Art Lebedev intros Verbarius electronic clock

Art Lebedev may be best known these days for its various display-ridden peripherals, and the delays and uncertainty surrounding each, but the prolific design firm's got plenty more on its plate, to which it's now added the Verbarius electronic clock. As you can see above, the clock does away with the usual time-telling tools in favor of spelling things out, in five different languages no less. What's more, it changes up its verbiage each time you ask it the time, displaying variations like "forty-five minutes past four," "fifteen minutes to five," "four forty-five", and "a quarter to five." This being Lebedev, of course, they're also taking their time to build up anticipation in the device, with the clock supposedly set to only begin shipping in November. You can get your pre-orders in now, however, with a discount price of $158.25 available to those who order before September 1st, after which it'll set you back about $180.

[foureight84 @ Feb 21st 2007 3:52PM]

that's an odd number for a discount. but anyways, we already know that these idiots can't deliver what they promise. rendering always look good, but the actual product is a piece of sh*t

[Juan @ Feb 21st 2007 3:57PM]

At least this time it starts out black and white. Or maybe they'll decide to make it color later, which will make everyone who had been anticipating the product for months angry, and then they'll finally change it back to black and white before production starts.

Naa. They wouldn't do a thing like that.

[Brandon West @ Feb 21st 2007 4:09PM]

My next business will produce awesome concept drawings of a really cool device that I can never build but that will get me lots of media hype. Then, even after I fail to deliver, news outlets will still provide coverage of shitty devices I produce like lame-ass clocks and single-use piggy banks with questionable style.

Seriously, stop giving these hacks presstime until they can actually deliver a product that isn't made entirely of rubber or ceramic. Last I checked, piggy banks and erasers aren't really gadgets.

[Drew @ Feb 21st 2007 4:33PM]

This reminds me of the Fuzzy Time widget for the old Konfabulator.

[carter @ Feb 21st 2007 4:36PM]

Fuzzy clock does this in the Mac menu bar.

[carter @ Feb 21st 2007 4:37PM]

Jinx! Here's the fuzzy clock url: http://www.objectpark.org/FuzzyClock.html

[Kenundrum @ Feb 21st 2007 5:06PM]

The first clock says zero hours zero minutes... no one refers to time that way...

[Luked @ Feb 21st 2007 5:25PM]

Their "Black t-shirt" is their best invention so far!

[Zut @ Feb 21st 2007 5:55PM]

I have long since stopped giving a crap about the bizarre goings on at art lebedev. I might have liked the optimus if it hadn't faded away (and if it didn't cost over $1,000 I expect), but everything else else of theirs is absolutely awful, including this clock... I like the fuzzy time idea, but I'm sure its been done before!

There is understated, minimalist design, and then there is the dull, tasteless crap that these guys claim to churn out. No thank you.

[Yan @ Feb 21st 2007 6:03PM]

interesting. but by the time this comes out, I'll already have a Chumby (I hope!)

[Kaibutsu @ Feb 21st 2007 6:06PM]

"Mitternacht"?? it should read MittLenacht if this is german... Kinda like ENGRISH except its german..

[Charly @ Feb 22nd 2007 11:51AM]

Kaibutsu, you obviously don't speak German. Mittlenacht, lol.

[Michael Tyznik @ Feb 21st 2007 6:13PM]

Frank Gehry designed a watch for Fossil that does this.

[StephTheGeek @ Feb 21st 2007 6:14PM]

Reminds me of the Frank Gehry watch I got for my husband's birthday: http://www.uncrate.com/men/style/watches/frank-gehry-positivenegative-watch-003475.php

[dll @ Feb 21st 2007 6:19PM]

Give them a break, guys. their primary business is web design and graphic design, and all this LED stuff is more or less a hobby. There is a tiny team working on their keyboard, clocks, etc. They do not have any experience with it. They are no Samsung. But do not rip anyone off, don't they? They delivered their Optimus Mini, and they will deliver the rest. Just be patient.

[weebl @ Feb 21st 2007 7:51PM]

Art Lebedev Studio has built enough reputation in the industry to have some manufacturer realise their ideas. Everybody seem to only know them from the keyboard concept, but go to their site and have a browse through their previous work and history. I would also suggest having a read in the Mandership section.

Whether you like their work or not is a matter of a personal taste. But you can't give them no credit for putting their ideas and designs to public so quickly. Show me other studio that does that.

Media hype? I haven't seen anywhere other 20 or something products ALS designed since the keyboard got attention of the nerd republic. Ha.. media hype.. give me a break!

[andrew harrison @ Feb 21st 2007 8:22PM]

another unoriginal idea from art lebedev [the first was the delete eraser]

i already have this feature [the time explained in plain english] on my mac using fuzzy clock and on my gehry fossil watch.

[PreGHz @ Feb 21st 2007 9:02PM]

Screw you guys, this is

BALLINNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!

[jordan57 @ Feb 23rd 2007 10:27PM]

Cool looking clock. Maybe when it gets a little cheaper.
http://www.allabouttheaccessories.com

[Sam @ Sep 1st 2008 11:51AM]

I just got my shipping confirmation!

[dimmog @ Jan 29th 2009 11:10AM]

Now available for iPhone/iPod Touch! :)

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=301250831