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Toshiba's Wristwatch PDA
pdawerks says "Toshiba has previewed what it calls a Wristwatch PDA, which it considers to be very popular in future. According to MobileMag and BBC News, the device will provide the functionality of a high-end PDA in a comparatively small and handy form factor. It features a wide hi-definition display, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless networking and is perfectly suited for videophone conferences. The concept also sports voice recognition, which allows you to simply talk to your Wristwatch PDA."
When is enough, enough?(When it comes to size factor) With PDAs, how small can you have them until they're no longer functionable?
is a "watch" now defined by strapping anything to your wrist that can tell the time ?
this sure doesnt look like in the same category as Rolex,Cartier or even a Casio i would argue this is a wrist mount for a PDA not a Watch
For basic contact/appointment stuff, I usually rely on my mobile phone.
If anything I'd probably prefer something slightly larger than the PocketPC form factor for the roles I use it for - a 640x480 screen (as on the new Zaurus) would be nice for digital photo browsing - and a built-in ethernet port would be great (I already have a foldable keyboard). It would make the ideal quick ssh terminal in that case. (I know you can get ethernet CF cards, but those things are too expensive... even the 802.11b wireless CF that I use in it at home is half the price of the cheapest wired ethernet CF I've seen!). Likewise, a serial connection would make it into an extremely useful mobile console in the datacentre server rooms.
(The more I read the above, the more it looks like a miniature laptop is what I'm after... or the venerable Psion 5).
A few have written about diminishing returns in terms of size, but these are the future.
Soon as Bluetooth can stream video and sunglasses have video monitor then theses devices will show a logical step towards the future. PDA will become wrist computers; later fully wearable computers with sunglasses to rival plasma screens. After that, who knows (only progress will tell)?
By the way; I put on a 3d simulation helmet the other day - not quite fashionable but a step in the direction of wearable.
I don't wear my watch anymore since I find it more discrete to just keep a cell phone/pda in my pocket and whip it out when I need to know what time it is.
I really think that a good form factor for a PDA or some kind of electronic device is the old Pocket Watch on a chain.
Make the case out of some light weight metal or gold at the high end and have a mall screen in one end of the clamshell and a key pad at the other. With bluetooth you could also have a headset seperate from the PDA/phone. The pcoket chain could double as an antenna and the phob (the hunk of metal at the end of the chain that stays in your pocket) could be the battery/power supply.
I wish some jewerly designer/watch company would team up with a PDA/Cell Phone company and make one.
Think about it. It's WAY too big to be a wristwatch (Comminicator is too big to be a phone, IMHO) and it probably costs quite a pretty penny, too. Probably in a similar fashion there'll be that small group of people who will want one and who think they just couldn't live without one.... and then they smash it against a sharp corner or something ;)
Seriously, PDA screens are fragile things and wrists constantly bumb into stuff. I don't think there would be any way for someone to convince me to buy one of these, not after I've had a look at the Palm graveyard (Here's a link)
Sigs for Nerds. Sigs that Matter.
They could be smaller.
Using an audio interface you could nearly have no limit on how small it is. Especially if you off processing power to a remote location.
Some people can be terminally forgetful you know, such as me. I'd sacrifice my pride for help remembering things.
Key things:
- INTERFACE is still the problem. Really you need something that interfaces directly with the brain conciousness - a proper memory expansion. HUD glasses and handwriting recignition as good as M$ Windows would be a jump forward methinks. In fact even if this watch thing has good handwriting recognition that works in sentances I'd consider it.
- ALWAYS AVAILABLE. This is why mobiles tend to get used. No point having a PDA if you don't take it everywhere with you. Question: other than a watch what else do you keep with you at all times, such in the gym?
A blog I run for the wealth
the part of the serie when they were in Earth they had communicators/arm computers that covered half of the arm. Not remember now the details, but wonder how much they look or like this model.
It does look a bit bulky, then again I still wear my "bulky" Casio Databank watch, I'd be lost without it. Although in comparison it's a tiny watch. If everyone is wearing something that big I might be persuaded but it looks delicate too, one clumsy swing of the arm could result in a broken screen...
:)
I've looked for possible replacesments to my Casio Databank lots of times, but things like the (now cancelled) Fossil PDA watch and this can't seem to match the battery life of my trusty Casio (currently 5 years compared to the Fossil's 4 days).
It's true these newer "watches" have CPU's and screens that provide flexibility for other applications, but I can't see them being that much better at reminding me when Eastenders is on, what time it is in France or even retrieving a phone number. Which is all I really want from a watch to be honest. And the Casio is decidedly smaller and more resistent to the odd bang too.
That said this old watch isn't going to last forever, and I don't like the current Databank watches- it seems the new ones only allow a stingy 8 characters to be entered per reminder or contact; compared to the "huge" 16 of my current watch. You'd think they'd add more space not less!
To paraphrase the immortal Douglas Adams, I still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea.
I'm still waiting for the one I used in a 1977 science fiction story. Don't laugh too loudly at my version of the internet. http://www.io.com/~hmelton/stories/opus18.html
I saw the Motorola Linux phone at CeBIT, and I thought the same thing until I saw video's and TV shows being played on it ... I'd quite happily carry around a high-definition capable player in my pocket, if it doubles as a cell phone, media player, and PDA.
... and btw, the Mot phone ws -superb- ... soon as its available in my market, I'll get one.
Seems thats the direction its going
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
That's not _too_ small (you clicked the link, did you?).
FYI: the screen size on 7650/3650/3660 Nokias is 43x37mm (IIRC). Looks ok to be used in watches (bar other problems, like power consumption and stuff). And those smartphones are considered pretty useful by many.
It was discontinued before it reached market I believe.