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Is That an Android On Your Wrist?
DeviceGuru writes "Two startups are about to go chrono y chrono with competing Android gizmos. The I'm Watch exclusively targets smartwatch applications, whereas the WIMM Platform is meant to create 'a new market of connected wearable devices that deliver timely, relevant information at a glance' — of which smartwatches are but one example. The Italian-designed I'm Watch runs a customized Android 1.6 on a 454 MHz ARM9 processor with just 64MB of RAM; the WIMM module, a product of Silicon Valley, runs Android 2.1 on a 667 MHz ARM11 CPU. Would you actually wear one of these things?" Personally, I'd rather have an IBM watch running Linux.
really, when are manufacturers going to come up with something that really works?
any pointers, folks?
Don't give a shit about either one.
People are becoming stupider because of conputers. Now with wrist conputers, people will become as dumb as sea anenomies. That is why my plan is to conqyer the world by never using conputers. I have my assistant type and submit all my slashdort posts. She is stupid but loyal and frisky.
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I've got a smartphone in my pocket that can do anything either of those watches could do (and more) except sit comfortable on my wrist. These seem hugely overpowered for what should be a simple RTC, display and bluetooth/PAN radio. It shouldn't need to process ANYTHING onboard other than to decode a low-res video stream. Cheaper, better battery life, more versatile.
i wonder if it's ok for your body to keep such transmitter so close to it 24/7..?
minimalistisch webdesign und grafikdesign in berlin
I'm watch is excellent execution of really stupid idea. If battery can last for AT LEAST one month... but one day? For wristwatch???
839*929
But for the Chumby community the WIMM seems like it could be interesting. I don't see how Slashdot can be anti-wearable PCs but pro Raspberry Pi. This is a Rasperry Pi (admittedly much more expensive) with a screen - you may even be able to get it running Linux natively.
It might warm you up a little, but anything below ultra-violet frequencies won't give you cancer.
Why would anyone engrave "Elbereth"?
I'm waiting for the model that allows two-handed typing.
connected wearable devices that deliver timely, relevant information
A timely watch that tells time? I have one of these already.
When I can get a ruggedized model that I'm not going to instantly destroy and that doesn't require me to cover my watch arm with a plastic bag for use in the rain, let me know.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
With the MotoACTV: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/18/motorola-announces-motoactv-the-ultimate-fitness-device/
Better hardware overall, better functionality, lower price.
Still more than I would pay, but I'm nerdy enough I would like one if I didn't have to pay for it.
My sister opened a computer store in Hawaii. She sells C shells by the seashore.
"Would you like an asteroid on your wrist?"
Why is Snark Required?
Bundle it with the Q-ray bracelet and you could sell billions!
bat i want.
Finally, I can shout "KITT, KITT can you hear me?" to my watch, and even have a chance for a response.
Wouldn't the expression be 'chrono a chrono'? Submitter is making a play on the phrase 'mano a mano', no?
Like a head-mount screen compact enough to wear and high-res enough to be useful? That could have real applications in the fields of porn-viewing-in-public and support team rapid response.
I smell an episode of Jobsian Wrath (aka lawsuit) over the obvious misuse of the i prefix.
It is accurate to the second, the battery lasts something like 10 years.
It has never failed me. I really can think of another piece of advanced technology I can say that about. It has to be the single best technology purchase i've ever made.
Why would I want an operating system? Are you totally insane?
Deleted
Texas Instruments has 3 watch styles with low-power MSP430 microcontrollers. The $200 models have Bluetooth and the older $49 watches have a simpler digital display and ISM band wireless links.
https://estore.ti.com/Search.aspx?k=watch
http://www.metawatch.org/
https://estore.ti.com/MSP-WDS430BT2000D-Bluetooth-Wearable-Watch-development-system-with-Digital-display-P2447.aspx
https://estore.ti.com/MSP-WDS430BT1000AD-Bluetooth-Wearable-Watch-development-system-with-Analog-Digital-display-P2446.asp
https://estore.ti.com/eZ430-Chronos-433-eZ430-Chronos-Wireless-Watch-Development-Tool-P1734.aspx
one thing's for sure, it will be hard to type with both hands on those droids
The Uber-rich and sufficiently nerdy are much more likely to fork out for something like this.
