back to article Chumps stump up $1 MEELLLION for watch that doesn't exist

An Indiegogo project to build a watch that projects its display onto your hand has blown the doors off its target by raising a million dollars in funding – even though no functional device has yet been built. The Ritot watch uses a DLP matrix in a wristband to project an image on to the back of the wearer's hand. In addition …

  1. IT Hack

    Rampant Imaginings

    MAKE IT LIKE IT IS IN MY HEAD!

    1. Thecowking

      Re: Rampant Imaginings

      Ah, you've been to a user requirement meeting then?

      1. IT Hack

        Re: Rampant Imaginings

        Thecowking

        Usually the board. Sometimes, for a split second, I do wonder where these people come from. Then reality takes hold again and I find my happy place.

    2. i like crisps
      Boffin

      Re: Rampant Imaginings

      IN MINE, IT CAN SHOOT OUT A GRAPPLING HOOK, HAS A FULLY WORKING COMPASS AND HAS A THING FOR GETTING STONES OUT OF HORSES SHOES....AND IT CAN TELL YOU IF THE PERSON STANDING NEXT TO YOU IS A VAMPIRE AND CAN ALLOW YOU TO CONTROL MAGNETIC FIELDS AND SUB YOU A TENNER FOR THE PUB ON FRIDAYS.

      1. IT Hack
        Angel

        Re: Rampant Imaginings

        i like crisps

        Inspired. You must be my boss.

        1. Gazareth

          Re: Rampant Imaginings

          No, he's Bruce Wayne.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Rampant Imaginings

      Oh, we can totally do that for you, we can do ANYTHING!

      (Great Sketch in the following video!)

      http://youtu.be/BKorP55Aqvg

  2. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    And there we were thinking...

    That only Apple Fanbois had more money than sense....

    1. Haku

      Re: And there we were thinking...

      If someone made once-use only version of the watch that used an entire battery capacity in one go to crank a laser up to 11 and burn the time into the skin on the back of your hand, there's no doubt people would still buy it, wether they're a fanboi or not.

      1. LucreLout

        Re: And there we were thinking...

        "If someone made once-use only version of the watch that used an entire battery capacity in one go to crank a laser up to 11 and burn the time into the skin on the back of your hand, there's no doubt people would still buy it"

        I'd definately buy that.... but mostly so I could hack it, give it to my mate Johnny, and laugh hysterically as he sears the word COCK onto the back of his hand.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: And there we were thinking...

          .. and his forehead ..

    2. Irongut

      Re: And there we were thinking...

      I clicked the headline expecting an iWatch story tbh.

  3. Robert E A Harvey
    Pint

    Put Lester into space

    ... and for another 1.2 millon bring him home again!

    (Have a beer, mate, only kidding)

    1. theblackhand

      Re: Put Lester into space

      Well, I'm sure the first 1.2 million would appear fairly quickly if he wrote a few more climate articles....

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If they're really smart...

    They should use an LED or laser diode combined with a transparent LCD to

    project the image just like all those projector-clocks do...

    (DLP chips are just too power-hungry for something silly like a watch...)

    1. Dr. Mouse

      Re: If they're really smart...

      DLP chips are just too power-hungry

      I'm not 100%, but I wouldn't expect a DLP solution to be any more power-hungry than an LCD-based solution.

      Both designs would use an LED as the light source. As they look to be single colour (possibly configurable), this will be either a single colour LED or an RGB LED module producing the single required colour, into a monochrome display technology (so no colour wheel, as used in colour DLP video projectors)

      Therefore the only ingredient to influence the power consumption would be choice of display technology. As DLP "transmits" a higher proportion of the light than LCD, I would expect it to be able to use a lower power light source. I guess that DLP chips may take a slightly larger amount of power to run, although I doubt by much. Therefore I would estimate that a DLP solution would take roughly the same amount of power to run (at the same brightness), possibly slightly less.

      I'm no expert, and am only using guesstimation based on a loose understanding of the technologies involved, so am happy to be corrected if I am wrong.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: If they're really smart...

