London, United Kingdom – Product designer and application developer, George Sheety today is pleased to announce the Kickstarter project for HOYO, a waterproof pocket for iPhones and iPod touch devices. HOYO is a 100% water- and dust-proof pocket that protects smartphone and music players from harsh and humid environments while providing full-touch control over the device. HOYO allows users to keep their devices within reach while in the shower or engaging in dirty work.

The HOYO Kickstarter campaign aims to raise 25,000 GBP by March 16. With this financial support, HOYO prototypes will be converted to production-ready models, the molds will be manufactured so HOYO can be produced in quantities, and test methods will be created to insure watertightness of all manufactured items. Early supporters of the Kickstarter project will be rewarded with special limited-quantity offers of HOYO kits that will be shipped for free to the United States and the United Kingdom in June 2014.

Feature Highlights:
* 100% waterproof pocket
* Full touch control through the transparent pocket (swipe, tap, or pinch phone screen easily)
* Extremely easy access to tuck in and take out any smartphone
* 100% watertight lid to protect from water splashes and humidity
* Crystal clear see-through pocket allows viewing of mobile screen
* Elegant design with fully durable anti-rust material
* Includes shower curtain cutting kit and all installation materials
* Step-by-step instruction manual, diagrams, and tutorial videos
* Can be installed on all types of shower curtains (plastic or glass) and any type of bathroom wall ceramics
* Variety of colors (gold and chrome will be unlocked when first goal is met)

The main concept of HOYO is based on the fact that a shower curtain is the only separator between the Dry Zone and the Wet Zone. If HOYO is placed on the shower curtain, with access from the Dry Zone and the pocket in the Wet Zone, users can interact with the device when in the Wet Zone and pick it up again when hands are dry and clean in the Dry Zone. This allows the device to be completely safe from water splashes while still providing access to the user.

Each HOYO kit consists of:
* A pocket holder ring which is inserted between the two layers of the transparent pocket
* A rubber seal that is placed between the shower or glass curtain and closing nut
* A closing nut that seals the hole in the shower or glass curtain
* A watertight lid that is equipped with an O-ring to prevent water from entering pocket
* A waterproof pocket that is crystal clear and see-through
* A fully transparent and removable strap that attaches HOYO to the suction cup
* A suction cup that will hold HOYO to any ceramic wall, mirror, glass panel or any smooth surface

Among the many places HOYO can be installed, the more common uses are HOYO’s installation in a shower. Installation of HOYO on a shower curtain involves first clipping the cutting kit on each side of the shower curtain. With a knife cutter, users cut through the slits to form a circle. Placing the pocket holder into the hole, users twist the closing nut. Once installed, users can tuck their smartphones in and out of the hole every time that want to shower. HOYO can also be affixed to a smooth surface by affixing the included suction cup, tucking the device in the pocket, and twisting the lid to seal the pocket.

“My hunger for online daily news specially tech news made me reach for my smartphone every single time I had a free minute or two to read and learn about new inventions,” says George Sheety, Co-Founder of HOYO. “The shower was one of the best moments where I could get an extra dose of the latest news uninterrupted before I went to work or ended my day.

“I used to lay my iPhone away from water splashes near the shampoo bottles until I bought a waterproof pocket. However, it was a tremendous hassle putting the device in and taking it out of the pocket everyday. It made me wonder if I could design something better? A pocket that I would use daily every time I took a shower? HOYO was simply born out of frustration in finding a simple, reliable, and easy-to-use waterproof pocket in the shower.

“As an architect, I’ve been always fascinated by the power of products design and their impact on people’s lives.” Sheety continues. “How brilliant it is to design a software or a hardware that thousands of people will use daily. How it changes their life experience for ever. How they become so dependent on that product and its simplicity that they forget how it first came to life and how much effort was put into the design to bring it to its end form. It’s my desire that HOYO make people’s smartphones more accessible and their lives much better.”

Device Requirements:
* Fits all types of smartphones up to 5.3 inch screens (iPhone 4, 4s, 5, 5s, etc.)
* Fits all phones less than 100mm in width and 165mm in height

Pricing and Availability:
HOYO’s Kickstarter campaign aims to raise 25,000 GBP by March 16. Early supporters will be rewarded with special limited-quantity offers. Early supporters contributing 12 GBP or more can choose to receive either one HOYO shower curtain kit or one HOYO wall kit. Early supporters contributing GBP15 or more will receive a HOYO set that can be used either on a shower curtain or on the wall. After the early bird specials are taken, supporters can give 15 GBP or more to choose either one HOYO shower curtain kit or one HOYO wall kit. Supporters giving 18 GBP or more receive one HOYO set that can be used either on a shower curtain or on the wall. Supporters giving 30 GBP or more receive the home set, which are two HOYO sets for use both in the shower and on the wall. Shipping in the United States and the United Kingdom is free. Availability will be June 2014.

HOYO
Tenn Outdoors
Kickstarter Project
YouTube Video
Screenshot
HOYO logo

Based in England, Tenn Outdoors specializes in sports wear, sports equipment and accessories (road cycling, commuting, mountain biking, triathlon, etc.). Most of their products are water resistant. Tenn Outdoors and George Sheety collaborated to introduce waterproof cases for smartphones into their collection. The first version of HOYO presented on Kickstarter is designed to help users benefit from using their smartphones in the shower. HOYO will later be upgraded to extend its use to include cycling and outdoor activities. As an architect, George Sheety has more than 9 years of experience in the design and installation of all types of water features. Copyright (C) 2014 George Sheety. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.