DWex - an alternative to Makerbot watch

I always wanted to buy a Makerbot watch, but never had the chance. That's because they were (and still are, at the time of writing) always "out of stock" in the Makerbot store. Then I decided to make my own and better version, called DWex, an acronym for Duino Watch for experimenters (introduced here a while back). I actually borrowed some of the ideas from Makerbot watch, including the round shape :) and the LED arrangement, as two circles of 12 LEDs.

Here is a brief comparison between the two:

• DWex is based on ATmega328 running at 8MHz (as opposed to 16MHz); that should make it take less juice out of the 3V coin battery;
• DWex has only one button (as opposed to 3); and even that could be eliminated eventually (replaced with a tilt switch, for example);
• DWex has 4 fewer LEDs; the way to show the time (software) does not require the extra 4 LEDs of Makerbot watch;
• DWex spends most of its time in sleep mode (I don't know how Makerbot watch works though, to be honest, but I think time is kept by the ATmega chip itself; therefore, no sleep for it); it only wakes up when the button is pressed, to show the time;
• DWex is thinner, and that may be due to the much bigger crystal used by Makerbot;
• DWex does not have a buzzer;
• Like Makerbot watch, DWex has both the ICSP and FTDI connectors on board, making it an "Arduino environment on your wrist" as well.
• They both cost the same, US$30 (plus $3 regular shipping to North America). DWex is in stock though. It is real and working.

Some of the features of DWex are:

• time is shown by lighting/flickering only two LEDs, for hours and minutes;
• time can be set by the user through the button, without connecting the board to the PC;
• consumption is 12mA when the time is shown, 120uA when asleep; the CR2032 coin battery should last at least a few months;
• can be re-programmed to make use of the alarms of on-board DS1337 RTC (this functionality is not implemented, but the hardware capabilities are in place).

 US$33, including regular shipping to North America

 US$36, including regular shipping to anywhere in the world

Related posts:

• Introducing DWex
• Programming DWex
• Cases for DWex