Updated
Updated · The Verge · Aug 8
Tom Vek Launches $349 Sleevenote Player as Smaller Version Targets Offline Digital Music Fans
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Aug 8

Tom Vek Launches $349 Sleevenote Player as Smaller Version Targets Offline Digital Music Fans

1 articles · Updated · The Verge · Aug 8

Summary

  • $349 Day One Editions of Tom Vek’s revised Sleevenote are now on sale, marking the launch of a smaller, cheaper version of the digital music player he began developing in 2020.
  • Vek says the device is meant to offer an offline, dedicated digital listening experience inspired by vinyl artwork and liner notes, while moving beyond the wave of retro CD and cassette players.
  • The redesign follows practical hurdles with the original prototype, which used hard-to-source square screens and was roughly the size of a 7-inch single, making it thicker and heavier than intended.
  • Vek argues digital music purchases support artists better than second-hand physical media and frames Sleevenote as a way to revive ownership of downloaded music without returning to older formats.

Insights

Why is Tom Vek shrinking Sleevenote now, and can thoughtful indie tech beat smartphones at distraction-free music listening?
If digital purchases support artists better than second-hand vinyl, could Sleevenote turn music ownership into a habit again?