Thanko's latest MP4 watch boasts 1.8-inch display, video camera

Thanko's last MP4 watch was, um, less than gorgeous, but this one can actually be worn in public without automatic public humiliation. Sure, it's still a bit stocky, but we're confident that fashion-forward nerds could still pull it off. In between the two (p)leather straps sits a 1.8-inch 160 x 128 resolution color display, a multimedia player with MP3 / WMA / AVI / JPEG support and a video camera capable of logging VGA-quality clips. You'll also find a mini-USB port and an internal speaker, and there's 4GB of internal memory to go along with about 3.5 hours of music playback time. All yours (if you live in Japan) for ¥14,800 ($163).

[Via AkihabaraNews]

[Information Central @ Dec 14th 2008 2:17AM]

"about 3.5-hours of music playback time"

Why is that hyphenated? It's just 3.5 hours. Same as 5 hours. Same as 4 days. You don't hyphenate things unless you're combining them to make one descriptive term, like "This watch has a 3.5-hour capacity."

[Wizardhowl @ Dec 14th 2008 2:18AM]

Oh nice when the chicks see me with some headphones plugged into my watch they'll totally want to date me and I can explain the technology behind the device and they'll totally be turned on. Nerds win again.

[James @ Dec 14th 2008 2:52AM]

Ill get as many chicks wearing this than i did wearing that calculator watch...i mean i dont have a calculator watch.

[absurdio @ Dec 14th 2008 4:34AM]

Actually, I didn't notice "headphone jack" as one of the features. I wouldn't be shocked if it didn't have one, at all.

The good news?
1) That means we can impress the dames by explaining the need for a mini-USB to 3.5mm jack converter, and
2) We'll have no choice but to blow said dames away with our watch's bangin' built in speaker.

Damn. I'll take three.


Y'know. For surround sound.

[James @ Dec 14th 2008 6:16AM]

@absurdio

Why only 3? are you missing a limb or something?

You should make it 5 and wear one around your neck too.

[Mobius_1 @ Dec 14th 2008 7:38AM]

James, are you missing a certain limb as well if 1 of the 5 is going on the neck? ;)

[jack @ Dec 14th 2008 2:18AM]

can it tell the time?

[Spiraling Shape @ Dec 14th 2008 2:31AM]

A wristwatch that tells the time? You guys are so demanding

[avirji @ Dec 14th 2008 2:21AM]

It would be cool if there was an IR transmitter as well; to change channels on various components (not needed, but maybe fun? :) I love messing around with people's heads with Novii remote on my old Palm

[who? @ Dec 14th 2008 2:47AM]

Some kids at my school just got suspended just the other day for using one of those mini IR universal mini remotes to turn the TV on over and over again in their classes. They would've gotten away with it too, if it wasn't that meddling ex-marine substitute... heh. Idiots.

Anyway, I do think it would be a good idea to have a remote in a normal looking watch, imagine what you could do if it just looked like a regular old Iron Man!

[andres @ Dec 14th 2008 2:54AM]

what we can learn from this is that who? is an elementary school kid.

[who? @ Dec 14th 2008 3:13AM]

What we can learn from this is that andres collects personal information about people on the internet, and seems to be fishing for elementary school children in particular... CREEPY!!!

[andres @ Dec 14th 2008 3:35AM]

ahh, it seemed funny in my head. i guess i failed.

[avirji @ Dec 17th 2008 2:17AM]

Damn my first low ranked comment on Engadget D=

[-slycooper_rocker- (lorddshadow the amazing) psn: shahanasalam @ Dec 14th 2008 2:43AM]

its still ugly. if it got thinner, then it would be EPIC WIN.

[James @ Dec 14th 2008 2:54AM]

An epic win? Maybe less of a fail.

[FILA @ Dec 14th 2008 2:57AM]

You kno its like why carry all these gadgets that do the same, your phone can already play videos, take video and pictures, play music and alot more then what this can do, yea its cool to have it on your wrist but how many people actually go anywhere without there phone on there side. For right now and i see it for a few years out the only things i need is my DS for gaming, my mp3 for music, and my phone, until we get a large enough capacity phone that can play really good like a stand alone player maybe im sold, but right now, nah.

