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TM Ban Điều Hành Blog

05 December 2013

Một thiếu niên gốc Việt tại Canada phát minh Smart Watch Neptune Pine





MONTREAL, Canada (VB) -- Một thiếu niên gốc Việt tại Canada hy vọng cạnh tranh với Samsung và Sony bằng một phát minh mới của cậu: đồng hồ tinh khôn hiệu Neptune Pine có thể vào Internet, xem các băng hình video và đọc email.

Cậu Simon Trần, 19 tuổi, cư dân Montreal, tin rằng sản phẩm do cậu chế tạo -- đồng hồ Neptune Pine -- dễ dàng đánh bại các đồng hồ tinh khôn các hãng lớn.


Đồng hồ này rộng 2.4 inches, đủ màu sắc, có màn hình sử dụng bằng chạm xúc, như thế Neptune Pine lớn hơn các đồng hồ tinh khôn đang có ở thị trường.


Nhưng Trần nói như thế mới làm đủ chức năng trên Internet.


Tới giờ, Simon Trần đã gây vốn được 200,000 đôla qua mạng gây vốn có tên là Kickstarter.

Cậu đạt được mục tiêu 100,000 đôla chỉ trong vòng 24 giờ đồng hồ, và bây giờ cậu có thêm 30 ngày nữa để gây vốn cho công ty cậu sẽ thành lập.


Một số công ty phân tích đưa ra tiên đoán rằng thị trường kỹ thuật thiết bị tinh khôn mang trên người có thể tới hơn 12 tỷ đôla trong vài năm tới.


Riêng trong năm 2011, hơn 14 triệu thiết bị tinh khôn mang trên người được xuất xưởng, và ước tính sẽ tới 171 triệu thiết bị vào năm 2016.


Simon Trần nói rằng cậu trong tiến trình đưa sang một cơ xưởng ở Trung Quốc để gia công chế tạo kiểu đồng hồ do cậu chế tạo, và cậu tin sản phẩm của công ty của cậu có thể kình chống với saả phẩm các hãng lớn.


Lý do vì đồng hồ tinh khôn của cậu có thể hoạt động động lập, không cần đi kèm với điện thoại tinh khôn như các sản phẩm hãng khác.


Đồng hồ Neptune Pine của cậu có thể tự vào Internet qua 2G, hay 3G hay Wi-fi hay Bluetooth, và có thể dùng như điện thoại và dùng mọi chức năng ở Internet.


Đồng hồ này có gắn camera mặt trước có sắc độ hình VGA để chat qua mạng, máy ảnh mặt sau có sắc độ hình 5 megapixel -- và dùng cho các người tập thể thao, theo dõi nhịp tim.


Neptune Pine, the definitive all-in-one smartwatch. Voice calls, video chat, full keyboard, GPS & much more.
Neptune Pine in the press:
CNET: “...a timepiece with sexy specifications, a cool (and actually usable) interface, and total independence from a smartphone...
TechCrunch: “...it’s possible that this new offering from Neptune may be the coolest one I’ve ever seen...
TechnoBuffalo: “...it sounds like a pretty amazing smartwatch that may actually be able to replace your phone instead of simply acting as a trusty sidekick...
Tech Cocktail: “Meet Pine, a smartwatch that's actually smart.
Thrillist: “...it's actually stylish, and takes previous smartwatch functionality to the next level...
Yahoo!: “...the company deserves praise for managing to pack so much into a tiny device without sacrificing aesthetics...
Droid Life: “It looks sleek, sexy and totally awesome...
LAPTOP: “Neptune Pine’s gadget is a clear indication that smart timepieces may evolve just as quickly as cell phones have...
Gizmag: “This is the type of watch that gadget lovers have craved for generations...
Redmond Pie: “Neptune Pine might just be the smartwatch we have been waiting for...

