Smart coffee mug offers e-ink display

Smart Internet-connected devices are arriving at increasingly rapid speeds, bringing a level of interaction to everyday appliances that were mere fiction in the recent past. The latest among those connected devices is the brainchild of a coffee roaster and marketing company.

The smart coffee mug, which is equipped with electronics in an enclosed bottom portion, is the work of the Finish coffee roaster Paulig, as well as the Finnish division of the advertising agency TBWA/Helsinki.

The smart coffee mug is equipped with an e-ink display, which flips to a new image when the mug is refilled with coffee. The electricity, not surprisingly, is harvested from the heat of the coffee itself (you probably don't want to microwave the mug).

The mug can be connected to a mobile app, and the images can be shared with a social network if desired. For now, the product is undergoing beta testing, with interested parties being able to sign up as a beta tester. If all goes as planned, the mug could hit shelves next year.

SOURCE: Mashable