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Old Kindle Gets New Life as Desk Assistant
7 Oct
Summary
- An older Kindle Paperwhite was jailbroken and reprogrammed.
- The repurposed e-reader functions as a to-do list and app launcher.
- It syncs with both Mac and PC and offers calendar alerts.
A 2013 Kindle Paperwhite has been repurposed into a sophisticated desk assistant through a clever jailbreaking hack. The modified device now offers a range of productivity features, including to-do list management and shortcuts for applications, similar to a Stream Deck. It also functions as a Pomodoro timer for focused work sessions.
The Kindle seamlessly integrates with both Mac and PC, syncing data via a Cloudflare web account. It automatically switches between systems or can be manually controlled. Completed tasks disappear from the display, and calendar integration provides five-minute alerts for upcoming meetings, even offering a one-tap option to join calls.
Additional functionalities include a weather app, a dark mode, and a screensaver clock. The developer plans to release the source code on GitHub, allowing others to replicate the hack on their own older Kindle devices. Future enhancements are expected, such as integrating specific Spotify playlists and Slack channels, and the capability to control smart home lighting.
