Hands On with the BusyBox D
Retail Price: $299.00
When the Covid-19 pandemic first began and many of us were stuck together working at home, I came across an Instagram ad for what looked like one of those old radio station “On Air” signs from the 1940’s. I love retro things as documented by my random collection of things throughout the office and my house, but this particular product drew my interest because it was a digital display that could be controlled by an app on your phone. Known as the BusyBox D (D for digital), I had a few ways to use this nifty device in mind, so I bit the bullet and backed it on Indiegogo. Two years later and ironically right when I caught Covid-19 for the first time, the BusyBox showed up to the office. I finally got a chance to unbox it and try it out. Is this what I hoped it would be? A lot has changed since I put the order in so let’s take a look.
Inside the box
As this was a crowdfunding endeavor, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how well the BusyBox was packaged. It’s not one of those presentations that will blow you away when you open it, but everything is neatly and safely put together. The Busy Box D we ordered comes with two swappable plate covers in black and also white. There’s wall mounting tape, a USB-C to USB A cable, and some paperwork. That’s all there is to it.
The BusyBox D sign is split into three pieces that contribute to how it functions. To charge the 10,000 mAh battery through the USB-C port, you’ll have to remove the cover plate. BusyBox says the device charges in less than 5 hours and can be run on a full charge for 10+ hours.
After removing the cover, that’ll leave the 1280x480p LCD display in the forefront. That display is actually connected to a wall mount plate that has a lock mechanism with an arrow to match the back of the display part. That mounting plate is where you stick on the included command strips to it and the wall. The cover plate and display part are held together by a magnet pull which seems quite sturdy. It’s a pretty easy process to pull on and off.
How it works
As the most expensive product in the lineup at $299, the BusyBox D naturally supplies owners with more functionality than its siblings like it’s Indiegogo partner, BusyBox S, and the new product offerings, the BusyBox P and BusyBox R. The S and the R require swappable message signs that are illuminated by a backlight. That saves on cost. The BusyBox D is much more sophisticated as it utilizes the free to use app on Android and iOS to customize the message it displays. Unlike the manually removable messages that need to be swapped on the cheaper options, the D can be used as an external display for various things other than just messages by linking through Bluetooth with a smart device. Once linked with the app, there are 8 preset cards that can be customized with text, color and font. You can even upload a file or picture to the gallery, although I had originally not been successful in finding a working combination that displays properly, I got it to work after initial filming by uninstalling the app and re-updating the firmware.
On the BusyBox website, they say the Busybox can work with other applications like Google Calendar and even voice assistants like Siri to control the display. I’ve enabled the features, and once again I originally wasn’t able to get it working, but have since sorted it out with an app uninstall. Keep in mind that the more sophisticated a product is, the more potential for bugs. Whereas the BusyBox that uses a word card can always have text displayed on it, this particular model relies on its companion app to actually work. Without it, it’s just a black box that isn’t busy at all. I’m sure I’ll get the kinks worked out and in my full review later on, I’ll be sure to discuss how successful my daily usage of the product integrates with the features they advertise.
I’ve found BusyBox the company to be rather responsible in their communication with backers and customers. Throughout the near two year wait, the company rarely missed a monthly email update to supporters. Since receiving the unit, there was already a firmware update. This shows me that the company seems to support their lineup rather than dumping a promised product for profit and moving away to something else.
What’s it good for?
I don’t want to add too much commentary as I’ll save that for the full review when I’ve had more time with the BusyBox, but I bet a lot of people are wondering why you would even need something like this. I’ll tell you the reason I really wanted the BusyBox when they reeled me in millennial shopping style on Instagram ads. Back in 2020, I was producing and co-starring in a podcast with Seri called Incoherent Geek Shit. After moving to my new house at the time, I set up a filming studio room for our various endeavors. Little did we know, we’d be also using another room in the house as an office as both Lida and I were working from home full-time due to Covid. The universal sign that you’re busy is when your door is closed. However, that isn’t always helpful to convey your current status when you’re also occupying a room in your home that has other functions as well. I immediately envisioned the BusyBox to glorify my home studio just as I’ve always admired those same exact “On Air” signs at live broadcast studios I used to work at.
Fast forward two years later and although the BusyBox actually made it to my hands (which is pretty rare for my crowdfunding record), our podcast actually ended its run. I still have other ways of utilizing the BusyBox D in mind to let my roommates know when I’m recording YouTube videos and when they’re welcome inside. One day when I have the right room, the BusyBox will also be an open sign for my home arcade. There’s plenty of different ways to ultimately use the BusyBox D to enhance your setup, it just requires creativity and a vision of something you desire.
Alex
Caught in between the conundrum of his fascination with retro and the future, Alex has a very unique taste in technology. Never one to follow trends like his millennial peers yet constantly desiring to get ahead of the curve, he sees technology like he does his other love: comic books. Always looking for the best value or a hidden gem, his collector mindset reflects on some of his favorite gadgets: the Moto X (2015), HTC U11 and the Google Pixelbook. If there’s a good tech deal out there, Alex is on the hunt!