Amazon's Dash Buttons offer one-click ordering for items your purchase through that Prime membership on a regular basis. In fact, there are over 250 of the buttons from a range of different brands. Last May, the online retailer revealed a $20 IoT version that can be programmed to help with other tasks besides just buying products. Designer and programmer Nathan Pryor is using the handy connected button to provide some relief every time he reads a tweet from President Trump or a headline about the latest happenings at the White House.
Pryor's ACLU Dash Button uses Amazon's IoT version to donate $5 to the non-profit organization every time it's pressed. He created a script that pulls up the ACLU donation page an inputs his contact information and payment details before submitting the funds. If the transaction goes through, he gets a confirmation via text on his phone. To complete the package, Pryor designed a custom label and stuck it on the Dash Button to make it look a little more official.
He says that the button stays close to his laptop and every time he presses it, $5 more goes to the ACLU. Pryor admits a recurring donation would probably be more efficient, but the act of pressing the button offers a "tactile thrill" and he learned to program the device in the process. He made the code available for others to use as well, but he warns that there are no guarantees in terms of security. If the ACLU updates the donation page with new fields, the code won't work.
There are also no safeguards in place to keep your child or pet from donating your entire bank account if they get a hold of the button. We recommend taking Pryor's advice and using a prepaid gift card, especially if you're prone to Trump-induced rage. For now, you can take a look at the DIY ACLU Dash Button in action via the video below.