PopSlate case adds second screen to iPhone 5
These days, iPhone 5 cases are a dime a dozen, but this one stands out from the rest by infusing an e-ink display on the back.
Look at your smartphone case. If it's plastic or rubber, it's way behind the times, man. You might agree with that sentiment after seeing PopSlate, an innovative iPhone 5 case with a rear 4-inch e-ink screen currently making waves on Indiegogo.
True to its name, PopSlate offers a customizable slate -- sort of like a second screen -- that enables the owner to display any picture(s) on the iPhone as a black and white image on the back of the phone case. To change images, owners can tap the back of the phone twice, or alter a pic through the related PopSlate app.
To power the second screen, the case draws energy from the iPhone 5's lightning power port, which apparently doesn't affect battery life due to the low power requirements of the e-ink display (think Kindle). One of the coolest features not immediately noticeable about PopSlate is that you can charge an iPhone 5 with a micro-USB cord -- instead of a Lightning cable -- as the case doesn't have a Lightning pass-through.
For those concerned about durability, the creators of PopSlate say the screen is made on a plastic substrate and laminated. "It's nearly indestructible," says the related Indiegogo listing.
PopSlate currently has more than $99,000 in funding after just a few days of being on Indiegogo. The start-up seeks $150,000 by January 15 to get the project off the ground, which it will likely achieve long before then. Expect a color e-ink screen PopSlate in early 2014.