Etcher Case Turns iPads into a Working Etch A Sketch

There have been Etch A Sketch cases out there before, but this is the first that I’ve seen that’s actually functional. The Etcher case will transform your iPad into a working Etch A Sketch, albeit in a digital version.

etcher ipad etch a sketch case

The Etcher case was recently launched as a Kickstarter project. The knobs will actually work just like a real Etch A Sketch, allowing users to draw straight lines on the iPad’s screen. Plus, the whole tablet will erase itself when you shake it. The case will work with an official app on the App Store, so there is no need to jailbreak your iPad to use it.

The Etcher case is available starting at $60(USD), but there are other versions up for grabs in the next 30 days, and there’s an early adopter deal for the first 100 people to get one for just $45. At the time of writing, the Kickstarter project had amassed $5,295 out of a projected $75,000, with 30 days left for funding, so it’s got a long way to go. Of course, you could always just spend $15 and buy an actual Etch A Sketch.


Insert Coin: Etcher, the fully functional Etch A Sketch iPad case

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Visions of the iPad as a modern-day Etch A Sketch have so far been primarily decorative: they've been more about remembering youth than recreating it. That's why Ari Krupnik & Associates' officially-sanctioned Etcher iPad case project on Kickstarter stands out. Those knobs? They work, and they're Made for iPad certified. And, as the Etcher is a product of the digital era, your creations in the custom-written app can be saved and shared to Facebook, Flickr or even YouTube as a time lapse video. Shaking the Etcher will still erase your image -- it just doesn't have to disappear forever this time.

Your pledge level determines not only what variety of Etcher case you get, but how much control you get over the project. Committing $45 is all it takes for the nostalgic red, but if you spend $60, $75 or $100, you'll have the additional options for blue or a special backer-only color. Those at the $100 level get to vote on what color they and the $75 pledge-makers will see. A $175 outlay will provide early access to the software development kit as well as a say in what open-source license the code will use. Moving up to $210 or $360 will give you that control as well as an accordant five or 10 Etcher cases. If you like what you see, you have just over a month to contribute and make the iPad drawing add-on a reality.

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Insert Coin: Etcher, the fully functional Etch A Sketch iPad case originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 08:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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