About Nathan
DeskThing was created by Nathan Emerick, a passionate developer who saw an opportunity to transform discarded technology into valuable tools. What began as a personal project to repurpose Spotify's discontinued Car Thing devices has evolved into a community-supported platform with a growing ecosystem of apps and developers.
"I was frustrated seeing perfectly functional hardware being thrown away just because a company decided to discontinue support. The Car Thing had a great screen, buttons, and dial—all the components needed for an excellent desktop companion. It seemed wasteful to let that go to landfill when it could still serve a purpose."
Nathan
Creator & Lead Developer
"Technology should be sustainable, accessible, and empower users to create their own solutions."
The Journey
The DeskThing project began in early 2023 when Spotify announced they would be discontinuing the Car Thing, leaving many users with devices that would soon become non-functional. Nathan, who had recently purchased one, refused to accept that the hardware would become useless.
After working with the ThingLabs team to setup the initial hack, he set to work creating the initial prototype that could run custom software on the Car Thing. What started as a personal hack quickly gained attention when he shared his progress online. Other Car Thing owners, facing the same obsolescence problem, began reaching out with questions, suggestions, and offers to help.
"The response was overwhelming," Nathan recalls. "I realized this wasn't just about saving my own device—there was a whole community of people who wanted to keep using their hardware. That's when DeskThing transformed from a personal project into an open-source platform."
Open Source Philosophy
Nathan firmly believes in the power of open-source development. By making DeskThing freely available and open to contributions, he's created a platform that benefits from diverse perspectives and continues to evolve beyond what any single developer could achieve alone.
Christian Worldview
As a student at Grand Canyon University, Nathan's approach to technology is informed by his Christian worldview. "In the Bible, we're called to be good stewards of what we're given," he explains. "DeskThing embodies this principle by extending the useful life of devices that would otherwise contribute to environmental waste."
Community Focus
From the beginning, Nathan designed DeskThing with community involvement in mind. The comprehensive SDK, detailed documentation, and active support channels all reflect his commitment to making the platform accessible to developers of all skill levels.
Looking Forward
Today, Nathan continues to lead DeskThing development while balancing his academic responsibilities and other projects. His vision for the future includes expanding device compatibility, enhancing the app ecosystem, and potentially developing purpose-built hardware specifically designed for the DeskThing platform.
"What excites me most is seeing what other people create with DeskThing," he says. "Every time someone develops a new app or finds a creative way to use the platform, it validates the original vision and pushes us to make the system even better."
As the community continues to grow, Nathan remains committed to the core principles that inspired DeskThing: sustainability, accessibility, and empowering users to create their own solutions to everyday problems.