Crowdfunding project of the week: Gryphon is a fast, safe and super simple router

It’s time for another ‘Crowdfunding project of the week’ and you know we have been digging for some of the hottest tech in sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Let’s jump right into this week’s featured campaign.

Other featured campaigns:

• The Sevenhugs Smart Remote can control everything
• GearEye keeps track of all your equipment
• The SPUD is a portable 24-inch monitor

We have never really been keen on showing off our routers, right? These machines are pretty much something you hide away in a corner and keep out of the way. And the settings! Oh my… the settings are usually a mess to go through. But a new trend of better designed routers with simple app-managed options is rising. Today we are taking a look at one of these new generation WiFi routers – the Gryphon.

What makes the Gryphon special? Let’s start with the design. This is a gadget you will be proud to show off in the living room. It looks like an ornament, as opposed to some confusing piece of technology. But aesthetics are only part of what you get with the Gryphon.

The router is controlled through a smartphone app, which offers great smart features. The main highlight here is parental controls, really. Parents can use the app to set bed times, after which the internet would cut off. It’s also possible to select homework times, pause the internet, set age levels and more.

Of course, it’s simple to filter the internet and keep kids away from things they shouldn’t see. And if they legitimately need to access a restricted site, it is simple to request permission from parents. The administrator would then get a notification on his/her smartphone and choose whether to grant access or not.

One can also see how many (and which) devices are connected to the network, making it easy to choose who is allowed in. And you need not worry about malware, as the router itself checks data streams for malicious software, keeping all connected devices safe.

It just so happens to be a good router, too. The unit has tri-band WiFi with support for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, powered by six antennas that provide a 2,500 square feet coverage. You can utilize mesh networking if one isn’t enough. There is also support for MU-MIMO technology.

If you won’t be using all the parental controls and security features, at least you will enjoy a powerful router that is super easy to use and set-up. Not to mention it looks rather nice.

Interested? We have seen similar options come to the market. Namely, Google WiFi and OnHub. Those offer almost the same features, but they won’t be cheap… nor will the Gryphon. This router will retail for $199 once it hits the market, but you can currently sign up for it by backing the project with at least $149.

The goal has been met, but those who get in line will have to wait until June 2017 to see shipments reaching their doorsteps. Are any of you looking to back this Kickstarter project? Hit the comments to let us know what you like about the Gryphon.