More On The Linux Wrist Watch

Gareth writes "CNET has more information on IBM's wrist watch running Linux, including an interview with the vice president of research." A lot meatier than we had yesterday. It looks legit, but it's still looks pretty impractical (despite scoring many points on the old cool-o-meter).

Comments

IBM Linux Commercial

[crumley]

Has anyone seen this a href="http://www-4.ibm.com/software/is/mp/linux/au dio/ibm_linux-02.avi" commercial on TV yet? If they put it on TV, it would really prove that IBM is going to try to push Linux, much more than this watch does.

Interaction is irrelevant

[FascDot Killed My Pr]

So because it would be difficult (impossible?) to interact with the computer, the computer is useless? Let's see what you think after I remove all microchips from your home, car and workplace.

How would Linux on a watch be useful?

Telemetry: A million uses summed up in one word. Spies gathering intelligence. Scientists/Doctors gathering data (from the environment and/or from the wearer). Security officers (including police). Tracking/homing.

Data access: Sure, you can't do much general computing--but every (digital) watch has buttons. How about a "what's my current location" button with some GPS software installed? How about a modified Timex DataLink that links DIRECTLY to my PC (wirelessly)?

Communication: We laugh about Dick Tracy, but cellphone small enough to wear on your wrist would be revolutionary.

I thought of all the above while I was writing it. Surely someone who is actually involved in the field will think of many many more immediate uses. Then there is the "new platform" effect: Once everyone has a watch running Linux, what else becomes possible? No one predicted the Internet would explode once everybody had a PC...
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Hmm...

[CrayDrygu]

The watches run on an ARM-based...processor...

Of course.

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