We’re getting used to smart devices and the growing Internet of Things, but Displio is still a product that catches us a bit off guard. It displays (hah, get the name?) updates wirelessly…and that’s about it. Just a little rounded, cube-like thing with a screen that gives you updates, made from materials as diverse as wood, plastic, and more.
The value seems to be in the customization. Using the widgets that Displio provides, you can program it to show you pretty much anything in your daily life. It can give you weather conditions, it can show you what’s on your calendar for the day, it can provide updates from Basecamp, Twitter, Facebook, FitBit and more. It can show everything from your PayPal balance to shipment tracking for your goods. You can even use it to get traffic conditions or watch stock prices in real time. And, of course, it can display notifications for new emails.
There’s another device that can do all these things within easy reach, and it’s called your phone. But Displio isn’t exactly designed to be used like a phone – it’s made to be propped up or perched in a corner or on a shelf so you can glance at it to receive important updates. It avoids the pulling out and tapping on of the phone, and doesn’t interrupt workflow in the same way.
There are probably a few businesses where getting reminders and tracking shipments or stock prices constantly via a separate device would be handy. However, appealing to the average consumer may prove a bit more challenging. How are we supposed to use it? The photos that the Displio project provides give a few clues. You can put it in the kitchen to receive updates away from your other devices. You can put it on a shelf for a casual glance as you walk by. You could, if you dare, put it in the bathroom or prop it up in the garage – or other places you wouldn’t think of getting updates.
If you don’t mind always knowing what’s going on in the digital world, you can invest in the project on its Kickstarter website. Pledging $99 will get you a Displio, a bit more will get you a wood version, and $189 will get you two Displios.
The post Displio Gives You Mini-Updates Anywhere You Put It appeared first on Gadget Review.
More gadget review in www.38today.com.
