Is there a future for disconnected devices? Are we on the brink of coming full circle, arriving back at a place where dedicated devices that are cut off from the web will once again be en vogue? As the Internet of Things category gets ready to explode and companies continue to launch “smart,” connected versions of practically everything you can think of, one company thinks there is still a place for clever offline gadgets that
Meet Mighty, a tiny dedicated device that can play all of your Spotify albums and playlists without ever connecting to the Internet.
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California-based startup Mighty Audio has 50 years of combined experience across the music, entertainment and technology industries, and the company’s four co-founders are putting their know-how to work on “Mighty.” The tiny device looks just like an iPod shuffle, but it only comes in one color combination: Black and green.
Of course, it’s no mistake that the device’s color palette is lifted directly from Spotify’s logo and mobile app — Mighty is the world’s first dedicated Spotify player, and it’s capable of playing all of your music without ever connecting to the Internet.
Here’s how it works: Mighty has a companion app for the iPhone and Android phones that’s used to pick and choose songs, albums and playlists you want to listen to. The app then syncs that music over to the Mighty, which can store up to 48 hours of music and has a battery that lasts for between 5 and 10 hours of playback.
Once you’re done syncing, you’re free to go anywhere and everywhere you want and listen to your Spotify music without a data connection. As a matter of fact, you don’t even need to carry your smartphone with you.
Of course, therein lies the biggest question surrounding this product: Does anyone savvy enough to have a Spotify subscription go anywhere without his or her smartphone?
Mighty Audio’s market research has found that there are a number of people out there who at times want to be free. Free from the distractions, buzzing and chimes that go along with carrying a smartphone. Maybe it’s while they’re working out or maybe it’s while they’re hiking. They just want to be left alone with the physical world and their music.
Fair enough. But the obvious question is, why can’t they just turn on airplane mode and play Spotify tracks that they’ve downloaded to their handsets?
For many, that solution is fine. Mighty is a tiny lightweight device though, and it can be clipped to anything. After all, it’s not always easy to find a place for your iPhone 6s Plus in your yoga pants, or for your Galaxy Note 5 in your boxing shorts. Using the Mighty also means you’re not draining your smartphone’s battery life, which is something we can likely all appreciate.
It’s an interesting niche product that could potentially pave the way for other dedicated, disconnected devices. Will it? We’ll see the answer to that question come together beginning today.
Mighty Audio is crowdfunding its dedicated Spotify player on Kickstarter, where it hopes to raise at least $250,000. The device itself will have a full retail price of $109 if funding is successful, and Kickstarter backers will get it for as little as $70. Only 100 people will get it at that price though, while the majority of backers will be able to get a device with a $79 pledge.
You can find more information on Mighty Audio’s Kickstarter page.
