Nextbit Robin: Cloud-Using Smartphone Reaches $500,000 Goal in One Day
Nextbit, the startup formed by former executives from Google and HTC, wanted to see whether customers were interested in supporting a cloud-based smartphone that was mostly secretive. In just one day, Nextbit reached its Kickstarter campaign goal of $500,000, CNET reports.
"We poured our hearts and souls into this project, but because we kept everything under wraps, we really had no idea what the public reaction would be like," co-founder and CEO Tom Moss said in an email.
Nextbit wanted to reach their $500,000 goal in 30 days, and it took just one. Now, if they reach $1 million, they will send all supporters a free quick charger.
The Nextbit startup is calling their smartphone Robin. It will be a cloud-based phone that will offer 32 GB of internal storage, and 100 GB of cloud-based storage.
Instead of using wireless carriers to launch their phone Nextbit elected to use a Kickstarter campaign to attract customers. Early supporters of the campaign could purchase the device for $299 and regular supporters for $349. When it is released in January, it will sell for $399.
Nextbit promises its phone will be just as feature-packed as a $650 iPhone. The unique feature of the Nextbit Robin is the cloud storage. Once the 32 GB of internal storage is filled up, the device will begin moving files and apps that are used less frequently off the phone and into the cloud. These files and apps will still accessible but they will not be taking up valuable storage space on the phone. If an app or a file is needed, it can be re-downloaded from the cloud and put back onto the phone.
The phone will start to get used to users preferences and only keep the files and apps it thinks are necessary to keep on the phone and which can be stored in the cloud.
The Nextbit Robin will have a 5.2-inch screen, a 13 megapixel camera and 3 GB of RAM. The phone will also have NFC (nearfield communications) to support mobile payments.
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