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Vestaboard’s smart messaging display is one of the most unique gadgets we’ve seen, and the company is offering a surprisingly good early Black Friday deal if you want to pick one up before the holidays. You can get free U.S. shipping by using the promo code SHIPNOW at checkout. This may not seem like a big deal, given the Vestaboard’s $2,995 price tag, but this code can save you up to $300.
Vestaboard
Smart displays aren’t particularly new, but Vestaboard’s approach is notably different. Instead of presenting one large digital display, the board is made up of 132 individual “bits,” which flip to reveal different characters and colors. Vestaboard’s founder was inspired by the arrival and departure boards found in European train stations. While the board’s “screen” is completely analog, the inside is totally digital. Once it’s connected to your home network, via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, you can send messages to the board using the Vestaboard app, which will pop up on its display like giant text messages.
You can also use channels within Vestaboard’s app (some require a paid Vestaboard Plus account) to have the board show updated sports scores, the song you’re currently playing through a streaming service, inspirational quotes, lyrics, or even a rotating list of flags. Watching the board update—each of the bits flips through different characters as it finds the right one to show—is immensely satisfying, and the sound of flipping bits never gets annoying.
Free shipping has become table stakes for online shopping, but Vestaboard’s Black Friday deal is pretty generous considering each board weighs 55 pounds. We were very happy with how well Vestaboard packaged our review unit—full story to come—so don’t worry about any of its bits and pieces getting damaged during delivery. The Vestaboard is a big investment, but it’s one of the most innovative smart home gadgets we’ve ever seen, and this free shipping offer is likely the best deal we’ll see on it for some time.