Introducing Pine

Smartwatches have been a topic of much interest lately. However, most of the wrist-worn devices on the market right now don't really seem to be living up to the hype. They're usually sold as Bluetooth-tethered accessories for your smartphone; either for fitness tracking or as a sort of notification center. But then you’d have to buy and carry around two devices all the time, which actually means more hassle. That’s not cool. That’s not fun.
That’s why we decided to develop our own smartwatch: the Neptune Pine, the most connected independent smartwatch.
The Pine is the only device you'll ever need. It's really the top of the food chain when it comes to smartwatches, packing more features than any wrist-worn device out there, without the need to keep your smartphone nearby. This is the smartwatch, reinvented.
Here we go with the most compelling list of features for a smartwatch you'll ever see. This is history in the making.
VOICE CALLS + SMS TEXTING
The Pine allows you to make and receive phone calls, and send SMS text messages on most mobile carriers worldwide thanks to its full standalone support for quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and quad-band UMTS/HSPA+/WCDMA.
Typing on the Pine is as easy as typing on a regular smartphone.
Typing on the Pine is as easy as typing on a regular smartphone.
FULL QWERTY KEYBOARD
When we looked at existing smartwatches, we all asked the following question: “How can I possibly type on this tiny screen?” That’s why the Pine sports a 2.4” capacitive touch display, enough to comfortably display a full QWERTY keyboard. This makes typing on the Pine as easy as typing on a regular smartphone.
COMPLETE WEB EXPERIENCE
With 3G and Wi-Fi, you can conveniently browse your favorite websites, view and post on your social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, send and receive e-mail, watch YouTube videos, check the local weather and much more; it’s the complete wearable web experience on your wrist!
Various fitness apps like RunKeeper (shown here) are fully supported on the Pine smartwatch.
Various fitness apps like RunKeeper (shown here) are fully supported on the Pine smartwatch.
A FITNESS LAB, ON YOUR WRIST
You can’t improve what you can’t measure. The Pine can measure it all. With the built-in GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope, pedometer and digital compass; the Pine tracks your steps, pace, speed, time, laps, location and calories burned with extreme precision. Various fitness apps such as RunKeeper are fully supported on the Pine. And with a built-in Bluetooth 4.0 transceiver, you can pair the Pine with a large array of existing fitness tracking devices.
Back of a Pine prototype, with the 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and its LED flash visible.
Back of a Pine prototype, with the 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and its LED flash visible.
DUAL CAMERAS + DUAL FLASH
VGA front-facing camera. With flash.
Share your smile via the front-facing VGA camera in a video chat on the 2.4-inch display. The Pine supports all of the existing video-chatting services on Android such as Skype, Fring and Tango.
And there's a front-facing LED as well (a first!), acting as an always-ready flashlight, the occasional heart-rate monitor, and, of course, illumination for your video chats in dim lighting.
Rear-facing 5-megapixel camera. With flash  
Release your Pine from the watchband and shoot crisp, still images, and high-definition video fast using the 5-megapixel camera. In any lighting too, with the integrated LED flash.
VOICE RECOGNITION
With Android's powerful voice input engine, you can conveniently enter text by speaking directly to your Pine. And with Voice Actions, you can perform various tasks through voice such as setting appointments, calling a contact, or playing a song.
ANDROID JELLY BEAN
A great product needs to run great software. That's why the Neptune Pine runs on the world's most advanced mobile OS: Android Jelly Bean. And we're not kidding around with a limited version of Android; it's the full Android that you see on smartphones and tablets!
We wanted to create an exceptional product that could leverage the large number of mobile apps that already run well on the Android platform. Since our screen resolution is a standard resolution listed in the Android SDK, the Pine will seamlessly run hundreds of thousands of existing apps.
If you're a developer, you can create apps on the Pine with all the developer tools you already know and love, without compromise.
Apps with limited functionality are now a thing of the past for smartwatches.
DUAL-CORE ON YOUR WRIST
We know it sounds incredible, but it's true: the Pine boasts a powerful 1.2Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, more than enough speed and power to easily switch between multiple apps and run 3D visuals in graphics-intensive Android apps and games.
Concept drawing of the Neptune Helmet Mount.
Concept drawing of the Neptune Helmet Mount.
EASILY REMOVABLE + ACCESSORIES + STRAP DESIGNS
The Pine is very easily removable from its wristband, even when it's being worn. This opens up a vast amount of possibilities for various accessories, mounts and strap designs. For instance, you can attach the Pine to the Neptune Helmet Mount, and it becomes a wearable, point-of-view (POV) camera, shooting in crystal clear, 720p video.
Prototypes of the Neptune Clip and the Helmet Mount.
Prototypes of the Neptune Clip and the Helmet Mount.
ENTERTAINMENT, ALWAYS ON HAND. LITERALLY.
With up to 32GB of storage, the Pine easily stores thousands of songs, on your wrist. Enjoy the movies and TV shows you love; just plug your headphones into the 3.5 mm headphone jack and sit back to watch the Pine's sharp 2.4-inch screen.
SUPERB BATTERY LIFE
Smartwatches need to have decent battery life. That's why we heavily optimized the power consumption on the Pine so that it comfortably lasts up to 5 days on standby, 10 hours playing music, 8 hours talk time, and 7 hours browsing on the Internet.
Talk time is based on using 2G networks. Browsing is based on using Wi-Fi.
Talk time is based on using 2G networks. Browsing is based on using Wi-Fi.