I honestly don't see the point of this. I was in a watch museum in La-Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland, the curator said to me that a watch is not to tell you the time, time is free, It's available on every phone, every computer screen, nearly every street corner, and if you're really stuck simply ask someone.
Watches are fashion accessories.
With that in mind the I'm Watch looks like a cheap toy.
It was handy getting news, sports and weather on the watch.
But it was expensive, you needed a subscription and the battery had trouble getting through the day. I wouldn't mind seeing an update of this form factor at all. Hopefully they've got the battery performance figured out, although I doubt it, considering its screen tech. But the price will probably be about what the SmartWatch was a decade ago - not cheap enough, and you'll still need some sort of subscription (ie. cell contract) if you want any connectivity.
I want a bracer with curved OLED screen. Kind of like a smart phone but permanently landscape oriented. Just make it tough enough to take a few bumps and push against it such as when you might be lifting something but still light enough and with enough ventilation so you don't get sweaty wrist. With a touch screen it's the ultimate geeks toy. Always within reach, no more pulling out your smart device. And for you uber geek you they can wear the left and right handed models on both arms. You can have a vertical mode with your wright facing you and your hand pointed up (dialing a phone number) and an angled orientation for holding your wrist in front of you. If the screen were 360 all the way around your wrist then even better. I can even image a bizarre way of taping behind back side of your wrist for tap typing in a way similar to a stenographers keyboard.
http://direct.msn.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Personal_Objects_Technology
A double din android car stereo.
I made a personal prototype that I use and every single person that sees it wants one, just not at the $2200.00 price tag I have on them.. $1000 in parts and $1200 in my labor for a week comes with no warranty.
This would be an item that one of these china crap companies could make and dominate a market.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
and those that do, usually wear some kind of gentleman's watch... not a digital timepiece.
What this world is coming to - is for you and me to decide.
...Some time ago there was a post about a guy who created a wrist strap and holder for his iPod Nano. This seems a lot like it, anyone know if there's a connection?
Found the URL: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1104350651/tiktok-lunatik-multi-touch-watch-kits
From the amount of money pledged I think it can be assumed that he found some fairly major backing
Miniaturization is not the big challenge with concepts like these, battery life is. Close behind battery life comes interface: how do you get information into and out of the darn thing? How much fun would it be to try to type an email on a watch using one hand?
Last but not least you have to think through the use-cases very thoroughly. Look at the iPad. Pretty, cool to have. Not terribly useful. Where do you have time to sit down and use it? If you live in Chicago, New York, or some other place that has public transportation you might get lucky enough to get a seat so you can type. But if you have to stand in rush hour traffic you need one hand to hold on to something, which means you need the other hand to hold the device and a third hand to type/interact with the screen. If you are at home or work and want to get real work done, you're gonna want to be able to touch type and you can't do that with a tablet. So again, not terribly useful.
In the same vein, why would you have a watch like this instead of a smartphone? What use-case would trump the use-case for a phone? Because it's attached to your wrist and you're never going to accidentally leave it at home? Because you can take it into the shower with you?
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
I already carry a powerful, internet-enabled device in my pocket (my smartphone).. If my watch could connect to that one without killing my phone/its own battery, that would be much more interesting. With Bluetooth Low Energy being adopted, this isn't too far into the future I guess!
Webroot Security on Android wants to block platform.html on the wimm site due to being known for malware or spam. YMMV. Could also be tactical from a competitor.. someone should find out.
People just don't wear watches anymore. It makes since, too, since you're carrying a cell phone, which has a clock on it. You're surrounded by devices that will tell you the time. A watch is an item from a paradigm that just doesn't exist anymore.
Maybe they can make a buggy whip holster with android on it too.
