This is the only smart home gadget you’ll need before school starts

We might still be in the middle of the summer holidays, but it’s never too early to start thinking about Back to Class season. For me, that always used to mean a trip to WH Smith to pick out a brand new pencil case for the year ahead. However, this time, the big must-have feels a little different.

TRMNL has just released its brand new e-ink smart display, and the timing couldn’t be better. It can show everything from news and weather to sports updates and your calendar. For a busy family trying to juggle schedules – or even for professionals who just want everything in one glance – this little screen could be a genuine lifesaver.

We've seen products like this before, and the Skylight Calendar immediately springs to mind, but TRMNL’s version looks a lot more premium. It even comes in three finishes, with a limited edition run available in sage, grey or wood.

The TRMNL display isn’t designed to connect to your laptop or PC, but instead works similarly to a smart home hub that keeps useful information visible around the house. You can set it to show the weather, your to-do lists, or even more specific data like Google Analytics. There are also plenty of plugins available, including one that lets you display your favourite photos from the cloud.

As for the specs, the model measures 171 x 116 x 10 millimetres with a 7.5-inch E Ink display at 800 x 480 resolution. That’s not exactly razor sharp, but TRMNL has already announced a larger, higher-resolution version coming in a few months. If that sounds more your style, it might be worth holding out.

The original model is priced at £105 (around $150) and is available directly from TRMNL’s online store. The larger version can be pre-ordered now for £165 or $219.