Supported Carriers  

The Pine supports any mobile carrier that uses the following bands:
  • GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1700, 1900 
  • UMTS/HSPA+/WCDMA 850, 1700, 1900, 2100 
This means support for over 80% of the world's mobile operators, including AT&T, Orange, T-Mobile, Rogers, O2 and Vodafone. Here's an illustration of other major worldwide operators that are supported:  

Technical Specifications

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.2Ghz Dual-Core Processor
  • 2.4 inch TFT capacitive touchscreen
  • 320 x 240 QVGA resolution
  • Cellular Networks:
    - 2G: GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1700, 1900
    - 3G: UMTS/HSPA+/WCDMA 850, 1700, 1900, 2100
  • 16GB or 32GB mass storage
  • Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2
  • Support for 48 languages
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Built-in GPS receiver, with Assisted GPS
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • Micro-SIM card slot
  • Accelerometer, 3-axis Gyroscope, Digital compass
  • Speaker & Microphone
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Vibration alert
  • 5-megapixel rear-facing camera
  • VGA front-facing camera
  • LED flash (front & rear)
  • Built-in rechargeable 810 mAh lithium polymer battery:
    - Talk time: Up to 8 hours on 2G, 6 hours on 3G
    - Multimedia: Up to 10 hours music, 5 hours video
    - Internet use: Up to 7 hours on Wi-Fi
    - Standby: Up to 120 hours
  • IP67 water-resistant (currently undergoing testing)

Comparison Diagram

Video Demo

Here's our first video demo:
More to come!

Where Are We At

Early concept sketches of the Pine.
Early concept sketches of the Pine.
Neptune has been working on smartwatches for over a year now. The Pine that you see in the videos and the pictures is a real, working prototype.
We have an extremely talented group of experienced professionals made up of engineers, software developers, marketers, designers and client service specialists to make sure that the project comes to fruition.
Our first samples of the PCB (printed-circuit board).
Our first samples of the PCB (printed-circuit board).
 We've already finalized all parts of the design and engineering phase, including:
  • Industrial and manufacturability design
  • Printed-circuit board design and layout
  • Antennae design, testing and integration
  • Components integration and testing (including LCD, touch panel, cameras, etc.)
  • Software/UI development
Our first samples of the buckle and latch.
Our first samples of the buckle and latch.
Both the production tooling and the EVT (engineering validation testing) have already started. The production line will be ready for mass manufacturing in early December.
Molds for the Pine (left) and surface-mount-technology (SMT) line (right).
Molds for the Pine (left) and surface-mount-technology (SMT) line (right).

Stretch Goals

Stretch Goal #1: $200K - New Strap Design (Reached!)
As you may know, the Pine has been designed to be very easily removable from its watchband, opening up a vast amount of possibilities for various accessories, mounts and strap designs. Help us reach $200K and we'll unveil an exciting new modern strap design for the Pine!
Stretch Goal #2: $300K - CDMA Version (Reached!)
A lot of you have been asking us to make the Pine support CDMA networks such as Verizon, Sprint, Telus and Bell. That's why if we reach $300K we'll develop a special quad-band CDMA version for the Pine, so that we can cover nearly all operators in the world!
Mobile operators that would be supported by the CDMA version of Pine.
Mobile operators that would be supported by the CDMA version of Pine.
Stretch Goal #3: $400K - Tougher Glass & Screen Protectors (Reached!)
If we reach $400K, we will source a custom designed scratch-resistant glass specially tailored to the Pine. Plus, we will include with every Pine two (2) free screen protectors! Now, your Pine will be as durable as ever!  
Stretch Goal #4: $500K - 64GB Version  
A lot of people have asked us to upgrade our internal storage; that's why if you help us reach $500K we will develop a 64GB version of the Pine! Prices will be revealed only at the time we reach our stretch goal; and existing backers will be given instructions on how to change their pledge to a 64GB version.

Why We Need You

While we're getting very close to mass production, we still need your help and support to get the Pine onto your wrists. Your contribution will help us with:
  • Ordering bill of materials (BOM) components from more than 150 suppliers worldwide for mass production
  • Passing worldwide certifications for wireless devices (FCC, IC, CE, etc.)
  • Bringing the Pine to the IP67 water-resistant rating
  • Surface Mount Technology (SMT) Production and Assembly Costs
TIMELINE FOR SHIPMENT
November 2013:
  • Tooling and injection molds ready
  • Software/UI testing and finalization
  • Certifications for FCC, IC, and CE
  • Purchasing of components
  • Pre-production samples
December 2013:
  • IMEI registration
  • IP67 water-resistant rating
  • Assembly line preparation
  • Sample production run
  • Quality control and assurance
January 2014:
  • Volume production
  • Order fulfillment & logistics
  • Shipping

Risks and challenges Learn about accountability on Kickstarter

Although we have an amazing team, there are still unforeseeable factors that we cannot control. For instance, our bill of materials consists of hundreds of chips and components that come from more than 150 different suppliers. Lead times vary a lot for different components; some might take more time than others. Also, we need to pass the various certifications required so that we can legally ship the devices to your doorsteps. Although we extensively pre-tested our components such as the antennae and the battery at appropriate laboratories, there still might be a risk of delay in certification with the regulatory bodies.

FAQ