Post-it and other sticky notes are handy tools for leaving messages. But too many of them can create a mess on the refrigerator or other surfaces, and they tend to fall off all too easily. They are also not so great for the environment.
Oronote is a smart version of the sticky note that can be placed on any firm magnetic surface. An included wall plate enables the small white device to also be used on surfaces including bricks and tiles. Oronote lights up and announces when there is a message. It works in conjunction with an app for Android and iOS mobile devices that enables the user to store and manage dozens of messages with different trigger actions and control Oronote’s settings.
Messages can be left via its microphone in the user’s own voice. The app’s smart text-to-speech engine supports multiple languages. Oronote features sensors and an accelerometer that enable users to deliver messages based on motion, temperature, ambient lighting and the time. Oronote also doubles as a motion-detecting night light that can be set to light up at certain times. Oronote ships in May at $99, but early bird Indiegogo backers can get one at pledges starting at $69. Its makers are looking to raise $35,000 by Feb. 20.
Too many sticky notes can indeed be a hassle. But it’s doubtful that Oronote offers the perfect solution and recalls the Saturday Night Live “McIntosh Post-It Notes” TV commercial parody that poked fun at Newton in 1993. Many consumers probably already see their smartphones as a perfectly fine digital replacement for sticky notes thanks to their calendar and clock settings, without needing an additional electronic device to be used with them.