Thuisbord starts with its first beta testers

Thuisbord has reached the point where we can start the first tests in real households. Soon we will invite the first people to test through our mailing list. In this post you can read what that means, how the invitation works and what you can expect as a test household.

What is a beta test?#

A beta test is a trial period in which an app already works but is not finished yet. A small group of users tries the app in daily life before it becomes available to everyone. They run into things we overlook ourselves: a button in an illogical place, a text that is unclear or a screen that does not work properly on a particular device.

That is exactly why we are looking for testers. Thuisbord is meant for ordinary households, so we want to know how it works in ordinary households. With a tablet on the wall, an old laptop in the kitchen or a TV in the living room.

What we will test#

Thuisbord turns a screen into your household's shared screen. In the beta test we look at both parts:

• Energy: your current electricity use, today's and tomorrow's electricity prices, what the day has cost so far and one line of advice in plain language. That advice follows fixed rules and is not made up by AI, so you know what it is based on.
• Family management: a shared calendar, tasks and chores per family member, a shopping list, photos, the weather and the waste collection calendar.

How the invitation works#

We invite testers through the waitlist on thuisbord.app. If you are on that list, you can expect an email from us explaining how to get started. We start with a small group and then expand it step by step. That way we can support each round properly and make improvements before new testers join.

A few practical points:

• The first round consists of 30.
• The first invitations will go out around in the coming days.
• Whether taking part involves any costs: first 3 months are free depending on the issues this might be extended.
• If you do not receive an invitation in the first round, you simply stay on the waitlist for a later round.

What you need#

Thuisbord works on Android, iOS and in the browser. So any device with a browser can serve as a screen.

If you also want to test the energy part, you need a Homey or Home Assistant. These are systems for smart devices in the home that can, among other things, read the data from your smart meter. Thuisbord retrieves the meter readings through that system, after your household has given permission.

What we ask of testers#

Above all, we ask testers to simply use Thuisbord the way you would at home. We would also like to hear:

1. What works well and what you actually use.
2. What is unclear, awkward or unnecessary.
3. Which errors you run into, if possible with a short description of what happened.

We explain how to give feedback in the invitation.

What you can expect#

A beta version is not finished. It may contain errors, some parts may still change and something may stop working for a while. That is part of testing. We keep testers informed about what we change.

What does not change, not even during the test, is how we handle your data:

• Thuisbord only reads. It never switches or controls a device, home battery, charger or heat pump.
• Meter readings and family data are stored in the EU and are visible only to your own household.
• Data is never sold or shared.
• Thuisbord uses no tracking, advertising or third-party analytics.

Not on the waitlist yet?#

If you want to take part in one of the test rounds or stay informed about the launch, you can sign up for the waitlist at thuisbord.app. Prices and the launch date are not final yet. As soon as more is known, you will hear about it through the same mailing list.

We look forward to improving Thuisbord further together with the first households.