snapzoom
Latest
Insert Coin: Snapzoom gives Kickstarters a crack at its smartphone scope adapter (video)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Snapzoom stole a lot of hearts at Engadget Expand, but it didn't quite steal enough votes to win our Insert Coin contest. Now you can exact some justice, as the smartphone adapter for binoculars, telescopes and microscopes is up for grabs on Kickstarter to let you zoom in on the moon, bacteria or whatever else you can think of. So far it's vacuumed up $15,000 toward its $55,000 goal, and while the early bird offer is sold out, backers can still grab one starting at $60, a hefty discount from the final $80 retail price. For $90, you'll even get a basic 10x25 compact Bushnell travel binocular tossed in, so if you want to see what made our Insert Coin judges go zoom-crazy, hit the source or video after the jump.
Snapzoom Kickstarter wants to marry your iPhone with binoculars or a telescope
Your iPhone's camera is great for those wide-angle or panoramic shots, but the lens just isn't that wonderful for telephoto images. Daniel Fujikake and Mac Nguyen of HI Resolution Enterprises discovered quite by accident that by holding an iPhone camera up to a pair of binoculars, they could get some amazing video and still images of surfing action. Out of that realization came the inspiration for a universal smartphone adapter that connects to binoculars, telescopes or spotting scopes to give your phone "bionic eyes." That potential product is now a Kickstarter called Snapzoom, just launched today and looking for your support. [The Snapzoom prototype was one of the competitors in our sister site Engadget's Insert Coin competition at the recent Expand conference. –Ed.] Fujikake and Nguyen hope to raise US$55,000 towards the goal of making Snapzoom a reality. The adapter works with just about any smartphone, a nice feature when you hear Tim Cook making comments like "we'll make a larger iPhone when there are no limitations that arise by doing so." Snapzoom is significantly different from the standard telephoto iPhone cases you can purchase from Photojojo and the like. Rather than fitting inexpensive optics to the iPhone, Snapzoom can take advantage of quality binoculars or scopes that you already own. The duo has some spectacular video and still images on their Kickstarter page, and you can get a look at just how clear and impressive the view is through standard binoculars from the video embedded below. You can back the project and get a discount on the Snapzoom (it will normally retail for US$79.95) if you jump out there quickly; over a quarter of the $45 pledges were gone within about a half hour of the project going live.
The Daily Roundup for 03.16.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Insert Coin finalist: Snapzoom scope smartphone adapter hands-on
One of five finalists in our first-annual Insert Coin: New Challengers competition, the Snapzoom is an adapter that lets you connect a smartphone to a telescope or a pair of binoculars for some long-range snapshots. We gave you a brief look at the product earlier in our contest, but we went hands-on with the Snapzoom ahead of Engadget Expand -- with the San Francisco Bay serving as our test subject, no less. The Snapzoom isn't the only product of its kind, but it stands out for being universal. Though we tested the adapter with an iPhone 5, it will work with virtually every smartphone, thanks to adjustable clamps. Connecting the handset (in its case) to a set of binoculars was seamless: we just attached the device via the self-centering clamps and tightened it into place. It's easy to get excited when the setup brings you up close and personal with Alcatraz, but Snapzoom basically assumes you have some stunning imagery to shoot. We'll have to wait and see how our elite panel of Insert Coin judges thinks this contestant stacks up. In the meantime, check out the video demo past the break.%Gallery-182995%
Insert Coin semifinalist: Snapzoom connects any scope to any smartphone
There are adapters out there that allow you to hook up your phone with a telescope or a pair of binoculars. Most of them, though, aren't universal. And we mean that on both sides of the equation -- they won't connect to all scopes or all phones. Snapzoom wants to be all things to those with a hankering for long distance photography, such as bird watchers or amateur astronomers. The solution is so simple that it actually stuns us that no one had thought of it before. That's not to say there isn't a lot of smart design involved, but ultimately the Snapzoom boils down to a set of adjustable clamps that provide an incredible amount of freedom. While image quality will rest largely on your choice of smartphone, there's no shortage of incredible shooters out there that you can slide into the mount. Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!