        According to the datasheet the DMD (Digital Mirror Device) uses 200mW...

        And that's NOT including the 93mW of power needed for the controller chip so, yes an LCD would need a considerably lower amount of power to run it...

  5. no-one in particular

    Not so sure KickStarter is any better nowadays

    Since KS added their "quick project launch" (or whatever they called it) a month or so ago, they've allowed projects with about the same level of preparedness (plus all that twaddle about making various food products and a pile of "fund my life" begging "projects").

    I'm pretty sure there was even a KS project for some super-duper 'phone-connected wristband that was even more of a fantasy that this one; off-hand can't recall what it was called or I'd drop in the URL just here: ....

    1. James 139

      Re: Not so sure KickStarter is any better nowadays

      Embrace+ by any chance?

      https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/embraceplus/embrace-a-smart-piece-of-wearable-technology

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Not so sure KickStarter is any better nowadays

        Embrace+ by any chance?

        https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/embraceplus/embrace-a-smart-piece-of-wearable-technology

        I honestly cannot believe this is oversubscribed. Argh.

  6. Version 1.0 Silver badge

    Kickstarter space shot

    Good Idea, Let's start a project to launch Congress to Mars before the next elections.

    1. Chika

      Re: Kickstarter space shot

      That's just cruelty to Martians, that is!

    2. Naughtyhorse

      Re: Kickstarter space shot

      what did mars ever do to you?

    3. Adam 1

      Re: Kickstarter space shot

      Too late. Half of them are already there.

      1. theblackhand

        Re: Kickstarter space shot - congress

        Before people jump to conclusions about the effect of congress on Martians, there is a large assumption being made that the vehicle makes it to Mars.

        While the destination may be Mars, success may be a spectacular explosion....

        1. Kunari

          Re: Kickstarter space shot - congress

          Is that destination or "destination" ?

    4. Eltonga
      Devil

      Re: Kickstarter space shot

      If you put "Send all representatives from multiple countries' congresses" as a stretch goal you'll get oversubscribed several times.

    5. Kunari

      Re: Kickstarter space shot

      Now that I'd help fund!

  7. Terry 6 Silver badge

    Mel Brooks

    Anyone remember "The Producers"?

    Just a thought.

    1. Elmer Phud

      Re: Mel Brooks

      "Anyone remember "The Producers"?"

      Well, it is 'Springtime in Australia'

    2. i like crisps

      Re: Mel Brooks

      "ChurcHILLLL!!!!"

  8. psychonaut

    so no different too...

    the stock market then

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    kickstarter

    I have a very big problem with Kickstarter financing: you do not get shares in the company for your contribution. Recently a company, which got started with the help of Kickstarter financing, was sold for a large pile of money. The people who financed it through Kickstarter did not get a penny for their contribution. If the same company had been financed by some venture capital company the investors would have got a share in the company and this way also a large pile of the purchase price.

    1. Simon Rockman

      Re: kickstarter

      There are other equity based crown funding sites. Seedrs and CrowdCube spring to mind.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: kickstarter

        There are other equity based crown funding sites. Seedrs and CrowdCube spring to mind.

        Thanks for that, time to investigate. Are there any non-US ones?

    2. Thomas 6

      Re: kickstarter

      This is true but you know exactly what you are signing up for in the beginning. If you want to fund projects in this manner then KS is not the place to do it.

    3. Androgynous Cupboard Silver badge

      Re: kickstarter

      You are Andrew Orlowski and I claim my £5.

    4. imanidiot Silver badge

      Re: kickstarter

      Quit your whining. We all know you are talking about Oculus. You kickstarted the production of the first Oculus Rift dev kit, you received your Oculus Rift Dev kit. End of contract. You did not, and where never lead to believe you where investing in the starting/expansion of the company, so you have no right whatsoever to whine what happens with/to the company after the contract/purchase/deal YOU had with them is fulfilled. And keep in mind, if Oculus had racked up massive debt and folded, even after delivery of the Dev kit, YOU WOULD BE OUT OF MONEY.

