The Deskbuddy is a $100 desktop calendar display that may take simplicty too far.
See full article...
See full article...
Streamlining—and oversimplifying—my online calendars with a 3.5-inch smart screen
- Thread starter JournalBot
- Start date
$100 for something that looks like it should be for sale in a Sky Mall catalog or available for 500 points in a credit card rewards program? Uhhhh... no.
Upvote
54
(56
/
-2)
For $100 I would not expect it to be 3D printed. This looks like something you'd see on Hackaday 10 years ago
Upvote
49
(51
/
-2)
There are 1000 better ways to do this and they are all cheaper than this piece of junk
Upvote
14
(18
/
-4)
I am looking for ways to decrease the clutter and cordage on my desk, not increase it. No thank you. Also, the price. Insane.
Upvote
61
(62
/
-1)
Of course, if Microsoft would allow their damn widgets on the desktop, you wouldn't need a thing like this.
Upvote
17
(18
/
-1)
just got a small lcd touchscreen as a console in my basement for a server rack - has VGA (!) and Hdmi input only cost $70
Pretty much all the reviews have "used Pi-X for Project Y".
I'm sure someone can find a cheaper screen!!
Pretty much all the reviews have "used Pi-X for Project Y".
I'm sure someone can find a cheaper screen!!
Upvote
13
(13
/
0)
I'm pretty sure a used smartphone and an afternoon with a 3D printer would get the same thing done for much less, but I'm with Berger on this one - I need less crap on my desk, not more. Charging $100 for this is bonkers.
Upvote
20
(20
/
0)
What's wrong with a small cheap dedicated Android tablet on a stand?
Or an ancient cheap dedicated iPad (mini) for these on Apple? Old iPads are cheap, they have excellent screens and powerful processors.
And this would fix more or less every one of Scharon Harding's issues with lack of customisability - Scharon can just run any calendar app she likes.
I actually did this before, and while the main issue was a cable sticking out of the side, I fixed that with a 90deg USB plug. (I got rid of the whole thing soon after anyway as it was too much clutter on my desk - but that's the same issue any dedicated calendar display will have.)
Or an ancient cheap dedicated iPad (mini) for these on Apple? Old iPads are cheap, they have excellent screens and powerful processors.
And this would fix more or less every one of Scharon Harding's issues with lack of customisability - Scharon can just run any calendar app she likes.
I actually did this before, and while the main issue was a cable sticking out of the side, I fixed that with a 90deg USB plug. (I got rid of the whole thing soon after anyway as it was too much clutter on my desk - but that's the same issue any dedicated calendar display will have.)
Upvote
16
(16
/
0)
Is it really such a slow news day that we're bringing visibility to utter garbage?
Upvote
-2
(14
/
-16)
MagicMirror on own hardware is the way to go. Very mature project with good modularity.
Or maybe HomeAssistant.
Or maybe HomeAssistant.
Upvote
8
(9
/
-1)
Seeing that this is for your desk, for $100 you could add a 24" monitor to your computer and use half the space for a calendar app, and the rest for something else.
Upvote
27
(27
/
0)
There have been a quite few times when I've seen a device and thought, "couldn't this just be an app" as the specific form factor of the device doesn't provide enough of an advantage over that of a phone or tablet, to warrant being a standalone device.
The Deskbuddy shows up at £100 (so $120) in the UK and as others have said, someone could buy a used phone for a fraction of this price and put whatever organisationaal apps they wanted onto it. If the scheduling software on this device is better than competing software, then why not sell it as an app. If it isn't, then what's the compelling reason to buy a Deskbuddy.
I just don't see a reason for this thing to exist.
The Deskbuddy shows up at £100 (so $120) in the UK and as others have said, someone could buy a used phone for a fraction of this price and put whatever organisationaal apps they wanted onto it. If the scheduling software on this device is better than competing software, then why not sell it as an app. If it isn't, then what's the compelling reason to buy a Deskbuddy.
I just don't see a reason for this thing to exist.
Upvote
16
(16
/
0)
I like the concept in theory but I’d want it to plug in to homeassistant or nextcloud, not try to sit between me and my calendar with yet more cloud infrastructure.
Personally I’m all on board with a dedicated calendar device on my desk, but I guess I’m unusual.
Personally I’m all on board with a dedicated calendar device on my desk, but I guess I’m unusual.
Upvote
12
(12
/
0)
Skylight is another albeit more expensive alternative to this. It is great for when you have kids and need to see all the schedules overlayed.
Upvote
5
(5
/
0)
After so many fails with work calendars, personal calendars, family calendars, not to mention tasks and other lists not visible, not syncing, routing through 3rd parties… and now seeing a “simple” $100 device that still can’t get the basics right and I’m even more firmly in the belief that calendaring is super hopelessly broken.
A couple years ago I went to a kokuyo jibun techo paper planner/calendar and have never looked back.
