Guangzhou Vercon Technology. In 2013, we presented the 1st generation of smart mirror which is called “Magic Mirror”. At the end of 2022, we moved to newly constructed factory with expanded clean workshops. We are keeping designing and manufacturing better and better smart bathroom mirrors.
Use Specialized Smart Bathroom Mirror, Avoid Paying For Costly White Elephant.
USE A SPECIALIZED SMART BATHROOM MIRROR. A lot of consumers are paying for a costly white elephant. However, Vercon’s specialized smart bathroom mirrors are very useful products. There are three crucial factors for designing a smart bathroom mirror and manufacturing batches of finished products:
[icon name=”circle” prefix=”fas”] Correct understanding of product functions: What functions does a bathroom user need for the smart bathroom mirror? And, what functions he(she) doesn’t really need?
[icon name=”circle” prefix=”fas”] How to provide a good user experience? Technically speaking, whether a manufacturer is able to develop dedicated software firmware but not just take an open OS that would cause a stuck system very possibly?
[icon name=”circle” prefix=”fas”] How to produce high-qualified hardware to avoid a high repair rate?
Let’s look at those headaches brought on by “The costly white elephant”.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] A system stuck or even a blank screen.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Uncontrollable screen display like a sudden AD play.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Tough time on troubleshooting.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] The screen display of an App interface is out of proportion.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] A sudden App exit would cause damage to the Android OS or even hardware damage.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Take redundant design like allowing users to download and install unlimited Apps. That’s absolutely unnecessary as a person only uses the device in his time segments.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Stack functions in the mirror like energizing it to be a control panel for other house IoT devices. That causes device instability.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Not a waterproof electronic device for bathroom use. No IP65 or even no IP44.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] The speaker is not Hi-Fi and the display screen is not Hi-Definition.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Complicated operation for seniors and kids.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Short warranty period.
Now let’s introduce how Vercon makes the specialized smart bathroom mirror to solve the problems:
Fundamentally, we correctly understand the bathroom usage scenarios. Before designing a product, it’s particularly important for a product manager to make a survey of these questions: WHO WILL USE IT? WHERE & WHEN TO USE IT? HOW TO USE IT?
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] We must have a correct understanding of product functions.
A good product is energized by human technology. We must dig out some things behind a needing and then design innovative products for people.
Obviously, the bathroom is a particular place for pure relax time and leisure time. Ideally, a perfect specialized smart bathroom mirror is like this:
It’s full of innovative technology, but very simple to control and operate. It stays there quietly when you are not using it. When you want to use it, you can quickly touch a button to watch the video or listen to music or enter an App.
We have to admit that most people only use smart bathroom mirrors in daily fragmented time. The operation must be extremely easy even for seniors and kids. A perfect specialized smart bathroom mirror should be easier to use even than a tablet or a smartphone.
As a matter of fact, there are too many expensive and complicated smart bathroom mirrors on the market. The operation is generally so complicated that users lose interest in using it as a smart device beyond using it for lighting only. Gradually, it becomes a costly white elephant to its buyer.
Our specialized smart bathroom mirror takes a dedicated OS based on Android 11 OS. However, in the dedicated firmware of the mirror, a user can’t download and install any Apps from Google Play Store.
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] In our standard settings, we set plentiful functions listed below:
Android 11 Backlit Smart Bathroom Mirror (The “K” series)
Smart Mirror TV Bathroom (The “S” series)
All below guides are based on the system version: VEUI_S3.0 or above
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] In the App Center, as a standard setting, users can download and install these Apps:
Calendar, TuyaSmart, 1Weather, Smart Life, AirReceiverLite, AirPin PRO, Control4, MyRadar, AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, YouTube Music, ESPN, BBC News, CNN, Scanner Radio, WSJ, theScore, MLB, CBS Sports, Maps, Google News, Smart News, Opera News, News Break, Netflix, Tiktok, Likee, Pandora, Facebook, Instagram
App Center
For customer-specified Apps, we can pre-install them for OEM & ODM projects.
It looks modern to let users install unlimited Apps under an open OS of the smart bathroom mirror. That’s absolutely unnecessary as a person only uses the device in his time segments.
Furthermore, most smart bathroom mirrors take a 21.5″ or 15.6″ landscape display screen, but most Apps in Google Play Store fit for a smartphone’s vertical screen only. Very possibly, the screen display of a smartphone App interface will be out of proportion. Generally speaking, the user experience is bad if using a smartphone App in a smart bathroom mirror. Some smartphone Apps can’t be even used in the mirror.
Possible device damage. Without an App pre-testing in the device, it would cause a sudden App exit which would furtherly cause damage to the Android OS or even hardware damage.
System stuck. Over-downloading Apps from Google Play Store would cause another problem: A stuck system or even a blank screen. After all, in the current market, most smart bathroom mirrors take poor 2GB Ram and 8GB (or 16GB) Ram.
