By Christine Persaud
If there was ever a time for a digital time capsule, now would be it. As families worldwide cope with social distancing measures and working from home because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, a new app provides a unique way to capture memories that will live on,
Developed by a director at Salesforce, the app, available for both iOS and Android, lets everyone in the family create memories, from videos to photos and text messages, to celebrate important milestones and life events. People can pre-schedule messages so one is delivered to a granddaughter, for example every year on her birthday, even once the grandparent has passed away.
The digital time capsule is private and secure and facilitates the pre-scheduled distribution of messages, videos, and images as well as gifts, flowers, and other personally selected items or experiences to loved ones on behalf of users.
Art Shaikh, founder of CircleIt who also works as Director of Digital Transformation for Salesforce, says he came up with the idea after finding a box of treasured memories, stories, and off-the-record tales his father had left for future generations. “I thought there had to be an easier way to carry on someone’s legacy,” he says, adding that he is building CircleIt in his father’s honour.
“There is a gap of knowledge in generations that technology has not answered yet,” he continues. “There is something special about leaving something for the next generation to find, like a time capsule, but digital and intuitive for the modern technology user.”
The app features a personal memory management archive where you can gather, create, save, and share the moments that are special to you, to be shared with loved ones. You can also pre-schedule cards and messages so you can send congratulations on future graduations, love letters for future anniversaries, family holiday recipes, archival photos and gifts for birthdays, weddings, and more. For someone older who knows they won’t be around to see their grandkids grow up, or for someone who is terminally ill, this could be a great way for them to create and save all of the messages they want their family to have after their death. But it’s also great to leave for future generations.
Additionally, the app includes reminders and delivery of information to a specific person at a specific time; and voice and audio archives to send and preserve voice notes and messages of loved ones for future generations. Imagine, for example, being able to share the sound of your father’s voice telling you a bedtime story with your children.
The app is free to use and does not require the sale of user data to support its growth, days Shaikh. In the near future, features will include gifting of items like flowers through in-app purchases.