Even in this day and age, many people still keep track of their daily tasks on paper do-to lists. The eMinder is designed to be a less wasteful alternative, and it's claimed to be less distracting than keeping such a list solely on your smartphone.
Created by Italian startup post-think, the eMinder is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. The device itself features a 4-inch black-and-white e-paper display, a recycled-aluminum backplate, and a single-piece handcrafted pine-wood body.
Utilizing an accompanying iOS/Android app, the user starts by making a list of tasks that they have to perform (or appointments that they have to keep) throughout the day. When they subsequently hold their phone up to the eMinder and tap a button on the app, the list is transferred across to the device via NFC – this means the phone has to be NFC-capable, as is the case with all iPhones that have come out since and including the iPhone 7.
Once the list has been transferred, it's continuously displayed on the eMinder's screen. The idea is that the user can then just forget about their phone, even turning it off if they wish, so they won't be distracted by texts, calls, or the internet. Presumably they do have to periodically access the app, to check off tasks that have been performed.
Because e-paper uses no power when displaying still images, the eMinder has no battery, nor does it need to be plugged into a power source. It does require a small amount of power to change its display to a new or updated list, and it gets that power from the phone 's NFC signal.
As a side note, the device can also be used to display things like inspirational quotes.
If everything goes according to plan, a pledge of €89 (about US$87) will get you an eMinder of your own. The planned retail price is €149 ($146).
It's demonstrated in the video below.
Sources: Kickstarter, post-think
