Mokase, a combination of a smartphone case and an espresso machine launched on Kickstarter earlier this week and is looking to raise €75,000 ($82,500) in crowdfunding money. The invention allows users to not only shield their smartphones from physical damage but also use them for a quick espresso fix, as it’s capable of heating up a 25ml shot of espresso that can then be poured into your container of choice without any toxins, Mokase’s creators claim. The curious case is made of an aluminum-silicon alloy and allegedly won’t heat up your smartphone in a significant manner while preparing your espresso. Its container is only large enough to carry the contents of a single espresso cup, while the process of preparing the beverage is started through a companion app. The app presumably communicates with the case over Bluetooth, though Mokase’s Kickstarter page doesn’t explicitly state that.
Mokase will be produced in a broad range of different models, its creators revealed, adding that the product will be offered in variants designed for many of today’s most popular smartphones. The current list of supported devices includes the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S7 lineups, Huawei’s P10 and P9 families, LG G5, and the last two iPhone generations. Mokase will initially be available in black and white colors, though its inventors are planning on introducing more variants of the product in the future if the initial feedback they receive is positive and depending on what customers want. Given the bizarre nature of this invention, that’s a big “if,” though stranger products have been funded on Kickstarter in recent years, so it remains to be seen whether Mokase manages to gain enough traction in the coming weeks.
Mokase’s crowdfunding goal is fixed, meaning that the project won’t be funded unless it manages to hit the €75,000 mark and its backers won’t be charged otherwise. The campaign has currently managed to raise just over three percent of its goal, though it does have 43 more days to fulfill its ambitions. Provided that this curious invention receives enough funding, the product will start shipping to backers this September and can be ordered by pledging as little as €49, i.e. $54.
