cube

WIMM

2 August 2011

I’ve been dying for a thing “like” this for ages. An Android-powered device I could use for “everything” except phone calls and that would be as tiny as an iPod nano. Unfortunately this one is not, but it’s closer than anything (and I still prefer my nano’s tinyness).

We have to inevitably compare it with those magic “Sifteo” cubes, Sony’s LiveView… or anything that comes out of the MIT labs. Now that manufacturing tiny development boards has become really inexpensive and connectivity modules are as small as a 1 penny coin there’s a LOT of room to come up with new toys & connected devices.

WIMM as a watch? as a sports accessory, as a...

WIMM Labs are proposing this (sort of thick) tiny little cube with bluetooth & wi-fi capabilities (besides the touchscreen, accelerometer and other nice things) which is not an mp3 (has no headphone jack), nor a sports Garmin watch with GPS (booo) but they rather describe it as a “platform”.

The good thing is that as a modular platform you can develop any cradle or accessory (besides Android apps of course) and it may well become those mp3, watch or bike accessories you desire. You’ll have to develop specifically for it as despite running Android 2.1 not all apps are suitable of course…. but imagine a mini-Spotify app for it.

with a Scorpion bike clip

They’re still looking for partners (retailers mainly) and app developers (through their website), so in case it doesn’t make it to the market (should launch this Christmas) you can always ask for it as a “development tool”. Price? Nothing yet, but we’ll be happy to tell you when it launches.

The guys from TIMN already had a look at it…

Gorgeous right?  We need more of these “open” products (or… why did Apple not allow this on the nano?)

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