WHAT MAKES FREQ A BETTER AMPLIFIER:

1.  Loud sound from a small package

2.  Two-way amplification

3.  In-dock charging

4.  Eco-friendly materials

5.  Made in the USA

6.  Cool ergonomic design

A Real Father and Son Team!

Hello, we are Nicholas and Evan - a father and son product development team. Together we have co-invented the iPhone amplifier product we call Freq (sounds like "freak"). Nicholas is an industrial designer with over 3 decades of experience developing products for the medical and consumer markets. Evan is a sophomore in high school with a keen sense of what the Gen Z crowd finds cool. Freq was the result of this father son collaboration combining marketing and tech skills that literally span generations. We have been working on this project for over a year, building multiple prototypes and experimenting with different shapes and horn flairs, working to optimize usability, sound quality, and appearance. 

Two-way Amplification

The final geometry is a hyperbolic flair wrapped on a 90 degree curve. This "patents pending" design significantly amplifies your iPhone's speaker and it also concentrates sound waves directed at the phone's tiny mic, thus facilitating two-way, hands free calls or video chat.

Better Design (the details)

We know we are not the first but there are several qualities that separate this passive amplifier from other offerings you might find. 1. Superior ergonomic design - you can actually use and navigate your phone music or communication apps while docked firmly in Freq in both vertical or horizontal viewing mode

2. You can charge your phone while docked even if you have one of the old large 30 pin connectors (even the old deep one not shown in image)3. Great sound amplification - to a certain extent, the larger the horn the louder (and better) the sound you will produce. The Freq's horn volume is larger than most competitors. There were a couple we analyzed that were much larger but; A. we did not measure any significant improvements in db level B. you could not use the phone when in position and C. They were more costly $25 - $100. Based on our extensive research we know we have hit a sweet spot in terms of size and quality sound delivery which is why we have multiple patents pending on this design. Additionally Freq has a unique combination of ergonomic, aesthetic and charging features that further set it apart.

Where we are now:

We have completed all the design refinements including how to accommodate all iPhone 4, 5 & 5C devices and refinements that allow you to charge any of these phones while docked in Freq. More recently we have started collaborating with a high end injection mold company in New Jersey on the sophisticated tool design Freq will require. This is a great tool shop that Nicholas trusts and has worked with in the past.

In Summary we have completed the following:
1. Multiple utility and design patents protecting Freq's unique geometry and appearance have been filed with the U.S. Patent Office.
2. All trademarks have been applied for with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
3. Final CAD geometry is completed and files have been released for production.
4. Final design has been rapid prototyped, tested and approved for production
5. A $5000 down payment was made to NJ tool shop starting preliminary tool design

What We Need (the details)

We believe we will need $25,000 to complete the required tooling plus purchase the materials and packaging needed to fulfill our indegogo perk orders. Over 4/5ths of that total is just the tooling cost. This will be a complex (but really cool) injection mold tool capable of making over a million parts. It will consist of two halves of hardened steel and some proprietary movements to create the unique shape. Here is an image of a mold tool of similar size in case you have never seen one before.

They are even more impressive in action when they are mounted into a 300 ton press and parts are appearing every few seconds. We will keep all backers updated on the progress of the tool construction with images and perhaps video of key milestones.

Social & Environmental Impact

Environmental:

There are millions of battery powered phone speaker accessories currently flooding the market. All of these require charging or replaceable batteries and are helping to contribute to toxic landfills. This "E-waste" accounts for up to 70% of all toxic waste in landfills and it has become the fastest growing waste stream. Since Freq has no electronics it does not contribute to this problem. Many of the low cost passive amplifiers produced in Asia are made of Silicone which is costly to produce from an environmental standpoint. Our goal for Freq will be to include more earth friendly sustainable materials in it's construction. There are several just starting to emerge in industry. Here are a couple of cool new materials we are considering:
http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/pdfs/businesses/cellulosefibers/THRIVE%20brochure.pdf
http://www.greendotpure.com/

Social:

Finally we are a team comprised mainly of high school or college kids which has been a huge win for the Freq team. They are affordable (crucial for a start-up) and represent our target market so we learn from them while they earn much needed burger, gas and clothing funds. With Freq and future planned projects we hope to encourage and mentor our young team members on their own sustainable entrepreneurial product development ventures. It's a win win!

                                      
     Evan - VP Marketing                Nicole Photo/Videographer             Emma - Creative Director

If this program is a success Nicholas and Evan have several other fun, useful and sustainable projects in development that they would like to bring to market.

The Perks

The cool thing about this campaign is that for a small contribution ($12 - $15) you will be among the first in the world to have a Freq of your very own.

You will be able to specify which of our 3 initial colors you want (Red, White or Black)
Additionally we will offer Special pricing for early backers. 

For a little higher price a limited number of Freqs will be produced with a specialty coating - possibly metallic (see rendering above for an idea of what it might look like). Finally we will offer some deeper quantity discounts for shop owners who want to purchase larger amounts and have a very cool product on their store shelves.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you decide to become a backer we want to thank you very much for helping us make this little father son venture a success. Whether you back us or not please pass this campaign on to as many folks as you can using methods like social media, and good old email. Please help get the word out and thanks - now check out our Perks!