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Product: Febreze Scentstories
Company: Procter & Gamble
Country: the US

This new product from Procter & Gamble is perhaps the most novel product we have seen in a long time, and certainly marks a departure from other room fragrancing products available.

Febreze Scentstories, recently launched in the US, is essentially a compact disc player that sends out aromas rather than music.

The unit does not use batteries but plugs into a mains socket. Like CD players, it has a play/next and stop buttons, and a push mechanism for opening the unit to insert the air freshening disc (refill discs are also available). When the play button is pressed, the unit releases a fragrance and the powered unit gently blows air to disperse the aroma.

What makes the unit stand out is that each disc has five different fragrances, one for every half-hour. The player also allows you to skip a fragrance, just as you might skip a track on a CD.

Several are available, with evocative names such as ‘Exploring a mountain trail’, ‘Following the winding creek’, or ‘Walking beside wildflowers’, allowing users to select the scent that matches their mood. The company also plans to add festive-themed scents.

A potential downside is the cost. The player retails for about $35, and each disc is priced at $5.99. The discs last for about 50 hours, or 20 plays, which would position the product not as a continual action air freshener, but rather one that you turn on when you want to immediately enhance your environment.

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