Good Thinking

E-ink display plus wallet equals "Wonder Wallet"

E-ink display plus wallet equals "Wonder Wallet"
These days, wallets are not just for carrying money around
These days, wallets are not just for carrying money around
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The Wonder Wallet lets you raise your fan flag high
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The Wonder Wallet lets you raise your fan flag high
These days, wallets are not just for carrying money around
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These days, wallets are not just for carrying money around
The Wonder Wallet's sliding mechanism gives easy access to cards
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The Wonder Wallet's sliding mechanism gives easy access to cards
The Wonder Wallet's smart functions can display things like maps
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The Wonder Wallet's smart functions can display things like maps
Its quick-draw feature lets you slide your card out easily to access its IC chip or magnetic swipe
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Its quick-draw feature lets you slide your card out easily to access its IC chip or magnetic swipe
Bulging unruly wallets are a thing of the past with the Wonder Wallet
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Bulging unruly wallets are a thing of the past with the Wonder Wallet
The Wonder Wallet's battery can last up to three days per charge
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The Wonder Wallet's battery can last up to three days per charge
The Wonder Wallet team is working on adding popular apps such as calendars to make it more useful
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The Wonder Wallet team is working on adding popular apps such as calendars to make it more useful
The wallet's beacon alerts other app users to its location if it is separated from its owner
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The wallet's beacon alerts other app users to its location if it is separated from its owner 
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Thanks to E Ink, virtually anything can be used as a canvas for creative expression these days. We've seen it used in shoes, watches and fashion accessories, and it was only a matter of time before someone came up with the idea to integrate it in wallets. That day has finally arrived with the launch of the Wonder Wallet on Kickstarter.

In the looks department, this die-cast aluminum and polycarbonate (score one for vegan techies) wallet is sleek and polished, and comes with a customizable e-paper display that lets users switch things up with up to 10 images. They'll need to be disciplined with what they choose to keep in it though – there is enough space for up to six cards and an extra money clip if you really need to carry cash. The team's founders say that since the goal was to keep the wallet as thin as possible, they decided to forego a coin compartment.

The Wonder Wallet lets you raise your fan flag high
The Wonder Wallet lets you raise your fan flag high

However the real wonder of the wallet, according to the designers of this South Korean startup, lies in its smart functions. Designed to help users minimize the clutter caused by having too many loyalty cards in their wallets, it lets them store their cards' barcodes or QR codes digitally. When they enter a place like a café, they can program the wallet to remember the location so that it will automatically display the appropriate membership data on their next visit – though users will have to be connected to their phone over Bluetooth to do so. As the device gains more users, the long-term plan is that people will be able to make use of crowd-shared location data.

The Wonder Wallet's smart functions can display things like maps
The Wonder Wallet's smart functions can display things like maps

Another potentially useful function lies in its lost and found alerts. When the wallet's Bluetooth connection is activated, users will receive a push notification on their phone if it goes out of range. The wallet will also display a help message and broadcast Bluetooth Low Energy signals to alert other app users in the vicinity of its location. Of course, this assumes that there are other Wonder Wallet users in the area. That said, given the increasing number of devices with integrated GPS trackers, it remains to be seen whether not having a GPS module puts this wallet at a disadvantage.

On another note, the team says it will be using APIs from popular apps to increase the functionality of the wallet, and that the device is designed to work worldwide.

The wallet's beacon alerts other app users to its location if it is separated from its owner
The wallet's beacon alerts other app users to its location if it is separated from its owner 

Overall, while the wallet in the marketing video looks slick and attractive, it does raise a few questions. Firstly, what exactly does it do that a smartphone can't? Secondly, with the emergence of smart wallets such as the Wocket, which does away with the need to carry cash (or any other card for that matter), does the Wonder Wallet have what it takes to gain traction outside of South Korea? Thirdly, while customization is a growing trend these days, is it enough to get people to swap their designer leather purses for a smart wallet?

Wonder Wallet is aiming to raise US$50,000 on Kickstarter by the end of the year to fund production. A Super Early Bird pledge starts at $55, which includes a wallet, battery charger and money clip. If the company meets its goal, and everything else goes to plan, the wallets are expected to ship May next year.

Check out the video to see the Wonder Wallet in action. What features would you like to see in a smart wallet?

Sources: Wonder Wallet, Kickstarter

Wonder Wallet - Let your wallet work wonders for you!

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2 comments
2 comments
Gary Bonney
So it does a tiny % of what your phone does and makes your wallet an awkward shape and hard?
LeeEuna
looks handy!