How To Make All Your Mailbox Visits Worthwhile
What’s the Latest Development?
Thanks to a little device called Postifier, the humble mailbox can now join all the other common household items that have been transformed with a little touch of high-tech. It attaches to the inside, and uses an infrared sensor to detect when the mailman has paid a visit. It then triggers a Bluetooth Low Energy module, and the next time the recipient is within 100 feet of the mailbox, they will receive a notification via their smartphone. For those whose mailboxes are grouped with others’ — in an apartment building, for example — an individual passcode helps ensure that notifications go where they’re supposed to.
What’s the Big Idea?
Sadly for those of us who still enjoy getting snail mail, Postifier is yet another reminder of its slow decline as a major form of communication. While the amount of time saved may seem negligible, it could prove worthwhile for the elderly as well as those with mobility issues for whom a trip to the mailbox isn’t a simple endeavor. The device’s Australian creator, Matt Luba, says Postifier should cost about US$25 when it becomes available; towards that end he has launched an Indiegogo campaign in hopes of raising $30,000 by August 11.
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