Crapgadget CES edition, round 11: Janky-ass MP4 watch

The screen is really pretty stellar for a watch, too bad you'll need a forklift to keep your wrist propped up while wearing this behemoth.

Gallery: Crapgadget CES edition, round 11: Janky-ass MP4 watch

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[paragraph @ Jan 11th 2008 10:37AM]

Only 4 MP's? i'll wait for an MP5 Watch to hit the market, it'll hapen soon enough...

[Jm @ Jan 11th 2008 10:37AM]

there is one thing that I dislike about Crapgadget... its that these people actulally put money on these things... so for them this might be offensive... ots cool to know that there are stupid things like this but its not a nice thing to do for the people that actually put time on these....

[Ladderless @ Jan 11th 2008 10:47AM]

I have to agree, about 80% of the time. many products (like this watch) are necessary steps toward what will eventually be a product we all want. The goal is admirable, be it a smaller new technology, or a less expsensive option to what's out there now.

There are some products, however, whose existence defy explaination. Sometimes I think they're asking for it...

[friendlyner @ Jan 11th 2008 11:51AM]

Yeah, Engadget - somewhere a designer of crappy electronic devices is crying into a stack of infringed-upon patents. Lay off ;-)

[Mogo @ Jan 15th 2008 6:01AM]

Sounds like someone actually bought a Jank-o-tron wrist-weight.

[chronosafe @ Jan 11th 2008 10:39AM]

Obviously you haven't bought a watch from Breitling recently. This thing is a lightweight compared to some of their new models...

[dudeInAmerica @ Jan 11th 2008 10:41AM]

I have one of these, its pretty cool. Plays pr0n great.

[Zak @ Jan 11th 2008 12:21PM]

Wristporn is the best possible use for this thing.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 1:24PM]

pr0n is the best possible use for anything with a screen. :D

[benhc911 @ Jan 11th 2008 6:06PM]

yah, but i have a hard time focusing on an image that is moving up and down so fast >_>

[Jason @ Jan 11th 2008 10:42AM]

This could honestly be a LOT worse.

[patsy @ Jan 11th 2008 10:44AM]

You know what would have been really cool? If you'd actually put it on your-you know--WRIST, so we can judge for ourselves just how big-ass this thing is in its natural habitat. Just a thought...

[James @ Jan 11th 2008 10:54AM]

Does it really seem like you can't fit that on your wrist? Seriously?

[patsy @ Jan 11th 2008 11:19AM]

Well, the poster suggested it was a behemoth, so I was curious just how much of one it really is by getting a sense of scale.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 10:52AM]

Yeah what's so "Janky-ass" about it? Oh, it's not as good as the iPhone. I get it...

Funny you posted on this as I've been HEAVILY researching MP4/Cell Phone watches as of late. This is probably the best looking/working metal MP4 watch available anywhere in the world. And your boy Steve Jobs isn't planning on making one so forget about it. Now there are a bunch of other non metal ones out there available at sites like.

www.chinavasion.com

Granted could it be better? Yes. But they just aren't available. To my surprise watch technology is still in it's infancy. But about to explode I think. I mean a boatload of people wear watches no? People like tech right? Ok then.

[Paul @ Jan 11th 2008 11:56AM]

Not to really put ya down here, but the only people I know that still use wrist-watches are my parents, and they use your standard analog wrist watch.

Every one I hang out with, and the people I see up on campus use their cell phones now. The ONLY time I see wrist watches are during exams when people need some way to check the time, but even then most professors don't really mind you checking the time on your cell phone. Its pretty easy to tell the difference between someone texting and someone checking the time.

So while I think that watch is pretty awesome looking, I cant see ever using it as a watch. Maybe if it lost the strap I would use it as a pretty cool looking mp3 player with video capabilities, but I can not imagine strapping something that large onto my wrist

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 12:08PM]

I couldn't agree more. I do understand not having the need for a watch if you always have a cell phone or pda phone with you. Heck my HTC Touch does everything and more than that MP4 watch. But,... it's kind of a "fashion" thing. Yes you could say there is no fashion whatsoever in any of the geeky video watches. But a lot of nerds may beg to differ.

Back to what you were saying about not needing a watch. How about not needing a cell phone. Click the link to see what I'm talking about.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10654

[Chris @ Jan 11th 2008 12:32PM]

The reason high-tech watches like this are not likely to become popular is that the form factor is either too small or too large to be comfortable. This one is too large and yet apparently you can still only fit a few words on the screen. Also, it's more difficult from a control perspective. If it's touchscreen you can only fit a couple of virtual buttons on the screen. That's not enough for complex tasks. If it's button controlled then either the buttons are too small for comfortable use or too large to fit enough for complex tasks. The cell phone form factor just makes more sense to most people and it's not that much harder to pull a phone out of the pocket than it is to pull your arm up to your face.

[patsy @ Jan 11th 2008 2:16PM]

@Paul: I'm sorry, but that's about the dumbest objection to this watch so far--it's silly because "nobody but my grandparents" wears watches anymore?! Instead you're advocating going back to the days of pocket watches, where you have to dig around in your pockets/backpack/side holster for some object to check what time it is. Or--equally likely with the watch-shunning people I know--they'll hit others with watches up for the time instead. But at least they're cool and trendy dudes because they don't wear silly watches.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 10:57AM]

Dang, I personally feel hurt for the Chinese company Engadget has offended. I think Engadget should change the title or apologize. Seriously. That company is trying to give consumers what they want. Engadget doesn't appreciate this? You're sounding like a bunch of old people and teenagers who don't know shit about technology and try to act cool thinking you do. I think Engadget is losing touch with the gadget market. Real "gadget lovers" could give a shit less about the umthousandth iPod speaker/dock system.

