Podcasts have suddenly become more popular in the past couple of years. The pandemic has made people yearn for more quality content they can listen to instead of watching. We have seen several podcasts gain popularity and some social media influencers just decided to do podcasts instead of vlog.
We understand the convenience of a podcast, as you can simply listen to one while doing other tasks. And with the popularity of wireless earbuds, it has become more accessible and more efficient to be just listening to audio content without having to look at a screen. We know how browsing the internet on your smartphone can be a rabbit hole.
Designer: Naeun Jeong
One solution to this minor problem is this Buddy concept. It is an audio device that lets you listen to pure audio. Media consumption is evolving even with all the technological advancements. This Buddy simply lets you focus on audio without checking your other mobile apps.
Some people just want to listen to music or audio without being disturbed by smartphone notifications. People who commute may also want to listen to podcasts without taking out their phones. Listening to audio can relieve stress as you can listen to podcasts, audiobooks, lectures, or even ASMR. It’s as if we are going back to the time when radios and walkmans were popular. That could be the inspiration but imagine those times when life was less stressful–pure bliss.
Buddy allows pure audio content consumption. It is one way to focus without being disturbed by visual elements. The Buddy is an accessory that can easily bend and be installed on the phone. The idea is for it to work on the Naver platform so you can check on original content, popular playlists, and more. It is still managed on a compatible app under the Management page.
The idea is for Buddy to work when combined with the smartphone, the lock screen changes. It works over NFC and will play audio content or a playlist in the slot. You can move to another page or screen until the Buddy is removed—you need to move the dial.
The Buddy allows you to move to the previous/next song or skip back/forward 30s. There is a dial for changing the audio slot, Play/Stop, and three audio slots. It works with a Buddy Bed, so you can listen indoors as it works as a speaker and a wireless charging bed. Put the phone on the Buddy bed when you want to listen to audio while you’re also in bed but want to be away from the phone. It really is a challenge to be away from the screen, but this Buddy can help you and me. This pure audio content device can be helpful, especially to those people who can’t seem to part from their mobile devices.
