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LG GD910 watchphone to go on sale in UK this August


We don't know about anyone else, but we've been waiting on LG's GD910 ever since we first heard about it way back around CES. We've already heard that the watch / phone-loving combo would hit shelves sometime in July (that's now) in Europe, but it looks like it's going to be more like August -- at least in the UK. T3 says they've confirmed this with Orange (the GD910's exclusive carrier), and though the price remains unspecified, we're expecting it to cost somewhere between $1,000 and way-more-than-you-should-spend. We're not going to bother with the requisite Dick Tracy comments this time (though we'll freely admit we're somehow fond of the Warren Beatty disaster), but hit the read link for fuller details.

Pool-Mate watch packs built-in accelerometer to track laps


It may not monitor your heart rate or double as a media player like some other devices for swimmers, but this new Pool-Mate watch from Swimovate looks like it should appeal to quite a few folks nonetheless, with it packing a built-in accelerometer to help you keep track of lap counts. That's apparently done by detecting the glide portion of your swim after each turn, which Swmovate says it's able to do with 99.75 percent accuracy in all pools longer than 10 meters. You'll also be able to use it to keep track of your overall time, average strokes per lap, speed, distance, and calories burned. Somewhat strangely, however, Swimovate says that the watch will only last for about twelve months, after which you'll actually have to send it back to the company to get the battery replaced. A bit of a drawback, to be sure, but the $114 price tag isn't too out of line, and you won't have to wait long to get your hands on one, with it set to ship later this month. Head on past the break for a quick video overview.

Engadget's recession antidote: win a Phosphor E-Ink watch!


This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we've got a curved E-Ink wristwatch from Phosphor up for grabs. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!

Special thanks to Phosphor Watches for providing the gear!


The rules:
  • Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. One (1) winner will receive one (1) E-Ink Digital Hour Clock Watch with Black Leather Band. Approximate retail value is $185.
  • If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
  • Entries can be submitted until Tuesday, June 16h, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.

Citizen unveils i:Virt M Bluetooth watches for loyal Softbank customers


Man, talk about a long time coming. The last time we saw a line of i:Virt watches from Citizen, it was a bright fall day in 2007, and obviously our style threshold was entirely different. Thankfully, the outfit's latest line of Bluetooth-enabled timepieces are far sexier, though we have to say -- the fact that they only support Softbank phones makes us shed a tear on the inside. As with most other BT watches, these too will display emails, alert you of incoming calls and even clue you in on the latest news (via RSS, we suspect). Both the TM84-0341V and TM84-0342V feature a stainless steel case and a life of around five days with a full charge; there's no mention of price, but frankly, we're too depressed to even find one. Poor us.

[Via Akihabara News]

Phosphor intros new line of curved E-Ink watches

Yes, e-books and phones are awesome -- but there are plenty of other applications for E-Ink tech out there, and Phosphor has been selling its analog / digital combo E-Ink wristwatches for a while now. The company's now adding to that stable with a line of curved-display models available in your choice of leather, rubber, and stainless steel bracelets and one of two faces; one can be toggled between a large digit and graphical view of the time, while the other offers an always-on monthly calendar and a smaller time display up top. Prices start at $175 for the new designs and hit streets now -- and stay tuned, because we'll be giving away a few of 'em!

We've had a chance to play with the watches, and the displays are as clear and crisp as E-Ink units we've seen; ultimately, we'd like to see what they could do with a matrix display, but segmented is a welcome first step. The models feel solid and well-built (the stainless steel versions, in particular, are pleasantly weighty on the wrist) and we get the impression that you could pass them off in virtually any social situation without the awkward "holy cow, you're a geek of epic proportion" moments. Click on through to the gallery to see both face styles and all four bracelets in action.

Video: La Machine à Ecrire le Temps writes time, mesmerizes brains

There are horologes, and then there's La Machine à Ecrire le Temps, known less formally as "The Machine that Writes the Time" -- which is exactly, literally what it does. This stunning masterpiece was recently unveiled at Baselworld 2009, and while only those obsessed with time will really appreciate the 1,200 components needed to make this thing tick, anyone into whiz-bang gadgetry will find themselves impressed by the vid of just past the break. Oh, and if you're looking to buy one to dress up your new sitting room, you should be fully prepared to liquidate nearly $350,000 of whatever you have left to squeeze.

[Via OhGizmo]

Ora ilLegale clock tips to compensate for daylight savings time


Genius. Pure genius. In order to save us all from smashing buttons on our digital alarm clocks or stripping the gears in our analog ones, designer Denis Guidone has dreamed up this masterpiece. The Ora ilLegale clock boasts no numbers and is obviously missing a significant portion of its base; these two factoids enable it to become the easiest clock to adjust to changes in daylight savings... well, ever. The best part? We're told that it'll actually hit production soon, though there's no indiciation of just how pricey it'll be. Not like it matters -- you're totally buying one, and you know it.

[Via Coolest-Gadgets]

Glacier's Ridgeline W200 wrist PC says 'You're SPECIAL'


This isn't the first time we've laid our eyes upon a wrist-worn PC, but if you're in the market for something ultraportable, you might want to check this bad boy out. Brought to you by Glacier Computer, the Ridgeline W200 is a wearable refresh of the company's vehicle-mounted Ridgeline family. With a case constructed out of a high strength, low weight reinforced magnesium alloy, the 10.2 ounce machine sports a 3.5-inch color display, touch screen, backlit keypad, hot swappable battery pack, and plug-and-play support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS modules. Available in Windows CE or Linux flavors, the system integrates such features as tilt and silent reckoning for putting the device in standby when its not in use, and will remarkably make you feel like your entire life is a quest in Fallout 3. Now all we have to do is find some super mutants, a radscorpion or two, and a nest of unsuspecting raiders. Should be no trouble at all.

