Update: The Mudita Pure campaign on Kickstarter was funded 100% in an hour.
The Witcher, a gripping RPG that needs no introduction, is set to come to a new medium this year: television. Netflix is making the book-turned-game into a TV show, with Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. As this new project unfolds, CD Projekt, the game developer that released the story in 2007 for the first time, is focusing on Cyberpunk 2077 and… much more. Michal Kicinski, one of the founders of CD Projekt, is taking the mobile world by storm with a daring proposition: a 140 gr phone free of digital distractions, including social media.
Michal, an entrepreneur who bought his first computer at age 13 with money from recycling bottles and paper, lived and breathed technology his entire life. Almost two decades of hard work at CD Projekt took their toll and the businessman realized he could no longer continue with the same hectic schedule and sleepless nights.
“I spent 18 years building CD Projekt, not having time for anything else. More and more often I thought: wait, there is much more to discover in this life. It could be more conscious, more full of colours, views, experiences.”
He took a step back from the company, settling on having just some shares but not do any active work. Suddenly, with all that free time on his hands, he could focus on bringing “a positive change into people’s lives.”
To feed not just the body, but the spirit, too, Michal worked to open a resort in Peru, “where groups mostly come for practicing yoga, meditation and learning about healthy eating, or another place in Urle, close to Warsaw.”
How did technology fit in his new way of viewing and living life? In a much more subdued manner, free of digital distractions and focused on users’ wellbeing.
Michal created Mudita, a company that wants to “ take away the pressures of social media and our always-online attitude through education and the stripping back of unnecessary tech elements of everyday products to focus on living our lives offline. We want to help people build a more balanced and healthier relationship with technology.”
The first product coming out from Mudita is Mudita Pure, a very light phone with the lowest possible radiation level.
Mudita Pure has a Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) head value of 0.08 W/kg thanks to an invention by scientist Przemek Kitowski.
It has a weight of 140 grams and a very Scandinavian-inspired look with a 2.84” E Ink display with a resolution of 600×480 and a PPI of 270, supporting 16 grayscale. It has a customized front light with a temperature of approximately 3800K to limit your exposure to blue light, helping with your sleep.
A multi-band global GSM module works in over 180 countries and users can take and answer calls normally, texting back as well. But there is no Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram or other social media channels because there are no apps or Internet browsing.
“Limiting our world to a five inch screen steals us from experiencing the world fully.”
Mudita Pure runs on its own operating system, the Mudita OS. The phone lasts up to 14 days in stand-by mode and works as a data modem so you can connect to the Internet via USB-C cable to a laptop or desktop computer.
Although it seems “no fun” at first, seemingly stripped of entertainment features, it does have a music player with a 1W Harman loudspeaker. Mudita says this is perfect for “yoga and meditation sessions” and pairs it with a meditation timer. The push for a zen lifestyle with focus on meditation is obvious here, which can be a breath of fresh air for users who are practicing these techniques.
Mudita Pure is clearly a niche product but not really a risk for Michal. It remains to be seen how many units will be produced and sold, but if we take into account the entrepreneur’s experience in the field and outlook on life, it doesn’t seem like profit is really a concern for him.
After all, Mudita Pure is not meant to replace your current smartphone but more “ help us unplug during evenings, weekends or holidays in order to spend quality time with our loved ones or enjoying solitude.”
The phone is available on Kickstarter starting today from $221 (Super Early Bird price).
What do you think: is it time to share real laughs not “lols” and focus less on followers and more on ride or die friends ?
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