The Ditto By Simple Matters is true to its name in every single way. From the packaging, down to the day to day use of the device. But is that a good or a bad thing?
When I received a copy to review, I will admit, I wasn’t immediately amused by it. The $39.99 Ditto comes in a pretty self-explanatory box showcasing the pebble like wearable that comes in either black or white. Once you unbox it, in your hand lies a piece of round plastic that’s light enough to leave on your shirt throughout the day and even though noticeable, it’s easy to forget that you have it on. This could be a huge problem for those who have a habit of attaching them to gym clothing or in their shirt pocket. Just like change in your pocket, I could see this landing in a lot of washer machines. But I will say it’s durable, because this happened to me (twice).
Originally a Kickstarter project that was successfully funded, the Ditto is streamlined for the minimalist in you. If you’re not the type that wants to spend a small fortune on a smartwatch, but you’d still like the ability to be in the know when you need to be, the Ditto does all of the basic functions of said watch, and it does them pretty well. These functions are to vibrate when you receive a text, email, when you go too far away from your smartphone, and alarms. Seems like a pretty nifty idea right? There’s more!
Simple Matters has a clip-on attachment that will easily attach to a shirt or a belt. The grip itself on the Ditto is sturdy enough for regular everyday use, although when using on my jeans, I felt that if I knocked into something I wouldn’t feel it come off, since it’s so light. It only weighs 0.28 ounces so it’s easy to misplace. Also, since there is no display or lights on the Ditto, there’s no actual need for me to check it periodically throughout the day, other than when it vibrates.
Since you need the Ditto to work in unison with your smartphone, obviously both will need to be close to you at some extent, which raises the question: if the Ditto does nothing but vibrate to you, and your phone does the same function, exactly what is the need for it? The answer to that is when placed on your shirt, or somewhere on your upper body, you would feel the notifications a bit better, especially on a run. As a runner, when I go on long runs, I tend to have my phone in my hand. And in often cases, cannot feel my phone vibrating on a long bumpy run.
Simple Matters included a wristband for it made of Velcro, which might be good for taking a walk and you need to be notified, but you still need your device with you nearby so.. having your phone notify you of a text, then to have your “wristband” sounds as naïve as having a smartwatch that does the same thing, but a smartwatch can at least track your steps, which the Ditto does not do. Since the Ditto is waterproof, it does work nicely when you’re out at the pool taking a dip and need to know of that text or phone call when underwater. This for me was the only reason I could see me using this over my Apple Watch since I don’t trust it in the water at all. Kudos to Simple Matters for actually knowing that people would enjoy taking this to the water!
Essentially the Ditto is the 2015 pager, that alerts you with various vibrations according to each setting. Seeing as this device works through a smartphone, you’d expect the Ditto to do a bit more, but in the $40 you spent, you’re getting the basics. In regards to emails, don’t expect this to work with third-party emails like Gmail or Boxer Pro. The upside is you won’t be annoyed by Instagram likes left and right. In the era where smartwatches are the hot commodity, the Ditto hits it’s mark in a very small market. That market being individuals who refuse to spend a lot of money, and want only the bare minimum. This would be a great gift for someone like a parent, or even a teenager to take to school so they can set up their settings to get alerts from a call or text and don’t want to disturb the teacher.
Would be nice to see the wristband in a variety of colors, per my girlfriend.
My mother is so much of a fan of it that she has confiscated the Ditto from me and uses it daily. Her response when I asked why she likes it so much? “It’s lightweight, it does what I need it to do, alert me. Sometimes you just want to know if your kids are texting you, or if you receive a call and aren’t readily near your iPhone. I like it”.
Guess it’s safe to say that Sherry doesn’t have an issue with the Ditto at all!
You can purchase the Ditto by Simple Matters for $40 today here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I like: Small and portable, easily clipped on gym clothing.
What needs Improvement: Lights or some form of on screen notification to make it practical to wear.