      If you would have bought shares of the company, you would have paid a LOT more.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Kickstarter would not...

    "It’s telling that Kickstarter would not have accepted a project at this stage."

    Not sure about that. Whatever Kickstarter claims they won't accept, they do and even when you bring it to their attention they ignore it.

    Like this one I emailed them about Magnetic Hoverboard? I think YES!

    Just a page to sell merchandise based around a non-existent project. Didn't hit funding level but it was never taken down.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    sounds like ...

    ... "a company for carrying out an undertaking of great advantage, but nobody to know what it is"

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Isn't this Kickstarter all over.

    People in bedrooms trying to make products that are better than corporates that spend gazillions every year? I recently got a LIFX bulb to review as a freebie, and it's utter toss. That was a Kickstarter product. Most of it's product features are either broken or (still) coming soon. Their Android app is terrible, and some features are still iOS only (despite near total Android dominance).

    You would have to be a total pleb to invest ANY money in kickstarter. it's failed product-city.

    1. Irongut

      Re: Isn't this Kickstarter all over.

      I've pledged to five Kickstarter projects and every one of them has delivered. This may be something to do with my choice of projects (RPi add-ons and Elite:Dangerous*) or the fact that I won't part with my money for a pitch consisting of a few joss sticks and some whale song.

      * Technically E:D has not been released yet and is behind their original schedule but since I'm in the beta and it does exist / work I'm giving them a pass.

  13. MrWibble

    Dropkicker

    Exactly the site I was looking for (without realising it!) - this satisfies my cynicism perfectly! Ta for the link!

  14. stu 4

    i don't get it

    I fucking despair.

    that, and the 10 million for a 'homer builds a cooler' kickstarter.

    the world is full of fuckwits.

    1. Eltonga
      Holmes

      Re: i don't get it

      And that´s in the "useful" continents of Earth... just have a look around Latin America and it will be difficult to keep you from committing suicide.

  15. circusmole
    FAIL

    I can see the...

    ...tritium display on my watch in complete darkness without pressing a button.

  16. Clive Galway
    Thumb Up

    Input device?

    They should merge this product with those projection keyboards.

    Display output on the back of your hand, and type / mouse with your other hand.

    Viola! the perfect display / input method for wearables.

    Failing that, sell them in pairs - project half of the keyboard onto each palm and type letters with the relevant thumb.

  17. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

    It does look cool though

    ...and while doing a job in a school the other day I say a projector on the wall only about 30cm from the wall projecting a nice computer display. I'd not realised before then that lens technology could do that. All the ones I've seen before were mounted at least a few metres back from the wall.

    1. Nick Ryan Silver badge

      Re: It does look cool though

      Lens tech can do that but it's far from simple. While the basic trapezoid mathematics are relatively easy to grasp the practicalities of projection onto a surface for reflective viewing at vastly different angles and maintaining similar brightness throughout start adding to the chore, and then you have to take into account multiple colours and even pixel shaping. Short throw projectors typically work better with very specific surface types therefore projecting onto your own wall with your own choice of paint tends to complicate things further.

  18. Greg J Preece

    It's obscure reference time!

    If you turn the bracelet around, does it project a countdown on your forearm...?

  19. F111F
    Coat

    Put the Display on Your Palm...

    and the porn industry would make this work...

    Mine's the one with the pictures in the pocket...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Put the Display on Your Palm...

      but wouldn't your palm be facing inwards, wrapped around your...?

      .....OH!

      The *other* palm!!!

  20. GBE

    Moving mechanical reflectors

    My idea is to use moving mechanical reflectors and ambient light to project an image onto the user's retinas!

    I've got working prototypes and with a little funding can supply a practically unlimited number of units at under $50 a unit!

    Where do I sign up for my million dollars?

  21. Caaaptaaaain kick arse

    My project...

    Full sized moon on a stick, £1/$1.60/€1.25 for every backer....

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