Product Design News Blog - Discussion

Love watches, music and fashion? And have an iPod® Nano?

Check out the Deckster™ – it’s a new, funky, fashionable and sustainable unisex watch strap custom built for Apple’s iPod Nano. The patent-pending Pop+Lock™ System models the functionality of a retro cassette tape deck allowing the Nano to be smoothly inserted into the protective enclosure in one easy, fluid motion to become a stylish multi-functional watch. This iWatch is fashion for the forward set and convenient carrying of the Nano for work, sports and leisure.

Design 1st also likes to fast forward clients’ innovative concepts into useful, aesthetically beautiful and marketable products.

When N-Product, the creators of the Deckster, approached Design 1st they had a vision of the slick functionality and timeless quality their timepiece would embody. The Design 1st team built upon the concept to develop a design that combined the simple elegance of the Nano with the creators’ creativity and required features. The Deckster design would prove to push the traditional boundaries of design as well as demand maximum innovation from the tooling and manufacturing efforts.

Various design challenges were encountered that required Design 1st’s highly innovative problem-solving and depth of technical expertise. In particular, the patent-pending Pop+Lock system needed to combine the action of the tape deck concept with the functional mechanical precision yet maintain the aesthetics of the Nano. The system replicates a cassette tape deck’s functionality requiring over 20 custom watch sized components in this simple to use hinge and latch design that enables a smooth “pop” opening of the watch, allowing the user to insert the Nano and “lock it” in place with a distinctive click. Making the mechanism work smoothly and consistently despite normal manufacturing variability was the real challenge. The project depended on numerous areas of the teams’ expertise in this fast 8-week turnaround product design and development project. From rendered CAD images you see on the website to drawings to precision prototyping Design 1st overcame the design and tooling challenges and the in-house machined production prototype proved the “Pop+Lock” concept worked which brought the Deckster to life.

The founders of the Deckster needed to balance quality materials with cost, availability, usability and sustainable thinking. The Deckster includes high-grade aircraft aluminum, hand-crafted premium vegetable tanned leather straps, industrial-grade protection with Cerakote™ coating and sustainable packaging. The”Made in North America” product uses North American manufacturers, cost effective processes and small product runs to consistently produce a high quality product while the use of recycled paper materials for sustainable packaging and recyclable aluminum for the housings reduces the carbon footprint.

Through versatile design, use of quality materials, precision engineering, innovative tooling and manufacturing, Design 1st has succeed in achieving the creators’ dream of making the Deckster a unique and premier timepiece for conveniently carrying and using the Nano.

To learn more, view the Deckster here.

Design 1st is proud of its collaboration with N-Product, visit www.deckster.ca to pre-order your limited edition Deckster time piece. The Deckster First:Class will be shipping in early July (retails at approx $150 CAD).