To be human is to be fascinated by celestial bodies.
But to be human is also to be easily distracted by screens. Put those two things together and you have a compelling argument for Hiuni, a new connected telescope currently raising funds on Kickstarter.
Hiuni is not your average telescope. While the telescopes you may have grown up with can take a bit of practice to master, especially in terms of finding objects in the night sky, Hiuni is designed to be ‘plug and gaze.’
It doesn’t feature an eye-piece, instead it allows users to find, focus and view an in-colour livestream of the magnified night sky through an app on their wireless device. Through the app, multiple users can see the same view broadcast simultaneously.
The app also offers educational content including a monthly guide to viewing opportunities, augmented reality overlay features and guided tours through different space-related topics and themes.
What’s more, it comes in an easily portable size, and has a sleek, rounded look with a gold metallic finish.
For now, Hiuni is available for about $758 CAD on Kickstarter, with an expected shipping date of June 2019.
Verdict: Not sticky.
Excuse me while I get a bit “kids these days.”
Ahem.
Kids these days are on their tablets near constantly. Device addiction is a real thing. There’s simply no need to turn stargazing into another tablet or smartphone-based activity.
Don’t get me wrong, Hiuni is a smart idea, and one that I’m sure will be quite successful. But nothing beats looking up at the night sky or the satisfaction of finding a planet through an old-fashioned, non-connected telescope.
When I stargaze I feel an incredible connection to humanity and our collective history — we all exist and have existed under the same night sky. Seeing that through a screen in your hands lessens that beautiful connection, rendering it almost nil.
Don’t stop looking up at the stars, people. That’s when technology starts hindering your enjoyment of life under the guise of assistance.
MobileSyrup may earn a commission from purchases made via our links, which helps fund the journalism we provide free on our website. These links do not influence our editorial content. Support us here.
