About
*KICKSTARTER STAFF PICK*
“This is… #awesome! I love it!” - Chris Messina, inventor of the hashtag
As featured by TIME.com, The Independent, Metro, BBC, Gizmodo, Business Insider, SlashGear, The Gadget Show, Engadget, 7x7 and Walyou.
HashKey is a unique one-key keyboard dedicated solely to the awesome hashtag. No more wondering how to do a hashtag on your computer or having to press two keys to make it happen! We want to save social media nerds around the world valuable seconds and celebrate the mighty hashtag’s contribution to digital communication!
"Where's the hashtag key? How do I do a hashtag?"
My girlfriend (@littlemisswilde) and I are both social media nerds. People are always asking us "where's the hashtag key?" or "how do I do a hashtag on my computer?" We thought it was finally time to do something about it!
HashKey
We came up with the idea of a one-key USB keyboard with nothing more than a hashtag key on it. After researching, we found that no-one had ever manufactured a one-key keyboard - although people had tried to hack them together.
"Great! Fun and clever idea!" - Shed Simove, inventor
We have developed a prototype and completed a feasibility study for our design for HashKey with our design and build partners RPD International who have brought other Kickstarter projects such as BleepBleeps to life. We're trying to raise enough funds to get HashKey into production and bring it to early-adopter social media addicts around the world, with a view to producing it in greater quantities and taking to retail if it proves a success. We'd love to be able to offer bespoke versions in different colours and other variations!
n.b. the original prototype in the video and pictures was made with brushed aluminium - and we have made a decision to initially create a plastic moulded version as it drastically reduces the cost and we want the HashKey to be as affordable as possible! *UPDATE* we finally have our plastic prototype....
Possible stretch goal / upgrade
If we surpass our funding goal, we may be able to create a stretch goal to put the aluminium version into production and offer it as an upgrade to those who have backed the standard plastic version tier. We would also love to explore the possibility of a Bluetooth-enabled version!
Please note that all reward tiers including a HashKey are for our plastic moulded prototype first generation version. We are currently creating this and hope to share pictures w/c Dec 1. If you back us you'll be one of the first few in the world to own the HashKey and help shape future versions!
Click here to download press pics
http://twitter.com/thehashkey - #helpthehashtag
https://www.facebook.com/helpthehashtag
Video shot & edited by Clint Trofa
Photos edited by Ben Davis
r.e. use of copyrighted material from 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' owned by NBC in our video, we believe we are using the clip under fair use permitted by the recently-passed EU law on parody videos, but will remove the footage immediately if asked to.
Risks and challenges
I am working with the experienced RPD International on the design, manufacture and fulfilment of the HashKey, who have worked on successful Kickstarter projects such as bleepbleeps.
The timings we’ve given have a built in contingency allocation, and we have given conservative manufacturing and shipping time estimates. We will continue to develop our product using customer feedback. Each unit will be thoroughly tested before being sent out.
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Funding period
- (27 days)