PRESS RELEASE
IndieGoGo Campaign Aims to Change What Consumers Expect through a Wi-Fi Router Combined with Cloud Service
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (JULY 9, 2015) -- DropAP today announced the commencement of fundraising for a new wireless router with some innovative features aimed at making the wireless router the centerpiece of the home. Housed in a striking design that stands out from other black boxes, DropAP blends the functionality of a high performance smart router with cloud services and mobile apps that extend beyond the home, all at a price that fits any budget.
The DropAP device functions as a concurrent dual-band wireless 802.11ac WiFi Access Point router. The campaign is available for funding at http://igg.me/at/dropap from July 9 through August 23, 2015. DropAP will ship in September 2015 with a MSRP of $199, including a one-year subscription to the DropAP cloud service.
Security for the Family Everywhere
DropAP takes security to another level by extending protection for the entire family's devices, both inside the home and away from home. With parental controls that operate while on the home network, DropAP also has the ability to extend the parental controls outside of the home on the child's mobile devices. Parents have peace of mind knowing their children's online experiences are more secure. DropAP allows parents to place filters on their kid's devices with the cloud-based mobile app as well as monitor overall bandwidth usage.
From content filtering to anti-phishing and parental controls, DropAP keeps your assets protected 24/7. Once it's up and running, DropAP requires no manual updating or tweaks. DropAP's comprehensive, self-learning, cloud-based software suite updates automatically.
Simplicity with "Zap"
Current wireless network access for guest devices requires people to remember and enter long, convoluted passwords. DropAP takes a common sense and equally secure approach by using "Zap" to securely connect devices in the proximity of the router. Users can connect to the closed Wi-Fi guest network but will not gain any connectivity until the Zap button is pressed and the owner confirms connectivity on his/her mobile app.
Control through App
With DropAP, no installation is required. Everything is managed by an app that communicates with the DropAP router. Users just turn their devices on and let DropAP find and secure them. No confusing webpage interfaces or costly third party apps are required. Thanks to its proprietary, cloud-based technology, DropAP works simply and effectively from an app to manage all devices, from laptops to tablets to cell phones, that are connected to the DropAP router.
Style for the Modern Household
According to Statista, 92.5 million US households will have broadband Internet access by 2015. DropAP redefines what these consumers can expect from a wireless router. Breaking the mold of black boxes, DropAP fits comfortably in the living space of any modern home. With its sleek contours and elegant colors, DropAP blends contemporary style with a touch of retro that appeals to people of all ages.
Features
DropAP features include:
- Concurrent Dual Band WiFi: 802.11ac; 300Mbps + 866Mbps
- No web interface, everything is done through the app on Android or iOS.
- Parental control by selecting simple focus categories to allow/disallow Internet access per device. A parent can put devices into a group, and apply Parental Control settings at the group level. Includes Child-app installable on mobile devices so that Parental control and monitoring are still effective when those devices are away from home.
- Security: Devices joining the network requires approval from DropAP owner, via notification in the App. MAC-Address filtering is what's being used to allow/disallow devices to get connectivity.
- Anti-phishing feature enabled by a cloud based subscription service, which provides latest list of potential harmful sites or site patterns
- Supports IPSec, L2TP and PPTP VPN Pass-Through
- Supports OPEN, WEP, WPAPSK and WPA2PSK security modes in wireless 802.11b/g/n/ac
- Supports Router, Access Point and Extender mode. Supports Static IP, DHCP client and PPPoE for WAN type; IPv6 support
- WAN port 10/100; 2 LAN ports 10/100
- Guest network access
- Internal antenna
"DropAP was built from the ground up by a team that wanted to completely reimagine what a wireless router could be," says John Tai of DropAP. "We wanted to create something that an owner would be proud to display, not a boring box that needed to be hidden in a closet. Everything from security to setup and access was rethought with the user and his or her family in mind. The end result is a home device, mobile app and cloud solution that breaks the mold."
"Finding the right balance between ease-of-use and security is a challenge in designing and deploying smart home products," said Maia Hinkle, Research Analyst, Parks Associates. "Consumers do not want to have to enter a password just to turn on a light, so the market needs solutions that are cross-platform and user friendly."
About DropAP
Founded in 2015, DropAP is an emerging developer of IoT (internet of Things) products that focus on security, parental control and ease of use with an emphasis on stylish design. DropAP designs products that advantage of the latest connectivity and security protocols to keep consumers protected from online threats, while adding a touch of class to blend perfectly with any décor. To learn more about DropAP, visit www.dropap.com.