A couple years ago I went to a kokuyo jibun techo paper planner/calendar and have never looked back.
Upvote
13
(13
/
0)
I've found the problem.
Unitaskers. Place them all in a burlap bag and
Upvote
8
(8
/
0)
Look at the bright side, at least they didn't put some crappy AI on it and try to sell it fr $1,000 plus a monthly subscription.
Upvote
32
(32
/
0)
macosandlinux
Ars Praefectus
Maybe Scharon should have looked into TRMNL instead!
View: https://youtu.be/eIcZZX10pa4?feature=shared
Upvote
18
(19
/
-1)
The important question is what do you fill it in with? A stalwart Metropolitan? A limited edition Sailor 1911? A set of practical but distinctively colored felt-tipped pens?
Upvote
9
(9
/
0)
Was just coming to comments to shout out this very product. Which I also learned about from the linked video.
Upvote
8
(8
/
0)
Was this pitched to the editorial staff or did they assign it? I'm wondering what's notable enough about this for an Ars Technica article to have been written about it.
Upvote
15
(15
/
0)
So... You get to see what information Google and Microsoft has already sold to advertisers without having to see the ads, while let giving them even more information about you because you put your life on the web linked to your accounts, all in one cheap-looking device, all for a C-note?
Um... great..? ...uh... ...where do I sign up...?
(Apologies about how snarky this might sound, but the part of my brain that focuses on privacy and avoiding invasions of it just exploded.)
Upvote
4
(7
/
-3)
Ancient iPad (mini) on iOS 12.x likely won't sync current Reminders or only partially, as Apple changed the compatibility a few times. Plus it would need to be kept unlocked, which could be an issue for some.
But in essence, you are right. There are much better ways to do what this device does and for much cheaper.
Myself, I prefer random bits of paper ;-)
Upvote
1
(2
/
-1)
This device aside, there’s something about reduced congitive overload that I crave for, and “just works” device that has limited use by design
This might be related to neurotypes where inertia, cost of changing tasks, and focus are crucial. For example with my ADHD device with one use means I can’t (when low on regulating energy) use it for time wasting.
This might be related to neurotypes where inertia, cost of changing tasks, and focus are crucial. For example with my ADHD device with one use means I can’t (when low on regulating energy) use it for time wasting.
Upvote
6
(8
/
-2)
Sometimes it's nice though to see a weird gadget and just go "is this junk?" with an article answering "It is!".
Upvote
36
(36
/
0)
My biggest calendar issue is corporate IT not allowing anything to access my work calendar that isn’t under their complete control. Native iOS calendar access? Nope. So I have a work calendar in Outlook/OWA and then everything else in iOS calendar. Sure, they’ll let me import personal calendars into my work O365. Umm, no thanks. I’m assured they and MS don’t look at my personal calendars, but do I trust them? Zero trust — just like their security model.
So, this gadget doesn’t help me and just adds another desktop nag to worry me when I’m trying to concentrate on getting something done between meetings about meetings. I’ve ended up just setting iOS alarms the night before for every meeting on either calendar to alert me that I have a call to join.
So, this gadget doesn’t help me and just adds another desktop nag to worry me when I’m trying to concentrate on getting something done between meetings about meetings. I’ve ended up just setting iOS alarms the night before for every meeting on either calendar to alert me that I have a call to join.
Upvote
3
(4
/
-1)
Personally I don't mind Ars picking up off-beat gadgets to try out. There are a ton of YouTube videos showing off ESP-based connected information appliances. A real world test drive can put their actual utility to the test outside of the demands of eyeball piracy.
Upvote
31
(31
/
0)
So you carry that around in addition to phones even on weekends when Bobby and Jenny’s conflicting soccer and baseball tournaments move both times and fields around and Timmy has a birthday party at 3pm? Not going to work for me.
Upvote
5
(6
/
-1)
We've all seen the alt-label brands on Amazon (get the CRQXTOO Thunderbolt Docking Station for $12.99!) but there's a reason why we don't see many reviews...
Upvote
5
(5
/
0)
You can buy the touchscreen and microchip for a whopping 25 dollars and do literally whatever you want with it... The 75 dollar markup is absolutely crazy. ESP32s are dirt cheap, no one that knows how to compile a .ino file would ever buy this
Upvote
1
(5
/
-4)
Why not just stick a white board on the wall? No wasting paper or energy, it forces you to engage with your schedule as part of your routine in the morning. Cheaper. No potential for cloud bricking.
I'm sure there's a purpose-built whiteboard somewhere, or you could just use tape to add lines if you wanted.
I'm sure there's a purpose-built whiteboard somewhere, or you could just use tape to add lines if you wanted.
Upvote
6
(8
/
-2)
I kinda miss the 3.5”-4” phones of yesteryear. If kind of amazes me no one makes them in America anymore.
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)