This 1989 Batmobile Desk Clock Costs $30,000

Posted on 03/12/2020 by hite

Switzerland based design firm Kross Studio has teamed up with Warner Bros. to create this 1989 Batmobile X Kross Studio Desk Clock. Limited to 100 pieces, the desk clock costs a staggering $29,900. Even already knowing how much it cost I couldn’t stop myself from doing another spit-take as I typed that.

The timepiece, modeled after the Batmobile in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman movie, consists of 512 individual components, with 115 making up the Batmobile’s body and 397 in the clock’s movement. For reference, a traditional mechanical movement is typically only around 130 components. This is 267 more components! What do all those extra components do? Can it time travel? We may never know because we don’t have $29,900 to spend on a fancy Batmobile desk clock that may or may not be able to time travel.

When I last checked the purchase page there were only nine Batmobiles left. That means they’ve already sold 91 of them – $2,720,900 worth! Clearly, we’re in the wrong business. Now, let’s launch a Kickstarter for a $35,000 1989 Batwing wall clock.

How to Use 7-Segment LEDs Not as They Were Intended

Posted on 19/08/2020 by Paul Strauss

Those familiar red 7-segment LEDs are designed to each display an individual digit, or if you’re 8-year-old me, maybe to string together some letters, like “8008135” that I used to think was me being clever with my old Texas Instruments calculator. But it turns out that with the right parts and electronics skills, you can actually turn those 7-segment displays into a screen of sorts.

Electronics wizard Frugha built this cool looking LED display that uses an array of 144 individual 7-segment displays. They’ve been wired together and programmed to display a large digital clock face across multiple smaller displays. Each of the displays has 8 LED segments which can be individually controlled, resulting in a total of 1152 segments which can be used to create images. The display is controlled using an Arduino Nano and 18 MAX7219 LED driver chips. Since each segment can be independently addressed, it’s possible to display custom images on the segments. I’m assuming with a little tweaking, it might be possible to even display video using this method.

It’s a really slick idea, and one that’s already inspired at least one other builder to create their own version. John Bradnam took Frugha’s design and shrunk it down to roughly 25% of the size of the original. He also enhanced the source code to give it an alarm function, and added a configuration screen for setting the time, date, and alarm, and limited support for alternative display fonts.

If you’re interested in building one of these neat 7-segment clocks for yourself, you can check out Frugha’s build details on Instructables, and Bradnam’s version on Hackster.io. There’s also a good discussion thread over on HackADay with more ideas for enhancements.

[via HackADay and Instructables]

This Measuring Tape Measures Both Time and Distance

Posted on 26/04/2020 by Paul Strauss

If you want to know the time, you use a clock, a watch, or a smartphone. If you want to measure the length of an object, you use a tape measure. But it appears this tape measure didn’t get the memo, as it’s actually a clock.

Alex Fiel and Anna Lynton made this unusual timepiece that uses its measuring tape to indicate the current time. They built it by ripping apart an ordinary tape measure, then installed a custom 3D-printed enclosure, along with an Arduino Nano controller, a stepper motor, and some ball bearings to move the measuring tape in and out of its shell.

While it’s first and foremost designed to work as a clock, I see no reason why you couldn’t use its tape to measure things – assuming it’s late enough in the day to fit the object you’re measuring, and you work fast enough that the time doesn’t change time on you.

You can check out the full build log for the Measuring Time clock over on Instructables.

This Mechanical 7-Segment Clock Tells Time with Servos

Posted on 19/04/2020 by Paul Strauss

When it comes to digital clocks, they typically use segmented or dot-matrix displays in order to tell the time. But one thing most of these displays have in common is that have no moving parts. Not so with this unusual timepiece, which looks like a digital display, but is actually mechanical.

Michael Klements of The DIY Life built this cool clock that uses 28 micro-servo motors to move its segments into place.

The brains of the operation are an Arduino Uno controller and a DS1302 clock module to keep time. As the minutes tick away, the circuit and code instruct the servos to rotate back and forth. In the back position, it hides the segment on its side, while in the forward position, the segment is visible. By 3D printing the segments with a brightly-colored translucent green filament, they look kind of like they’re illuminated. You can see the clock in action in the video below:

If you’d like to build your own mechanical 7-segment clock, you can check out all of the details over on Instructables or on The DIY Life. You’ll need some basic electronics skills, along with access to a 3D printer.

TokyoFlash Quasar LCD Watch Is Deceptively Easy to Read

Posted on 01/03/2020 by Paul Strauss

Do you love unusual watches? Well Tokyoflash Japan has been a great source for strange and wonderful timepieces since the year 2000. While many of their designs are eye-catching, they’re also often difficult to read at a glance. That’s why I love the design of their Kisai Quasar LCD watch.

At first glance, these digital watches look incredibly complicated, with lots of geometric patterns that almost just look like abstract modern art. But take a moment to look closer, and you’ll notice that the time is right there, hiding in plain sight. You see, at the middle of the display’s four hexagonal quadrants, a small digit appears. So for instance, the watch above shows the time “0935”, while the one below says “2039.” Simple, eh?

The hex-shaped watch can also display an animation on its LCD, and can show the digits without the patterns around them – but I think that takes away from the design. Each one includes date, stopwatch, and alarm functions, and electroluminescent backlighting, as well as 12-hour and 24-hour modes.

The Kisai Quasar watch is available in black or silver stainless steel cases, with a blue, red, green or mirrored display. You can pick one up at Tokyoflash for $179.00.

Making an LED Clock from Ping Pong Balls

Posted on 29/12/2019 by Paul Strauss

Hey kids, what time is it? Better check the ping pong balls to find out! When turned off, this unique clock looks like a bunch of ping pong balls in a picture frame, but when activated, it turns into a bright and colorful digital clock.

