Sensible picture body firm Skylight launches a brand new model of Skylight Calendar, a sensible household calendar. The Skylight Cal Max works identically to the present mannequin, however has a sleeker, up to date design plus a surprising 27-inch display screen. It is accessible for pre-order immediately beginning at $599 and can ship in June, in response to the corporate.
Cal Max practically doubles the scale of Skylight’s present 15-inch calendar, which is devoted to displaying a number of calendars in a well-recognized structure and syncing with on-line companies to maintain the whole lot updated. An improved 27-inch touchscreen with the next decision (2560 x 1440 QHD in comparison with 1920 x 1080 HD), affords extra space and higher high quality to simply see everybody’s packages at a look.
A brand new etched anti-glare display screen and interchangeable bezels are designed to assist the system higher match your property decor. Choices will embody a traditional white or black body, and a body with aluminum and charcoal shades. The bezels are swappable if you wish to change issues up and can go on sale in June when the system ships. The shadow field possibility prices $629, $30 extra.
We have examined the present 15-inch model of the Skylight calendar — which has the identical options, only a smaller, boxier design and no anti-glare display screen — and to date discovered it to be the most effective answer we have examined. as a result of they’ve one place, everybody within the family can see and handle all of the packages.
Over time I’ve tried plenty of options to this drawback, together with large dry-erase wall calendars, digital calendars constructed into my fridge, good audio system that learn my children’ schedules for the day, and setting notifications on their smartphones for occasions. However for numerous causes (an excessive amount of upkeep, lack of assist for one calendar service or one other, being too straightforward to disregard), none of those labored reliably.
Nonetheless, since I’ve positioned the Skylight Calendar on my breakfast counter in full view of the household as they eat every morning, I’ve had far more success conserving the schedules appropriate. Whereas good shows just like the Echo Present can present you your calendar, the trick with Skylight that works for us is that simply present the calendar — on a regular basis.
This is not an all-in-one good show just like the Echo Present or Nest Hub, which implies nobody can watch Teen Titans Go! on him as an alternative of reviewing the occasions of their day. It is a devoted system to your calendar. There are a couple of different associated options — job charts, meal planning, and to-do lists — however the calendar is the principle occasion. It’s also possible to have a photograph screensaver if you would like, although that requires a $39 annual subscription after the primary 12 months.
Past visibility, one other characteristic I like about Skylight Calendar is that you could edit and add occasions proper on the system’s touchscreen. It’s also possible to scroll by the day and week and see everybody’s calendars directly. The interface is similar to the Google Calendar net interface and equally permits colour coding for various calendars.
Skylight works with most main companies—I’ve efficiently imported Google, Apple, and Outlook calendars into it (Yahoo and Cozi are additionally supported)—or you possibly can create your personal calendars utilizing its service and in addition handle them in its smartphone app Skylight.
Whereas the $300, 15-inch mannequin we examined can show 5 to seven days and about an eight-hour day in hourly intervals, I can see the bigger model being helpful for bigger households or those that remains to be on this stage of a number of after-school actions.
The sleeker look appeals to me too; I would not need to wall mount the mannequin I am testing. It is too cumbersome and the display screen will be distracting (even with auto-brightness on). The 27 inch could be too massive for the kitchen counter. You’ll be able to mount it on the wall anyway, however mounted vertically you’ll see the entire day directly, and the anti-glare display screen would possibly make for a greater picture body when not in use.
At $599, the Cal Max is pricey, and since there is a 10-inch model for $159.99 and a 15-inch model for $299.99 with the identical performance, you are paying much more only for a much bigger display screen and appears extra lovely. Nonetheless, Skylight says the up to date will allow new software program options coming later this 12 months. That worries me slightly. Primarily based on the time I spent with the unique system, its simplicity is its finest characteristic – an excessive amount of performance and it might lose that wonderful focus.
The Skylight Cal Max is obtainable for pre-order now for $599 or $629 for the shade body possibility. Supply to prospects will start in June.
Correction, Tuesday, January 30, 10:40 a.m.: A typo in an earlier model of this text misstated the worth of the shadow field body. We remorse the error.