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This connected coaster is a silly solution to keep your drink safe at bars

This connected coaster is a silly solution to keep your drink safe at bars

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BYO Smart Coaster

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Brio

The Brio is supposed to do it all. It’s a Bluetooth-connected coaster and a social network. It raises awareness about “drink safety,” and even has its own mascot — an owl named Sal. Sal stands for “Secure Alcohol Liaison” and he’s supposed to be your “wingman” by guiding you through Brio’s companion iOS app. I’m not making this up. The app lets you mark your favorite bar establishments and subsequently rate them. You can also apparently find other people using the Brio coaster and maybe meet up with them. I don’t get the product at all.

Here’s the mascot just so you have a visual:

Brio

Brio will tell you if someone messes with your drink while you’re in the bathroom, but instead of going by weight changes or some other metric, you have to cover your drink with the coaster. It detects motion. This is far less impressive. The Brio has 24 LED lights built in, too, so you can change how it lights up. I somehow think you won’t be the coolest person in the bar with your own light-up coaster that you brought from home, even if that’s what Brio wants you to think. I can’t hate on the product too much, though, because it’s at least trying to keep people safe, which is a legitimate concern. I only wish Brio created its gadget without simultaneously devising a whole social network around coaster.

I’m happy to say this coaster isn’t being crowdfunded. No, instead you can buy it right now for $39.99 on Brio’s website. A connected coaster: is this what was missing from your life?