About this project
We will be relaunching our Kickstarter campaign, which you can find by clicking here: kickstarter.embraceplus.com
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"The RGB color wheel and additional color picker provide unlimited color options, allowing you to save your favorite shades." -Mashable
"This smart bracelet is shaping up as an elegant way to get your smartphone notifications." -CNET
"It also comes in three different shapes, so users can choose one that matches their style." -Gizmag
"Useful if you’re in the middle of a workout or a meeting, the bracelet can be programmed using an app for iPhone and Android." -psfk
"...it's tasteful, fashionable and colorful -- a cool find" -Mac Observer
EMBRACE+ keeps you notified and connected to your smartphone!
EMBRACE+ is a fashion accessory with true functionality! Whether you are in the middle of a workout or meeting, you'll always be notified about important calls and messages. You can customize notifications with colors that match your style and save them in a profile.
What can EMBRACE+ do?
The EMBRACE+ bracelet keeps you connected to your smartphone and notifies you by flashing different colors for different apps and contacts. Choose colors for incoming calls from your girlfriend, boyfriend, boss, a contact group, unknown callers and more.
With the EMBRACE+ you can set notifications for:
- Incoming Calls (for Specific Contacts or Groups)
- Text Messages
- Tumblr
- Skype
- Calendar Alerts (Birthdays, Reminders, etc.)
- Alarm and Timer
- Low phone battery
- Phone out of range
Additionally, we will look into the possibility of adding WhatsApp, Ruzzle and Vine to our compatibility list and we are continuously looking at new apps to add!
Who is EMBRACE+ for?
EMBRACE+ is for those who have a busy lifestyle, and want to stay connected with their smartphones. People who love the design. People who love the idea of combining fashion with technology. People who EMBRACE+ the FREEDOM of colors!
Design
The aesthetics form a universal shape that fits nicely with men and women. The material is soft and featherlight making it comfortable to wear. And not unimportant, looking great whether it is notifying you or not! The purpose of the design is to make the EMBRACE+ match with any outfit or fashion accessory you might already have such as a watch, wrist band, or ring.
A precious gemstone is beautiful, durable, and rare. They often shine bright and flash a number of colors and this play of colors makes them so special. Our designs are a tribute to these precious gemstones.
The EMBRACE+ App
The EMBRACE+ application for iPhone and Android can be customized with a wide variety of skins in different styles and colors. You might want to use a skin cover in antracyt or maybe stylish leather... it's all possible!
With the EMBRACE+ App you can customize a notification with one color or two different colors. You can set the number of blinks, the duration of each blink, the speed interval, the lighting brightness, and a short subtle vibration with the first blink.
The RGB color wheel in combination with an additional color picker gives you unlimited color options. You will be able to save your favorite colors, from shades of cyan to shades of magento, you decide! We will also pre-save some fashionable colors for you such as gold, lime, maroon, salmon, white, and more.
You can save and name as many profiles as you want and easily switch between them. There is also a profile scheduler to automatically adjust your active profile according to the time. For instance, changing your profile set for work or lecture to nightlife or workout.
"Combine colors to create your own unique fashion accessory and show it to the world!"
"Phone in your bag? Don't worry! EMBRACE+ keeps you notified!"
The Technology behind EMBRACE+
We are using state-of-the-art technologies to create the EMBRACE+ and set a new standard for fashionable lifestyle from tooling and molding techniques to wireless communication and optical science.
EMBRACE+ THE FREEDOM OF COLORS!
An image in color is easier to remember and they are often linked to universal feelings like warmth and comfort or coldness and calmness. Other colors can have a personal meaning. Match these colors with your contacts and give the EMBRACE+ a deeper personal meaning ...
"The EMBRACE+ will be made of the highest quality shaped into beautiful designs showing exclusivity and uniqueness"
EMBRACE+ is the result of an idea that we came up with during a night out over a couple of drinks last summer. While laughing about ourselves checking our phones all the time to see whether we had received a message on one of the popular social media apps we decided to come up with a solution. Right away we agreed we don't want to wear a 'device' and it should easily blend in with any fashion style. The idea of the EMBRACE+ was born!
