Owlparrot Inc is a Sacramento, California-based technology company. It is owned by Genie Technologies.
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History and origins
Owlparrot Inc. was founded by University of Hong Kong graduate Phillip Stephen Fernandez in 2009. Initially, the company was attempting to design a "digital tie" to be sold as a combination apparel/technology product. Conceptually, the tie was designed to function using flexible Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) technology. However, it was discovered that the OLED technology was not flexible enough to serve a dual purpose as a necktie. After five months at the drafting board, the project was scrapped upon a consensus that the necessary technology was not yet in existence.
The Beach Bum
Writing off the digital tie, Fernandez decided to focus his attentions on an entirely different product. Frustrated by having lost several mobile phones to water damage, which is not covered on most mobile phone warranties, he enlisted the technical support of Vijay Parmeshawan of Apple, and the duo began work on a fully waterproof mobile phone. Nicknamed the "Beach Bum", which would eventually become the official product name, the first edition was manufactured starting in 2010. Current experimental versions feature locking magnetic keys and "shock keys" as security buffers against unauthorized use. The "Beach Bum" is the only product now being manufactured by Owlparrot.
FutureFridge
Other Owlparrot products that are in the design stages of production include the FutureFridge and the DormFridge, both modern re-toolings of contemporary refrigerators.