized. Safe. Dry.
Organized.
With its cable
management system and dedicated pockets for all your devices, Phorce keeps your
gear organized. Its A4-sized front pocket and spacious main compartment are
perfect for bringing along paper, pens, magazines, books, water bottles, and lots
of other stuff.
Comfortable.
Magnetic black suede handles, rich padding for your shoulders & back, and anti-slip shoulder straps make Phorce very comfortable to carry - even for long periods of time.
Protect
your gear.
Phorce is constructed
out of a durable, water-resistant, custom-coated fabric, and features
waterproof zippers to keep your gear dry. Impact-resistant padding protects
your devices against shocks and bumps.
No more fingerprints.
Phorce’s laptop compartment, tablet, and smartphone pockets are lined with a special fabric that automatically cleans your devices. It’s also very smooth, making it easy to insert or remove your devices. That means hassle-free device access, and fingerprint-free displays.
Light
and compact.
Comfortable
& Dynamic.
Engineered
for comfort.
Despite all its
features and technology, Phorce's weight is comparable to other premium bags at just 3.7 lbs (1.7 kg). This means Phorce is light enough to comfortably carry around all day.
Designed for
movement.
Phorce’s minimalist design allows it to be very compact while offering maximal internal storage
space. Its compact form factor makes it easy to move
around in crowds and tight spaces. This makes it ideal for airports, metros, shops, and
crowded sidewalks.
Tech Specs.
Phorce for USB. Phorce for Mac.
Phorce for USB or Phorce for Mac?
Phorce comes in 2 versions: Phorce for USB and Phorce for Mac. Both bags have the complete Phorce feature set, wireless technology, and the same powerful lightweight battery. However, while Phorce for USB can charge phones, tablets, cameras, and thousands of other USB-devices on the go, Phorce for Mac can also power MacBooks.
Phorce for USB is great for tablet users and Windows laptop users, or for MacBook users who don't need extra power for their MacBooks. It keeps all your other devices charged and fits most Windows laptops up to 14-inches, such as the 14-inch HP Envy, and all MacBooks up to the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Phorce for Mac is great for MacBook users who -besides keeping all their other gear charged- would like to be able to use their MacBooks for hours longer without plugging into the wall.
Colors.
Phorce comes in 4 colors: black, red, dark green, and 'voter's choice' which you'll get to vote on as a backer. You'll have 4 great colors to choose from.
About
us.
Hello world.
We’re experienced at getting new products to market, and we're thankful to have a great team of mentors and advisors that we continue to learn from. Together we have all the bases covered, from product development, to design for manufacturing, production, supply chain management, quality control, and logistics.
Marijn
Berk.
Marijn has a background in consumer
electronics, nanotechnology, and portable power. His previous company made
solar chargers that enabled off-grid consumers in the developing world to
charge their mobile phones, resulting in iF and Reddot design awards. Marijn
was also awarded a Global Scholarship by the Kauffman Foundation, enabling him
to take classes at Harvard, Stanford, and MIT, and check out Silicon Valley. In
2011 Marijn was named Dutch young entrepreneur of the year by Sprout magazine. Marijn
is a speaker at various events (TEDx, Entrepreneur’s Organization, etc.) and a
Startup Chile alumni. He is passionate about portable & clean energy, and
making mobile devices truly mobile. Marijn loves to travel- he once visited 6
developing countries in a single 2 week trip, bringing nothing but a phone,
wallet, and passport. Yes, and pants too.
James
Jeffrey.
James has designed and shipped
bags for over 10 years for major bag brands like Knomo and Crumpler. This even
placed him in Vietnam for 3 years as head of design- working closely with
factories to have his team’s designs made and shipped. James is a brand new father, and a running enthusiast, having just completed a 50K run for charity. Once on a Phorce company trip, James managed to break 5 bathroom wall tiles with his head. In one blow. He went KO, walked it off, and got right back to work. Nothing can stop these guys from getting this awesome product in your hands - not even a minor concussion.
Team
Phorce.
Finally, we have a great team of
partners and mentors that have set up factories all over the world, and have developed,
manufactured, and shipped bags, performance sports shoes, portable batteries,
apparel, and nanotech solar panels.
