This isn't your typical Kickstarter. Jeremy Chau, one of the company's co-founders, states it clearly from the get-go in the campaign's introductory video. Remix isn't a bunch of over-promised under-delivered hogwash that may get stuck for years in the development and manufacturing process like 90% of Kickstarter products — it is a real tablet, it was demo'ed at CES, and it's already being sold in China.

Jide, the company behind Remix, is founded by 3 ex-Googlers — the magical words that instantly make any project more legit. It wants to enter the US market and get as much feedback as possible from American users, so it figured that Kickstarter was the best platform to do so, while gaining a lot of free visibility in the process.

But let's step back and explain what Remix is to begin with. It's an Android tablet with an 11.6" 1080p display at a 16:9 ratio. It is run by an NVIDIA Tegra 4+1 processor that is supplemented by 2GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage (with a MicroSD slot), 5MP front and back cameras, and an 8100mAh battery (that can also charge other devices).

The Remix' selling point is the fact that it's geared toward productivity and that shows in both its hardware and software. Externally, the tablet has an integrated dual-angle kickstand à la Microsoft Surface and attaches magnetically to a full-size 5mm thick keyboard and touchpad.

Internally, Remix OS (which is based on Android 4.4.2 for now, but "soon to be updated to Android 5.0") has been optimized to make use of the larger screen estate in a computer-like fashion. There's a dedicated file browser, an email client that supports floating composition windows, a taskbar, an Alt-Tab app switcher (which is already present on Android as far as I know when you are using a bluetooth keyboard), and the holy grail of missing productivity elements on Android tablets: multiple windows.

Now here's the kicker: the Remix tablet was going for $39 in its early bird Kickstarter pledges. No missing zero there. Seriously. I did thirty nine takes just to make sure. That's practically less than a meal at a good restaurant. All Jide wanted in return for this discounted price was a commitment to "use the stuffing out of it," and give your feedback to the team. You can guess though that those pledges are looooooooooooong gone now.

The $199 tier has been pledged into oblivion as well. What remain are about 400 tablets at the $349 price, which isn't that bad for what you're getting, but it ain't no $39.

Shipping is $20 and limited to the US, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and a number of European countries. The Remix will be delivered to all backers in May 2015, which is only a few weeks after the Kickstarter campaign is over.

Indiegogo campaign launched, $39 pledges available, possibly a scam?

The Remix has launched an Indiegogo campaign now as well, with the same terms as the Kickstarter one — tablet + keyboard, delivered in May, send them your feedback. 300 tablets at the $39 level are available — right now, only thirty or so have been snagged up so you can still grab one if you want. But be quick. After that, there are 200 tablets for $199, and then it's $349. There's no word on shipping but maybe the Jide team forgot to include it as everyone does on Indiegogo. It's a flexible funding campaign, but it seems to be there only to help those who couldn't make it to the early birds on Kickstarter.

But before you contribute - hold your horses. This might be a scam, copying from the original Kickstarter campaign. The pledges are being collected by one person "Frank Haubert," there's no mention of the original Jide team members on Indiegogo, and the videos were uploaded to a new YouTube user's channel. I've reached out to the original Remix team on Kickstarter for clarification and will update when I get a reply.

Indiegogo campaign is a scam

Jide has confirmed on their Kickstarter campaign page that the Indiegogo one is a scam. Someone thought they could get away with it without anyone noticing I guess. If you want the Remix, Kickstarter is your only chance of grabbing one. If you already pledged for one on Indiegogo, opening a Paypal dispute will result in the person reimbursing you almost immediately.

  • Thanks:
  • Mike,
  • Robert Cebrian