Mobile Technology

Pressy gives Android devices another physical button

Pressy gives Android devices another physical button
Pressy adds another physical button to Android devices
Pressy adds another physical button to Android devices
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Pressy's app will also work with headphone buttons
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Pressy's app will also work with headphone buttons
Pressy and its included keychain holder
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Pressy and its included keychain holder
The internals that allow Pressy to function
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The internals that allow Pressy to function
The final Pressy Protoype
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The final Pressy Protoype
Pressy adds another physical button to Android devices
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Pressy adds another physical button to Android devices
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With the meteoric rise in popularity of the touchscreen, something people tend to forget is the importance of physical buttons. Nimrod Back and his team are not among those who have forgotten, and they are looking to add an extra button to Android devices with an interesting new product called Pressy. It plugs into the headphone port, and adds all kinds of quick-access functions.

The button itself, while cool, is only useful with a good application behind it. From the looks of things, the Pressy app offers some great functionality. It allows users to choose from a slew of different functions such as turning on the flashlight, instantly taking a photo and uploading it social networks, calling a number in your contacts, and so on. Users can set up multiple functions with different combinations of presses. For example, two short presses could tell it to call Mom, and two long presses could cause it to a take a photo.

The application sits in the background and monitors the headphone jack for input from the user. This will allow it to always be ready when the user initiates an action. After all, the whole purpose of the device is to allow for quick access to frequently-used functions.

Another major part of this project is the API, which will allow developers to build their own functionality with the button. An example cited by the creators is for a game developer to build the button into their game.

Android 2.3 and newer is supported, so even some moderately old devices can get in on the action. iOS, on the other hand, is not. "We are not releasing an iOS app for Pressy," says Back. "There are too many restrictions on the API. We hope our developers community builds an app compatible with iOS." Even though there will not be native support, I imagine it won't take long for it to surface, even if it only comes to jailbroken devices.

The physical device looks just like a standard headphone plug, except that instead of a cord, it features a small button that sticks out just enough for the user to be able to press it. When using headphones, a user can plug Pressy into the included keychain. Interestingly, if the headphones include a button, the app allows that button to get access to all of the Pressy features.

The Pressy team is seeking funding on Kickstarter. The project started with a US$40,000 goal, and it has quickly blown past that and is now approaching $250,000. The minimum pledge required for backers to receive a device is $17, and the delivery estimate is March 2014.

The (hilarious) Kickstarter pitch below provides more information on Pressy and shows it in action.

Sources: Pressy, Kickstarter

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3 comments
3 comments
JDS
March 2014? Wow. I'll either forget about giving my money or be dead by then. Come back in January and ask again. You already got 1/4 million bucks? So what's up with getting it to market NOW! Or are you just living off that early money?
I do love the idea but I want it now, not 7 months from now. Sorry.
Gregg Eshelman
See this, Google? People didn't want their physical (or touchical) Search button taken away.
POOL PUMPREAPAIR guy longwood
If it will let me answer my incoming call when my phone is moist from sweat, I'm all for it ! otherwise, I look like a cat trying to get at a fish in tank thew the glass, I Keep swiping at the glass and nothing happens, the phone just sits there and rings and rings OR is this just ME ?