Poppy the 3D View-Master for the iPhone Generation

What kid from the 80’s didn’t have a View-Master? A number of toys have started to transform the iPhone into a 3D viewer. Poppy plans to up the anity by adding 3D photo and video capture to the mix. The device, which contains no electronics, is about the size of medium pair of binoculars and features a slot which accepts an iPhone 5(s) or iPhone 4(s) with special adapters. It’s launched on Kickstarter for $49, along with a matching app. I had to back this project and recently recieveed it. I had to take it for a spin and it worked like a charm, even for my 6 year old son.

How does Poppy actually work? Poppy contains a bunch of lenses and mirrors which turn the handset into both a 3D display and a 3D camera. It lets you view any side-by-side 3D content (including YouTube) by simply looking into the device’s viewfinder. Capture mode is enabled by rotating the front part of the casing 180 degrees — this lines up the optics with the iPhone’s camera. The device includes thumb cutouts to access the screen while you’re holding it and exposes the phone’s volume buttons. It also comes with a matching app that makes it easy to view and capture content using the handset’s volume buttons — it’s pretty simple, really. I recorded a video and captured a few pictures. The results were quite convincing and, best of all, Poppy was a lot of fun to play with. If you can’t wait to get our hands on a unit, here is a link for $10 off the normal price for $59.95.