Samsung has unveiled its Samsung Galaxy Surfboard, an admittedly gorgeous-looking piece of technology with an otherwise baffling function.
The Samsung Galaxy Surfboard aims to keep surfers (or rather, “surfer,” as this device has yet to go into production) browsing text messages and social media while catching waves, with it providing them with Internet access as they’re trying to hang ten, or whatever it is that surfers do.
The surfboard was advertised in a commercial by Samsung Brazil, who enlisted pro surfer Gabriel Medina to take to the ocean atop the device. It’s also probably the most unintentionally depressing tech commercial we’ll see all year, with it depicting Medina as an attention addict who craves validation while cutting through water, showing messages of support sent from his friends that flash upon the board’s base while he’s surfing. Guys, he’s a pro surfer: we’re sure he’s got this without your help.
Though its usage of its Internet connection may be head-scratching, it is useful in terms of how it relays real-time data to the surfer as they’re riding the waves. With this being said, it’s presumably difficult for surfers to look down at their boards while actually surfing, which is probably why all the footage of its features actually being used depict Medina looking at it while floating aimlessly in the water.
Though it’s very unlikely we’ll ever see this concept go into production given the incredibly niche market of lonely surfers it targets, it is undoubtedly a good-looking design. Check it out in the video below:
