Xiaomi clones Pressy, and charges less than $1 for it

It wasn't long ago that Pressy created something we all thought we needed. Here it was, a tiny button that fit itself into your 3.5mm headphone jack, and can be configured to do anything you need with certain button presses. Each action is user configurable to do nearly anything you could want on your phone, and promised Tasker integration took it to another level. Where has this been all our lives?

And then came Xiaomi, who has come up with a "Pressy" of their own. The device is tentatively named (they're toying around with names like MiKey or MiButton), but this thing is almost identical to Pressy's design, save for the "holster" the button fits in. It can be configured to perform 10 different actions, which are activated using Morse Code-like short and long clicks. Says ex-Googler-turned-Xiamoi-exec Hugo Barra:

You can plug it into your Xiaomi phone headset jack and turn it into a clickable button to take quick pictures, turn on the flashlight, record phone calls and so on, all without unlocking your phone.

The kicker? This thing will eventually cost less than $1 once it makes its way to retail, a far cry from the $27 Pressy will cost. It's even more alarming to know that those who've backed Pressy on Kickstarter haven't even received their unit yet, as project creator Nimrod Back has had the displeasure of announcing delays to their original March 2014 ship date.

There might still be some appeal to Pressy, though. For starters, there's no telling whether this gadget will be compatible with anything but Xiaomi devices. Pressy also seems to be more open, with the developer working to add more functionality based on community requests and suggestions.

Pressy's Tasker integration alone means it has potential to be infinitely more useful. Whether that level of integration is worth $26 more is up to you, but those are your options for these types of products right now. That, or you could save yourself money and use the QuickClick app to do everything you need with the use of your phone's volume buttons.

[via Xiaomi, TechInAsia]

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