Want Better Sound From Your iPad? Foco-ize It! Kickstarter Project

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Posted By: Dan Cohen

Want Better Sound From Your iPad? Foco-ize It! Kickstarter Project
I love my new iPad but I’m not a huge fan of the sound coming from it. Honestly, it is a bit too anemic for my taste. Sure, it gets the job done, but it could be so much better. And, in fact, it can be. Need proof? Just play something on your iPad and then cup your hand behind the speaker with the open part of your hand pointing toward you. The difference is… Amazing. By simply redirecting the sound that would otherwise go FROM you toward to the sound increases in both volume and quality.
That’s the idea behind the latest Kickstarter project I backed… Foco. Foco is simple, but smart.
decibelsWant Better Sound From Your iPad? Foco-ize It! Kickstarter Project
It takes the audio from the iPad and redirects it toward you. The small device works with naked iPads and with iPads that are in a case and, in both situations increases the volume by at least 10 decibels.
Want Better Sound From Your iPad? Foco-ize It! Kickstarter Project

Here’s some of the description from the Kickstarter website:

Foco is Spanish for “Focus”. As the name implies, this low cost accessory is designed to focus the sound from the rear built in speakers of the iPad to the front using simple principles of physics in a way that allows the sound waves to be reflected and redirected. This results in an enhanced and richer sound experience when listening to music, watching movies, playing games, listening to audiobooks/podcasts or anything that requires sound while using the iPad.

As iPad owners we always found ourselves in situations where we had to use interesting items to enhance the sound from the speakers. It wasn’t always convenient to carry portable speakers and using ear phones for extended periods of time gets uncomfortable. Solutions for sound enhancement exist but they are typically bulky, cumbersome, expensive and do not work with cases. Foco compliments the sleek design of the iPad and doesn’t obscure the screen in anyway. Our goal was to create something small, simple, and elegant that also worked with cases.

Foco blends in nicely with the clean lines of the iPad, uses no batteries, magnets or electricity and is extremely portable so it can go everywhere you go.

Does Foco really work? Sound testing was performed using pink noise. Pink noise is the right type of noise to use to calibrate audio equipment. Using the DB Meter Pro app on the iPhone 4 we measured the difference in sound when using only iPad speakers – 89-90db and when using the iPad 3 speakers and Foco – 102-103db. This shows a remarkable difference in sound output focused towards the consumer. Foco does exactly what it was designed to do.

Foco is a low-tech way to get better sound from your iPad. I backed it for $6 as an early bird backer and you can too. Check it out here on the Kickstarter website.

 

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.

5 Comments on "Want Better Sound From Your iPad? Foco-ize It! Kickstarter Project"

  1. Judie Stanford | April 21, 2012 at 9:12 am |

    I just backed for $21. Cool idea; thanks for posting! =)

  2. Judie Stanford | April 21, 2012 at 9:12 am |

    I just backed for $21. Cool idea; thanks for posting! =)

  3. smilja85 | April 21, 2012 at 11:04 am |

    Great post! Foco is awesome and cheap, what can one wish for!

  4. UDS | April 21, 2012 at 12:30 pm |

    Very nice article Dan – Thanks we need all the help we can get. Thanks also for pledging. We set out to create a device that would not take away from the iPad design, be handsfree while improving your sound, be affordable and work with cases. That in a nutshell is Foco. Cheers!!!

  5. ipad cases | April 23, 2012 at 7:50 am |

    Ultimate product with having very cheap price list. Its really very reliable for my new iPad for a comfortable use. I also suggest this one to my friends for protecting  device in a very cool way.

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