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Tell HN: I developed and sold 100 bathroom privacy devices last year
Loodio (https://loodio.com https://loodio.com) is an automatic music player that provides bathroom privacy for people living in small homes or work in small offices.
Many commented on HN said there was no market it but I managed to sell a hundred units last year with no marketing. It’s not much but it’s my first year in business.
I find not having something to cover your bathroom noises is a mad paradigm we have just accepted as modern people.
HN thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31181237 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31181237
I think I could have sold more but my efforts have gone to developing next version.
Launching a battery operated version with better sound in a few months.
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- eternityforest 3y agoFinally, a privacy technology that's actually interesting to me! I never thought of this before but it seems really nice to have.
- testmasterflex 3y agoYou should definitely try the new version coming out soon! The customers already love the current one and the next one will be 10x better!
- dyeje 3y agoI remember you launching this, that’s awesome that you’re seeing traction without any marketing. Great signal.
- testmasterflex 3y agoThank you! Yes I’m very excited even if it’s still early!
- kojeovo 3y agoMy work just has a cheap fm radio in there
- testmasterflex 3y agoNice! Activated by light switch?
- HenryBemis 3y agoOne of my past workplaces had the same audio/music that they got in the reception area.. non-stop soft/elevator music. It was the same speakers that were used for announcements/fire-alarms/evacuations/etc. so the infrastructure was there to begin with. I don't know what are the rules for "playing music in the office" (licensing etc. - it's not a resto, and it's only in the bathroom), but I remember 20+ years ago when I was a sys-admin tasked to find 'music for our call-center' I found some nice royalty-free music.
- testmasterflex 3y agoCool. I currently deliver the unit with copyright-free music and it can stream web radio as well.
- codingdave 3y agoIs this is sincere question? Or just thinly veiled marketing that you have a feature that a radio doesn't? Because you have to admit that a simple radio is absolutely your competition. If you have features that people should know about that make your solution the better one, just state them. Marketing works when it is simple, concise, and honest: "I have product X that resolves problem Y, with features Z, and want people to be aware of it."
- testmasterflex 3y agoYes I was wondering how they turn it on to understand the customers better? And I’m not unhappy they solved it in some other way, it just confirms the market demand.
- kojeovo 3y ago
- ecesena 3y agoYou should totally do a Kickstarter, I can barely imagine what sort of jokes will make it viral!
- testmasterflex 3y agoI might do that once the new version is ready!
- giantg2 3y agoFor people interested in soundproofing it's probably best to have a multi-angle approach, like most headphones today. They don't focus just on being louder than other noises but on blocking them too. I find it's not so much the small spaces but how shitty the construction is - hollow core doors, large gaps around the door, thinnest possible drywall, etc. Changing to well fit solid core doors would be a big benefit. Then of course there is old noisy bathroom fan to cover most remaining noises.
- testmasterflex 3y agoAgreed. Loodio will not cover all sounds but makes it a hundred times better than having a dead silent room, distracts and dampens anything going on inside.
- gardenhedge 3y agoIt's not going to cover loud sounds, but this something I wondered why it didn't exist. Definitely needs the battery version. In my country, theres no outlets in the toilets.
- testmasterflex 3y agoYou're right. It's not perfect but as I mentioned in another comment it does 90% of the job and is so much better than having a needle drop silent room.
- tdeck 3y agoReminds me of the Sound Princess in Japan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilets_in_Japan#The_Sound_Princess?wprov=sfla1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilets_in_Japan#The_Sound_Pri...
- testmasterflex 3y agoThat's basically the device I'm trying to replace because I think it's so dated. The problem with is; a) It's ugly and plays annoying sound b) it's wall mounted with screws c) and mainly; due to the user having to hold their hand in front of a proximity sensor which then indicates to everyone you are doing something embarassing it doesn't really solve the problem in a good way.
- leros 3y agoWhat was your process for developing this into a real product? I saw an early post about this being a raspberry pi prototype. I have the ability to prototype something like this, but I have no idea the process for turning it into a physical product, so I'm curious what that was like for you.
- testmasterflex 3y agoIt’s still got a raspberry (zero) in it and I’m selling it as a prototype still. Next version going for a smaller and cheaper MCU. I’m just trying to move as fast as I can without chewing too large pieces. When I started I had no damn clue how to go forward but as I started chugging along stuff started resolving itself. Never thought I would be designing custom PCBs for example. Or sending physical products by mail to people on the other side of the world. I guess my advice would be to try to get to a stage where you can deliver a product to someone as soon as possible.
- leros 3y agoWhat about the enclosure? Is that off the shelf or custom?
- testmasterflex 3y agoI made it from empty PCBs hence the squared shape.
- leros 3y agoVery interesting. I love seeing PCBs abused for other purposes.