There’s a new fashion-forward wearable looking to make waves in the smart ring space will be arriving on Kickstarter, as early as September. The product is called Blinq and was inspired by the problems that the wearable industry is just now starting to face – namely that form has primarily taken the driver’s seat over style. That sentiment has been changing in the industry, but smart watches and other devices under development are still not going to suit everybody’s needs. Blinq’s rings, which connect to either iPhone or Android for highly customizable notification delivery, are expected to take that problem head on and are already in the final stages of development, according to the company.
For starters, Blinq will be available in 12 distinct styles. They’ll also be comprised of 925 sterling silver & 14K gold, topped with “genuine gemstones,” and available in rose, yellow, or white gold. Furthermore, the company says they’ll be the smallest form-factor wearable on the market when they begin shipping – which is planned for October. Blinq co-founder, David Mamane, says that’s down to the company being able to squeeze a motherboard, vibration mechanism, battery, charging components, LED, and more into a 13mm by 10mm ceramic cube. Mamane goes on to say that the entire ring design was actually built around that cube. Better still, since the cube is comprised of ceramic and charges wirelessly, it will be IP67 rated for water and dust proofing. That’s a definite bonus for any wearable that’s intended to be worn as a fashion accessory. Customization isn’t just limited to which apps or notifications cause vibrations either. Blinq rings include a backlight, behind the gemstone, that can light up in a variety of colors that are completely customizable by the user. Users can also set up SOS Alerts for emergency situations, which are sent out by the user using custom tap patterns.
As to cost, backers of the aforementioned Kickstarter campaign can get their hands on Blinq for a significantly reduced cost as compared to other wearables – early bird backers will be able to grab Blinq for just $149 or $129. Moreover, the company’s ambitions don’t end there, as it plans to launch the rings at retailers in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and the UK after the Kickstarter campaign and has plans to launch new lines of the rings at a rate of 2 to 4 lines per year. Beyond that, Blinq is also working on a bracelet-based prototype for those who aren’t interested adding rings to their wardrobes and the application associated with the as-yet-unreleased wearable is already in the Play Store – which can be accessed through the button below.
