Deus Ex Aria - update clarified

Earlier this week I posted another Deus Ex Aria update.  The company has decided to issue some clarifications over the information that had previously been given, so I thought I would pass them on.

The Smart Strap will be manufactured with the same silicone material (and indeed the same facilities) used for the stock Pebble Time strap.  Those of you who have a Pebble Time will already know what this is like, but for the rest of us, I'm assured it's very soft and ergonomic.  They want to make a strap that feels just as nice, looks as slick and unobtrusive, but with the Aria technology under the hood.

All Kickstarter backers (pledging $1 and above) will get a single use voucher code that will give them a 25% discount on Metal Pebble Time straps that will be made available through their online store.

The Aria clip is a Universal Bluetooth Controller, so it will work with all Bluetooth devices, its compatibility will be extended to most smart watches: Android Wear devices, Apple Watch, original Pebble, Pebble Time (Steel); but its functionality is not limited to smart watches.  The Aria clip can be used to control your iOS devices, Mac, PC, GoPro, and in principle any Bluetooth smart device.  Aria will support the new generations of smart watches too, as these will just be running updated versions of Android/iOS.

Here is a video from some time ago which demonstrates the clip in action:

Deus Ex Aria - update

I have some more information about the Deus Ex Aria, hot off the press!

The set of devices that are being made are... 

• A single silicone strap designed around the Pebble Time (and Pebble Time Steel) 
• A UNIVERSAL Bluetooth module that will initially support Android devices, but will later be extended to the original Pebble, Apple Watch and iOS smartphones after launch.

They have decided not to proceed with a steel version of the strap.  After talking to their designer and suppliers they've concluded that starting to work on a metal strap now would cause a major setback to the production line.  Instead they will focus their resources and efforts on making the above products as best as possible, and have them shipped to backers as soon as possible.  They would rather positively surprise backers, than over promise and continuously delay shipments.

However, because they love their backers, and to thank them for their support, they have decided to include a single-use voucher code with every Kickstarter shipment.   This voucher can be used on their online store, which should make a metal strap available soon after launch.

And finally... ARIA + ARDUINO = ARDUARIA!  Of course you can connect to your Arduino via Bluetooth, but what if you wanted to use your Pebble Strap with an Arduino?  They are working on a further feature just for you - the strap will come with a CAD adapter and Arduino project that will help you come up with your very own Maker Watch.  

Here's a video which guides you through what can be done by connecting your Aria to an Arduino... 

Deus Ex Aria - update

Well things seem to be happening now the Kickstarter has been fully funded for the Deus Ex Aria, which I've posted about before.  The London based company is even hiring two new software developers, one for Pebble and one for Android, which is promising.

There's also a couple of new Youtube videos available.  The first tells more about the clip itself, whereas the second covers a calibration demo...

The demo certainly looks pretty cool - if it works that well for me then I'll be very happy with it!

So that's it for now, but I'll keep updating you when I find out more.

Aria - change to Deus Ex Aria

A few weeks ago I posted about the upcoming Aria gesture control device for smart watches.  Well now, for trademark reasons, it's being re-branded as the Deus Ex Aria.

After a bit of a delay sorting this out, they're now planning to launch the Kickstarted campaign on Thursday 18th June!  In an attempt to make this the biggest launch possible, they're also organising a Thunderclap.

If you've not heard of Thunderclap before, it's a site that allows you to sign up to a campaign, link your Twitter/Facebook/Tumblr, and then at a pre-determined time, your account will be hijacked to tweet/post an update.  The idea is to get enough people all tweeting/posting at the same time that the hashtags become trending.

In this case, the campaign is scheduled for Thursday 18th June - 12pm BST, with the message...

Deus Ex Aria on Kickstarter. Add #gesturecontrol to your SmartWatch! #Kickstarter #Pebble #AndroidWear http://thndr.it/1G5v6rC

Will you be signing up?