One of the best things about the iPad is its ability to become an entirely new gadget every time you open a new app, or even connect it to an accessory. We've seen arcade-style cabinet docks that turn the iPad into a platform for playing Atari classics. There's also the Padcaster case, which turns your iPad into a full-service video production system.
And now one of our favorite childhood toys is getting an iPad transformation of its own.
Meet Etcher, an iPad case styled after the iconic children's toy Etch A Sketch. The bright-red plastic case comes with two very familiar-looking knobs used for drawing horizontal and vertical lines, and the system interfaces with an iOS app that replicates the toy's drawing experience.
And how's this for cool: Unlike the original, the iPad version will let you save creations and share them with friends and family. But, of course, you still erase the screen by shaking it.
"I've seen people literally shed tears over Etcher prototypes," Ari Krupnik, principal at Ari Krupnik & Associates, the team behind Etcher, told Wired in an e-mail. "Overwhelmingly, the response is 'This feels like being a kid again' and 'Etcher feels exactly like the toy I pulled from under the Christmas tree when I was 6.'"
Krupnik's team, Ari Krupnik & Associates, makes peripherals for the iPhone and iPad, and after making projects for narrow markets (for example, an endoscope for a medical device manufacturer), Krupnik wanted to build something that the masses could relate to.
Etcher is a Kickstarter project that has the blessing of Ohio Arts, the manufacturer of the original Etch a Sketch. If the Kickstarter effort takes root, Krupnik & Associates may even work with Ohio Arts on product development.
Says a statement on the Etcher Kickstarter page: "We are negotiating with a number of contract manufacturers. The most intriguing option is Ohio Art's invitation for us to use the same factory that manufactures the classic Etch A Sketch. Although it is more expensive than some the other options, we like the fact that they already know and understand Etch A Sketch. For instance, they know exactly what color red to use for the plastic."
The Etcher team already has functioning prototypes, and hopes to have units in the hands of consumers by October at the latest. "Hacker" versions -- pre-production units for those who want to use the SDK to make their own apps -- will be available sooner.
The Etcher team also reached out to Etch A Sketch artist Pauline Graziano to try out the demo product. She's been using it since early April. "It's very, very fun," Graziano told Wired. "It has the flavor of the original Etch A Sketch." And she would know: She's been an Etch A Sketch artist for the past 12 years, and began producing commissioned works a decade ago.
Graziano said the Etcher stays true to the classic toy in a few specific ways: First, if you want a really dark line, you have to go back and forth over it, just like you would with a real Etch A Sketch. She says Krupnik also programmed in a virtual stylus, so as you're etching, you can see the stylus underneath, just like with an actual Etch A Sketch.
"I enjoy drawing on it more than on the original Etch A Sketch," Graziano said. "Don't get me wrong, though. It's still challenging to do anything but a staircase with it."
Krupnik says the Kickstarter platform is invaluable to indie development teams like Krupnik & Associates. "Our budget is low. We can't afford to build something people don't want to buy," he said. "Kickstarter tells us right away if we're building something that people want to spend real money on."
The team's first Kickstarter was a total flop according to Krupnik, only raising 10 percent of its funding goal, but his second endeavor, iPhone-based radio controller iPhly, was a resounding success.
If you love the idea of an iPad Etch A Sketch, you can check out and support Etcher for yourself on Kickstarter. Learn more about the project by watching the video below.
