MINIMAL Announces Cool iPod Nano Watch Kits

Scott Wilson, Chicago-based designer and founder of MINIMAL design studio (MNML), has come up with an ingenious contraption for your touchscreen iPod Nano — a watch casing that lets you wear that bad boy on your wrist (a product we’ve been waiting forever since Jobs announced the touch-screen Nanos last year). They’re still collecting funds (and discounted pre-orders) via Kickstarter through the next week, and it looks like the actual product should start shipping shortly thereafter. (I tend to think of Kickstarter as a fundraising tool for friends hoping to finance their record or video … Interesting to see it applied so successfully to a product launch.)

There are two designs to the multi-touch watch kits: the TikTok and the LunaTik. The TikTok is versatile, lets your iPod snap in and out quickly and easily if you want to move it from your wrist to your pocket to your lapel or whatnot. The LunaTik (genius) is for the more committed watch-wearer, securing your tiny iPod in place with more sophisticated hardware. Either way, by setting the display to clock mode, it serves as a chic digital watch that’s also your trusty touch-screen Nano.

I can’t find the actual ship/delivery dates, but they’d make cool I.O.U.s on your gift list even if they don’t arrive by Christmastime. In silicone and stainless steel, they’re good looking and sturdy to boot. Wondering what your jewel-toned Nano will look like in the case? One clever commenter rendered some mock-ups here.

TikToks are slated to run $34.99 but you can reserve one now for $25 if you pledge the money and pre-order now. LunaTiks, with its screws and casings, will be $64.99 retail but $50 for pre-orders.