The Superbook may be the ultimate smartphone accessory. This crowdfunded Kickstarter project is a laptop shell that comes with a full keyboard, touchpad, 11.6-inch HD screen and more than eight hours of battery life.

All the Superbook requires is a brain: your smartphone. Once a smartphone (or tablet) is connected, the Superbook launches an operating system-style app to provide the user with a laptop-equivalent experience.

Priced at $99 (€89), the Superbook comes with a custom USB cable and charging adapter. The only downside is that it is compatible only with Android, not iOS or Windows devices. It does function as a second monitor once connected to a Mac or PC.

For college students on a budget or those who would rather spend money upgrading their smartphone every couple of years, the Superbook might be the “sort of but not really a laptop” of their dreams.

Andromium, the San Francisco-based startup behind the project, begins shipping next February.

getsuperbook.com