The Pressy Kickstarter campaign proved there was a demand out there for alterntative uses for your 3.5mm Headphone jack when not being used for listening to audio, and a company called Conary Enterprise has released a laser pointer accessory called iPin that fits into the 3.5mm jack as well.
The laser pointer fits snuggly into the headphone jack, sitting almost flush with the phone chasis. The small part that sits above the chasis is actually used as a safety switch which allows the iPin to be twisted 90° to an off position that means that even if activated accidentally from the App running on the phone, the iPin won’t turn on and drain your battery inadvertently.
While the App to run the iPin is currently only available for devices running iOS 4.3 and above – specifically the iPhone 4/4S/5 and iPod Touch 4th and 5th generations – they are looking at expanding availability of the accessory further afield advising this morning that :
The Android version of iPin will be released early next year.
The subject of Laser Pointers in Australia is a bit of a touchy one of late after some idiots have used higher powered lasers for some less than ideal uses – pointing a laser at a pilot in a helicopter is a monumentally stupid idea – but they do have legitimate uses as shockingly: a Pointer for people running presentations.
Operating at ‘Optical Power: < 1 mW (Class II)' the iPin falls under the limits for importing Laser pointers according to Australian Customs
Hand-held devices commonly known as laser pointers with an accessible emission level of greater than 1mW.
and at this stage, you will have to import it and it cannot be shipped directly to Australia .The iPin is currently only available from retailers in Canada, USA and Taiwan or from their on-line store, where the iPin can be ordered for US$49.99 but you’ll have to involve a shipping forwarder as they do not ship outside the US.
It’s a long way to go to get a laser pointer when you can actually get one for a couple of dollars from any number of Chinese websites or even from your local cheap store, but as gadget lovers, this takes the laser pointer to another level. We’ll be keeping an eye on this one anyway.
Would you fork out over $50 for a laser pointer attachment for your smartphone?
