The diminutive dongle, which lets you order an item with a simple press of a button, was unveiled by the online commerce giant on March 31, leaving some to wonder if it was an April Fool’s joke rolled out a little too hastily.
Well, it wasn’t. Amazon’s Dash button exists and can be yours for $5, so long as you’re a member of its $99-a-year Prime service, that is. Each of the Wi-Fi-connected buttons links to popular household items from brands such as Tide, Maxwell House, Kraft, and Gillette.
Once you have your branded button, you can use Amazon’s mobile app (iOS and Android OK) to link it to a specific product made by that company. So, in the case of Tide, you can link it to your favorite laundry detergent. Stick the button on your washer and the next time you’re close to running out, press the button to order some more. Yes, it really is that simple.
Order confirmation is sent to your smartphone, though you’re able to cancel it if you accidentally hit the button or if little Johnny’s curiosity gets the better of him, because buttons are there to be pressed, right?
Indeed, if you have children, you’ll want to place your Dash buttons up high or risk having your smartphone constantly alerting you to endless orders of Huggies Snug & Dry diapers or some such item.
Amazon is offering 18 Dash buttons at launch, all currently listed as “limited release,” so you’d better get in early if you fancy a few. Should the system prove popular with consumers, you can bet we’ll see more buttons for more brands before too long, giving you the chance to turn your frequent trips to the local store for one-off items into a gentle saunter around your home, pressing a myriad of branded buttons as you go. Now, how do you like the sound of that?
