2026
to whoever reads this,
it started at a localhost event the earn $1000 challenge. i showed up thinking i'd hack something together over a weekend. but somewhere between the bad coffee and the 2 am debugging sessions, an idea stuck: what if your assistant wasn't trapped inside a phone?
pochi is a tiny hardware tamagotchi a physical device that sits on your desk with a built-in microphone and speaker. you talk to it, it talks back. no screen to unlock, no app to open. just ask.
"what's on my calendar today?" it reads it out. "remind me to call arjun at 3." done. "what did i need to buy from the store?" it remembers. it connects to your google calendar, pulls your tasks, and keeps track of everything so you don't have to.
the idea is simple: a friendly little companion that listens, remembers, and reminds. it knows your schedule, your priorities, your recurring tasks. you don't manage it manages the noise for you. hands-free, eyes-free.
most productivity tools add complexity. another dashboard, another inbox, another thing to check. pochi removes it. you walk into your room, say good morning, and it tells you what matters today. that's it.
the first version was rough. barely worked. but the feeling when i said "schedule a meeting tomorrow at 3" and heard it confirm back no phone, no typing, no friction that was enough to keep going.
we're not building the next billion-dollar ai company. we're building a small, useful thing. something that saves you 20 minutes a day and turns your desk into something a little more alive.
as always, it's still day 1.