ZONE – Focus Timer Kickstarter Review

Intro

Meet ZONE – Focus Timer, a minimalist, tactile productivity cube from New Things Lab (based in Delft, Netherlands) designed to help you focus with intention. Wrapped in soft-touch silicone and bearing a crisp LED display showing only minutes, ZONE lets you set and run clear time blocks without distractions

Why should I back this project?

1. Intuitive, Physical Time Control
   The cube’s four distinct faces correspond to preset timers—5, 10, 25, and 60 minutes. Just roll to the side you want, and the session starts. No fiddling with buttons or smartphone apps—just pure tactile simplicity

2. Minimalist Design with Award-Winning Flair
   Winner of the iF Design Award 2025, ZONE sports a clean aesthetic, subtle silicone shell, and soft LED display—perfect for a calming workspace .

3. Customizable and Versatile
   Use the heart button to save custom times (up to 99 minutes), and choose between gentle chimes or silent vibration alerts. A rechargeable battery and USB‑C make it long-lasting and eco-friendly

4. Community Support & Rapid Funding
   Launched June 3, ZONE quickly topped its €4,800 goal—raising over €56,000 (1173% funded) from nearly 600 backers within weeks. Early news suggests strong momentum and enthusiastic support

5. Optional Focus Bundle
   For analog note-takers, there’s a Focus Bundle featuring a bamboo stand and reusable mini glass whiteboards, merging digital timing with analog task planning

What are the potential drawbacks you should consider when you back it?

1. Feature Trade-offs
   ZONE intentionally omits seconds and complex settings for a minimalist experience. But power users who prefer granular timers or app integrations might find it limiting.

2. No Time Reduction Button
   While you can add time, there’s no option to subtract minutes during customization—a minor inconvenience noted by reviewers

3. Kickstarter Delivery Risks
   As with any crowdfunded hardware, expect potential delays in production or shipping. Currently, there’s no definitive timeline listed.

4. Higher Price for Extras
   The base early-bird price is around $59 (€56), but the full Focus Bundle adds cost. Assess whether the extras suit your workflow and justify the premium.

The reliability of the project

1. Design Credibility
   Created by industrial designer Nyckle Sijtsma and New Things Lab, ZONE draws on authentic design expertise—recognized through the iF Design Award and coverage by prestigious outlets like Designboom

2. Strong Campaign Performance
   Overfunding by more than 1100% with fast, sustained backing suggests high interest and financial viability .

3. Transparent Updates & Community Engagement
   The campaign is active with frequent stretch-goal announcements (e.g., Walnut Workflow add-on) and visible support via Kicktraq and Instagram updates

4. Early Prototype Reviews
   Hands-on reviews (e.g., The Gadgeteer) praise the device’s tactile novelty, simplicity, and usefulness in maintaining productivity

Conclusion