I am so grateful for the advances in tech we’ve seen in the last few years. Still, there are times when I know I need to put down the screens and be present, but that’s really hard when I’m expecting an important call or email. The Notti Smart Lamp, which is at the tail end of a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign, might be the newest and most gorgeous piece of tech to help us stay connected even while we disconnect.
At first glance, the Notti is just a pretty lamp. But it has a lot of features that parents can use—like the customizable color settings to alert you of different incoming messages. Phone calls are one color, Facebook updates another—you get the idea. This could be a great way to help me set my phone aside and play a board game with my kids, knowing that I don’t have to look at my phone unless the Notti turns a certain color.
Of course, my phone can do the same thing, by ringing a certain tone or by setting it on Do Not Disturb and allowing only my favorites to ring through. That’s why Notti’s other features are important, if you’re considering backing them (which is pretty inexpensive, by the way).
You can use Notti to set the mood for a romantic dinner with the dimmer mode. Or go crazy with the 16 million available colors (whoa) and have a dance party in the music mode. Set it to holiday-specific hues for your next bash — whether that’s Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, or the birthday kid’s favorite colors. And as someone who is decidedly not a morning person, I love the alarm mode that gradually brightens your room for 5 minutes before your phone alarm is set to ring. Because it’s nearly impossible to get out of a warm bed in a dark room.
All of these settings are controlled via the iOS and Android phone apps, which is super convenient. Notti can party hard for 5 hours of active battery life before needing a recharge via USB. And if you decide you really love it, your phone app can control multiple Notti lamps around your home. Which might come in handy at future Super Bowl parties—you know, so you can have both teams’ colors strobing all night long.
The Notti Lamp campaign has met its goal already on Kickstarter, but it ends November 19 if you want in on the action too. Delivery is expected to start March 2015.