Uncontrollable AD play. There are thousands of Apps in a play store. Some Apps for installing freely are bonded with embedded advertising. That’s barely acceptable for a smartphone user. For a smart bathroom mirror user, it will be absolutely a strange thing to watch or hear an uncontrollable sudden AD play in the middle night.
Hence, we pre-install enough dedicated Apps into the App Center of the mirror. Users can freely choose which one to download or install.
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] Set plentiful functions. Refuse complicated multiple functions. Say no to redundant designs.
After an overview of the functions of our specialized smart bathroom mirror, you can see that our products have plentiful functions for a bathroom user. We don’t take redundant designs.
We refuse to set complicated multiple functions to a single smart bathroom mirror. As a fact, after years of development, there are different sublines for smart mirror products: Smart mirrors for bathrooms, smart mirrors for workouts, smart home touchscreen control panels, bathroom medicine door smart mirror, etc. Each subline of the smart mirror plays its role in the house. According to our experience, it would cause device instability to set complicated multiple functions in a single smart mirror.
Some factories energize a smart bathroom mirror to be a control panel for other house IoT devices. It can connect to a lot of peripheral equipment like alarm kits, smart curtains, etc. In our opinion, a House IoT Control Panel should be separate from the smart mirror in the bathroom. We virtually developed a dedicated control panel device: Smart Home Touchscreen Control Panel.
We think it’s enough to bond these bathroom-related devices to a smart bathroom mirror:
Smart Toothbrush
Smart Toilet Seat
Skin Meter Measurement
Body Fat Scale Measurement
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] We developed dedicated software for the specialized smart bathroom mirror.
Through the above analysis and introduction, you can understand that most headaches came from unbefitting software. Oppositely, the superiority of our specialized smart bathroom mirror is the dedicated software we developed.
The software is:
VEUI_K3.0 for the K series of mirrors (Android 11 Backlit Smart Bathroom Mirror)
VEUI_S3.0 for the S series of mirrors (Smart Mirror TV Bathroom)
In the above zone, we can see there are plentiful functions for the specialized smart bathroom mirror. However, it’s still very necessary for our clients to know some invisible but important functions brought by the SW more clearly:
Humanized default system settings
Easy maintenance and upgrades to the mirrors
More languages
Mobile message interaction
Built-in intelligent quality inspection tool
Clear cache automatically
In the previously published article SMART MIRROR UI DESIGN – FROM VEUIS 1.0 TO 2.0, we made a specified text introduction to the 6 functions mentioned above. You can click it for more surveys on functions.
[icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”] Important Notice: Till January 2023, the newest software version was updated to 3.0 from 2.0.
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”]The dedicated software firmware needs dedicated hardware solutions. The core hardware we developed is:
VERCON A99 motherboard (For the “K” series)
VERCON RK3568 motherboard (For the “S” series)
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] OTA Firmware updates will save tons of time in maintaining the sold devices
Now you know we are taking dedicated software and dedicated motherboards for our specialized smart bathroom mirror. That brings another prominent superiority – OTA Firmware updates. We explained what’s OTA Firmware updates and why we take it for our products in the article: OTA Firmware Updates is becoming the main firmware updates method for all Vercon smart mirrors.
Simply speaking, OTA Firmware updates will save tons of time in maintaining the sold devices for our clients.
On the opposite side, those smart mirrors without OTA firmware will have to take the inefficient firmware updating way: ROOT. Sometimes, a stuck system or even a blank screen doesn’t always mean defective hardware. Sometimes they just need a firmware update through rooting. According to what we know, in the market, some smart mirrors with pre-installed open Android OS are just updating the firmware through rooting. However, rooting is really an inefficient firmware updating way.
It’s a torment to root a smart mirror. Both a device owner and an engineer in the seller’s company need to make a preparation before starting the root: Teach and learn how to, USB cable connection, computer remote control, etc. It would cost 2-3 hours for every single root.
Imagine rooting hundreds or even thousands of smart mirrors sold by a brand distributor! It’s a big obstacle to making the smart mirror really popular consumer product.
To solve the above headache for clients and users, we use OTA firmware updates but not the old root way for our specialized smart bathroom mirror. Therefore, our clients (Wholesalers and distributors) can save tons of time and cost in after-sales service.
In November 2003, on the second anniversary of the iPod release, Steve Jobs said:
Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.
– Steve Jobs
Vercon correctly understands what people expect from a smart bathroom mirror and what they don’t. Our specialized smart bathroom mirror is definitely not a direct overlapping mixture of Mirror, Led light, Screen and Android OS. With the dedicated system and software, it’s a so gorgeous smart interactive device for an easy and funny life.
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] We need a waterproof smart mirror for our bathroom.
Generally, there are splashing water, moisture and fog in our bathroom. Apparently, a well-designed smart bathroom mirror needs to be waterproof.