Why we need your support
In order to turn this prototype into a final consumer product we need to carry out the tooling and set up the molds. One of the features that makes the EMBRACE+ unique on its own is the optical fiber inside the band. However, it also requires complex molding techniques. And although we have first-hand experience with this specific technique it is costly.
We also need to develop the EMBRACE+ smartphone application that is compatible with a variety of social media apps and OS based functions. Previous apps have shown this to be feasible but nevertheless a seasoned and dedicated team of experts in mobile app development is needed to complete the development on time.
With our extensive knowledge of materials we assure only the best quality will be used for the EMBRACE+ Our network consists of experts who belong to the best of the best in each discipline involved in this project. We use materials and expert knowledge mainly from the USA, UK, South Korea, and Japan. Labor intensive parts will be carried out in China which we are both familiar with.
The EMBRACE+ will conform to the highest standards regarding consumer safety and environment set by both USA and EU regulations. This involves costly testing and licensing. These guidelines and processes are anything but new to us.
We have both successfully launched multiple branded consumer products in our work and we are confident to successfully launch the EMBRACE+ as well, giving you a totally new user experience.
We see the EMBRACE+ ending up in upscale design stores in your neighborhood but not without your help... so please support us and be the very first to wear it!
Thank you.
FAQ
Q: What sizes are available?
A: Each design of the EMBRACE+ comes in 3 different sizes that fits both men and women at any age. We will send out a survey to all backers to confirm the size.
Q: How long does the battery last?
A: With a fully charged battery the EMBRACE+ will work for 10 days, based on an average of 100 notifications per day, with each notifcation a total of 6 seconds on medium brightness. For example, a notifcation that consists of 3 blinks of each 2 seconds, or 1 blink of 6 seconds, and so on.
Q: How to recharge the EMBRACE+?
A: You can recharge the battery with a charging cable that comes with the EMBRACE+ You can connect the cable to a laptop or any generic charging adapter with USB port. Charging time for a full charged battery via laptop is only 10min!
Q: Does the EMBRACE+ and App work with my phone?
A: The EMBRACE+ and its App work with any mobile phone that uses Android 2.3 and up and iOS 5 or 6. Such as iPhone 4S, 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3, HTC One X, and so on.
Q: What are the dimensions of the EMBRACE+?
A: The thickness of the band is 5.4mm and the thickness of the part that houses the electronics is less than 8mm. The band width is 12mm all along its circumference.
Q: Is the EMBRACE+ waterproof?
A: One of the main focusses in the final stage is to make the EMBRACE+ 5ATM waterproof so you can wear it under the shower, in a swimming pool, during a workout in the rain, and so on.
Q: How to connect the EMBRACE+ to my phone?
A: The sturdy but flexible material of the band allows us to build a push button inside the part that houses the electronics. By firmly pressing a specific but ordinary spot on the band you can turn on the EMBRACE+ automatically connecting to your phone via Bluetooth.
Q: Will the EMBRACE+ be visible during day and night time?
A: Yes, regardless the brightness level you set, during both day and night you can see every color very clear. Whether you choose salmon, white or any other color - they all look great! And, you can clearly see the difference between numerous shades of a color.
Risks and challenges
Making the EMBRACE+ water resistant against accidental splashes is not a challenge. But to pass the ISO 2281 water resistance test for the 5ATM Water Resistant Mark is a difficult task. It consists of several testing procedures including a laboratory pressure test. We have examined our design carefully and expect to deliver the EMBRACE+ with the 5ATM waterproof grade, making it possible to wear it during swimming, bathing, and snorkeling. We can however not guarantee at this stage.
We carefully checked the possibility of pairing multiple EMBRACE+'s to the same mobile phone. In theory and in practice this has proven to work just fine. However, we cannot assure that each mobile phone will connect flawlessly with multiple EMBRACE+'s because every brand and model is different.
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Funding period
- (31 days)