A tiny battery powered adapter that makes any USB storage device wireless, accessible to Apple iPad, iPhone and Internet (e.g. Dropbox)
Thanks for looking. Our wonderful backers help made CloudFTP the 3rd most funded Kickstarter Technology project as of January 6, 2012. Please visit our new home at http://www.cloudftp.com where you can get more product information, purchase the product and seek technical support. Do also visit our the CloudFTP discussion forum at http://forum.cloudftp.com. Cheers!
Background
USB mass storage devices (USB hard drives, flash drives, card readers, digital cameras etc.) are one of most commonly used digital storage media. Yet it is almost impossible to connect a USB storage device to recent inventions like the iPad, iPhone or Cloud without much hassle and going through a computer.
The Solution
CloudFTP is a pocket size adapter that can turn any USB storage device into a wireless file server, sharing files with WiFi-enabled devices (iPad, iPhone, computer etc.). It can also automatically connect to the Internet to backup and synchronize your USB data with popular online Cloud storage services like iCloud, Dropbox and box.net.
How It Works?
CloudFTP features a powered USB port (just like on the computer) which connects and powers any USB mass storage device (USB hard drives, flash drives, card readers, digital cameras etc.)
Ad-hoc (peer-to-peer) mode
By default, CloudFTP creates its own (ad-hoc) wireless WiFi network to share the connected USB data. Users just need to join this network from their WiFi-enabled devices to access the USB storage device wirelessly by means of a HTML5 web app, dedicated iOS/Android app or FTP client. This network works independently of the Internet and other existing wireless networks.
Infrastructure (Internet) mode
Alternatively, CloudFTP can also join an existing (infrastructure) wireless WiFi network to share with devices on the same network. CloudFTP will automatically connect to the Internet (if present) to backup/sync the USB data with popular online Cloud storage services like iCloud, Dropbox and box.net.
How are we going to do it?
Marrying our expertise in our earlier portable storage (HyperDrive) and power (HyperJuice) products, we developed a patent pending solution based on the high performance, energy efficient and cost effective ARM9 microprocessor, the same processor that is used in some of the most powerful mobile devices today. Our unique software drives the powerful processor that links up the USB connection to a fast wireless WiFi modem, all powered by an energy efficient power management system, in the tiniest possible product footprint.
The end result is a single, compact, portable, affordable plug-n-play solution that bridges USB storage and the wireless Cloud. Just plug the USB storage device into CloudFTP and the data will instantly be accessible wirelessly to the Cloud, iPad, iPhone and other WiFi-enabled devices.
How will the funds be used?
We plan to sell the CloudFTP at retail for $99.95. After all, products with similar but lesser components are selling for $89.95 http://beagleboard.org/bone.
However we decided to offer the CloudFTP to our Kickstarter backers for a very low price of $69 so that more people can enjoy what we believe is a really useful product. However to offer at such a low price, we need to achieve a critical volume at launch, hence the $100,000 funding goal. Yes the funding goal is high but our earlier products have sold for more in a shorter span of time, so we are confident of achieving this target.
We have already committed in designing the solution and making the working prototypes. Your funding will help make mass production of the CloudFTP and its offering at a low price a reality.
Our Progress So Far
We have since developed the first working prototype which we demonstrated the proof of concept in the video above. We are happy to announce that the first prototype and concept of CloudFTP has won this Kickstarter project the prestigious CES 2012 Design & Engineering Showcase Honors.
Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products across 32 product categories.
We are confident that this will be the first of many awards to come and with your support, CloudFTP will be our best product ever.
