Summary
- A novel take on the external power bank has hit the crowdsourcing scene in the form of MagInk on Kickstarter.
- MagInk offers a customizable E-ink display, fast wired charging, and magnetic inductive charging.
- The power bank features a slim design, with a 5,000mAh total battery capacity.
A novel new Kickstarter campaign has hit the internet, and it’s called MagInk. As first spotted by Good e-Reader, a Hong Kong-based product development team called Tmobi has crafted up the idea to outfit a 5,000mAh external battery bank with a dedicated color E Ink display panel.
MagInk features a slim and lightweight design, and it offers 22.5W of wired charging, in addition to 15W of wireless magnetic charging. It’s unclear whether the device is MagSafe or Qi2 certified, but I reckon the latter is more likely. The product is showcased in black, slate, and white colorways, with an aluminum or a PC + ABS shell based on variant, in addition to NFC, Bluetooth app control, and support for both Apple Find My and Google Find Hub.
…the star of the show is undoubtedly the 4-color E-Ink screen located on the rear of MagInk.
Of course, the star of the show is undoubtedly the 4-color E-Ink display located on the rear of MagInk, which can be programmed to display any number of images on screen via a dedicated companion app. User-uploaded photos are supported, in addition to AI-generated artwork. These images are then wirelessly cast directly to the MagInk unit via your smartphone.
“MagInk is the world’s first smart power bank that combines a color E-Ink display, AI-powered customization, and productivity tools—all in one,” says Tmobi in its campaign notes.
At the time of writing, the MagInk Kickstarter campaign has a total of 61 backers, with 28 days remaining for project backing. $5,134 has been pledged, which already exceeds the $5,000 goal set by the Tmobi team.
An ingenious idea that I can get behind
I can’t believe nobody else has thought to outfit a power bank with E Ink
Internet-based crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have exploded in popularity in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. These services make it possible for small-scale businesses and new operations to gauge public interest in unique and sometimes innovative ideas. Kickstarter alone is home to numerous success stories within tech, including the iconic Pebble E Ink smartwatches (which are in the process of being reborn for the modern age).
Of course, not all Kickstarter ideas have legs, and there have also been several high-profile projects that have risen to meteoric proportions during the financial backing phase, only to crash and burn once actually on the consumer market. Within the tech space, there’s perhaps no better example of this than the infamous Android-based Ouya microconsole from 2013.
With MagInk, I have high hopes. The Kickstarter campaign appears healthy thus far, and the concept of a personalized external power bank is something I can genuinely get behind. Aside from the allure of customization and adding personality to an otherwise drab category of smartphone accessory, there’s real utility in programming images onto a small color E Ink display. I can invision using the low-power-consumption panel to display everything from photos of pets and loved ones, to travel tickets, or even a grocery shopping list or a to-do list.
…I think MagInk has room to expand in scope.
Considering how efficient ePaper displays are, color or otherwise, as well as how great they are in terms of outdoor visibility in direct sunlight, I think MagInk has room to expand in scope. Personally, I’d love to see a dedicated version that drops the external battery bank entirely, instead assuming the form of a super-slim magnetic back cover that serves the sole purpose of displaying content on the back of my phone.
If you’re interested in pledging support for MagInk, you can check out their Kickstarter campaign by following this link.
