Netflix just introduced a prototype all-in-one device that can turn on your television, dim the lights, and fire up your Netflix queue with just the press of a button. What’s more, the popular streaming service wants to help you build your own.
Over the weekend, the company unveiled a version of what it calls The Switch — a wireless button, powered by a microcontroller and an infrared transmitter, that can sync with connected devices like a smartphone, a television, and a Philips Hue wireless lighting system. The Switch can be set up to put on some mood lighting, silence calls on your smartphone, and even order food to power you through a Netflix (NFLX) marathon — all with one press of the button.
The small, internet-enabled piece of hardware is somewhat reminiscent of other branded products on the market, including Amazon’s (AMZN) Dash Buttons, which allow customers to place online orders for anything from paper towels to instant coffee by pressing a button.
While the product is still just a prototype, Netflix’s website actually has step-by-step instructions for how to build your own Switch, which the internet has already dubbed the “Netflix and Chill” button — a reference to the popular meme that equates Netflix bingeing with a slightly more NSFW activity enjoyed by young singles. Whatever your definition of “chill” may be, Netflix is encouraging people to get creative with the Switch so they can make their own customized and curated Netflix experience that much easier to attain.
