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Tidbyt is a Smart Screen with a retro feel

Posted onAuthorNav Patel

Tidbyt is a connected smart screen display that gives you the information you want and need, just by glancing up. It lives on your bookshelf, on your desk, or in your office, and lets you stay on top of things without constantly checking your phone.

Tidbyt, Inc. was founded in 2020 by Rohan Singh and Mats Linander (founder bio) in Brooklyn, New York. At first, Tidbyt was inspired by the experience of waking up and trying to rush out the door to catch the subway. Especially in 2020, taking out a phone to look up the next train or the weather could easily turn into 30 minutes of doom-scrolling.

Whether it’s a clock, subway departures, stock prices, or a completely custom integration: Tidbyt can do it. Tidbyt is an Internet-connected display, with a lo-fi, retro feel. Its solid wood enclosure lends it a feeling of weight, and of quality. Tidbyt is part home decor, part tech gadget. Unlike other smart devices, Tidbyt has no microphone, speakers or buttons. It is a privacy-respecting, low-distraction alternative to using a smart speaker or checking your phone.

Tidbyt Smart Screen_Hookedontech

How does the Tidbyt smart screen work?

Users set up Tidbyt for the first time with a smartphone by connecting their Tidbyt to Wi-Fi and choosing what it should display. Since Tidbyt has its own Wi-Fi connection, it works anywhere that Wi-Fi is available. If multiple apps are selected, Tidbyt will rotate through them in order for either 5, 10 or 15 seconds. With Tidbyt’s API, users can also build their own apps and integrations. You can adjust the brightness of the screen automatically or manually using your smartphone. The auto-dimming adjusts the brightness as the sun rises and sets. Tidbyt’s Night Mode can make the display go ultra-dim so it doesn’t bother you while you sleep.

Tidbyt Technical Specifications:

  • Screen: P3 RGB 64×32 LED matrix. 200 Hz refresh rate
  • Power: USB-C, 5V/3A. US plug included
  • CPU: Dual-core 32bit Xtensa LX6 (ESP32), bootloader unlocked.
  • WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n compatible (2.4 GHz only).
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth Low Energy for initial setup
  • Enclosure: American walnut with aluminum back plate
  • Dimensions: 8.2″ x 4.4″ x 1.9″ (208 x 112 x 50 mm)

Tidbyt Smart Screen: List of applications

Currently available apps for Tidbyt’s display include Weather, World Clock, Google Calendar, Stocks, Now Playing on Spotify, among others. Tidbyt also supports local transit and mobility, with apps for ferry & train departures and bike share availability. See below for full list of features and apps.

  1. The Calendar app can display title and time of upcoming meeting. When a meeting is in progress, the remaining time is displayed. It currently supports Google Calendar.
  2. Citibike displays current availability of bicycles at any station in NYC’s Citibike system. It shows both regular and e-bike availability.
  3. The clock app displays the current time and weather at a given location. Weather info can be
    disabled. An additional location text can be added for a world clock type setup.
  4. You can also track price of cryptocurrencies in USD. It currently supports Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ether and Litecoin, plus many more to be added.
  5. You can also display custom text messages with customizable color and font.
  6. It also shows upcoming departures for any stop in the NY Ferry network. You can display upcoming departures for any station in supported subway systems. Can be limited to a specific direction, e.g. “Manhattan bound only”. Currently supports NYC’s MTA, Washington Metro and BART.
  7. The Photos app lets you upload any photo from your smartphone to your Tidbyt display. Photos can be selected from gallery, or captured directly with camera.
  8. Spotify shows what’s currently playing on Spotify.
  9. You can also display the price over time for any US stock. A day’s worth of data. Shows stock symbol, current price, absolute and relative change over the day.
  10. Twitter displays the most recent Tweet from the user’s Home Timeline.
  11. Weather two-day weather forecast, for any location.
  12. You can also show the subscriber and view count for Youtube channels.

Pricing and Availability

After running a pilot program from its Brooklyn workshop, Tidbyt is available on Kickstarter, starting at $149 with estimated delivery date of September 2021. The Tidbyt display has managed to raise $458,237 (USD) with 2,570 backers and 26 days to go, easily surpassing the original goal of $40,000 (USD).