Best Gift for Hackers? This Display Is Open Source! / TRMNL Review @ShannonMorse
Best Gift for Hackers? This Display Is Open Source! / TRMNL Review  @ShannonMorse
Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
๐ŸŽ Get $15 off TRMNL - Use code SNUBS at checkout - usetrmnl.com/?ref=snubs

We are WAY too distracted. If youโ€™ve ever picked up your phone to check one thing and suddenly lost 30 minutes doomscrolling. Lolsame. ๐Ÿ™ƒ
In this video, Iโ€™m checking out TRMNL, a privacy-first, open source e-ink display designed to give you just the information you need, when you need it, without pulling you into social media chaos.
At first glance, TRMNL looks like a cute little digital photo frame. But itโ€™s actually a customizable ambient dashboard for things like calendars, weather, tasks, RSS feeds, stocks, and more. No touchscreen. No notifications. No constant interruptions.
Even better? TRMNL flips the typical smart device model on its head with one-way communication only. The device wakes up, grabs a static image of your dashboard, and goes back to sleep. No inbound connections. No IP tracking. No location data. No subscriptions.
This is genuinely one of the calmest, most hacker-friendly devices Iโ€™ve tested this year, and itโ€™s now my favorite gift for modders, tinkerers, and anyone trying to break their doomscrolling habit.

๐ŸŽ Get $15 off TRMNL
Use code SNUBS at checkout
๐Ÿ‘‰ https://usetrmnl.com?ref=snubs

Special thanks to TRMNL for sponsoring this video and sending over a unit. As always with my reviews, the brand had zero editorial control over the content of my video.

๐Ÿ‘‡ Questions for you:
What plugins are you running on your TRMNL? Any cool plugins I should try next?
usetrmnl.com/plugins

Like, subscribe, and comment below for more privacy-focused tech, hacker gear, and cozy productivity tools. ๐Ÿ’ปโœจ

โฑ๏ธ Chapter Markers
0:00 - Introduction & The Problem of Doomscrolling
0:26 - Coupon Code & Sponsor Disclosure
0:43 - What is the TRMNL Display?
1:32 - What's in the Box & Setup
2:27 - Design, Hardware & Aesthetics
3:21 - Battery Life & Portability
4:09 - Privacy-First Design & How it Works
5:09 - Plugins, Recipes & Customization
5:41 - Open Source Features for Hackers
6:18 - Personal Setup Examples
7:50 - No Touchscreen & Refresh Functionality
8:31 - Potential Downsides & Limitations
9:08 - Target Audience: Tinkerers, Parents & Focused Workers
11:11 - Pricing & Versions
11:48 - Final Thoughts & Recommendation

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