Production planning.
Getting Phorce built: a detailed outline.
Here's a detailed outline of our actual production planning.
December 2012: Select partners.
- Final selection of manufacturers, suppliers, and logistics providers: We're working with a great bag maker, Mr. Ahn Duc and his team at MK IMAX. James and him used to work together for an Australian bag brand and have known each other for years. We're also talking to many other manufacturers, suppliers, and logistics providers. This decision depends on the number of bags we end up making. We are talking to people that focus on low/mid volume orders of high-quality products, to ensure that every Phorce bag is made with the utmost care and attention.
- The world ends.
January 2013: Design For Manufacturing (DFM).
- Take the final steps to get the Phorce bag and integrated electronics ready for production.
- Finalize smartphone app.
February 2013: Final testing & Moulds.
- Extensive pre-production testing of electronics & app to ensure perfection.
- Order materials & components.
- Make injection moulds. These are used to make a strong protective housing for Phorce's electronics.
March & April 2013: Make & Ship.
- Start production run (the production run takes around 60 days)
- Product certifications (CE, RoHS, etc.). We want Phorce to be tough, durable, and environmentally friendly.
- Final assembly and quality control.
- Ship.
May 2013: Delivery.
- Phorce is delivered to customers.
- Smartphone app available in Android & iOS app store.
- Time for you to download the app and unbox your Phorce bag!
May 2013 - Eternity: You're awesome!
We really appreciate your support, and we'll always be grateful for enabling us to bring Phorce into the world. We hope you'll enjoy your new Phorce bag, wherever life may take you next.
Risks and challenges Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Getting a product made and shipped is fun & exciting, and we can't wait to share this experience with you. Of course there are risks to mitigate and challenges to overcome as we get the product ready for production, set up manufacturing, and get Phorce made and shipped.
We've designed Phorce with production in mind, and now we'll need to take the next steps to finalize that process. The bags used in the video are functional prototypes, and the images above are actual photos (no renderings), so what you see is what you get.
Please have a look at the detailed outline of our production planning to find out more about our next steps.
Our goal is to ship excellent products that you'll love- on time and without any flaws.
FAQ
-
Phorce can connect to Android and iOS devices via Bluetooth, using the Phorce app. This includes iPhones, iPods, iPads, Samsung Galaxy S3, HTC, etc. As long as your phone is either an iPhone or an Android device, you can connect it with Phorce.
-
Phorce has 3 usb-ports, so as long as you have a usb-cable for your device, you can plug it in and charge it. This means Phorce can charge virtually all smartphones and tablets on the go, but also numerous noise-cancelling headphones, cameras, and thousands of other devices.
-
Phorce for Mac connects to your MacBook via an Apple Magsafe Airline adapter (this is included). This was originally designed by Apple to power MacBooks in-flight, but with Phorce it can power your MacBook anywhere. Phorce doesn’t charge but powers Macbooks. There are several reasons Phorce powers instead of charges MacBooks: 1) Apple’s Magsafe Airline adapter does not support charging (this is a restriction of Apple's adapter). 2) Charging is inefficient and results in losses due to DC/AC inversion and AC/DC conversion, so powering gives you more hours of use. 3) Powering instead of charging prevents Phorce from quickly pouring all its power into your MacBook. This way Phorce can power your Macbook for hours, and you’ll still have enough juice left to charge your other mobile devices.
-
Phorce only powers MacBooks (Phorce for Mac). However, Phorce for USBcan hold most other laptops up to 14 inches, and it can charge all your other devices.
-
Phorce comes with a compact wall charger. Simply plug it into the wall and it will fully charge in just 4 hours. The wall charger works with 110-240V, so you can charge it anywhere in the world.
-
Our video was made by Helemaalloos Productions. We really enjoyed working with them and highly recommend them. www.helemaalloos.nl
-
Yes, the Phorce app is 100% free.
-
It’s really easy! You don’t have to remove your stuff from your bag, and transforming it takes under 20 seconds. It’s very easy and requires no additional components, so it can be done on the go. Seeing is believing, so have a look at the video posted in our first update to see it with your own eyes!
