About a month ago, I wrote a subscription newsletter article about a new display-based product called Moi that I described as “Odd but Oddly Appealing.” Although it was not my plan that this article would be the first in a series, I none-the-less find myself writing about another display-based product that struck me as “Odd and Oddly appealing”.
The new devices is a wearable smart button called Beam. The company that makes the Beam, Beam Authentic, Inc. (San Francisco, CA), describes the product as a modern day digital device that is the equivalent of the static, analog expressions found on buttons, hats, t-shirts and wristbands that have been around for decades.
Physically, the Beam is a small, round, lightweight display-based device that falls into a product category that can be called “social wearables.” The device “enables people to broadcast what they care about in the real world and online, sparking face-to-face conversation and connecting people around shared interests.” More specifically, the device features an outward facing display that is linked to the user’s smartphone. A free mobile app lets the user present virtually any desired image on the circular display.
A video at the end of this article introduces and demonstrates the Beam. The figure below illustrates a few of the limitless number of images that can be presented on the Beam.
The Beam device showing a variety of images.
Some of the specifications for the Beam device include the following:
- A circular AMOLED display provides a resolution of 400 x 400 pixels with 24 bit color.
- 24 hours per charge with power management features extending up to 48 hours.
- Stores up to 100 so-called “Beams” including static images, GIFs and slideshow content.
- Bluetooth technology is used to transmit content from the user’s smartphone directly to the Beam device.
- An ambient light sensor is used to optimize the image for day and night viewing.
- The device also includes built-in accelerometers although their function is not entirely clear.
The Beam comes with two rubber protector cases and “fashionable” skins. Also included are a mini-USB cable for charging, a small tether for attaching the Beam to bags or carrying cases, two sets of magnets and a pin case for securely attaching the Beam to a jacket, handbag or backpack.
Once the app is downloaded (from, for example, Google Play), the user’s smartphone is able to operate in conjunction with the Beam as an all-in-one console. The user is provided with the ability to design custom buttons with, and pull photos from, their smartphone. The user is not limited just to their own creations. Button art can not only be drawn from the web but button designs can also be downloaded from the collections of other Beam owners. There are also paid buttons.
Another interesting feature of the product is the so-called “Beam Stream” which gives users the ability to directly connect their Beam to the devices of other nearby Beam owners. By this means, not only is the content of the user’s Beam broadcast to other Beam users but the content of other Beam users can be streamed to the user’s device.
A separate function of the Beam is the ability to act as a Panic Button. When the Function Button is pressed and held for 10 seconds, a panic text message, maplink and GPS location are sent by the user’s smartphone to up to four recipients. The content of the message and the selection of the recipients that receive the message can be designated in the app.
The Beam case is available in black or white. The selling price is $99. -Arthur Berman
