I'm not sure why, but I think I want a Chumby.
Spotted care of Nancy White, who already has one, and describes it as a "little mobile wireless displayer of widgets". I think about it as a the evolution of digital photo frames and Chumby themselves describe it this way:
"The chumby is a compact device that displays useful and entertaining information from the web: news, photos, music, celebrity gossip, weather, box scores, blogs — using your wireless internet connection. Always on, it shows — nonstop — what's online that matters to you.
Why would I want one?
It's just pure 24/7 gratification to be able to have the Internet on tap. Sure, you can get the same information on your computer, but why be stuck behind a keyboard to enjoy your internet addictions?"
Its interesting because you can use it in different ways from being a clock to keeping in touch with your social network. On the other hand its just a fancy always-on widget player, so why can't my Palm T|X (or your mobile device of choice) work like a Chumby? I suppose its not as cute... but there is a little more to it than just a widget player - the current wikipedia entry describes what is under the hood as including:
"a bend sensor for squeeze-based user interface features and a sudden motion sensor (accelerometer). Future releases for the Chumby may include a "Hacker Sensor Package", with motor drivers, A/D Converters and digital inputs and outputs to make the device more flexible."
Hmm. Not quite your average PDA or digital photo frame.
There is something evocative about it that I don't feel with a PDA. It has humor. Whimsy. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I like it!!
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