Hans Tan's LED clock spells out time in text

Those tried-and-true hands definitely get the job done, but glancing over to find out what time of the day it is should be an adventure. Singaporean Hans Tan has crafted quite the atypical timepiece with his Idea of a Clock (revision 2), which utilizes a LED bulletin board to spell out the time in text rather than using symbols, numbers or long sticks. Best of all, those interested in making the act of watching time go by somewhat enjoyable can order one from the artist himself, but considering the limited edition nature of the piece, we wouldn't waste too much time waffling over pulling the trigger.

[Via technabob]

[Conor @ Apr 28th 2008 6:25PM]

And every day you can pretend you live in a train station

[BuddyBoy @ Apr 28th 2008 6:30PM]

Just need a BBC sounds effects CD, a bench to sleep on and a few flats whose bins you can eat out of.

[kev @ Apr 29th 2008 10:30AM]

If only we had those to begin with. Fuckin' MTA.

[Stefan @ Apr 28th 2008 6:31PM]

Ah, just like artlebedev's vaporware clock:
http://store.artlebedev.com/office/verbarius/

I think you can preorder it already for the past 2 years.

[rishi @ Apr 28th 2008 7:26PM]

Right, but thats because it goes out of stock. It became available for some time, but it went out of stock. As noted on the website, it says that a new lot will be available June 15th, 2008. You just haven't found it at a time that there have been supplies available.

[TVGenius @ Apr 28th 2008 8:33PM]

Seems like this could be accomplished with a few LED scrolling-message displays from Sam's Club and an old computer using RS232.

[anananas @ Apr 29th 2008 3:51AM]

I've also (pre) ordered this clock and I'm waiting since one year now :( It's not comming in and going out of stock - the release date is just moved back and back and back :(

[Anthony @ Apr 28th 2008 6:33PM]

I wouldn't use this clock as an alarm notification. By the time I read the time I'd be late.

[odeamata @ Apr 28th 2008 6:33PM]

my boss would love this...you are not leaving work at this time yet for its only thirty minutes past three.

[tat_a @ Apr 28th 2008 6:35PM]

noob

[tojfs7931 @ Apr 28th 2008 6:36PM]

Or pretend you are on Family Fued.

[Chris Anderson @ Apr 28th 2008 6:36PM]

for some reason it takes me considerably longer to comprehend the time, when it's written textually...

[Andrew Harrison @ Apr 28th 2008 6:37PM]

So, like this:

http://www.objectpark.org/FuzzyClock.html#download [I'm sure there's a linux and/or windows version too]

and like this:

http://image.www.rakuten.co.jp/nuts/img10041331613.jpeg

and this:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/status/clockish.html

but on a wall?

[StrangeBum @ Apr 28th 2008 10:10PM]

You can download the FuzzyClock for Firefox. I have it on my windows machine. I love it for some reason, especially in different languages, great way to learn the time in German or Russian or ..something.

[Chris @ Apr 28th 2008 6:40PM]

Seems like a big waste of electrons. Tell me the time NOT a story!

[andres @ Apr 28th 2008 6:56PM]

how about a timeless story?

[frankXchange @ Apr 28th 2008 6:44PM]

For the avid reader obviously. I wouldn't be able to resist adding messages like:

You watch your life slowly drain away from you at two thirty in the afternoon.

Who is your wife with at four fifteen in the afternoon?

You realise your boss isn't good enough to shine your shoes at seven o'clock in the evening.

Why do you even bother at nine twenty in the evening?

[kyle allen @ Apr 28th 2008 6:49PM]

if it runs doom, im sold. but for mere clock purposes ill stick with my phone

[Steve Jones @ Apr 28th 2008 7:13PM]

That was the sound of the fail train.

[Low Ranked @ Apr 28th 2008 7:33PM]

Actually, it was the sound of the short train. The very short train.

[Sora267 @ Apr 28th 2008 8:17PM]

More like the short BUS.

[Wwhat @ Apr 28th 2008 7:09PM]

Finally people can skip 3 years school learning how to tell time from the complex 'clock' system they used to use.
Perfect timing, as people get more stupid technology help them out.

[Anthony @ Apr 28th 2008 7:25PM]

Me talk pretty one day.

[Fernando @ Apr 28th 2008 7:15PM]

Stolen. Zero.

[dBs @ Apr 28th 2008 7:19PM]

You could do a super cool mod of this where it actually used digits!

[doudOSX @ Apr 28th 2008 7:24PM]

NO REALY (is it just me or are posters on engadet geting stupider?)

[Anthony @ Apr 28th 2008 7:27PM]

@dbs- that's hilarious- no matter what our severely spelling challenged friend may say.

[Low Ranked @ Apr 28th 2008 7:35PM]

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIRST.

[fanthem @ Apr 28th 2008 7:20PM]

Please
Slow Down.
Construction Up Ahead.

[gad get @ Apr 29th 2008 5:33AM]

Thump!

[doudOSX @ Apr 28th 2008 7:26PM]

totaly lmao hey or **watch out cliff up ahead**

[doudOSX @ Apr 28th 2008 7:27PM]

THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TO FANTHEM!!

[doudOSX @ Apr 28th 2008 7:28PM]

THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TO DOUDOSX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zak @ Apr 28th 2008 7:45PM]

THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE oh I'm bored with this.

[Sora267 @ Apr 28th 2008 8:19PM]

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN SPARTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

[ED @ Apr 28th 2008 8:44PM]

What's next? A compass that gives you The Idea of North?

[Shadowfox952 @ Apr 28th 2008 9:33PM]

I think the got the concept of digital clocks wrong.

[Shadowfox952 @ Apr 28th 2008 9:34PM]

They*
An edit button would also be nice, Engadget. *wink*wink

[Stem $ell @ Apr 28th 2008 9:42PM]

"Tempus scrugit..." [sic.] "Time scrolls...."

[TerraCotta @ Apr 28th 2008 9:50PM]

The picture above is the version 2 of this LED Clock. I strongly advise you to buy it before it runs out of stock.

Version 3 will come with text displayed in reverse. Version 4 is like v3, but you'll need night vision google to read the text. V5 is V4 + you will need to read out loud the time. If you spell incorrectly or the clock doesn't like your voice, you'll be electrocuted.

So if you don't want to die by a nervous crackdown just by reading the time, V2 is rather a bearable torture.

[Ratskrad @ Apr 29th 2008 1:21AM]

Night vision google?
Where can I find this search engine?

[Billy Fiul @ Apr 28th 2008 10:09PM]

This could quite possibly be the most anti-productive clock ever invented.... I'll take two!

[fred @ Apr 28th 2008 11:30PM]

.....who was the GENIOUS who thougt of this Great invention. (insert sarcasm).....

[yelohbird @ Apr 29th 2008 1:19AM]

Probably someone who at least knew how to spell GENIUS.

[gad get @ Apr 29th 2008 5:36AM]

My thougt exactly.

[fred @ Apr 29th 2008 11:56AM]

look whos talking.....your the one that doesn't know how to spell yellow....

[Rixth @ Apr 29th 2008 12:34AM]

I sent an email and requested a price, it is 4000 euro inc. shipping.

20 are being made.

[Stem $ell @ Apr 29th 2008 1:19AM]

I can't read these fancy euro-clocks... I'm Swiss-lexic....

[Stoopid n gajit re dir @ Apr 29th 2008 1:32AM]

Slow down
mah daddie werkz here.

[McFly @ Apr 29th 2008 1:55AM]

the ultimate geek watch is one that would beep out the time using morse code, cosntantly