Skip to the page
Studio Pocket

Too old for a story box.Too young for a phone.

Studio Pocket turns the Innioasis Y2, a pocket-sized music player with a click wheel, into something an 8 to 12 year old can call their own. Their stories, their music, their podcasts, and no internet at all.

Join the beta on DiscordTwo ways to get it

In beta. The player is free and open source; a desktop app that does the setup for you is on the way.

This one works. Turn the wheel, press the middle button.

Studio Pocket replaces the Y2’s own software with a player made for children: playlists as big covers, a wheel to browse them, and nothing else to wander into.

No internet, ever
It plays what you put on it. No browser, no app store, no adverts, no messages, nothing to scroll.
It keeps their place
Every playlist picks up where it stopped, mid-chapter if need be, and its cover shows how far through they are.
Covers, not file names
Playlists show as big pictures, sorted into groups like Bedtime or Music. Two turns of the wheel and they’re there.
A volume limit you set
Choose the loudest it can go. The volume buttons stop there.
Their headphones
Plug in a wired pair or connect Bluetooth ones. The player remembers a separate volume for each.
You can undo it
Setting it up keeps a copy of the Y2’s original software on your computer, so you can always put it back.

Three steps, one evening

  1. Get a Y2

    The Innioasis Y2 is a small metal music player sold online. We don’t make or sell it, so you buy your own, in whichever colour wins the argument.

  2. Put Studio Pocket on it

    About fifteen minutes with a USB cable and a paper clip. The player’s original software is saved first.

  3. Fill it up

    Choose playlists on your computer and send them across. Unplug it, hand it over, and that’s the last it needs from you until they want something new.

Two ways to get it

The player is the same either way. The difference is who does the fiddly part: you, or an app that does it for you.

Do it yourself

Free, open source, and yours to change.

The player, the installer and the tool that loads audio all live in one public repository, under the GPL. If you’re happy typing commands into a terminal, that’s everything you need.

  • The player itself, for the Y2
  • An installer that can also put the original software back
  • A tool that copies playlists across over USB

Public beta. It has been run on a real Y2 from a Mac; the Windows and Linux versions build but haven’t been tried on a player yet.

See it on GitHub

Studio Pocket Desktop

For everyone who’d rather not open a terminal.

An app for your computer that walks you through setup, then lets you pick playlists and press Send to player. Use audio files you already have, or your Yoto Make Your Own playlists.

  • Guided setup, one plain step at a time
  • Sort playlists into groups, each with its own icon
  • See what’s on the player and how much room is left

In beta. It will be a paid app when it’s ready; for now, testers can try it through our Discord.

Join the beta on Discord

Common questions

Which player does it work on?

Only the Innioasis Y2. The installer checks which version of the Y2’s software it finds, and stops without changing anything if it doesn’t recognise it.

Can I go back to how the Y2 was?

Yes. Before anything is changed, the player’s original software is copied to your computer. Restoring it puts the Y2 back as it came.

Does the player need Wi-Fi or an account?

No. Once it’s loaded it never goes online. There’s no account on the player, and nothing on it reports what your child listens to.

Where does the audio come from?

From you. Studio Pocket plays MP3 and AAC files you already have, such as audiobooks, music and recordings you’ve made. It doesn’t come with anything to listen to and it isn’t a shop.

Mac or Windows?

A Mac, for now. That’s what everything has been tested from. Windows and Linux versions exist but are still waiting for their first run on a real player.

How is this different from a Yoto or a Toniebox?

Those are lovely for younger children. Somewhere around eight, many want something that fits a pocket, works with headphones on the bus and looks a bit more grown up, without being a phone. That’s the gap this is for.