Among the many innovations on display at the Kickstarter LISA2013 Conference – held to promote leading upgrades in software and art – was the SLAB ultimate travel wallet, the most recent creation from Canadian entrepreneur Vladimir Poshkov. Now, Poshkov is embarking on crowdfunding endeavors with Kickstarter, hoping his "three-plate magic wallet" can gain increased exposure and permeate the American market.
Poshkov's design was extremely well-received at LISA2013, prompting the current Kickstarter campaign that he hopes will provide the funding and marketing support necessary to bring his product to a new crop of consumers. SLAB is billed as "a new twist on an old idea, bringing 21st century flavor to the 'magic wallet' concept developed in the 1920s," according to a recent press release. It is constructed with aerospace-grade aluminum and grade-5 titanium, buoyed by 12 rare earth magnets designed to keep its plates aligned and closed.
Multifaceted protection
Perhaps most appealing for consumers, it features radio frequency identification (RFID) protection, meaning identity theft attempts via electronic card readers are stymied. Not coincidentally, Poshkov's product and its latest promotional push come in the wake of widespread security breaches aimed at major retailers Target and Neiman Marcus, during which as many as 100 million Americans had their debit and credit cards compromised by cyber criminals.
The SLAB wallet is slim and physically efficient, weighing between 99 and 180 grams and spanning about 11 millimeters in thickness, with exact measurements varying slightly depending on the edition. Its various versions are priced at anywhere from $75 to $250 for the Kickstarter campaign.
"I've always had a love for well-designed wallets," Poshkov said in the release. "But I knew I wanted to create a wallet that would bring people a better sense of security through concealment. The main feature of SLAB is that it doesn't 'flash your cash.' You can keep two sets of bills, big and small, separately. So when you open it in public places, such as at a convenience store, you open the small bill side. When you pay for a nice meal at a restaurant, you open the side containing larger bills."
Additional features of the SLAB wallet include secure holding areas for two SIM cards and two Micro SD memory cards, each with specifically engineered slots. Its built-in electric bands are intended to discourage pickpocketing, keeping contents more tightly compacted and concealed than in regular wallets.
Pricing options for those who support the SLAB kickstarter campaign start as low as $25, and all funding proceeds go toward production costs.
