Smartphone App Can Make Facebook Notifications Smell Like Cinnamon Rolls and Other Scents

Waking up to an annoying alarm is certainly effective, albeit a jarring way to start off the day. What if you could wake up to the smell of jasmine or a freshly baked cinnamon roll instead? If you own a smartphone, you can. A Japanese company has come up with a device that plugs into the audio port on your iPhone or Android device and pumps out certain scents during pre-determined events.

It's called Scentee and it's being billed as a new way of communication with aroma. The device is shaped like a top and has a hole that blasts your chosen aroma. Currently the company offers scented cartridges for coconut, jasmine, apple, corn soup (no joke), rose, cinnamon role, mint, ylang ylang, curry, strawberry, coffee, and lavender. Over time, more options will be added, the company says.

Scentee

Once you've purchased the device and accompanying cartridge, you'll download a free app so that you can tell Scentee when to fill the air with your chosen fragrance. You can have scented notifications for emails and Facebook "Likes," or put it on a timer so that you wake up to the smell of coffee.

Each cartridge runs 500 yen (around $5 in U.S. currency) and is good for about 100 bursts. Right now the scented system is only being sold in Japan, though there are plans to offer in the U.S. through Amazon for $35. Pretty neat, though keep your fingers crossed these things don't ever get paired with the plethora of fart apps that are out there.