It is available on Shapeways

An alternative to the tacky pad is the custom designed iPhone case, you’ll find more about the HiLO X Grip case for iPhone on our shop.

We also have an iPod Touch case compatible with HiLO Lens sold through Shapeways

The shape of smartphones makes them easy to drop – they are smooth. The size of the iPhone also makes it even easier to drop. Phone cases protect phones when they get dropped but most cases simply make your device a slightly larger smooth object wanting to slip out of your hand.

The HiLO X Grip case clips on each corner of your iPhone. Those corners bulge which means the phone is no longer a smooth object wanting to slip out of your hand. The case material is textured so it has more grip than the glass and/or polished aluminum iPhone body.

The HiLO X Grip case is designed so you won’t drop it. But in the unlikely event that happens it provides protection from drops onto a flat surface. When dropped, the phone will nearly always impact on a corner – where the X Grip case has maximum protection.

We should all use protection but as Durex(TM) has proven, thick rubber is not going to improve your experience. Your phone is no longer a smooth object wanting to slip out of your hand. So play smarter and harder with the X Grip case, sexy protection for your smartphone !

Now you can buy the HiLO X Grip iPhone case from our shop for only $9.95

The case is available on Shapeways – it is 3D printed on demand and costs $15.

Remove the tacky pad from the HiLO Lens and you are good to go.

Some retailers, like the mobile camera accessory retailer Photojojo Inc., take things a step further. They support dishonest manufacturers who steal intellectual property. This type of behavior is not only unethical but also bad for the US economy because it hurts innovation.

Retailers have responsibility for products they import. Consider a recent example where Photojojo Inc. began importing the “Smartphone Spy Lens”. This iPhone camera lens accessory competes with the HiLO Lens. Photojojo Inc. expressed interest in distributing the HiLO Lens, which is a high quality right angle lens for iPhone. Photojojo Inc. later decided to import a Chinese knock-off that is not a lens but is a lot cheaper.

Before going into more detail, we want to be clear, we don’t encourage or want people spying with the HiLO Lens. We developed a quality product to help people get more creative camera angles. Providing a function like a swivel screen, seen on many digital cameras.

The product packaging for Photojojo Inc.’s “Smartphone Spy Lens” used copyrighted images from the HiLO Lens on the product packaging. The photos even show the HiLO Lens iPhone lens being used!

We asked Photojojo Inc. many times to stop selling the copyright infringing packaging. Photojojo Inc. replied “…we have new packaging coming. It’s unreasonable that you ask us to remove the product from the site in the meantime.”

This behavior is unacceptable, it is bad enough having Chinese manufacturers stealing our property. Photojojo Inc’s CEO Amit Gupta chose to sell that stolen property when they knew it was stolen.

This story highlights an ongoing issue of the rich get richer by exporting jobs to developing countries which abuse the environment and intellectual property rights. There is room for everyone on a level playing field but retailers that behave like Photojojo Inc. do not deserve our trust. Please don’t support this type of two faced behavior.

• Make sure any bright light is behind you and shining into the HiLO Lens
• Hold HiLO Lens close to the camera but not touching
• You should be able to see the iPhone/iPad camera pupil in the lens
• Center the pupil in the HiLO lens
• Push the lens onto your device
• You are ready!

I find it very difficult to place the lens by looking at the screen – I’m guessing Michael Jordan would not have a problem… But the above advice should work for mere mortals.

If you would like an easier way to align the HiLO Lens then please check out the HiLO Lens compatible cases for:

iPhone5

Black iPhone4/4S

White iPhone4/4S

To use the case you remove the tacky pad and throw that away. Then you can snap fit the HiLO Lens to the case. It also allows the lens to rotate while staying attached to the case!

Shopify is a service for building e-commerce sites. We had some teething issues but it seems to be running smoothly now. Please take a browse around.

If you did not back the project on Kickstarter then availability will be around August/September. This has been pushed back (from May/June) due to some unforeseen production concerns. HiLO Lens started shipping to Kickstarter backers in June.

I’m sure those of you following the project saw us reach our goal AND our stretch goal on Kickstarter. The Kickstarter Updates catch the excitement.

We will publish less on the blog while Kickstarter Updates are being sent out. I’m not sure what direction the blog should take going forward. More to come soon…