Sony’s E-Ink Smartwatch Is a Sight for Sore Eyes (Literally)
We all know that throbbing feeling when our eyes are telling us, “Can you please stop staring at a bright screen for the next eight hours so we don’t turn bloodshot? That’d be great. Thanks.” But it’s hard to not be looking at a brightly lit screen for most of the day. When we’re working, we’re staring at our computer screens. When we’re relaxing, we’re watching TV or scrolling through our smartphones. That’s why it’s so great to have devices that use e-ink and electronic paper like Kindles, Pebbles and now Fashion Entertainments Watch by Sony.
Like Pebble, Sony is having their own go at an e-ink smartwatch in the Japanese market. Sony went undercover as a company called Fashion Entertainments (FES) and put up the watch on Makuake (which is like a Japanese version of Kickstarter) to “test the real value of their product.” They ended up funding over twice their $8,500 pledged goal and are now preparing to send out FES Watch to their early backers.
The FES Watch ($167) is extremely thin and shaped like an average wristwatch. The e-ink, analog watch alternates through different watch designs throughout the day. You can set the face of the watch to either a black or white screen as well as set the design of your wristband. Although that customizable feature is the extent of what makes the FES Watch a smart device, the battery life is pretty amazing. You can go two months one a single charge. Sure, it may not do as much as a Pebble, but we like the simplicity nonetheless.
Would you pay $170 for your own e-ink smartwatch? What are your thoughts about electronic paper and ink? Let us know in the comments!
(h/t Mashable)
