We've liked the look of the Skoog ever since we saw Brett Domino using it to cover Outkast's Hey Ya! back in 2011, but its relatively high price meant that it was never going to achieve mass market penetration.
The Skoog 2, however, might be a different proposition. Currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign, it could be yours for £125 - far less than the £380 that the original Skoog currently retails for on the Apple App Store.
Although it's billed as an instrument, the Skoog 2 doesn't actually make any sound: it's a controller that can be used to trigger software. Unlike its predecessor, however, it can connect wirelessly to your iOS, Android, Mac or Windows device (a cabled USB 2.0 connection is also an option).
Made of foam, Skoog 2.0 features buttons on its top and sides, but the whole cube is actually a sensor, and the technology behind this has been redesigned for this version. Skoog 2.0 not only supports multitouch, but can also detect the amount of 'squeeze' and the contact direction, resulting in a controller that's said to be extremely expressive and responsive.
The idea is that the device can be picked up and played by anyone, but the Skoog 2.0 could have potential as a more serious music-making controller. It'll ship with two iOS/Android synths (one based on physical modelling and the other a virtual analogue synth), and dedicated desktop software will be available, too.
As well as supporting MIDI, Skoog 2.0 can communicate with your Mac/PC over HID, and an API will be released to enable developers to create their own applications.
You can find out more on the Skoog 2.0 Indiegogo page.
