Micahsmith wrote:
Tempest chess clock
Tempest Chess Clock
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Jul 22, 2021
0
#2
Who's supplying the phone? and who's responsible when th phone breaks because it can't take the slamming (either by fist or chess piece) or the platform is too weak that it goes flying? Who's validating that the cphone app is fair?
A phone's just too expensive to use as a chess clock when even a $30 clock is much more durable and way easier to handle.
Jul 22, 2021
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#4
I think you can see a good demo in this video. The phone is not touched during the Play.
Jul 22, 2021
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#5
Looks nice, I like the analog display with the accuracy of the phone. The question is will it come to fruition. Looks like a great idea.
Jul 22, 2021
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#6
A few things I don't like about this. 1) Glare during outside games is going to be an issue. 2) What if you get a call? You would have to put your phone on airplane mode every time you used it.
Geezus, that see-saw base is loud and cheap plasticky sounding. Klack, klack, klack! They should've put some sound dampeners in there. Check out the first few seconds of the video in Post #2. That muffled thunk, thunk, thunk, sounds so nice. Then skip to 1:07 of the video in Post #5 of the actual product and compare the sound. Yuck.
Jul 22, 2021
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#8
I'm not so sure that klack is from the clock @Pawnerai. The overall acoustics of the video is very loud and seems to be amplifying sounds. I say this fot 2 reasons. First because the sound the pieces make when they are moved seems to also be loud and exaggerated. Also I saw a video a bit back where a YouTuber called chess nerd also reviewed this clock and it had more of the thump in his video.
@KineticPawn
Yeah. To be fair, the players may be intentionally smacking it hard during their testing, and the mic may be inches from the coffee table that amplifies the sound. Post#5 @2:10 there is a quiet thunk when he presses it "normally" during the game.
In your Post#9 video @1:43 he does press it back and forth while holding it up. And it sounds better. But that's not too accurate since it's not on the table and in actual use.
There is an LOL-Moment in Post#9 video @2:17. Right when the game starts and I'm listening intently for the sound. Wait for it... wait for it,,, suddenly cue the piano music! Haha.
I'm sure there will be plenty more videos to come. I freely admit, I'm not a customer for this clock. Just a fan of new and interesting chess equipment. 
What's the over-under on the number of bullet games the cradle survives before breaking? Or your expensive phone gets knocked over, or off a table and goes flying (most likely repeatedly)?
I'll pass.
As someone who used to do audio post production in advertising and broadcast, I can say that the sound would have been mixed and processed in order to be completely obvious and easily heard on any system. The sound from a well produced promotional video can be vastly different to the sound in real life.
Jul 23, 2021
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#12
Sound dynamics and expensive accidents aside - (and to be sure, they are hard to cast aside) I like the concept. If the base is solid, the phone held securely and enough space to tap the base - without being worried about flipping the phone… it could be cool. Further - the ability to change the look of the clock due to its digital format means it could emulate a whole array of classic analog looking faces … interesting concept.
My OCD wants to make the display level. Pass.
Jul 23, 2021
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#14
Yeah I get what you mean - that might drive me batty too. Now there’s a challenge for the coders doing the software- keep the face level as the phone rocks …. I’m not a tech guy but that must be possible with the inbuilt accelerometers?
@Powerdigit: i hadn’t considered the accelerometers. Maybe they can do that for the app update . Seriously while I watched all the vids posted here, all I could think about was straightening out that clock!
Jul 24, 2021
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#16
Greenmiller wrote:
My OCD wants to make the display level. Pass.
I'm with you. The tipped phone would drive me insane and I'm comfortable playing with a vinyl board that has red squares.
It looks OK for a causal toy. But very bad idea for any serious play. Phones malfunction unexpectedly when you slam them a lot. Someone may forget to set it to airplane mode before the game and then receive a phone call, text, or any myriad of social media notifications during play. If any such thing occurs during an official game you are screwed. Even on informal matches, I can see a clear mental Picture of someone’s $1000 iPhone or Samsung phone flying off the table during a blitz or bullet scramble. This “clock” idea gets a resounding no from me.
Another item which will (sooner rather than later) find its way into the trash bin of interesting, but impractical chess gimmicks.
A word of advice to any who have invested in this venture - cash out while (and if) you still have some money left!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpXSqVWIEC0 Thoughts?