If you could redesign the chess clock, what would you change?

Hey everyone,

I've been playing chess for years and always felt chess clocks haven't really kept up with modern tech. So I'm building one.

It's called Aion - here's what I'm working on:

Full-color touchscreen with split display for each player
Over-the-air software updates (new features without new hardware)
Three form factors: desktop, foldable/portable, and minimalist button-only

Before I finalize the design, I want to hear from actual players:

What annoys you about your current clock?
What features would you actually use?
Desktop or portable?

Design mockups and voting here: https://aionchessclock.com

Nothing for sale yet - just gathering feedback. Appreciate any input.

Hey everyone, I've been playing chess for years and always felt chess clocks haven't really kept up with modern tech. So I'm building one. It's called Aion - here's what I'm working on: - Full-color touchscreen with split display for each player - Over-the-air software updates (new features without new hardware) - Three form factors: desktop, foldable/portable, and minimalist button-only Before I finalize the design, I want to hear from actual players: - What annoys you about your current clock? - What features would you actually use? - Desktop or portable? Design mockups and voting here: https://aionchessclock.com Nothing for sale yet - just gathering feedback. Appreciate any input.

mkubecek

I'll copy my response also here.

A full-color touchscreen

Full color display? No, not really. A chess clock should be as inobtrusive as possible. Even any actively glowing IPS (or OLED or whatever) display is something I definitely don't want to see next to a chessboard. And touchscreen means a dirty display that needs to be cleaned frequently in practice.

Over-the-air updates mean your clock gets better over time.

In today's world of (sometimes rightful) cheating paranoia it also means serious security concerns that would need to be addressed properly. And that's much harder than it sounds. The same goes for the idea of setting the clocks via wireless connection: it would be quite helpful in a tournament setup but could easily turn into a security nightmare.

From my point of view, a perfect clock would be a combination of good properties of DGT 3000 and DGT 2500. In particular, I would really like a clock that would be like 2500 except

logic based on 3000 rather than 2010, i.e. independent periods and multiple custom modes
a bit less noisy lever
e-board connectivity

In other words, an evolution, not a revolution.

I'll copy my response also here. > A full-color touchscreen Full color display? No, not really. A chess clock should be as inobtrusive as possible. Even any actively glowing IPS (or OLED or whatever) display is something I definitely don't want to see next to a chessboard. And touchscreen means a dirty display that needs to be cleaned frequently in practice. > Over-the-air updates mean your clock gets better over time. In today's world of (sometimes rightful) cheating paranoia it also means serious security concerns that would need to be addressed properly. And that's much harder than it sounds. The same goes for the idea of setting the clocks via wireless connection: it would be quite helpful in a tournament setup but could easily turn into a security nightmare. From my point of view, a perfect clock would be a combination of good properties of DGT 3000 and DGT 2500. In particular, I would really like a clock that would be like 2500 except - logic based on 3000 rather than 2010, i.e. independent periods and multiple custom modes - a bit less noisy lever - e-board connectivity In other words, an evolution, not a revolution.

IamNOTamod

@mkubecek said in #2:

a bit less noisy lever

I, on the other hand, love slapping the clock extra hard when I'm winning.

@mkubecek said in #2: > - a bit less noisy lever I, on the other hand, love slapping the clock extra hard when I'm winning.

slash28cu

@mkubecek @IamNOTamod

Really appreciate the thoughtful feedback! This is exactly the kind of conversation I was hoping to spark.

You've both touched on something important, and I completely agree. My vision for Aion leans more toward casual, at home and club play rather than official tournament use.

But here's the thing: the clock is just the starting point.

What I'm building is more of a chess companion device. Beyond timekeeping, I see Aion evolving into:

A learning tool with built-in lessons and practice modes
A hub that connects to e-boards for seamless play
An analysis device right at your fingertips
Eventually, integrated camera recognition for automatic move tracking

The clock gets your foot in the door. What comes next is what excites me most.

@mkubecek @IamNOTamod Really appreciate the thoughtful feedback! This is exactly the kind of conversation I was hoping to spark. You've both touched on something important, and I completely agree. My vision for Aion leans more toward casual, at home and club play rather than official tournament use. But here's the thing: the clock is just the starting point. What I'm building is more of a chess companion device. Beyond timekeeping, I see Aion evolving into: - A learning tool with built-in lessons and practice modes - A hub that connects to e-boards for seamless play - An analysis device right at your fingertips - Eventually, integrated camera recognition for automatic move tracking The clock gets your foot in the door. What comes next is what excites me most.

This topic is now closed.