Hacking the Easy Button
When I first got one of these Staples Easy Buttons my first thought was: What can I do with this?
It's a great big red button! It must be put to some nefarious use. I thought about turning it into the power-on button for a PC, a doorbell, and several other odd yet somewhat useful items. I eventually decided just to see if I could record my own message to be played on the button. How wonderful would it be to have it say "That was silly" or "That was certainly NOT easy"? But I didn't actually do anything for several weeks.
Not so long ago I got serious about my idea. While thinking up ways to accomplish this task I thought "someone else must have done this" so I checked the web. I found this site that has all the information you'll need. I didn't do things exactly the same way (I didn't use the old circuit for the contact switch for example) but that's ok. To each his own.
So now I have a recordable Easy Button. Heh. I left it on my desk and a coworker pushed it while I was away. He reported to me that I "got him" pretty good. I had recorded a Howard Dean type rant that increased in intensity for about 15 seconds. "Oh, you just had to push that button, didn't you? It was big and red and it was sitting on the desk and you thought it would be SO easy. Well, it ain'teasy! IT AIN'T EASY! Do you feel good? Do you feel big for doing that? It ain't easy! NO WAY!" Or something like that.
Later it became a super-easy button: "You can push my button ANYTIME hee-hee-hee"
Yes, I am easily amused.
That's AWESOME. I am wondering if I can't gut mine and make a very basic mp3 player... It would come with it's own speaker!
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Thanks, though I must still point out that I'm not the first to do this.
Mp3 player? Why not? There's only a certain amount of room, but if you don't mind the button not working, you could expand into the red section easily.
A USB hub might work, too. Or how about a multi-card reader? I just picked two for example but I'm sure there's lots that can go in the Easy Button.
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I know you're not the first to hack the Easy Button, but you are the only person who's done something so clever with the recording Easy Button.
And you're right--the East Button would be perfect for other things, like a USB hub or a card reader. It's a shame the button's plastic is so thick or you could put a few LEDs underneath and have it light up.
Generally though, the potential is pretty boundless
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Ah. Thanks.
The recordable kit from Radio Shack has a small LED on it that can be seen through the red button, at least the way I put mine together. It's faint, but then again the LED is pretty weak. I don't see why brighter LEDs couldn't be used to light up the button - as long as you don't mind the color red.
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Hey, I am a special ed teacher and have many students with severe disabilities (can't use their hands well and don't speak) who could benefit from having a revamped easy button. The buttons could be used for simple communication: "Hey, come over here", "I want to go outside", "I need something", etc. Anyone want to donate their time and make me a few?
Lynne in Oregon
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What an interesting idea!
Lynne,
I haven't visited this topic in a while but if I remember correctly the price of this project is about $20 - 5 for the Staples button, 13 for the recording kit, and a few more for misc. parts. With practice I'm sure the time could be reduced to modify the buttons, too.
If anyone is interested in donating some time and energy, go to our contact page and send me a note. Other ideas as to how to make a better button are also welcome.
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Cool! I might give that a try once I give the mp3 player a go. Or I might add it to the mp3 player. Could be a cool addition.
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