I’ve been following this campaign (first wrote about here) with some interest, as it’s a fairly unique timepiece – one that just plain looks fun to play with, and also adds an easy way to track a second time zone if you wanted (ie, wear two “watches”).
They are very, very close to being funded now fully-funded, and they’ve also had some interesting developments. The most promising of these developments is that they’ve found a way to make the battery in the device replaceable. While this isn’t something that’s user replaceable (due to the odd sizing, and needing to maintain water resistance), they will offer a battery replacement service.
They’re anticipating the cost of the battery replacement to be $25. With an estimated $15 (each way) for shipping, you’re looking at an anticipated cost of around $55 or so to replace the battery once the initial one has died. While this isn’t the most ideal solution (replacing at home by the user would be best, but that’s the price to pay for unique packaging), it’s definitely better than being stuck with a dead device a few years down the road.
If you’re interested in jumping in on the campaign, you still have time – just head on over here (project page) and get your pledge for $195 in before the campaign ends on October 12th.
