Ripple is “the world’s first wearable support network”. Find out how this Kickstarter project works today in our Ripple review.
What Is Ripple?
Ripple is a wearable safety device that keeps you – or a loved one – connected to a professional monitoring team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in the United States.
The Kickstarter project, at the time of writing, is about halfway to its $50,000 funding goal with plenty of time to go.
As the makers of Ripple explain, you get “comfort when you want it, emergency response when you need it”.
The device itself consists of a small square-shaped device that can easily be clipped onto a zipper – say, the zipper on your jacket. This is called the Ripple Button.
After clipping the device on your zipper, you enjoy 24/7 monitoring anywhere in the United States by a professional team of safety experts.
How To Use Ripple
Using Ripple is straightforward:
Step 1) Download the Ripple app from the iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store
Step 2) Build your personal profile with any information you would like to share with the Ripple team (if any), including your picture, date of birth, physical description (height, weight, hair color, eye color), allergies, medical conditions, current medications, and any other information you feel is important for the team to know in the event of an emergency
Step 3) Wear the Ripple Button, so you no longer have to tell 9-1-1 critical information about yourself before they arrive; instead, the Ripple team does that for you
Step 4) If you ever need to activate Ripple and connect to the team, then your information is automatically transmitted to that team member.
As the makers of Ripple explain, the “team knows all your vital information ahead of time, saving you invaluable time during an emergency situation.” To activate Ripple’s emergency response, you tap the button three times. This contacts the Ripple team, then immediately dispatches emergency responders to your location.
When you setup Ripple for the first time, you can choose exactly how the button works: when you press the button three times, you can choose whether it:
- Sends police to your location
- Sends an ambulance to your location
- Calls your mobile phone (or any mobile phone, like the mobile phone of a loved one)
Why Do You Need Ripple?
Who is Ripple designed for? Why would you use Ripple? Here are some of the reasons why the creators of Ripple want you to use their device:
- Walking back to your dorm at night across campus
- Walking to your car in a poorly-lit parking lot
- Walking home through your neighborhood at night
- Investigating a suspicious sound at night in your backyard
- Lost in an unknown city or part of town you’ve never been in before
- When you “need a convenient interruption to disrupt an awkward encounter”
Essentially, Ripple is an emergency call button you can press at any time to alert emergency services.
Ripple Features
- Bluetooth connectivity lets you connect Ripple to the Ripple smartphone app
- Water-resistant
- Brooch clip design makes it easy to attach Ripple to clothing, keys, jewelry, and more
- Ripple is the size of a penny (weighs 2 grams)
- Battery lasts 6 months and never needs to be charged
- View battery life information directly on your app
- You receive a battery replacement for free when the battery dies (Ripple just sends you a totally new Ripple Button when your battery expires)
Ripple Pricing
With Ripple, you pay a flat rate and then an ongoing subscription fee. Here’s how pricing breaks down:
- Try Ripple: $49 (3 months)
- Ripple for One: $129 (12 months)
- Ripple for Two: $229 (2 x 12 months)
- Ripple for the Family: $529 (5 x 12 months)
- Save the World: $8999 (100 x 12 Months)
The device itself is small and easy to manufacture. When you buy Ripple, you’re essentially paying for the 24/7 monitoring team more than the actual device. As the makers of Ripple explain, “the more pledges we receive, the more economies of scale kick in”.
The estimated shipping date for all of the above packages is April 2017. All of those packages also come with a subscription to the battery replacement plan, where you receive a new device at no additional cost whenever your Ripple’s battery runs out.
Who Makes Ripple?
Ripple is made by a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based company co-founded by Rees Bowen Gillespie.
There’s limited information about the company or its team available online. In addition to the Kickstarter page, the company can be found online at their official website, http://www.ripplesupport.com/
Ripple Review Summary
Ripple is an emergency transponder system priced at around $129 for one year of coverage. Ripple gives you an immediate connection with a 24/7 support team based in the United States.
That support team can relay crucial health information and personal information to 9-1-1 responders – or any emergency responders you choose (including a cell phone number).
The device is advertised as a way to protect college kids walking home at night, or as a way to stay protected if you live in a dangerous neighborhood.
However, it’s most likely going to be particularly useful for those with elderly parents who live alone, or anyone else who may need to contact emergency services for an unexpected reason.
To learn more about Ripple, or to purchase your Ripple device today, visit Ripple’s Kickstarter page here.
