A quick history lesson
Spotify officially launched the Car Thing in 2022. The device was polarizing and, in the eyes of Spotify, ultimately flopped. As a result, Spotify decided to not only discontinue the product but also cut support for it, effectively leaving it as e-waste. In fact, Spotify has even encouraged users to discard their current devices. They'll end support entirely on December 9, 2024. However, many users have found clever ways to hack their Car Things, repurposing the Car Thing to boost its productivity in unexpected ways.
How We're Changing Things
The DeskThing project aims to extend the life of the Car Thing, while enabling additional features to further boost productivity. Currently, the DeskThing is compatible with the Car Thing when connected directly to a computer. However, our end goal is to make it more adaptable to individual needs. This includes compatibility with other devices like Raspberry Pis, Android phones, desktop apps, and more.
Currently, the DeskThing expands upon the Car Thing’s original functionality by eliminating the need for a Bluetooth connection to a mobile device with the Spotify app, adding local audio support (allowing it to report information from various sources), and integrating synced song lyrics and weather reporting. Although much work remains to make this project the product the Car Thing should have been at launch, we aim to reduce unnecessary e-waste and provide the best user experience past having a second monitor.
Where we're headed
What started as a hobby project has evolved into a genuine passion. We aim to keep enhancing DeskThing, steadily improving its features and user experience. With ongoing updates and thoughtful additions, we’re committed to making it the best it can be, bringing new life to the Car Thing.
Our values: