Firefly 3.0 Refresh — The Apple Product That Wasn’t

Somewhere between fixing a few other projects and dodging the holidays, I ended up back in Firefly’s firmware. I hadn’t really touched it in close to a year, but it’s one of those projects that just won’t leave me alone. Every time I think it’s “done,” something small catches my attention — a better way to handle power, a cleaner interface, a new use case I didn’t think of.

So yeah, Firefly got a refresh. And it’s probably the most “grown-up” version of itself yet.

The Update

Version 3.0 introduces a captive Wi-Fi pop-up, so when you connect to the device, a clean little control panel opens automatically.

You can adjust light modes, timings, and patterns right from that interface — no apps, no setup, just a fast, native feel. It makes the whole thing behave less like a homebrew gadget and more like something that belongs in your ecosystem.

There’s also a new persistent notepad baked into the interface — just a simple text field that stores locally on the device. I’ve been using it for things like wallet addresses, quick notes, small snippets of info I don’t want floating around online.

Because the Wi-Fi’s only active when you decide to turn it on, it’s practically off the grid until you need it.

The Concept That Should Have Been

Firefly started as an answer to something simple: I wanted a wristlight that pointed where I was working — not at the ceiling or in someone’s eyes.

This was back when the first Apple Watch came out. I remember thinking, they missed it. Long-press the crown, tiny LED in the center, light aimed into your palm — it’s obvious, right?

But they didn’t make it, so I did.

And over the years, that decision has become this: a wearable, rechargeable, configurable flashlight that feels like it could’ve come straight out of Cupertino.

It’s small, clean, minimal — the kind of device that would make sense as an Apple Watch band or even a native Watch feature.

If Apple built it, it’d probably use Bluetooth instead of Wi-Fi, sync through iCloud, maybe track health metrics or integrate with their sensors. Samsung could do it too. Honestly, any of the big guys who know how to make tiny, high-efficiency hardware would absolutely crush it.

For me, though, this has been more of an engineering sandbox — a masterclass in miniaturization, thermals, and power management.

The Challenge of Small

That’s the funny thing about Firefly — everything about it is a constraint.

The size makes everything harder: power, heat dissipation, runtime, charge management. When it’s running, it’s perfectly cool. When it’s charging, it’s got just enough surface area to remind you that physics always wins.

It’s been one long exercise in “how much can I fit in this much space without breaking it?”

And that’s probably why it’s one of the most interesting things I’ve ever built — not because it’s flashy, but because it’s so deceptively simple.

What’s Next

Firefly 3.0 runs smoother, lasts longer, and feels more refined than ever. But more importantly, it feels ready for someone else to take it further.

If I had the resources, I’d build it into a full smartwatch companion — maybe modular bands, integrated sensors, the ability to control it natively through iOS or Android.

But even as it is — a self-contained, rechargeable wearable with programmable light modes, a private notepad, and an interface that just works — it’s quietly solid.

A small tool that feels like it belongs to the future.

If You Want In

I’m not actively selling Fireflys, but I’ll build one for someone who really wants one. They’re all handmade — each a little different, each its own prototype.

And if you’re a hardware engineer, investor, or maker who’s into wearables or micro-form tech, I’d love to collaborate. There’s a ton of potential here, especially if it ever scales beyond my workbench.

It’s a small project that’s starting to think big.

Firefly 3.0 Refresh Highlights

• Captive Wi-Fi pop-up for simple control

• Local, persistent notepad

• 15–20% improved power efficiency

• Customizable lighting profiles

• Offline by default; private when connected

• Still small, still weird, still evolving

Firefly 3.0 isn’t trying to be a product. It’s just a quiet little experiment that keeps finding new purpose — one that might, someday, end up where it always should’ve been: built into your wristband by someone in Cupertino.

Firefly 3.0 Refresh — the Apple product they never built.