Let me be frank: I really, really appreciate e-paper. The technology has single-handedly saved me tons of real estate space by eliminating the need to purchase both a mass market paperback and a hardcover novel (one for reading and one for collecting). Instead, I procure eBooks for my e-paper eBook reader in place of the mass market editions. Why e-paper? Easy, it resembles the real thing and does not strain the eyes like those LCD tablets that pose as eBook readers. Naturally, when I learned about Sony’s new watch centered on e-paper built into the straps and face, my curiosity was piqued.
The watch, called Fes Watch, is part of a clandestine initiative called “Fashion Entertainment (FES)” that’s aimed at experimenting with the junction between electronic paper and fashion. To this end, it features a strap and faceplate made from technology comparable to what’s found within the screen of Amazon’s Kindle or Barnes & Nobles’ Nook. This allows the user to alternate between 24 design patterns, all of whom maintain the watch’s signature minimalist, monochrome design. Do take caution though, that Fes Watch is not Internet-connected nor packed with any other feature save for timekeeping. Instead, it’s stylish and electronic, with a recharge battery said to last 60 days on a single charge.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Sony launched an Internet crowd-funding campaign for Fes Watch earlier this year, but deliberately withheld its name from any association with the drive in an attempt to gauge the value of the concept and consumer reaction. The campaigned nearly doubled its 2 million yen goal (£10,800), raising a total of 3.5 million yen (£18,800). “We hid Sony's name because we wanted to test the real value of the product, whether there will be demand for our concept,” revealed a person involved in the project to the WSJ.
A spokeswoman for Sony later confirmed to the BBC that Fashion Entertainment is part of the company’s New Business Creation Department, and its focus is not exclusive to watches, but re-defining electronic paper as a fabric to be used in the creation of multiple items including hat accessories, bow ties, and paper holders.
Sony has not announced an official release date, but crowdfunding supporters will be able to pre-order and receive theirs after May 2015.
Source: WSJ , Wired.co.uk , BBC
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