Notifications devices are taking the tech world by storm, whether they be smartwatches or any other form of notifications device. It often seems, however, that many of these devices do not have many new and exciting features, and if they do, they cost an arm and a leg to buy. Well there’s one company out there called Mbient Lab that is trying to change that, and they’re doing this through their new device, the Cubit.
Mbient Lab was founded by two ex-Intel engineers Laura Kassovic and Matt Baker, and the Cubit is certainly not just another notifications device. It has a number of really great and exciting features that are not only cool, but they’re also very practical.
As a notifications device, the Cubit’s main feature is to deliver your smartphone notifications straight to your wrist, neck, or wherever you decide to put it. These notifications include calls, emails, texts, social media, and so on. Now, it is important to remember that the Cubit will not take calls for you, it will just notify you of incoming or missed calls. But then again, many people don’t need another device to take a call from.
Now, Mbient Lab could have ended the project there and the Cubit still would have been a great device. But they didn’t. The Cubit offers a number of other great features besides being simply a notifications device.
First of all, the Cubit can be used as a tracking device for your keys, bag, or even your dog. Simply clip the Cubit to the item you don’t want to lose, and you can then track its whereabouts with your smartphone, as long as you have connected the device to your smartphone and it’s within range. Not only that, but if you happen to lose your smartphone, you can use the cubit to find it using the devices two way connection.
The team behind the Cubit have made it an extremely simple device, yet they have not compromised functionality. In fact, the Cubit is open, allowing for developers to take advantage of the hardware and create their own app for it. The Cubit even has an accelerometer and temperature sensor built in, so the device could perhaps be used for things like fitness tracking. A few ideas that have popped up on the Cubit Kickstarter page are things like dog leashes and luggage trackers, but the possibilities for the device are really endless!
The Cubit Kickstarter was launched today, and you can donate to have your very own Cubit when it is shipped in July next year. It is compatible with iOS7, and with Android. Currently the features that can be used with Android are limited, but because of the fact that the Cubit is open, hopes are that improved Android connectivity will be added by the Android community. You can pre-order your very own Cubit for only $49, an incredible price for such a practical and functional product. If you decide against donating to the campaign however, the Cubit is still very much a device to keep an eye on!
*Update 11/5/13 – We recently spoke with the founders of Mbient Lab to discuss the Cubit device on our weekly podcast, click here to listen to the interview.
2 Comments. Leave new
@mbientLab It’s cute, seems smart & is definitely affordable. But is the wearables bar so low that we can call it fashionable?
I think it depends on your definition of fashionable. Like you said, it’s cute, which is the fashion choice that many go for. It comes in a range of colors, indicating that people can choose the one that best suits their fashion choice.