Moment Wraparound Smartwatch

Smartphones are getting bigger...and they're getting smaller. Not that the Moment smartwatch is a fully functional phone per se, but with its wraparound 360-degree touch surface design and full QWERTY keyboard, wearers will be able to use the Kickstarter hopeful to perform pretty much every smartphone-y function but make and receive calls. Momentum Labs' Moment plans to join the hi-tech timepiece movement with baseline features such as Bluetooth, calendar, stop watch, step counter, and, uh, telling time, plus attempt to hoist itself above the growing crowd with the following unique design and application characteristics.

Style. Moment's structure consists of a solid piece of stainless steel machined down to a 0.9mm edge. Internal electronics are kept to a minimum to avoid adding bulk, and the watch's entire circumference is coated with a semi-transparent, surface-hardened lens that hides the technology until it's needed.

Keyboard. Moment's wraparound screen accommodates a patent-pending full-on QWERTY keyboard, plus a number row. While many calls, texts, emails, etc. that require immediate wrist action may need no more than a predefined message in response, Moment's keyboard will also cater to situations necessitating a custom message, such as tapping in phone numbers and addresses and engaging in covert sexting sessions. Keys on the Moment QWERTY will be about equal in size to those on a smartphone.

Battery. Charging devices is the new, like, paying by check or getting film developed. Such a hassle. Particularly when it's a watch that needs frequent plug-ins. Moment's design specifies a minimum of 30 days of normal use on a single charge; as the project's development continues during production, Momentum Labs hopes to exceed that number.

Hardware Expansion. Different folks, different strokes. Loath to pile on every possible piece of hardware functionality available in modern times, Moment will opt for custom hardware modules called Moment Snapware that individuals can add to and remove from their watch based on specific needs and circumstances. Open hardware and software platforms will keep the module library expanding to include biometric measurements, GPS, extended audio, inductive charging, etc.

Time. Yes, Moment tells time. And with the company's focus on design standards, Momentum Labs decided to retain the traditional watch aesthetic--albeit with a digital analog appearance--for time display, accessible with a twist of the user's wrist.

The Moment wraparound smartwatch runs as a Kickstarter campaign through July 24, 2014. Current incarnations of the watch are still considered prototypes, with some of the project's funding going towards refining the final design and function.