Not so long ago, leaving a message for other members of the household would often involve sticking a note on the fridge and hoping they saw it. Now that just about everybody has a mobile phone, hastily scribbled notes have given way to hastily thumbed text messages or a quick voice, or even video call. Native Union is looking to somehow combine the almost lost art of not-so-instant messaging with the more modern video call with its Play video memo pad.
Found hiding away in the back halls at IFA 2011, the Play features a 2.4-inch color LCD screen and video camera housed in a talk bubble-shaped enclosure. Its magnetized back allows it to be easily stuck on the fridge to let people leave messages, make to-do lists or indirectly complain to someone who used the last of the milk. The device can store a total of three minutes of video - either in one long rambling message or broken up into multiple, shorter messages - and a flashing LED will let people know when there's a message waiting to be viewed.
The Play will be available from Native Union at the end of the month in green, pink, blue, purple, red, white and black. It will cost around GBP50 (approx. US$80), which admittedly would buy a hell of a lot of Post-It notes.
Via Pocket-Lint