There's plenty of weather apps for iOS devices, but all of them have one glaring problem: they rely on another service to find out the temperature. The team at Robocat have a better idea. What if there was a tiny thermometer you could plug into the headphone jack of your iPhone, that tells you the exact temperature? The Thermodo Kickstarter project is hoping the concept appeals to a lot of iOS users.
Developer Robocat is probably best known for its weather app, Haze. Featuring a sleek, minimalist design, the app is a convenient way to check the conditions of the great outdoors before heading out. But the team's newest project, Thermodo, takes things a bit further. Plugging into the iPhone's audio port, a tiny sensor receives temperature information, sending it to a companion app via audio signal. The result is an accurate depiction of temperature on-demand.
While a free companion app will convey all the information, the Thermodo will allow work with Robocat's existing apps, Thermo and Haze. And more importantly, an open-source SDK means other developers could find new uses for the device.
Robocat launched the Thermodo Kickstarter today, with a goal of raising $35,000. As of this writing, the crowd funding has already surpassed the requirement, and stands at just over $57,000. A $25 donation will get you a black or white Thermodo, while a $39 donation offers the device in an Apple-centric anodized aluminum.
Clearly, it takes a certain person to really appreciate Thermodo's features. After all, getting an accurate temperature reading of the outdoors will require you to actually go outdoors. But all the same, it's a cool idea, and a truly unique use of the iPhone.
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