Van Der Led's WM2 cellphone is Slayer approved

Can it be? Why... why yes, a watch with integrated cellphone we might (might!) actually wear. The Van Der Led WM2 is a quad-band GSM watch with itty bitty 1.3-inch, 260k color touchscreen display, stereo Bluetooth, up to 240-hours of standby or 300-minutes talk, and 1GB of storage for a few of your MP3 or MP4 files. Better yet, from a distance, those uber geeky keys on the numeric pad look just like the glittering wrist studs capable of mesmerizing Death Metal, she-groupies backstage. Yours for €300 (about $471 US Rubles) starting Monday. Actual product pressed to flesh in the gallery below.

Gallery: Van Der Led's WM2 cellphone is Slayer approved

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[Thanks, Gydo W.]

[Marko the sharko @ Apr 9th 2008 7:56AM]

At first I was like :| but then I was like :)

[LondonConsultant @ Apr 9th 2008 8:21AM]

At first Dick Tracy was like :| but then he was like sue the b*st*rds for patent infringement - especially if they release a magenta version...

[Blackstar @ Apr 9th 2008 8:40AM]

KITT, meet me around back and get ready to use turbo boost!

[Marc Jacob @ Apr 9th 2008 8:42AM]

hehe, horrible name but nice pics. Wonder if watch really looks as good as the photoshoped version.... they also have a tri-band DigitalRise D199i watch phone here: http://www.chinagrabber.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1547&HS=1 and a quad band here: http://www.chinagrabber.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1556&HS=1 - hehe, Dick Tracey watches....

[Ricky L @ Apr 17th 2008 3:17PM]

actually, this is also called the DigitalRise D287i and is only $235 shipped here: http://www.chinagrabber.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1567

[TubeTop100.com @ Apr 9th 2008 7:56AM]

Both an ugly phone and a watch. Impressive.

I always wonder who wants to have a color display in their watch. Looks like those wonderful MP4 watch geek things. Besides that, charging your watch every few days... That must be great. Or when the battery runs out and you can't check the time anymore. Amazing.

[The Cadet @ Apr 9th 2008 7:59AM]

It's not half bad for a Photch (Phone+Watch)(yea sue me for trying)
Could have turned out alot worse but its pretty good.
I'd wear it. I think.

[SurKaz @ Apr 9th 2008 9:40AM]

I would wear this Whone too..

[Garst @ Apr 9th 2008 3:41PM]

You should have went to "wane", which would either make a great or horrible name based on which definition you use.

1) to decrease in size, extent, or degree

or

2)to fall gradually from power, prosperity, or influence

[trentyn @ Apr 10th 2008 1:50AM]

so then how long till theres an iPhotch??

[Fernando @ Apr 9th 2008 8:12AM]

lol @ it using a S60v3 screenshot for the mockup, even with a 3rd party theme from babinokia (you can still read it under "TIM") http://www.babinokia.com/index.php

[Drew @ Apr 9th 2008 8:15AM]

Wow, I like how the computer rendered version looks, then the real thing is just some cheap re-badged product sold from a china sourced re-seller or something... Yuck! at least my old Casio wrist watch had more taste that this... For shame

[Michael @ Apr 9th 2008 8:23AM]

That is pretty bad ass I have to admit. You guys above me can rag on it all you want but you try turning a watch into a cell phone.
I'm not a watch wearer myself but if I was this would be something to consider. You wouldn't ever accidentally drop your cell phone into the toilet.

[Warhorse @ Apr 9th 2008 10:25AM]

No kidding. At first i wasn't sure but it's growing on me for sure. Thank gawd it has blue tooth. Now just incorperate one of those mini-projectors in it!

[david_topping @ Apr 9th 2008 8:24AM]

I so want to sneer but just can’t bring myself to do it.

Given that a good looking watch can be £200, and a phone in excess of £250 the price point seems right and the design, while not likely to threaten TAG or Jaeger LeCoultre, is OK, then this seems to be the first time anyone delivered something that people might buy.

Now can I have one that answers my push e-mail?

[Ellianth @ Apr 9th 2008 9:18PM]

Completely off topic. But this needs saying. Is that picture you? it's a really nice drawing :).

[david_topping @ Apr 10th 2008 5:12AM]

@ Ellianth (Yes off topic)

Yes it's me; in the style of Julian Opie;

http://www.family-portrait-artists.com/

[pixel @ Apr 9th 2008 8:27AM]

Nice idea, but scrap the camera and colour display. If only it was HSDPA, it would be almost perfect for pairing with my Nokia n800

[john @ Apr 9th 2008 9:29AM]

I was thinking the EXACT same thing!

"No EDGE? no UMTS? No HSPA? if it had those things and Bluetooth DUN, I could use it with my N810!!"

Alas, it only mentions GPRS. No bueno.

[DarkLightConnection Unbanned @ Apr 9th 2008 3:40PM]

They're engineers, not magicians.

You know, stuffing things into tiny packages isn't nearly as easy as you think. With all the things you want it's more like "nearly impossible" (as of now).

Having a whole phone with color screen and camera and rechargeable battery and bluetooth in such a small package should already be impressing enough, if you've ever worked with electronics.

