It’s not a secret the LED lights that most Android smartphones come with these days are pretty limited in their functionality. They’re great as a makeshift torch in the dark, but when it comes to lighting your photography or videos, they don’t serve much of a purpose. Codlight is aiming to change that and more with its cPulse accessory.
Currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter, cPulse is “the world’s first smart LED lighting case … that reinvents how you interact with lighting,” according to its inventors. It can be a photo and video light, a notification light, a desk clock with integrated alarm, and so much more. So, what is cPulse?
At the most basic level, the device is a smartphone case that has a 128-RGB-LED matrix and three buttons. The interesting part, however, is what you can do with it. We already mentioned a couple of things that cPulse can do, such as acting as a notification light or a desk clock, but in theory, it can do all sorts of things associated with light, thanks to the app that comes with it.
For example, you can program cPulse to play light patterns to the beat of your favorite song. Or you can use it to create colorful ambient lighting that helps you relax or sleep better. For your photography or videography, cPulse can be a creative lighting tool that you can always carry in your pocket. And since the LED panel is attached to the case via a hinge, it can be positioned at any angle no matter where you put down your phone or how you’re holding it.
Sounds awesome? We think so. There is, however, a couple of issues. First of all, since cPulse is a smartphone case, it needs to be fitted to every smartphone model individually. Currently, there are versions for the HTC One M8, LG G3, and Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5. You can, however, 3D print your own case that fits your specific device.
That’s where the second issue arises, which is that cPulse only works on devices running the latest Android 4.4 KitKat, so if you’re still using Android 4.3 JellyBean or an older version, you’re out of luck. And then there’s the rather optimistic funding goal of the project, which is a whopping $350,000. This means that enough people have to deem cPulse awesome enough to pledge their money to the project.
The Codlight cPulse Kickstarter campaign has 37 more days to go, with about $3,600 pledged so far. If you’d like to support the project, you can pledge any sum from $1 upward, with $79 getting you a maker’s kit that lets you 3D print your own case for the cPulse. For $89, you can be one of the first to get a full cPulse case, which will later retail for $179.
For more information on the Codlight cPulse, go to the project’s Kickstarter page.
(Via Lighting Rumors)
