Just because phones can do everything now does not mean phones should do everything now. By virtually eliminating standalone boomboxes and MP3 players, cameras, calendars, and wristwatches (of the sort that do not connect to a phone, anyway), we have lost something. After stuffing all of these devices into a little black rectangle and digitizing their functions, there is nothing to get our hands on or place in our homes to admire.

Many people are beginning to feel that the pendulum has swung too far in one direction and it is high time we brought back physical devices. For Josh Hendrickson, the discontinuation of the Spotify Car Thing music player was the final straw. Running out of options for a physical music player, Hendrickson decided to build a custom solution that perfectly fit his needs, and that would never get bricked by a manufacturer that is shifting their priorities.

High on the requirements list for the project was that the device should be stylish with a very modern aesthetic. For this reason, Hendrickson decided to use a large, seven-color E Ink display (Pimoroni Inky Impression 5.7-inch ePaper/eInk HAT) for showing album art and other details about the currently playing music. Integration with Spotify was also essential, so a versatile Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W single-board computer was selected to power the project. This choice also enables the device to be repurposed to work with another streaming service — or for another purpose entirely — in the future. The hardware was installed in a custom, 3D-printed case.

A set of four buttons are included in the 3D print design, which line up with the tactile buttons included on the Pimoroni Inky Impression display. These buttons allow the user to interact with the music player in the expected ways, like skipping to the next song or pausing the music.

If it is this easy and inexpensive to build a really cool, standalone music player, then who needs a commercial device? Good riddance, Spotify Car Thing! DIY forever!

Hendrickson has put together a guide to walk you through the hardware assembly and software installation, so be sure to check it out if you want to build your own music streamer. It is all plug and play — no soldering required — so even a brand new hacker can get in on the action.