I’m sure there are readers who are looking at this post from a computer that you have made with your own hands and parts. I personally admire you if you can do this, and I’m sure you are saving a bundle compared to those that just buy their computers.
This DIY spirit will soon be applied to smartwatches with the TinyScreen from Tiny Circuits. This is a Kickstarter project that has more than met its funding goals, and it allows the user to design his or her own smartwatch.
The TinyScreen is an Arduino-powered screen that is about the size of the user’s thumb. The kit comes with a default smartwatch with a video player as well as video game apps.
This smartwatch kit costs about $85, which comes with a Bluetooth module. You can also pay a larger price of up to $200 for a sensor kit which brings an accelerometer, compass, ambient light sensor, and Wi-Fi to the package.
As for the band, you can design your own using a 3D printer or some other method of construction. In addition to being able to design a smartwatch, you can also design a very small device made for playing games like Asteroids and Flappy bird.
So is TinyScreen the beginning of a new trend? Will there be all kinds of competitors which will bring all kinds of DIY smartwatches on the wrists of everyone, everywhere? I don’t see why not.