Meet Chumby, the Bedside Clock with Internet Access
As a society we are now all about efficient time management and multi-tasking. It has led us to demand more from our everyday gadgets and appliances as well. Chumby is a $199.95 customized alarm clock that just does not relax! It works over time as a WiFi-connected personal Internet appliance that gives you access to widgets providing games, news headlines, weather, Internet radio, current stock prices, music, short movies, social-media websites and picture files .
For getting access to these online applications, you register on the Chumby website ,select and download for free the 1000 or so widgets that catch your fancy to your individual Chumby through a WiFi broadband connection .What’s more, it can also be used to monitor incoming e-mail on any POP3 account, track eBay auctions or play an iPod through Chumby’s on-board stereo speakers. A WiFi access point though is a must have to play the widgets.
If you are a fan of open-source, Chumby industries provide a totally open hardware/software setup providing access to everything from the hardware schematics to an open-source Linux-based software client so that users can hack the device and develop new applications for the platform. The cuddly beanbag exterior with soft leather cover surrounds the device’s internal printed circuit boards and 3.5″ touch screen LCD interface. A soft-touch top button hidden underneath the skin activates WiFi connection. It even comes with its own drawstring canvas bag. Never been a fan of cardboard boxes…
So, is $200 worth it? It depends of course on your budget and specific needs. But if you are looking for a great gift to give someone who loves high-tech, who is very difficult to please or who is a teenager on his/her way to becoming a software applications guru, this just might impress!
Source: EE Times
