

Show HN: WhitePad - iPhone-sized whiteboard - our first physical product - dusker
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/whitepad-portable-ui-whiteboard
My fiancee came up with this idea looking at me and my co-founders sketching app UI's on a whiteboard. Now she needs to raise $6k usd to take it from a prototype to a real product. I'm using one and loving it!
======
cjc1083
Why not just make an actual app that does this + allows for you to snapshot
the drawing? It may already exist (not an iOS dev)

------
prawn
I like the idea, but I think I'd find more use for pads printed with an iPhone
outline. It'd save having to photograph and then clean each time with
WhitePad?

------
vitovito
iPhone-shaped paper notepads were C&D'd by Apple years ago. Is this produced
under license from Apple? If not, isn't it awfully risky for anyone to
contribute to the campaign when Apple could C&D you at any time?

[http://ask.metafilter.com/165665/Is-there-anything-I-can-
do-...](http://ask.metafilter.com/165665/Is-there-anything-I-can-do-about-a-
cease-and-desist-from-Apple)

~~~
t0
You can't patent a 3x5 rectangular piece of plastic. Worst case they have to
remove the design from the front and make it a little less specific.

~~~
quackerhacker
I thought in Apple vs. Samsung, one of Apple's patents that was upheld was
rounded corners -_-

[http://asia.cnet.com/apple-wins-patent-on-a-rectangle-
with-r...](http://asia.cnet.com/apple-wins-patent-on-a-rectangle-with-rounded-
corners-62219397.htm)

~~~
dusker
Yeah, but rounded corners in phones :) not whiteboards. Anyways the whole
patent-thing is getting ridiculous.

~~~
quackerhacker
I agree that some of the patents are absurd when I hear the generalization of
some of them, but seeing as I have no experience in patents (another
headache), I'll keep my mouth shut :x

------
natejenkins
I can see the usefulness of being able to hold your mock-up in your hand, but
doesn't the WhitePad rotate when you try to draw on it? Would be nice to have
a very thin non-slip pad on the back of it. It also would be very nice to be
able to draw, but that has nothing to do with your product.

~~~
davidandgoliath
Nice idea, re: pad on the back.

------
Too
I always find it very hard to draw, and erase, tiny details on whiteboards.
It's like the pen has to be drawn in a certain direction and you can't overlap
lines without smudging them. Also the pens are always very thick. I can't
imagine drawing with a whiteboard pen on something so small.

~~~
charleslmunger
Get a fine point whiteboard marker, I bought a pack for interviews and loved
them.

------
fishsaysno
Useless. It's not actually iphone sized. I also love to have your logo and
useless markings on my whiteboards. Thanks but no thanks.

Also similar: <http://www.thenoteboard.com/>

------
quackerhacker
Cool! At first I thought it was a joke until I saw the intended purpose for
devs/designers....I'd buy one, just imagine I would really need a fine tip
whiteboard marker.

~~~
dusker
The regular ones work well enough for me. I know my fiancee's already talking
to some companies about producing a thin-tip marker especially for this.

~~~
quackerhacker
Just placed my order :) please let me know if you guys do get the fine tip
markers in, I could really see me needing it.

~~~
dusker
My fiancee will be posting up updates on IndieGoGo site about that definitely
:)

------
kamakazizuru
i dont get it - its a square peice of plastic? why couldnt you just cut one
for yourself at home? why fund a campaign and wait weeks?...im totally
confused.

~~~
ereckers
This is the type of thing that totally confuses you? People pay to offload a
little work all the time. Do you whittle your own toothpicks? That's just a
piece of wood. Do you make your own floss? That's just waxed thread. I thought
it was a little silly at first but by the end of the video I'd figure for a
couple bucks it might be cool. One thing I wasn't however was left totally
confused.

~~~
kamakazizuru
Well I´m glad you weren´t confused - now ignoring your ad hominem comments -
all I´m trying to understand is a) why one needs a kickstarter campaign for
this and b)if I had to wait a while to get a square piece of plastic - I´d
rather go to a local CNC place and have it cut for me (or even a local home
depot kinda place). No i dont make my own floss or toothpicks - but theres a
whole lot more work that goes into them & I dont need to fund them online via
a kickstarter to get them - I can go to the neighbourhood shop and pick em up
- just like I could with the pieces of plastic I´d prototype my apps on ;).
Now go learn how to argue properly rather than getting personal!

------
geoffpado
Backed it immediately (grabbed the second one). Hope you guys reach your goal,
this looks totally awesome.

~~~
dusker
Thanks dude!