[Gad Get @ Dec 14th 2008 2:59AM]

I ain't strapping no giant chrome-trimmed block of a watch onto my wrist!

[myntee @ Dec 14th 2008 4:02AM]

its called bling. obviously you aren't getting laid.

[Gad Get @ Dec 14th 2008 4:45AM]

I'm not sure I follow your line of reasoning, here.

[Sam @ Dec 14th 2008 3:33AM]

That's exactly what I want. Na, still doesn't beat a calculator watch.

[Wyatt @ Dec 14th 2008 3:47AM]

I prefer to wear my Ti-83 Calculator. Much more fashionable.

[hamza @ Dec 14th 2008 3:50AM]

If this had that Casio high res screen, I would be all over it.

[Anonymous Coward @ Dec 15th 2008 4:47AM]

They are going at it all wrong.. Obviously they need to make it wider with an oval screen so the battery and computer crap can be spread apart just like the razr and ipod. Although it does seem like it COULD potentially play doom, but wearing it spells it out for ya already. I Mean, it's only obvious right? Right?? ..... I have nothing :/

[videonevin @ Dec 14th 2008 4:07AM]

It's like a fanny pack, but for your wrist!

[James @ Dec 14th 2008 6:19AM]

And i wear this...and want...oh wait nobody cares

[Magallanes @ Dec 14th 2008 6:31AM]

U_U

I miss my robot watch

http://30gms.com/images/uploads/transformer.jpg

[gonintendo @ Dec 14th 2008 8:51PM]

LOL, I had one of those when I was a kid. My dad picked it up at the dollar store.

[Jenefer Marie Maxwell @ Dec 14th 2008 9:38AM]

kinda bulky

[KilgoreTrout @ Dec 14th 2008 9:11AM]

If it features bluetooth to wirelessly connect it to an headset and some decent headphones and uses a good voice activation/voice tags software (Cyberon speed dial f.ex. is light enough for this amount of mem) then it could actually be worth its price, specially since I could just keep it in an inside pocket and keep on wearing my Breitling Aereomarine Chrono on my wrist.

[Mongoos150 @ Dec 14th 2008 10:17AM]

Holy paperweight, batman!

"Look at that thing! You would've gone straight to the bottom."

[Elvis @ Dec 14th 2008 4:30PM]

Why put it on your wrist? Get a nice viewable 7" screen, and hang it from a chain around your neck, a la Flavor Flav! Now that'd be some video that's stylin'!

[gzmask @ Dec 14th 2008 12:50PM]

when will we have a watch that has an atom processor, 512MB ram, 8GB SSD and a projector with 3G and Bluetooth? I'll get one when that kinda things come out.

[RecoveringGeek @ Dec 14th 2008 1:48PM]

So when an underpowered netbook is available in your watch, you'll use it for what exactly?

On the other hand, this does sound like the beginning of a cool GPS-phone-sunglasses combo, a la Gibson.

Sunglassses good because of visual interface. Watch bad for same reason.

[Farris @ Dec 14th 2008 1:28PM]

The "watch" can only take video in a resolution of 352 x 288. Not quite VGA. If I'm not mistaken, that's almost QVGA... which kinda sucks.

Source: This line:
■ ビデオカメラ（動画） ： 撮影解像度352×288 ■ camcorder (video): 352 × 288 resolution shooting

On this page:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.thanko.jp/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dthanko.jp%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

[JohnTitor @ Dec 14th 2008 2:05PM]

No Thanko

[Nick @ Dec 14th 2008 2:12PM]

Hmm.. Nah, I'll just strap my Ti-84 Plus.. much more useful as they've got a mod for it to replace it's internals with a GameBoy Color!

Now I can play Rally 98 everywhere! ...,

If they could add txting on these, I can only see how much everyone in class is looking at the "time".
Then again not possible without Wifi :/

[KA @ Dec 14th 2008 5:10PM]

You don't care about a binary watch? Seriously, your priorities are all messed up.

[MJD HITEK GEAR @ Dec 14th 2008 8:43PM]

http://www.MJDhitekgear.com

Nice Watch.

Is this watch available in stainless steel?