I guess it just begs the question, which I am sure has already been asked- why? I mean you're free to develop it, and I'm sure people would really love it, but I'm curious as to how useful it would really be. Since it will still be *years* until BTC is spendable at any place you normally visit in real life, I think it's a bit premature to be designing something that will be outdated by the time it's useful. Until then, why not just get a smart phone? (Or you already have one) and use that?
Smartphone you say? Grandmas can't use smartphones. Forcing a device into the public space before there is clear demand certainly is a high risk venture but a do-it-all bitcoin device could potentially (if done right), lower the barrier to entry massively. This would give the network effect something to expand into easily and quickly. But still with great risk, comes the possibility of great reward. When Apple first coined the the name for it's "revolutionary" device the "i"-Phone I chuckled at the silly sounding name. iPhones were nothing special back then, there were heaps of mobiles with cameras and such. The iPhone however made a very polished, easy to use device that delivered a simple, straightforward and enthralling experience no other phone out there could.
Maybe the Ellet could also deliver a simple and straightforward experience for Bitcoin finances (or maybe the Bitcoin card can). It's a tough ask but even if it just makes things a little bit easier it's worth doing.
Jesus christ, someone actually gets it!
So most grandmas can't use cell phones now, but some can and that number is only growing. And lots of grandmas do use tablets. The number of nontechnical users is shrinking in every demographic, and targeting shrinking demographics seems like a strange idea to me. While there are grandmas without phones and email addresses, I also don't see them ever using bitcoin. Of course, the ellet isn't directed only at them, but I still agree that it seems like this is a device that will be outdated by the time it is useful.
Smart phones are going to be ubiquitous very soon. At Google I/O 2011, they said they are expecting their current smart phones to be reselling for $20 or $30 in 2 years. While a watch that serves as my wallet and only my wallet for security reasons is a cool idea, I still see a smartphone app as a much easier entrance to bitcoin for the vast majority of users.
And the iPhone was nothing special? Really? You immediately contradict yourself by calling it "a very polished, easy to use device that delivered a simple, straightforward and enthralling experience no other phone out there could." How is that not special? I'm confused.