As a writer for the internet, my job is pretty cool — and not just because I get to work from my bed in my pajamas. I get to research and test out the latest smart devices, some being incredibly impressive and others being, well, less impressive. So I feel like it's important for me to tell you, dear reader, that I've never been as impressed with a tech device as I am with Vestaboard.
What is Vestaboard?
Vestaboard is a smart display designed to connect and inspire. It's a reimagined design of a split-flap display you might see at a train station in Europe, and it's the perfect blend of tech, art, and information. Through the company's app (and through the web), you can manage and curate the display, which can show quotes, news, designs, weather, images, or any message you want to share — and you can share it from anywhere.
There are 132 character modules on the Vestaboard, and each bit has 64 spinning characters. The site and sound of the tiles moving is reminiscent of an old train station.
I was able to test out a Vestaboard in my family's new vacation rental home in Coachella, CA. The house was built by a home construction company to make it look like all the others in the neighborhood, but our partners and designers Erin and Dan Benedict from Benedict August revamped the entire place to make it unique, stylish, and beyond chic for our guests — and that includes a Vestaboard, which complements our slight old school train theme. You can see more photos here.
Here's a look at how it works:
How much is it?
The black and the limited edition white Vestaboard will cost you $3,295. It isn't cheap, but it's absolutely worth it if you take advantage of all the cool features. As for the cool features? Let's dive in.
The app's capabilities are practically endless
Whether you want to display a motivational quote, your family's daily schedule, a love note to your spouse and kids, or a recipe for the cocktail of the day (perfect for a vacation rental), you can send messages to the board instantly or schedule it ahead of time. It's actually way easier than it sounds, because the app's visual editor can help you line up the design.
The app has a Today's Picks section, which allows you to easily choose a premade message or artistic display. If you're one who feels inspired by quotes, you'll appreciate the accessibility of so many fantastic quotes that you can pick and choose before making them viewable on the display.
There are over 250 channels of content within the app, and each channel has over 200 messages to choose from. Sync with sports channels to get live sports updates, set the word of the day, post Seinfeld quotes, set the time, or get updates from your preferred news sources.
You can sync with your Google calendar with Vestaboard so your daily schedule can appear on the display. To make things even easier, you can view and edit past messages or save the displays you love the most to your favorites. Plus, you can invite others to share messages to your Vestaboard from anywhere.
If you have more the one Vestaboard, like if you're a business owner of multiple locations, you can control them all via one app. The device is great for sharing team news or sharing messages to your customers.
Here's a bit more on the app:
The noise level
Since the tiles on the Vestaboard make a sound when the message changes (which sounds like it would be annoying, but it's actually very much part of the charm), you can set quiet hours so the board doesn't wake anyone up. The sound of the tiles moving on the Vestaboard was carefully designed to be a light fluttering sound, so you can only hear the movement while you're in the same room.
As for the extra fun kind of noise, Vestaboard connects to Sonos, which means the song title and artist can be displayed on the board while your music is playing.
Vestaboard+
Vestaboard+ is $95 a year and gives you access to unlimited channels full of automated content that can be customized. You also have access to an onboarding consultation and voice support beyond the first 90 days.
The allure of the Vestaboard is that it encourages people to look up. It's a reminder that we don't need screens to feel motivated or to see the beauty in life, and that right there is worth it.