New life for e-ink

[Kumabjorn]

Sony, who isn't doing too well at the moment, has set up a new division called FES and their first product is an e-ink watch where the strap is also e-ink, this giving it more options than being only a watch. Look out for frames and shoes with these features. With a smartphone you'll be able to design your own fashion items.

[Jessica Lares]

Oh the crazy things people are going to do with it.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Sony, who isn't doing too well at the moment, has set up a new division called FES and their first product is an e-ink watch where the strap is also e-ink, this giving it more options than being only a watch. Look out for frames and shoes with these features. With a smartphone you'll be able to design your own fashion items.

Shhh! We're not supposed to know it is from Sony.
http://www.cnet.com/news/sonys-e-pap...-a-screen-too/

Watch and learn: a new smartwartch from Sony brings the whole watch to life -- because both the face and the band change and react to you.

The FES watch is the product of Fashion Entertainments, which describes itself on its website as a "startup project" but is in fact, according to the Wall Street Journal, a subdivision of Sony. Sony's name has been kept in the background until it gauges demand, and the watchmaker has even solicited donations from the public via Japanese crowdfunding site Makuake.

The FES has raised 3.5 million yen ($30,000, £19,000, AU$35,000) from more than 150 supporters, beating its original target of 2 million yen. Those who have donated have been told that they'll get their watch some time after May next year.

Darn Murdock crew, outing them like that:
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/11/...per-fes-watch/

Sony’s idea is not limited to watches, as the team is also developing e-ink-based bow ties, hat accessories or paper holders. The idea behind the project –being carried out by five Sony engineers who are mostly in their 30s and with assistance from an outside design company–is to re-define the electronic paper as a fabric, the person said.

BTW, I knew Sony financials were tight, but crowdsourcing?
They couldn't raise $30k in-house?
Hmm, I smell a stunt...

[tubemonkey]

I want bananas (black background - yellow bananas) on all of my fashion accessories

[fjtorres]

One mistake I see: the buckle design.
You really want to use the inside wrist area for display purposes.
You can easily run 3-5 lines of text in that area. SMS or email.

Bow ties? Hatbands?
Fad potential, yes. Long term market? Dunno.

They really need to start thinking in terms of wrist bands more than watches anyway.

[murg]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Shhh! We're not supposed to know it is from Sony.
http://www.cnet.com/news/sonys-e-paper-fes-watch-turns-the-strap-into-a-screen-too/

They misspelled the company name in the intro titles of the video: fasion Entertainments

Clearly not a professional part of Sony, hence the crowdfunding...

Unless the misspelling was deliberate.

Originally Posted by fjtorres

BTW, I knew Sony financials were tight, but crowdsourcing?
They couldn't raise $30k in-house?
Hmm, I smell a stunt...

It may also be a way to gauge consumer interest. Traditional market research does have it's limitations, particularly for non-traditional products.

[ManDay]

Originally Posted by murg

Clearly not a professional part of Sony

Wait, are you saying Sony's marketing actually does have professional parts?

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ManDay

Wait, are you saying Sony's marketing actually does have professional parts?

Sony Press Conference.
"Giant enemy crabs".
Still resonates in the gaming community.



Or, on the ebook side:
http://the-digital-reader.com/2013/0.../#.VHr5UerD_MI