SOOOT Box from Germany uses apps made from paper
With the SOOOT Box, three-2-one GmbH from Krefeld, Germany, aims to show that computers do not necessarily have to rely on touchscreens, voice control or smartphone apps. Instead, the plain black box uses paper punch cards. These SOOOT Cards contain no electronics whatsoever, so in principle they can easily be made at home.
The SOOOT Box's function changes depending on the punch card inserted. For example, a punch card can start a particular radio station or podcast, play music, set a timer or even control smart home devices or activate a particular smart home scene. When the punch card is removed, the corresponding function stops. What's interesting is that up to four cards can be inserted simultaneously, combining their functions.
For example, if a sleep timer card and a podcast card are inserted, playback stops automatically when the timer expires. If a motion sensor card is inserted, the SOOOT Box activates the functions of the other three cards every time the sensor detects movement. Although the box initially needs to be set up using a smartphone app, it is then supposed to work without an app or internet connection.
The hardware is relatively simple: the black box weighs 400 grams, measures 11 x 6.6 x 9.6 centimeters and, apart from the punch card reader, offers only a red LED matrix on the front and a USB-C port on the back. The user-replaceable battery is said to provide 18 hours of battery life. The box has stereo speakers, a microphone, a motion sensor, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and support for MQTT to control smart home devices.
SOOOT Box launches in 2027
three-2-one unveiled the SOOOT Box at Dutch Design Week 2026, but sales are not scheduled to start until 2027. Pricing details are not yet available. Anyone interested can leave their email address on the manufacturer's website .
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