Vysk QS1 the king of privacy

This phone case is the perfect example of how the issue of privacy has become marketable by the savvy and how technology might be what proves people to be convinced of their constitutional rights. Not of course without Edward Snowden and the NSA scandal’s help, of course.

Vysk Communication has seized the opportunity and created a high tech phone case whose name I almost can’t pronounce that trumps the efforts of all who try to invade your privacy. The case comes with features that can be accessed by turning on the device which offers not only physical protection, but complete data encryption as well. Nothing gets through the QS1 unless you want it to. All the information you send via the phone is converted by the QS1 into encrypted data only another Vysk QS1 receiver can decode, including phone calls, text messages and pictures. The case has two modes you can use: Lockdown and Private Call. In Lockdown mode, your mic and camera are physically blocked, providing its own microphone and head set for you to use, leaving no room for intruders.

The Vysk QS1, while bulky and a tad difficult to fit in a pocket, keeps your private conversations and online activity private, not open for anyone to read things into. Trade secrets are truly protected (if you trust your partner, of course), keeps you malware- and hacker free, keeping your surveillance minimal if not non-existent. On the other hand, it is quite expensive. It retails for $230, but you have to pay an additional monthly $10 fee to use the Vysk network through which all information is traded. Victor Cocchia, the company’s CEO stated that none of the calls made in the Vysk network will ever be heard by anyone else than the two initiators. One of the QS1’s inconveniences is the fact that it really works only when using the Vysk network. When calling non-subscribers, the case just makes your number untraceable. But the technology is there and it can further be developed.

There is the alternative Blackphone, for $630 and the FreedomPop service for $8/month. Both of these alternatives are close in performance to the QS1, but Cocchia says the case is unbeatable by uninvited guests. The QS1 does build a convincing case and even though it’s still limited to the iPhone 5/5s and Samsung Galaxy 5, there is possibility of improvement if Cocchia makes the device a tad more accessible and comprehensive. All in all, the Vysk QS1 is a promising device which technology enthusiasts and their posses can not only enjoy, but tinker with.