E Ink demos CST-01, the 'world's thinnest watch' (hands-on video)
We just got a glimpse of the CST-01 E Ink watch, the result of a partnership between Central Standard Timing and E Ink itself. The product has been in the prototype phase for a year, but it just went live on Kickstarter, with a funding goal of $200,000 and pre-orders available for $129 each.
The real standout feature here is the 0.8mm design, which is apparently thinner than a credit card. In any case, the stainless steel design is super svelte. The whole package consists of several flexible components that are laminated into a 0.5mm unit, which is then photochemically etched into a piece of flexible stainless steel. This is a digital watch, of course, but its form factor is more along the lines of a bangle than a Casio-style timepiece. An embedded Thinergy micro-energy cell charges the device in 10 minutes via an external dock. The external dock is also used for setting the time (military or 12-hour), as there are no controls on the watch itself. Battery life is rated for a month.
When we tried it out here at CES, the watch felt extremely light, though the edges were a bit jagged. This, of course, is because it's not yet a final product -- you can expect a much smoother finish on the final product. You can check out the CST-01 prototype in our hands-on gallery below, along with the video embedded after the break.
Joseph Volpe and Zach Honig contributed to this report.
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Central Standard Timing Introduces the World's Thinnest Watch: The CST-01
(Chicago, Illinois, Jan 07, 2013) -- Central Standard Timing, a Chicago-based company, is pleased to announce the debut of the world's thinnest watch, the CST-01. An innovation in contemporary time keeping, at 0.80mm thick the CST-01 is thinner than a credit card and was inspired by the capabilities of E Ink's electronic paper displays.
Central Standard Timing created a watch that uses materials, technologies and processes new to the wristwatch industry and showcases the most innovative qualities of E Ink SURF segmented displays; ultra thinness, readability, ruggedness, flexibility, and low power. The patent-pending CST-01 is assembled by laminating thin, flexible components into a 0.5mm pocket etched into a single piece of flexible stainless steel, making it different than traditional digital watches which typically use the same form factor of an analog watch. An embedded Thinergy Micro-Energy Cell that charges in 10 minutes from an external dock and has a lifetime of 15 years, eliminates the hassle and expense of changing batteries. Keeping true to the locality of the Central Standard brand, all watches are planned to be assembled in the USA.
"All aspects of design and engineering were carefully considered for the CST-01's unique functional and aesthetic benefits," said Dave Vondle, co-founder of Central Standard Timing. "The CST-01 is the most minimal expression of a timepiece," added Jerry O'Leary, also a co-founder of Central Standard Timing. "It's 'time' embedded in a band."
"E Ink's ePaper displays enable designers to create products without the constraints of traditional displays." said Sriram Peruvemba, chief marketing officer for E Ink Holdings. "The CST-01 incorporates some of the best features of our technology and brings a very unique design to the consumer."
The CST-01 is available to back on Kickstarter. Pre-orders are being taken for $129/each and is expected to ship in Q2 2013. The CST-01 is currently being featured by E Ink at ShowStoppers during the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV. For more information. visit Central Standard Timing at http://www.centralstandardtiming.com.