I, for one, welcome this... if it looks as nice in real life, that is. I'd just like to see some cheaper prices there... (there are similar whones on DX for $150, the only difference is that they're fugly)

[Jonathon @ Apr 10th 2008 5:35PM]

First, I pretty much agree with all of these comments. But what I (personally) think would be the better compromise is to scrap the touchscreen and keep the display very basic (just *basic* phone functions). However, still add in the EDGE (minimum) or UMTS or HSPA...not for the whone other gadgets via Bluetooth.

[matt @ Apr 9th 2008 8:28AM]

how very clever - the us dollar is worthless LOL

[AndyM @ Apr 9th 2008 9:02AM]

No, it is worth 1.57 Euros if Mr. Ricker's math is correct.

Schadenfreude is never pretty, but it does say much about the one engaging in it.

[AndyM @ Apr 9th 2008 9:08AM]

Sorry, make that 0.637 Euros.

Not enough coffee this morn.

[Jake @ Apr 9th 2008 10:56AM]

"Rubbles?"

[pete @ Apr 9th 2008 8:53AM]

Best one yet!
I just hope these sell, so they develop the tech further :)

[Harlo @ Apr 9th 2008 8:55AM]

You know when you're a geek when the first thing you think of from the title is "This doesn't look like something Buffy would wear!"

[Mickel @ Apr 9th 2008 8:55AM]

Dollar-Store crap! It looks like it might break 3 seconds after you put it on. Anyone can import stuff from China and re-brand it. These are NOT the Dutch people i'd like to assosiate with. Disappointed!

[Wwhat @ Apr 9th 2008 9:35AM]

Haha, who would want to associate with dutch people? ;)
And it's a marketing name anyway, no dutch person is actually called led I don't think, they just took the word LED and tagged it after 'van der'.
The domain is registered to a dutch person though.
owner-fname: J
owner-lname: Marfo
owner-city: Rotterdam

But here's a chinese? link to the outfit shining through:
admin-organization: DT Interlink
admin-fname: K.H.
admin-lname: Cheung
(located in another city holland so still dutch?)

[Cal @ Apr 9th 2008 9:10AM]

Concept art looks nice, but the thing itself is ugly, and too big...

[trumpton @ Apr 9th 2008 9:22AM]

iPhone rip off.










;)

[Wwhat @ Apr 9th 2008 9:36AM]

hehe :)

[fashionista @ Apr 9th 2008 9:27AM]

Puleeze. Kerry King uses nails in his gauntlet. This thing is for pussies.

[Ian @ Apr 9th 2008 9:27AM]

This is a new class of phone.

Welcome to the ephone (ear phone).

[James @ Apr 9th 2008 9:31AM]

In case you forget it is a watch and you can take it with you, "Watch" and "Mobile" are stamped right on the face!

[Jake @ Apr 9th 2008 10:58AM]

I could be wrong but they look like buttons for switching between the modes... pretty handy actually (pardon the pun).

[y3k.nik @ Apr 9th 2008 9:33AM]

How do you talk using these phones/watches?

Is the only way you can talk using a handsfree? How loud is its ringer, when I get a call? If its anything like the alarm on wrist watches, I know I am not going to know when I get a call!

[Wwhat @ Apr 9th 2008 9:38AM]

Perhaps you can extend the wristband and wear it around your neck as a collar.

[Phoenix @ Apr 9th 2008 11:52AM]

Bluetooth headset.

[Benson @ Apr 9th 2008 5:32PM]

Vibrating alert?

[Dxw @ Apr 9th 2008 9:33AM]

Is this really Slayer approved? I won't use any gadgets that aren't approved by Slayer.

[Jake @ Apr 9th 2008 11:00AM]

^m^_

(that's my best try at the devil horns with ASCII)

[Fazny Zavahir @ Apr 9th 2008 9:39AM]

Does it come with a calculator? fazny zavahir

[contreras @ Apr 9th 2008 10:03AM]

If I can swim with that... it's a winner for summer time already

[Schfelzerberg @ Apr 9th 2008 10:09AM]

Star Trek fans might like the design...





...or not.

[indiecognition @ Apr 9th 2008 10:41AM]

And by commenting, I can win one...that's how these things work, right?

[lorenpedro @ Apr 9th 2008 10:44AM]

Well, at least we know that it displays photos of dandelion spreading seeds. Maybe the image was selected to represent the spreading of noxious tacky watches? Let us see photos of the UI. I like the concept of a wrist phone and I agree that if it could be waterproof it'd be a nice summer watch.

[rafa @ Apr 9th 2008 10:59AM]

Can't we just get a nice watch that will show the names of incoming callers, show if i got a message, and let me hit silence if I want to ignore a call in my pocket?

[Benson @ Apr 9th 2008 5:33PM]

@jake

\m/

[apeguero @ Apr 9th 2008 11:03AM]

What the hell's a US Rubble? Were we recently taken over by Russia? Or was it the other way around? Did I miss something the past few days? Is that why Curious George is in Europe this week? Please elaborate Mr. Ricker as you seem to know something that I don't.