Instructables contributor thomasj152 put this cool looking timepiece together by assembling a grid of 128 individual ping pong balls, with each of them backlit with an RGB LED from a strip light. Using an Arduino nano controller, a real-time clock module, and a small bit of programming, it displays the current time on some of its ping pong pixels, and can light up the unused pixels to create a colorful background.

While the idea of cutting open 128 ping pong balls and then wiring up all of the LED strip light sounds complicated, its builder says it was actually pretty easy to do, and he’s provided details for your to make your own over on Instructables, complete with the code required to run the clock. With a little programming skill, you could use the LED matrix to display other images or animations too.

This LED Wall Clock Is Accurate to 1/100th of a Second

Posted on 11/11/2019 by Paul Strauss

While there are plenty of clocks and watches out there which don’t even have a second hand, I prefer to know the time with at least one second of precision. But that certainly wasn’t good enough for one engineer, who decided he needed decidedly more confidence that he knew the EXACT time.

What you’re looking at here is what Mixtela claims is the “most precise and accurate wall clock you can get.” The Precision Clock Mk II½ not only uses GPS-synchronized calibration for accuracy, but it displays time down to the 1/100th of a second.

The clock uses an ATtiny controller chip and 18 1″ 7-segment LEDs to display the current year, month, day, and time, and it can alternate between GMT and a time zone of your choice. However, since it has no built-in interface, you’ll need to program its time zone using a cable and a computer. It’s also got global rules for Daylight Savings Time in its code, so it automatically switches at the exact instant of the twice-annual change where applicable. Simply plug it in, and it sorts figures out the time – assuming you have a good GPS signal.

You can get your hands on a kit version of the Precision Clock Mk II½ from Mixtela’s online shop, but you’ll need to know how to solder and have basic electronics skills to complete the assembly. It’s just £100 GBP (about $128 USD), and you’ll need to specify your default time zone, as the time zone indicator is laser cut to order.

This Retro Flip Clock Looks Like an Old TV Set

Posted on 04/10/2019 by Paul Strauss

These days, lots of people are replacing their bedside clocks with smartphones or other mobile gadgets which keep time. But there’s something about being able to just open an eyeball in the middle of the night and glance at the time that makes me still prefer a standalone clock. I always loved those mechanical flip clocks from the 1970s too, so this looks like a fun option.

Midclock’s TV clock combines two different old school devices in one: a retro flip clock, and a retro television set. Unlike the flip clocks of yore, Midclock says theirs operates silently, so it won’t wake you up ticking away. Plus it’s got a built-in night light which makes reading the time easier, and adds a gentle glow.

It runs on two AA batteries, so you can take it with you when traveling too. The only bummer about this clock is that it doesn’t have an alarm built in, so that’s a bit of a fail. Still, it’s a cool design for fans of retro tech, and you can grab one over at Amazon today.

This Watch Has an Infinity Mirror Background

Posted on 27/08/2019 by Paul Strauss

Growing up back in the 1970s, I remember going to the furniture store with my parents, and being hypnotized by those dual-layered mirrors that had lights built into them, creating a sort of infinite light effect. While the look might be questionable in a modern home, it certainly was timely in the disco era.

Now, you can own a watch that produces a very similar effect, but using blue LEDs instead of tiny incandescent bulbs.

The effect on this wristwatch from discount watchmaker Skmei is decidedly more futuristic, especially against the black backdrop of its case. When the display is turned off, the dial’s background works as a mirror, so you can look at yourself and check for any food stuck in your teeth.

It’s made from ABS plastic and costs less than 20 bucks, so I’m guessing this watch isn’t going to give your Rolex a run for its money, but it does look cool, and if it ever dies, you can just use it to give yourself a long look in the mirror.

Casio G-SHOCK Avengers Watch Collection: Time Assemble!

Posted on 24/05/2019 by Conner Flynn

If you feel like you need more Avengers in your life after Endgame, Casio has your back. I mean your wrist. As long as you are in China anyway. I’m not sure why this isn’t happening in the US. Hey, we love the Avengers here.

The official Casio G-SHOCK Avengers Collection consists of three custom Avengers-themed G-SHOCK timepieces, each inspired by the most iconic superheroes of the team like Captain America, Iron Man, and Spider-Man. The top three, baby!

Each watch has the colors synonymous to the character but they also have printed details on the straps too, and a character logo engraved on the case back. And each has custom packaging too. Captain America and Iron Man are the GA-110 model each in their own respective colors, while Spidey is based on the DW-5600 model.

The Casio G-Shock Avengers Collection can be found at G-Shock Store Shanghai and G-Shock Store Beijing where Cap and Iron Man go for 1,590 yuan each (~$230 USD), while Spidey sells for 1,190 yuan (~$172 USD). These watches look damn good. This is likely to be a highly collectible line of watches, so if you can get one imported from China, you should go for it.

[via Mike Shouts]

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Tag Archives: Timepieces

This 1989 Batmobile Desk Clock Costs $30,000

How to Use 7-Segment LEDs Not as They Were Intended

This Measuring Tape Measures Both Time and Distance

This Mechanical 7-Segment Clock Tells Time with Servos

TokyoFlash Quasar LCD Watch Is Deceptively Easy to Read

Making an LED Clock from Ping Pong Balls

This LED Wall Clock Is Accurate to 1/100th of a Second

This Retro Flip Clock Looks Like an Old TV Set

This Watch Has an Infinity Mirror Background

Casio G-SHOCK Avengers Watch Collection: Time Assemble!

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