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HP Making a Dick Tracy Watch For the Military

Posted by samzenpus on from the time-peace dept.

eldavojohn writes "HP announced a device like Dick Tracy's watch, with a target user base being the US military. CNN describes it as 'a flexible display that shows maps and other strategic information to soldiers in remote combat fields. The watch's screen will be made of plastic and it will run on solar energy, making it less likely to malfunction or run out of power in a tense scenario.' HP says a prototype will be done within a year. This new device hinges on recent display technology that HP says it has been developing for 10 years. The flexible displays are a mere 50 microns thick."

4 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. At least... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    At least our yearn to kill each other produces some pretty cool toys every few years.

  2. Display by Thyamine · · Score: 1, Insightful

    That's great and all, but how useful can a display of that size be? Even if they make it like one of those watches with the huge faces, it'll still be tiny for looking at maps or trying to read much info.

    --
    I will shred my adversaries. Pull their eyes out just enough to turn them towards their mewing, mutilated faces. Illyria
  3. Great, an NMCI watch... by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When HP took over EDS, it got the contract for the NMCI, possibly the biggest cluster-fuck in DoD history according to my Navy friends.

    I wouldn't trust HP to supply soldiers with a working Timex, let alone something with telecommunications abilities.

  4. Two-way video phone by Enderandrew · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The "Dick Tracy watch" from the comics (and movie) is a two-way video phone. This isn't a Dick Tracy watch.

    --
    http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.