As smartphone displays are seemingly getting larger with every new generation, and as convertible solutions continue to find a spot in the market, the need for conventional tablets appears to be in decline. Given the current situation, large-screen smartphone owners rarely see a reason in spending hundreds of dollars on a tablet for the sake of more screen real estate, but interestingly enough a new Kickstarter project aims to bring the convenience of a large-screen mobile device to smartphone users at a low price of $99. Meet Kickstarter project Superscreen: a tablet-like device capable of streaming your smartphone’s screen and act as a large mirror to your Android or iOS smartphone.
The Superscreen looks like a conventional tablet, complete with a 10.1-inch display featuring a resolution of 2560 x 1600, full multi-touch controls and stylus support. The package also includes its own set of cameras, including a 5-megapixel rear-facing unit as well as a 2-megapixel front facing sensor. At the bottom edge, the Superscreen accommodates a 3.5mm headphone jack as well as a USB Type-C connector flanked by two speaker grilles, and the unit comes with its own 6,000 mAh battery rated for up to 12 hours of usage. However, it’s worth noting that in certain renders and photos the product is shown bearing a regular micro USB port as opposed to a Type-C connector. Lastly, the Kickstarter page mentions “Touch recognition technology” to complement Touch ID devices, as well as built-in Bluetooth 4.1. Interestingly enough, connecting a smartphone to the Superscreen doesn’t require access to a Wi-Fi network, and instead the device promises “faster than Wi-Fi” connectivity through a “patent pending technology” able to transfer data between the two devices at distances of up to 100 feet (30 meters) “regardless of obstructions”. However, the startup is rather vague in terms of hardware details and it doesn’t specify exactly how the Superscreen connects with smartphones. Apparently, the product works without noticeable delay and can function just as well even when the connected smartphone’s display is turned off.
Whether or not Superscreen will live up to its promises remains to be seen, as is most often the case with crowdfunded projects. Either way, the Superscreen seems to appeal to a lot of people, as the $50,000 goal was met in just one hour. At the time of writing, a total of $523,319 has been funded by 4,281 backers, and the campaign has 28 more days to go. The early bird package includes one Superscreen complete with a USB cord and wall charger, and costs $99. The product has an estimated delivery date set for December 2017.