Usually when we mention a Kickstarter project it’s with a mixture of excitement (because it’s like a totally cool product) and disappointment (because it will usually be at least half a year before we see a product, if ever).
However, some of these products make it into stores. The Vaavud is one. It’s a no-power wind-meter which you can buy today.
The anemometer (wind-o-meter) plugs into your jack socket, but doesn’t actually connect to the iPhone in any way other than the physical. As it starts to spin, two embedded magnets also spin, and their movement is picked up by the iPhone’s own internal compass, which is itself just a magnetometer. The readings are translated into numbers and displayed in the companion app.
Two things: You’ll need to use the iPhone upside down, as the jack hole is now on the bottom, and the Vaavud can also be used with those Android phones people talk about, the Samsung Galaxy SII and SIII.
If you want to know the speed of the wind, then it’ll cost you $45. I’d recommend picking up two of those Galaxy phones, putting one up on the roof fitted with the Vaavud, and the other facing it, with a webcam app installed. Then you can view the screen of the first phone via the second, without risking your precious iPhone.
Available now.
Source: Bite My Apple
Thanks: Jackie!
