LumiThing

Your CarThing, reimagined.

Features

• Desktop companion app with a guided installer
• Status bar with date and time (synced from your computer's clock)
• Spotify controls (play/pause, skip, volume)
• Customizable shortcuts to apps with Font Awesome icon picker
• Physical button shortcuts (assign apps to buttons 1–4)
• Album art background styles (full bleed or thumbnail)
• Audio visualizer and progress bar in the media player
• Sleep timer and screensaver support
• OTA updates via GitHub Releases
• Lock your computer directly from the CarThing menu

Getting started

Linux, Windows, and Mac are all supported.

1. Download LumiThing from Releases, or Our Website.
2. Open the downloaded file to install.
3. Open the LumiThing desktop companion and follow the instructions to set up your CarThing.

Usage

Client interface

Here you will see your current media player status, app shortcuts, and a visualizer. You can use the touch screen, or navigate using the physical buttons.

Pressing the M button (right-most button) opens the system menu where you can:

• Navigate to Settings
• Sleep the device
• Restore the device to original Spotify software
• Reboot the device
• Lock your computer

Double-tapping the M button will also lock your computer instantly.

Using the dial will:

• Media widget:

  • Click: Play/Pause playback
  • Scroll: Adjust volume

• Shortcuts:

  • Click: Execute highlighted shortcut
  • Scroll: Scroll between items

Pressing the Back button (below the dial) reveals the fullscreen media player with album art, a progress bar, elapsed/remaining time, and shuffle/repeat controls.

Desktop companion

The home screen shows your CarThing's connection status and any notices (missing playback handler, available updates, etc.).

Updates are handled automatically — when a new version is available you'll see a Download button. Once downloaded, click Install to apply the update.

Shortcuts Editor

Add and edit your application shortcuts. You can add up to 8 shortcuts and assign a Font Awesome icon or upload a custom image. Shortcuts can also be assigned to the physical preset buttons (1–4) on top of the CarThing.

Settings

Adjust how the app behaves — launch on startup, minimize to tray, auto-install to CarThing, brightness, date/time format, album art background style, and more.

Tray icon

LumiThing lives in your system tray. Right-click it to open or quit the app, or click it once to open.

Credits

• 1Vortexx — Primary LumiThing Developer (itsvortexx.space)
• BluDood — Developer and creator of GlanceThing, LumiThing's base and inspiration

Technologies

Desktop Companion

• Electron Vite toolkit
• TypeScript
• React TSX + React Router
• ws
• axios
• electron-updater

Client

• React + Vite
• TypeScript