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konschubert

I am making and selling an eink smart screen.

It can display a google calendar.

You can also point it to any url that serves an image.

Is it okay to post a link?

https://shop.invisible-computers.com/products/invisible-cale...

I am planning to release more applications for it and I am opening the platform for 3rd party applications.

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Give it Home Assistant integration, or at least MQTT control, and I'd buy at least one

> You can configure this beautiful the e-paper display to poll any HTTP endpoint for an image. Just paste the URL into the iOS or Android app. The image will then be displayed on the screen. And when it changes, the screen updates.

Looks pretty simple to do.

I think the idea would be to be support a way to set that HTTP URL via an API, not requiring use of an iOS/Android app?

I imagine this might be a case of documentation and support as supposedly the app is already using the API endpoints we'd like to have.

Hmm, I'm not sure what you mean. How would you physically connect to this API without an app and without a backend?

I'm not saying necessarily without a backend. Just being able to "self-service" via API (ie if everything I can do via the app, I can do via curl, it could be interesting).

Self-hostable backend (benefits: privacy; less trust required; I know it'll still be usable even if you shut down your backend in 5y) would of course be great but a separate thing to the above.

Do you use an ESP32? Could you? You could use ESPHome https://esphome.io/

Ideally the device can create a wifi hotspot when it isn't setup that I can join and setup all the needed config settings. WLED does this as well https://kno.wled.ge/

I'm guessing since it's plugged in, there was no way to make it last long enough on a battery?

Love the idea, will bookmark it for the future office!

Battery is harder to make safe and harder to certify as safe.

Plus, I like the idea of plugging it in and never having to worry about it.

Still, I am thinking about adding a battery about twice per week, so it's definitely on my mind.

Consider a "bring your own battery" option where you have an interface that's moderately standard.

Do you have docs on the API / integration mentioned here and on the website? Would be good to know in broad strokes before buying one. Sample apps and whatnot

Here is the API description:

https://github.com/Invisible-Computers/image-gallery/blob/ma...

And here is the sample app:

https://github.com/Invisible-Computers/image-gallery

Admittedly, I am not the greatest technical writer, but I compensate by being pretty responsive. So if you have a question, just message me :)

Oh, a fellow hacker from my little home town :-) Greetings from the other side of the fjord and best of luck with your business!

This display looks great, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous that you acted on the idea first (; Best of luck, I think the future of e-ink, edge computing, battery efficiency, etc. will only make these types of products even better down the line!

For the same price one can buy a 10.5" Galaxy Tab A8. But still, very cool. I wish e-paper wasn't expensive as hell and so dreadfully slow to update, it would cut down on energy usage in so many applications.

But the Galaxy Tab doesn't have a paper-like screen ;)

True, but it can also do almost anything instead of just being a calendar and a picture ;)

Any chance of having mini HDMI input to use it as something like an Onyx Boox Mira?

Probably not, I'd like to keep the device as simple as possible. The Onyx Boox already exists and it's great ;)

Any chance you'll do a larger one? I've wanted exactly this but closer to ~13-inch to replace the "family wall calendar".

It looks great, though! Any good place to follow/subscribe for updates?

So far I only have an instagram: https://www.instagram.com/invisiblecomputers/

Larger displays are not excluded as a possibility, but I like the current size for placing it on the desk. Also, larger displays are disproportionately expensive, and the display is already the main cost driver.

Totally fair. I hadn't checked the cost of larger e-ink, and you're right, I probably wouldn't pay $500 for the same thing you're making but 13".

Still going to keep an eye on it, though. I may end up talking myself (more accurately, my wife) into a smaller display.

Way cool. Just added this to my Christmas wishlist.

As a non-techy nerd it’s a perfect niche with built in usage and no need to hack. Thank you for posting.

I'd love to get this but for iCal display. Any chance that's in the cards in the future?

It’s in the cards, pretty high in the stack, but I never make promises.

If you can write code and you don’t want to wait for me to add it to the default calendar app, you can build it and release it as a 3rd party app:

https://github.com/Invisible-Computers/image-gallery/blob/ma...

Got it. I'm not the right person to build this functionality so I'll just wait to see if it comes and buy later if so!

How did you get into e-ink screen programming? I read here that e-inks are a market dominated by one company and that all the toolchain is owned by them, did you make your tools yourself?

Nice product, btw.

I see that shipping to Europe is not yet supported. Do you have plans soon?

CE certification is extremely expensive for a bootstrapped startup.

Plus there is Elektroschrottverordnung and Verpackungsrichtlinie and all that stuff.

You can send me an email at info@invisible-computers.com

Is it UL certified?

Wait, you are situated in Flensburg but not shipping to EU? That seems rather interesting... Do you also manufacture in germany or have you sourced that out?

The wood is CNC'd in Germany, the metal back cover is from Spain. :)

PCB and screens are from China. The final assembly happens in my home.

I try to run a short supply chain to limit my inventory risk.

I'll purchase once Outlook calendar is supported natively.

I'm taking you by your word ;)

I'll email you.

Love this idea, been waiting for you to ship to Canada and now finally purchased :)

Currently your Android app isn't available in Canada yet though

You're right, thanks for the hint! I have now submitted it to Google to be released in Canada as well. Usually that is approved pretty quickly.

Just ordered. Looking forward to getting it!

If you can document how to make this show a calendar from Office 365 that would get you so many sales.

There is no native outlook support (yet), but it works if you sync it via a google calendar.

Here is a guide on how to do it:

https://shop.invisible-computers.com/pages/outlook-calendar-...

That gets you a sale, bro. :)

Now my family can see my calendar easily.

Very cool! Are you able to make a full-time living off this product yet?

Not yet. I’m hoping to, so I can fully focus on it.

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