-
Yes, you can customize your settings in the Phorce app: you can select which notifications (if any) you want to receive, and whether they are silent or with sound.
-
Yes! There will be a Phorce app for both iPhone and Android. Also, Phorce for Mac and Phorce for USB both have 3 USB charging ports, so you can plug in any USB-device that you want using the cable you already have. Your cables will be neatly organized inside your bag as you can see in the video above. This means you can plug in & charge virtually all smartphones and tablets (Samsung, new & old iPhones/iPads, HTC, Blackberry, etc.), but also thousands of other devices like various cameras, wireless/noise-cancelling headphones, etc. Phorce can charge up to 3 devices at once. The laptop pocket fits most laptops up to 14 inches, and all MacBooks up to 15 inches.
-
Phorce connects to your phone via bluetooth, and when this connection is lost it sends you a message (see video above). Because it's bluetooth you don't need data for the feature to work, so it's free to use domestically as well as abroad.
799
Backers
$199,950
pledged of $150,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding period
Nov 20, 2012 -
Dec 22, 2012
- First created · 2 backed
- Marijn B. Berk 549 friends
- Website: getphorce.com
Pledge $1 or more
65 backers
Enjoy the ride! You'll receive fun, interesting, and exciting updates as we move forward to bring Phorce into the world.
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Pledge $119 or more
29 backers
NEW! Get Phorce in the color of your choice (black, red, green, or voter's choice). No integrated battery or electronics. You'll get the awesome, water-resistant, 3-in-1 Phorce bag that holds, protects, and cleans all your devices, expands, slides over trolley handles, and that you can easily turn into a backpack, a briefcase, or a messenger.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $25 to ship outside the USPledge $199 or more
246 backers Limited (4 of 250 left)
EARLY BIRDS Help us get a running start! Get Phorce for USB in the color of your choice (black, red, green, or voter's choice). This will retail for $349.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $35 to ship outside the USPledge $219 or more
60 backers
Get Phorce for USB in the color of your choice (black, red, green, or voter's choice).
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $35 to ship outside the USPledge $260 or more
21 backers
Kickstarter Exclusive. Get Phorce for USB in the color of your choice (black, red, green, or voter's choice), personalized with a metal bag tag engraved with your name.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $35 to ship outside the USPledge $279 or more
250 backers All gone!
EARLY BIRDS Help us get a running start! Get Phorce for Mac in the color of your choice (black, red, green, or voter's choice). This will retail for $449.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $35 to ship outside the USPledge $299 or more
89 backers
Get Phorce for Mac in the color of your choice (black, red, green, or voter's choice).
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $35 to ship outside the USPledge $340 or more
29 backers
Kickstarter Exclusive. Get Phorce for Mac in the color of your choice (black, red, green, or voter's choice), personalized with a metal bag tag engraved with your name.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Add $35 to ship outside the USPledge $1,000 or more
1 backer Limited (9 of 10 left)
Collector's Special. You receive the Kickstarter Exclusive (Phorce for USB or Phorce for Mac - you decide), and you'll get one of the first 10 Phorce bags made, engraved with the bag number and signatures of the team. First come, first serve.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Pledge $5,000 or more
1 backer
Behind the scenes. You receive the Kickstarter Exclusive (Phorce for USB or Phorce for Mac - you decide) and you are invited to join us on a factory visit. We'll show you the entire process, and you can see your own bag being created in front of your eyes. You'll leave with a brand new bag and a great experience. Complimentary fun. Flights and hotels not included.
Estimated delivery: May 2013Pledge $10,000 or more
0 backers
Amsterdam Special. You receive the Kickstarter Exclusive (Phorce for USB or Phorce for Mac - you decide) and your name will be on every shipping box of the entire first production run of Phorce bags. We'll also invite you and a friend to Amsterdam for a weekend where we'll personally hand over your bag and lots of other Phorce swag. You'll get to stay on a very cool houseboat in the center of Amsterdam. To celebrate, we'll show you around, take you out for dinner, and other fun stuff. We'll personally tell you about all things Phorce, and you'll have a head smashing, tile crushing good time. Flights not included.
Estimated delivery: Jun 2013
