BLACKSLATE7 is a utility for iOS and Android that programs custom images onto the Lummico SLATE E-Paper clapperboard via NFC.
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Production teams require a way to update clapperboard metadata without physical printing, yet the current software fails to provide basic text editing or reliable image transfers.
For Film and TV production professionals requiring a reusable, digitally reconfigurable clapperboard.
What does it look like?
Key features
Transfers custom clapperboard images from smartphone to the E-Paper display via NFC interface.
Allows users to crop, scale, and rotate images from the device library to create personalized clapperboard layouts.
Provides threshold level and dithering adjustments to optimize black and white contrast for E-Paper screens.
How much does it cost?
The app functions as a free utility to support the $127 physical hardware purchase, acting as a mandatory interface for the product.
Velocity
Dormant developmentopaqueShow more...
BLACKSLATE7 has been inactive for 740 days, with no updates across either platform in over two years. The development trend is stagnant, as the app has not received any functional improvements or maintenance patches since the latest version. Given the lack of activity, the project appears to be in a zombie state.
Who built it?
User Sentiment
What do users think recently?
The recent review mood reads upset.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- Application crashes or bricks entirely after users attempt to upload custom slate images
5 of 5 recent reviews analyzed · limited sample
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 1 user request, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for BLACKSLATE7
How's the Photo & Video market?
BLACKSLATE7 occupies a niche hardware-tethered utility segment, with no direct software competitors due to its proprietary NFC link to the Lummico SLATE.
The rivals identified
The Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for BLACKSLATE7
Where is it heading?
The outlook for BLACKSLATE7 is declining as the lack of development cadence leaves the tool vulnerable to OS regressions and unresolved stability bugs. Without a patch to address the bricking issue, the software will continue to degrade the value proposition of the physical SLATE hardware.
- Critical stability failures following custom image uploads erode trust in the hardware-software link, which compounds the churn risk for professional users.
- The two-year development silence signals that Lummico has moved the tool to maintenance-only status, leaving users without a path for feature expansion.
The SWOT
- Proprietary NFC link creates a closed loop requiring the specific physical SLATE product.
- Image processing controls ensure high-quality output on E-Paper screens.
- Enabling text field editing for production metadata would address the #2 user complaint.
- Supporting custom Photoshop template imports would satisfy high-frequency user requests for better production alignment.
Next best moves
Ship stability patch for image import crash because it is the #1 user complaint → restore hardware utility
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The lack of software updates is not just a maintenance failure…
Read the full takeBottom line
BLACKSLATE7 is currently a broken utility that undermines the value of the Lummico SLATE hardware. Fixing the image import stability and enabling basic text editing would restore the product's core utility for production teams.
Unlock 3 critical frictions, 2 market threats, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is BLACKSLATE7 compatible with other digital clapperboards?
Can I edit production metadata like dates and reel numbers in the app?
What should I do if the app crashes after I upload an image?
Sources
- [1] App Store, source
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