[Chris @ Jan 11th 2008 12:00PM]

Are you affiliated with the company that makes or distributes this? It sure seems so from the amount of outrage displayed. Judging by the closeup photos, yes, this product absolutely does look janky. Like an old Buick in a world of sleek modern cars. It has that dollar store quality to the metal design and finish. Like one of those watches you can buy in one of those bubble gum style vending machines. The screen appears to be of a very low resolution as well. You can see the individual dots along with jagged lines. I'm not bringing the iPhone into this because it's not necessary. It looks janky even when compared to products not made by Apple.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 12:02PM]

Compared to what other metal(or non metal) MP4 watch?... Please answer because I'm really looking for one.

[Chris @ Jan 11th 2008 12:19PM]

Compared to about any other device you find today in a reputable store and that would not be paid for with quarters.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 12:57PM]

Couldn't find any eh? Because there aren't any. Please provide a link to any U.S. retailer selling anything remotely similar to this watch.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 11:09AM]

Here's a link to one on a wrist. Maybe not the exact same model but probably the same size.

http://www.techgadgets.in/images/thanko-mp4.jpg

Youtube "mp4 watch" and you'll see a bunch of cool vids. The general opinion on these watches is actually pretty good. Yes, they are quite large. But larger watches seem to almost be the norm nowadays.

If you're cool you're cool. If you're not you're not. A watch isn't going to change that. I do guarantee you will get A LOT of attention from people when you wear this watch. One thing that some people are saying is that the actual displaying of the time/watch-function could be better. Go figure. :D

[Richard Bakare @ Jan 11th 2008 11:12AM]

Just the type of bling I have been looking for.

[Mike @ Jan 11th 2008 11:24AM]

OMG I WANT IT.

is it missing a button?

[morcheeba @ Jan 11th 2008 2:05PM]

Nah, it only had 3 of its 4 AA batteries installed ;-)
No, seriously, that's probably a 1/4" headphone jack.

[bcollinstex @ Jan 11th 2008 12:33PM]

Janky-ass NOT!

I needs refining, but I can see the potential.

[kevjohn @ Jan 11th 2008 11:54AM]

Any guesses on how long it'll be before we see the first bit of legislation banning wristwatch-based porn?

[kevjohn @ Jan 11th 2008 11:55AM]

Any guesses on how long it'll be before we see the first bit of legislation banning wristwatch-based porn?

[kevjohn @ Jan 11th 2008 11:59AM]

effing site hiccups!
Good thing we don't have the option to delete or edit our own comments.

[Stephen Horwick @ Jan 11th 2008 12:01PM]

As an avid watch collector, I would find this a welcome addition to my collection. I would wear it for a week or two and then put it away.

[plutocrat @ Jan 11th 2008 12:22PM]

Anyone know anything else about this? Who makes it, cost, availablity, etc? I kind of want one.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 2:40PM]

check out www.chinavasion.com they got a slew of "MP4" watches. I quote MP4 because some of them don't actually play the .mp4 format. Go figure. Some use a proprietary .mtv format which has shown to use less processing power with the same quality. It's just not widely "supported". And they save money by not paying the codec fees. They do include the conversion software though.

[OneLove @ Jan 11th 2008 12:02PM]

I got TV's on my wrist, baby.

[Lee @ Jan 11th 2008 12:03PM]

To reassure myself on my perceived definition of "janky", I pored over the various related definitions of the term in the Urban Dictionary. Judging by what looks to be a missing button and poor quality plated finish, this watch is in fact a janky-ass MP4 watch.

There you go. Research and analysis, so you don't have to.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 1:04PM]

Um your analysis is off. That's not a missing button but an audio jack.

[Paul H. @ Jan 11th 2008 12:07PM]

Janky-ass? A complete, wearable computer with color display in a package this small and you call it "Janky-ass"? Maybe a "My Little Pony" motif would have suited you better. Sheesh.

Honestly, next time think about sending an imaginative gadget freak to CES instead of a doe-eyed eleven-year-old girl looking for pink fashion accessories.

[Good_Bytes @ Jan 11th 2008 12:12PM]

Grrrreeeaaattt the small head phone jack that you simply cannot find.
What is their obsession of putting the small non-standard headphones plug. What were they thinking!!! And to top it all off, it is inside a hole, so you are stuck using the crappy (most probably) headphones that comes with the device, as the rubber of the plug of an other headphone might block the plug to fit.

Maybe that explains why it will simply never sell.

[Bryan @ Jan 11th 2008 12:20PM]

i actually have one of these

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/watches/954e/

its pretty fun to have in a pinch as a gadget

[Ipaq3115 @ Jan 11th 2008 12:20PM]

Hey the more times they try the more they get better...

[Ipaq3115 @ Jan 11th 2008 12:25PM]

Usually....

[Ipaq3115 @ Jan 11th 2008 12:25PM]

Usually....

[Ethan Steckmann @ Jan 11th 2008 12:27PM]

What no iphone ui!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we want more iphone fakes more more more

[Ipaq3115 @ Jan 11th 2008 12:28PM]

Hey that isn't a half bad mp4 watch...

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 1:05PM]

Thank you.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 1:07PM]

I'll tell you what's Janky-Ass. This clunky ass site. How much stuttering can go on with all these hodge podge ads trying to load everywhere.

[Juice @ Jan 11th 2008 1:11PM]

I'll tell you what's "Janky-Ass". This site. How much clunkier can it get? Why does every other blog site I visit not stutter like this one? Everytime I try to scroll on Engadget it stutters like a mother.

[ug @ Jan 11th 2008 5:05PM]

Pr0n won't look very good at 128x128. These watch devices won't be any good until they at least get to 320x200.