Amazon users wondering if their packages have reached loved ones yet this season can ask Alexa if their shipments have been delivered. But what about those who ship directly via the U.S. Postal Service?
The USPS is hopping onboard the home gadget train this holiday season with a Christmas ornament that tracks packages from its festive spot on the tree.
Officially called “The Most Wonderful Ornament,” the bulb changes color as the status of a package is updated, reports Engadget. When the package is out for delivery, the ornament lights up blue. When it's been dropped off, it turns red. When the recipient has opened it, the ornament will turn green.
USPS users can already check online or on their phone to track a shipment, but The Most Wonderful Ornament is making what might have been a stressful activity easier and more festive. However, BGR reports that the ornament is not wireless, which may not look stellar on a Christmas tree, depending on how skilled you are at hiding wires.
The ornament uses cellular technology and a sensor that determines when the box is open. It's integrated with the existing tracking system to fetch information and subsequently turn the corresponding color.
USPS is only doing a limited trial in 2016, but it plans to refine the product and perhaps release many more next year.