However, in the market, there are a lot of Non-Waterproof smart bathroom mirrors. No IP65 or even no IP44.
Both of our two series of smart bathroom mirrors are waterproof.
[icon name=”shower” prefix=”fas”] IP65 for the “S” product series (Smart Mirror TV Bathroom)
[icon name=”shower” prefix=”fas”] IP44 for the “K” product series (Android 11 Backlit Smart Bathroom Mirror)
Let’s watch a Waterproof-test video of the “S” product series:
We can explain it from design work and hardware quality. Firstly, the design:
The “S” series takes an All-in-one design. All components are sealed in an ultra-slim 2 cm shell made from metal and mirror glass. The “K” series takes a compact modular design. There is no physical button on the device’s surface. Moreover, inside the mirror, we adopt sealing materials and components.
Secondly, in our 100% clean workshops (Static 1000 Level / Dynamic 10000 Level), we have strict quality control throughout the production process.
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] Say NO to dark spots on the bathroom mirror
We all know a bathroom mirror gets rusty easily. After a period of use, the mirror surface easily develops dark spots in the moist and foggy bathroom.
However, nowadays, it is virtually not a problem once more for mirror manufacturers who are capable to take advanced techniques. Our solution is to take nano-coating mirror glass. In the article Say NO to dark spots on bathroom mirror, we made a very specified introduction along with below four aspects:
1. Why bathroom mirror develops dark spots?
2. How Vercon smart bathroom mirror resists dark spots?
3. What test did our smart mirrors endure?
4. Precautions for daily use
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] As an entertainment device, a smart bathroom mirror needs good audio-visual performance
According to our market survey, for most smart bathroom mirror users, the highest frequency of using the device is listening to music and watching videos. It’s very important to understand this need for integrating high-level components into the PCBA. However, nowadays a lot of companies are staying in making their mirrors appear more features of SMART. Therefore, they generally didn’t pay much attention to the audio-visual performance.
That definitely affects the user experience which is always an important factor to consider. Compared to those products, Vercon’s specialized smart bathroom mirror has good audio-visual performance. Let’s view the parameters of video and audio for corresponding Vercon products:
| Index | The “K” models | The “S” models |
|---|---|---|
| Display | ||
| Display Screen | 10.1″ touch LCD display screen. Full viewing angle. | 21.5″ full HD LCD screen. Full viewing angle. |
| Touch Screen | Laser sputtering mirror cover, G+G, capacitive touchscreen | Laser sputtering mirror cover, G+G, true 10-points capacitive touchscreen |
| Zoom | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Resolution | 1200 x 800 pixel | 1920 x 1080 pixel |
| Brightness | 280 cd/m2 | 250 cd/m2 (Orinigal Screen Luminance） |
| Audio | ||
| Loudspeaker | Two Hi-Fi cabinet speakers with back sound (8Ω 3W) | Two Hi-Fi cabinet speakers with back sound (8Ω 5W) |
[icon name=”dot-circle” prefix=”fas”] Quality, Quality, Quality
Our specialized smart bathroom mirror is not only a mirror, but also an Android terminal and a smart home device using dedicated software. To produce a qualified product, we must keep strict quality control on all components throughout the whole manufacturing process.
We can divide the device into three parts: Parts of electronics, mirror and software.
Relying on a mature and stable supply chain, advanced production equipment and a high-level dust-free workshop, we have achieved industry-leading hardware quality.
The compatibility of software and hardware is very high. Due to our long-term deep cultivation of smart mirror products, many product defects caused by the low compatibility of the original software and hardware have been gradually resolved.
Naturally, we(our clients) are able to save much energy and time on after-sales service.
Therefore, we are able to focus on making innovations and providing better service to clients worldwide.
By the way, we can see there are a lot of blogs introducing how to DIY a Raspberry Pi smart mirror. For clients looking for stable qualified products, it’s obviously not a sustainable convenience to obtain a Raspberry smart bathroom mirror. In a previously published article Why we don’t produce Raspberry Pi smart mirror?, we made an analysis and explanation.
Now, as a summary, let’s list the superiority of Vercon specialized smart bathroom mirror:
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Fluent system attributed to dedicated software and motherboard.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Plentiful functions & Plentiful app options. No redundant functions.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] The screen display of the app interface is in proportion.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Hi-Fi audio & HD video. Good audio-visual performance.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Easy operation. Not complicated for seniors and kids.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Firmware OTA updates. Easy to fix bugs or update the system.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Waterproof.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Nano-coating mirror glass resists dark spots.
[icon name=”location-arrow” prefix=”fas”] Good quality and long-termed warranty.
End consumers and customers always vote by foot. With strong manufacturing ability, Vercon is gaining more and more OEM & ODM cooperation opportunities worldwide. It’s so important to have a correct understanding of product functions before finalizing the design of a product. Only after that, we can successfully obtain the ability to provide a good user experience.
