The $48 DIY e-paper display kit from Seeed Studio and TRMNL offers a passive, always-on screen for calendars, weather, and news without subscriptions. Unlike the $299 Apple Home View, it's designed to be entirely hands-off.
Founded by Ryan Kulp in 2023, TRMNL partnered with Seeed Studio in July 2025 to combine Seeed's XIAO hardware with TRMNL's firmware. Users choose from three setups: TRMNL's BYOD ecosystem (14-day trial, then $50 license), Home Assistant via Sense Craft, or self-hosted Terminus for full privacy.
The e-paper display pings an API to render HTML plugins as bitmaps. While the TRMNL route is simplest, self-hosting requires a persistent server. The kit undercuts mainstream smart displays, appealing to tinkerers who want control over data and display content.
Source: Ars Technica · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing