Keep your PIM data with you, leave your Pocket PC at home

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/business/3274274.htm">http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/business/3274274.htm</a><br /><br />I rarely go anywhere without my Pocket PC, but there are times when it is best left at home or in the car. And it never fails. I run into someone I know and they ask about lunch or some weekend get together and I have no clue what my schedule looks like.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/fossil.jpg" /><br /><br />Fossil may have the solution, a <a href="http://www.fossil.com/Product/Product.asp?Tier1=Mens&Tier2=MW&Dept%5FID=MW&Cat%5FID=MW22&Prod%5FID=FX2001">watch that synchronizes with your PDA.</a> Right now it only supports IR beaming with Palm, but a Pocket PC version is on the way. It will store your contacts, tasks, appointments and notes. It isn't perfect though. It is a read-only device so you cannot make changes or add new info, it is a bit bulky and the UI still needs some work, but this is a good start. In a way it reminds me of the now defunct REX devices. Those were PCMCIA sized PDA's that were primarly read only. The problem was you still had to have a pocket to carry your info around. With this watch, you can wear it at the beach with no worries. Let's hope Fossil continues with this product line reducing the size and making the UI more user friendly.

[jwf]

Casio have one already ...

http://www.casio.com/watches/product.cfm?section=16&market=0&product=3437

John

[lbcox]

Thanks for the Casio link, but I like the clean looks of the Fossil better and the interface is very smooth compared to the Casio (too many buttons). I'm sure there are some glitches in the first version.

[jwf]

[Whispers] But I think the Fossil one actually runs PalmOS ;-)

[djl]

[Whispers] But I think the Fossil one actually runs PalmOS ;-)

The Pocket PC version is due out in June or July. :D

[lbcox]

I find myself in the same situation, especially when I'm going out with my wife. She likes the "geek factor" to be very low key, so I leave my iPAQ in the car or whatever. But I still need the data for making phone calls or appts. Thanks for the Casio link, but I like the clean looks of the Fossil better and the interface is very smooth compared to the Casio (too many buttons). I'm sure there are some glitches in the first version.[/quote]

[jwf]

[Whispers] But I think the Fossil one actually runs PalmOS ;-)

The Pocket PC version is due out in June or July. :D

Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it. I was under the impression that the device actually ran PalmOS. I really can't see them producing a watch that runs the WinCE OS. Probably just mean sync with Pocket PC don't they?

[djl]

[Whispers] But I think the Fossil one actually runs PalmOS ;-)

The Pocket PC version is due out in June or July. :D

Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it. I was under the impression that the device actually ran PalmOS. I really can't see them producing a watch that runs the WinCE OS. Probably just mean sync with Pocket PC don't they?

Sorry. I should have clarified myself. It's not the Pocket PC OS on the watch; rather, the OS is custom and can be synched to a Pocket PC. Same with the Palm. It's not a Palm OS (Palm OS is written for a 160x160 screen, I think); it's a custom OS that synchs with Hot Sync.

Either way, it will be interesting to see how well the OS and synch'ing works.

[Ed Hansberry]

[Whispers] But I think the Fossil one actually runs PalmOS ;-)
No, it can communicate with PalmOS devices. One is coming out that can communicate and store Pocket PC data soon. I don't know what the watch itself runs, but it is neither Palm nor Pocket PC.

[mmidgley]

I wouldn't mind a device that provided my PIF data read-only, if it could at least take a voice memo like, "Lunch with Russ, Wed. 13:00, at his favorite restaurant", and then later at sync time have memos played back so I can create a proper PIM entry. I do the low-tech equivalent to this sometimes by scribbling on a piece of paper...

m.