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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?
Anyobody else thinks "small and handy form factor." and "a wide hi-definition display" contradict each other? What use is a high resolution display if it's so small?
Smaller and lighter is usually a good thing with mobile devices, but doesn't there come a point when you've gone too far? In particular, with a wristwatch PDA, I'd be concerned that the screen is too small to be useful -- even on a regular-size PDA, I sometimes feel "cramped".
But, It's HUGE! No one wants a monstrosity like that on their wrist.
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 think the watch form factor was just fine when time was the only portable function. Once you start adding other features it really pays to have more interface options.
About two days, before you smash your wrist into desk or corner as you're walking, and little pieces of LCD dribble down your arm.
"No, the screen is not warrantied against accidental damage."
And the device is not suit-compatible. Great for t-shirts, lousy with long sleeves.
Needs more work.
Ceci n'est pas une signature
Did you see how big that thing was? I don't expect it to be tiny, but it doesn't look like you'd be able to move your wrist at all with that thing. It stretches from your wrist to your elbow! Soon we'll see all the skaters wearing it as wrist protection.
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lampposts...for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang
Kit!!
Yes Michael?
Come and get me...
What would you do without a monitor? Sit and look stupid behind a keyboard and a mouse
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 was an addict.
Anyway, long story short, went cold turkey. Cancelled my service, gave the blackberry to a friend, and have gone au natural for the last couple years. I'm finally happy and unbound from the tethers of wireless email (ironic, eh...).
The thought of something hanging on my wrist to give me email, web, and IM anywhere anytime scares the crap out of me.
Never in a million years!
OK- I'm done...
So THAT'S what Leela had on her wrist all the way through Futurama...:)
...which it considers to be very popular in future.
This is what happens when a marketer gets hold of a time machine. They don't travel to the future to find the cure for cancer or aids, they travel to the future to see if their latest line of watches are popular. Bastards.
Maybe it's just me, but I feel incredibly stupid trying to use voice-recognition in public.
The need for all this stuff would vanish if it somehow became socially acceptable for men to carry purses...