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TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod
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Why not is the real question?
Just a fun little bit of whimsy to use with AWs one might have laying around otherwise doing nothing.
I miss products like these.
It harkens back to when we all seemed to be having more "fun" online and with tech.
People hating on this little device are the same as apple's app review team. Innovation killers.
This is awesome. Has me seriously considering an AW with cellular so I could just keep this on me instead of a gigantic iPhone (because they all are now) which barely fits in my pockets.
I really cannot understand this product. I have an Apple Watch and it is by no means a phone. Adding silicon case will not change this. But I could be wrong, of course.
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis.
When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works through "carefully mechanized components" that make direct contact with the Digital Crown on Apple Watch.
The TinyPod website suggests that a cellular version of the Apple Watch could be placed inside the TinyPod and used as a miniature phone, without the need to carry an iPhone. The case leaves the back of the Apple Watch exposed, but it is worth noting that actually using an Apple Watch this way would be frustrating because it uses skin contact for authentication.
If the TinyPod were tucked away in a pocket, the Apple Watch would need to be unlocked with a passcode every time it was used, since there is no Face ID or Touch Id. The alternative would be leaving the watch unlocked without a passcode, but that's not particularly secure.
Using TinyPod requires turning off wrist detection, which is the feature that keeps the Apple Watch unlocked with skin contact. TinyPod positions this as a bonus that allows for longer multi-day battery life, but at the same time highlights Apple Pay and Name Drop, features that would require authentication via passcode. With the back of the Apple Watch exposed, charging can be done with a standard Apple Watch charging puck.
TinyPod is available in 40/41mm, 44/45mm, and 49mm sizes to fit all Apple Watch models. It is compatible with the Series 4 and later, as well as the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra.
TinyPod's creators introduced it earlier this year, but the device is now available for purchase. It can be ordered from the TinyPod website for $80, with a lite model that does not feature a click wheel available for $30.
Article Link: TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod
The dimensions of the Watch changed significantly. Earlier Watches (Series 2 and 3) were 0,7 mm thicker.
Oh don't get me wrong, I think this thing is adorable, and would probably buy one!
...not for $79. That price is hilarious.
And i'm the idiot that bought a Clicks case! I love whimsical hardware!
A few simple gears inside it to transmit force from the click wheel to the crown.
I seem to be in the minority here, but I think this thing is pretty freaking awesome... I mean it's definitely a solution seeking a problem, but sometimes things don't need a revolutionary purpose/use case to be appreciated or enjoyed.
I also feel like it's NOT all that overpriced. I'd rather buy this for $79 than that ridiculous Clicks keyboard case for $159...
I also feel like it's NOT all that overpriced. I'd rather buy this for $79 than that ridiculous Clicks keyboard case for $159...
Many people criticized the Apple Vision Pro because "it's a solution looking for a problem" or because "there are no use cases", yet, someone creates this thing that doesn't have real use cases and everyone seems to be praising this... interesting...
I’m all about digital minimalism and regularly apply it to my life. I also regularly go out with only my cellular Apple Watch. I’ve been tempted by minimal phones in the past, namely the Light Phone II. My brother has one and I almost took it off his hands when he was bored with it, ultimately decided against it because it doesn’t support my carrier.
The tinypod looks like it would be a good alternative if I wasn’t already wearing my Apple Watch as… well, a watch.
I’m somewhat tempted, but at the same time spending $79 to nerf my AWU experience just seems like a waste. And anti-minimal in my opinion. One of my biggest uses is fitness and health tracking.
Interesting concept, but it adds nothing that I can’t already do with my AWU on my wrist. Maybe it would be good for very specific people who want a minimal phones with imessage support, want to wear a mechanical-watch and don’t want to carry an iPhone with them all the time. Admittedly, it might be for me if I didn’t care about the health tracking.
But I agree, this is kind of expensive for a small piece of plastic. The Ultra model is $89. Looking at it from a mindful and digital minimalism point of view, I can see it might be worth it. And am actually kind of considering one.
Either way, using the Clicks case or this tinypod case is sure to get random looks from strangers.
The tinypod looks like it would be a good alternative if I wasn’t already wearing my Apple Watch as… well, a watch.
I’m somewhat tempted, but at the same time spending $79 to nerf my AWU experience just seems like a waste. And anti-minimal in my opinion. One of my biggest uses is fitness and health tracking.
Interesting concept, but it adds nothing that I can’t already do with my AWU on my wrist. Maybe it would be good for very specific people who want a minimal phones with imessage support, want to wear a mechanical-watch and don’t want to carry an iPhone with them all the time. Admittedly, it might be for me if I didn’t care about the health tracking.
I’m also an idiot who bought a Clicks case! I’d hate to admit it, but it actually improved my life a little bit. I suffer a problem in my thumbs where scrolling hurts after a while, using the space bar to scroll on webpages and articles, turn pages in the Books app has helped me a lot. It’s actually more of an accessibility device for me than a keyboard.
But I agree, this is kind of expensive for a small piece of plastic. The Ultra model is $89. Looking at it from a mindful and digital minimalism point of view, I can see it might be worth it. And am actually kind of considering one.
Either way, using the Clicks case or this tinypod case is sure to get random looks from strangers.
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as someone who wears a mechanical watch with an iPhone 12 mini and no interest in health-tracking or heart-rate data collection, this makes me want to buy a cellular Apple Watch just to put in this thing. I also have a modded iPod for my music, as I don't like Bluetooth headphones. Ive been looking at dumb phones but haven't been swayed by any.
Maybe I'll get a small refurb Apple Watch for the smallest possible tinypod "phone" and finally be able to leave my obtrusive and clunky 12 mini at home.
The main downside I see is not being able to use this as a "normal" phone for phone calls, meaning holding up to your ear. It would either all be speakerphone or using Bluetooth headphones.
It's $30-80 and is trying something interesting to repurpose older hardware folks might have laying around
AVP is $3500+ and breaks almost no new ground
Bad comparison
(really bad)
Remember when "They" turned the Nano into a watch before the Apple Watch? Not "they" are turning the watch back into an iPod. People are never satisfied.
Well an iPod would not have access to any music streaming nor would it be compatible with AirPods. Even an old Apple Watch more than covers all the features of, say, a 6th gen nano. I think it’s a good enough especially if you have old watches lying around.