Neutrano's Nutec WristFone watch phones at CTIA

If this guy looks serious, it's because he is -- serious about bringing you some awesome watch phones. Canadian firm Neutrano is working with Chinese OEMs to import, tweak, and certify some of those watch phones that we've unfortunately been spending more time reading about than actually using -- and while they aren't going to appeal to everyone, the stainless steel version is the closest thing we've seen to something we'd consider wearing this side of an LG. Fans of chunky, stylish wristwatches should be able to pass it off as a fashion statement of sorts -- your friends don't even have to know it's a phone, really. When you get a call, the thing's got to come off your wrist and be held up to your ear unless you've got a Bluetooth headset ready to rock, but worry not: Neutrano's also showing a model of its Nutec WristFone that pops off at the base of the wristband so you don't need to unstrap it from your wrist. You pay for that convenience with some extra bulk (and we'd argue that this is the geekiest, ugliest model of the bunch), but we'll admit, it's pretty trick. Everything's controlled over touchscreen; you've got character recognition for entering text messages and a row of shortcuts silkscreened across the bottom of the display, and the detachable model also features an integrated keypad (think Casio calculator watch) to make entering phone numbers a little less painful. Neutrano is targeting June for these at a price somewhere between $300 and $400, and the company's president is still actively deciding on colors, band styles, and software features, so sound off in comments if you've got any hot ideas for 'em. Oh, and check some video of the phones in action after the break!

Concord C1 QuantumGravity watch defies reality, shows itself


We're still trying to wrap our heads around some of the indecipherable verbiage the company has used to describe it, but it looks like Concord's C1 QuantumGravity watch is at last very much real, and one step closer to actually being available (to a very select few). As you can see above, while there's still a few finishing touches remaining, the watch itself is pretty faithful to all those early renders that the company has been teasing us with since January, right down to the magical "fluorescent nanoparticle liquid" that's used to indicate the life remaining in the 3-day power reserve. Those curious about all things mechanical and tiny can also get a look at the complete build process by hitting up the read link below, or simply head on past the break for a video full of much spinning and unnecessary Matrix-style imagery.

[Via Watchluxus]

Video: OTAS camera watch for tardy office pervs


We're not saying that this ¥9,980 ($100) OTAS watch with built-in pinhole-sized video camera and 8GB of flash memory can't be used for constructive endeavors. Hell, maybe you'll use it to ferret out corruption at the highest levels of government. Maybe the 80 minute, 352 x 288 pixel video you shoot provides the irrefutable evidence needed to put away a hardened criminal. We're just saying we doubt it. Video sample and more pics after the break.

[Via Impress]

Concord C1 QuantumGravity with liquid green energy indicator looks great with your power ring


You're looking at the latest render of the Titanium Concord C1 QuantumGravity timepiece first spotted in January. A wristwatch due to be unveiled in a 10-unit, limited production run at the big Baselworld 2009 watch and jewelry show kicking off in 6 days. There's a ton of extraneous, nonsensical verbiage in the press release making the watch all but unknowable. Still, as far as we can tell, this mechanical watch features a novel tourbillon escapement that spins on two axis points... and liquid. Yes, liquid, containing "green phosphorescent nanoparticles" held in a vertical column as an indicator of the life remaining in the 3-day power reserve. As Concord describes it, the C1 QuantumGravity, "creates its own rules: emptiness is its core material, engineering its constancy; chemistry a dare and transparency a must." Whatevs word-hippie, just tell us where and when.

[Via Watch Luxus]

Tanita's BC-1000 Body Composition Monitor wirelessly sends embarrassing weight details


Remember all those ANT+ wireless peripherals that were supposed to come flooding out after the introduction of Garmin's FR60 Fitness Watch? We suppose said flood has to start somewhere, and this is it. Tanita's BC-1000 Body Composition Monitor is hardly more than a sophisticated scale, designed to hold humans for just moments at a time while collecting measurements on muscle mass, overall physique, daily caloric intake, metabolic age, bone mass and visceral fat. From there, the unit can either send those details wireless to the aforesaid watch, or it can beam them to any PC with an appropriate dongle. The device is slated to ship this summer for $279.99 with a USB stick or $399.99 with an FR60 watch.

Hyundai's MB-910 watch phone gets priced and dated


Remember Hyundai's MB-910 watch phone that we spotted around this time last month? How could you possibly forget, right? That masterpiece / atrocity is actually coming to market, and Mobile Gazette has it that the bugger will cost around £200 ($281) when it lands sometime in Q2. As for specs, we're told that it'll boast tri-band GSM connectivity, Bluetooth, a 176 x 132 resolution touchscreen, 128MB of storage, USB 2.0 and the obligatory time-telling mechanism for good measure. Too bad it's closer to "heinous" than "halfway decent."

[Via PMP Today]

Kogan's Bluetooth GPS watch is not for the fashion forward


If we have one word of advice for folks looking to get into the tech game (that is, besides "why bother?") it would probably be "set the bar low." Don't try to change the world with an unlocked 3G Android handset until you've mastered the basics, like maybe a netbook or, better yet, a watch. Of course, it would be a bit much to expect a true visionary to stop short of a humble timepiece. To this end, Kogan's rebranding that old Mainnav chronometer, the one that packs Bluetooth, a GPS receiver, a temperature sensor, speedometer, pedometer, altimeter, and Google Earth functionality into a package that most of us would probably rather not be seen wearing in public. Available for AUS $129 (about US $85).

[Via SlashGear]
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