If you’re someone who likes to hang up a paper calendar up on the wall at home or at the office, this bold and somewhat whimsical product could be the perfect combination of paper and next-generation digital. The Magic Calendar has the appearance of a regular wall calendar. But it can be edited and manipulated using an Android phone. The product aims to make a big impact on using less paper in everyday life while keeping the nostalgic paper-like and physical feel of a calendar.
Slashgear explains that the Magic Calendar—like other always-on dashboards such as the Raspberry Pi—are usually run by small computers. However, this product uses an e-ink display rather than an LCD. This feature gives the Magic Calendar the edge of running for up to 30 months on a single charge. The e-ink reportedly doesn’t use any power when displaying static content. It only draws energy when the schedules to be displayed are adjusted.
In a video introducing the Magic Calendar, Designer Kosjo Tsuboi shares, “I came up with the design for Magic Calendar based on the idea of having a product that would inherit the characteristics of both smartphone and paper calendars so that the schedules inputted in calendars can be quickly checked.” He continues, “I believe there is a kind of surprise or a certain type of impression that will come from the ability to put changeable information on a media that has a similar weight, texture, or smooth feeling that we associate with touching paper.”
The Bold Idea of the Magic Calendar
The Magic Calendar is one of several promising Android-powered ideas. It’s part of a Japanese Android Experiments campaign. But it has the potential of being developed into an actual, commercial product. It answers the challenge of having a calendar that combines the best features of paper and smartphone.
The calendar is always on, and this makes sharing events and schedules between people easier and more natural. However, one of its limitations is its dependence on a computer or phone when editing. The edits or changes must be made first on Google Calendar before it is reflected on the Magic Calendar, as Design Milk explains.
Indeed, the Magic Calendar is not really completely new concept. But it is a bold idea that could be adapted a lot sooner than we think to make more homes and offices all over the world “paperless” places. This sphere is another area where digital transformation can help make the world a better and greener place to live in.