8-)
-- Mike Greaves
I was looking for an alternative solution to using a headphone remote for hanging up, switching tracks, volume, and see what's playing. There was something like the wimm (probably that) on the market running android + bluetooth that did this. It was a great idea but poor execution. It had problems connecting. I still think it would be cool to have but since purchasing a pair of Klipsch s4i, now s5i's I was done with it. Still, the phone remote would be cool, especially now that phones are becoming the new in-home entertainment center.
Oh... It was a Sony Ericsson LiveView. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN2qoA0FfHQ
It's a good idea.
As I predicted, those iPod watch straps have shown of for $1 on the deal-a-day type web sites. No one wants to have to push a button to see the time. That went out on the 80s when LCD displays displaced LED displays from digital watches. People forgot about that when they came up with the iPod-as-a-watch idea a couple years ago, but now they've figured it out again.
Now some dopes are proposing the same folly with a device that runs Android. If you call it a watch it is doomed to failure. People will stop wearing their watches for a week or so until they figure out how inconvenient it is to push a button to check the time. Then they'll take off the Android device and put their watches back on and that will be the end of that. If you don't call it a watch people may wear the Android device and their watches and will then revel in all the cool stuff the Android device can do.
People will constantly be watching their watch for timely information. Oh Noes! Worse, they will be constantly looking at their wrist for this timely information. Oh, and the "Dick Tracey" two-way wrist radio is an interesting idea, but how will you get all those tubes into a little thing you put on your wrist, and worse, who will want to electronically communicate with people with a little gadget you carry around all the time? It will never take off. Oh Wait!
I still wear CASIO Data Bank watches (150 model right now) since they are small and light. I am a small guy with thin wrists (like a kid). I looked at these PDA watches, but they're too big, heavy, battery lives are short, etc. It looks like Android has the same problem. Are there any fancy useful watches that are like the old CASIO Data Bank watches?
I just need a scheduler, times/clocks, basic calculator, alarms, etc. or do I have to keep buying and using CASIO Data Danks? And no I don't want to rely on cell/smart phones because I have multiple disabilities (hearing and speech impediments too so phones aren't useful to me -- Internet is!) and can't hold them correctly. I use my wrist as support to hold my watches so I can use them. :(
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
Remember when we all scoffed at the idea of cameras on cell phones?
This is the future folks. Within years your wrist watch will be your cell phone, your bluetooth head set will suffice. How will you actually dial and what not? Voice commands. you'll be able to take pictures with it. The display? Holographic. Like in Star Wars! Commander Cody... execute Order 66. Like that.
Then I might. I'd love to have my watch show little recaps of emails, caller id, etc. How many times do you hear your phone and don't want to go digging for it.
I'd rather this be just a dummy terminal with great battery life that my phone can control via bluetooth or whatever.
Everybody has a smartphone. If you want to do something useful, make a watch that is just a low power, dumb, bluetooth receiver and remote control. Using the buttons on your watch to skip to the next song would actually be useful. Having a display on your wrist which can alternate between, say, 4 sources of information streamed from your phone would also be useful (next appointment... Last text/email... Etc).
Having a computer with a horrid interface, painful specs, and horrible battery life, isn't useful, nor necessary.
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
It's kind of strange this Dick Tracy watch idea keeps coming back time and again. They did not sell well even at a time when people wore watches for timekeeping. Now we use our phones for that. But still somebody thinks a new big contraption strapped to my wrist, making nothing easier and not fun to use, something yet again to charge every night is a good idea. Anyway. I still have (but no longer wear) an old Seiko Bell-matic automatic watch. As is usual for this type of watches, it has a unbalanced weight inside which winds it up with the motion of my wrist as I go about walking and waving to people. This was before the Kinetic line of watches, which used the same kind of rotary-weight to charge the battery. If and when somebody can put together the technology to charge the darn thing with movement/body heat/air pollution AND have a practical use then it may sell. Maybe a long time after we get implants as enhancements anyway (Nikkor eyes with zoom and nightvision anyone?)