01-09-2003, 05:53 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Microsoft Unveils Smart Watches, Media Players
Call me a Microsoft fanboy if you want, but why does it take a company like Microsoft to do something like this - something so simple, so obvious. I know that Microsoft isn't the first to make "smart watches", but there's a clarity of vision here that makes more sense than anything else I've seen from other companies on the market.
"The smart watches, which recall the futuristic designs once popularized by the comic book crime fighter Dick Tracy, will receive data over FM radio spectrum leased by Microsoft, a system the company calls DirectBand. Watch makers such as Fossil and Citizen have signed on to produce the devices, which run on chips manufactured by National Semiconductor and utilize Microsoft's Smart Personal Objects Technology, or SPOT. No determination had been made yet as to what, if any, monthly service fees would be charged or whether Microsoft or the watch makers would control how users customize their wrist-borne devices, company representatives said."
Then there's the portable media player design. This sounds like a very cool idea, but I wish Microsoft would build the hardware - they make good, solid hardware. But, like the Pocket PC, they don't want to go it alone - they want to build up an industry around them, and that means getting OEMs on board.
"Microsoft also said it is working with Intel Corp. on a design for portable players code-named "Media2Go." The devices, which would hold at least 12 hours of audio or six hours of video, are targeted to hit retailers later this year. Among the companies that will build the units, Microsoft said, are Sanyo, Samsung and ViewSonic. The new players will feature screens at least four inches wide, with ports to connect them to television sets for video-quality playback."
There's a very interesting video that talks about SPOT on CNET that you should check out (thanks to Peter West for sending it in).
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01-09-2003, 06:13 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 39
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Very clever concept. Would be a great addition to a pocket pc. But i'm not sure if i would pay $10.00/month (pc world quoted this price) to get the weather on my watch. I also wonder if the fee convers more than 1 device.
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01-09-2003, 06:22 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 864
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Seiko had something very similar a few years back.... http://smasher.com/fun/watch/info.html just wouldn't want to end up in a lurch if they stop supporting it, besides have you seen the watch? It is butt-ugly!
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01-09-2003, 06:28 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 124
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Quote:
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"Microsoft also said it is working with Intel Corp. on a design for portable players code-named "Media2Go." The devices, which would hold at least 12 hours of audio or six hours of video, are targeted to hit retailers later this year. Among the companies that will build the units, Microsoft said, are Sanyo, Samsung and ViewSonic. The new players will feature screens at least four inches wide, with ports to connect them to television sets for video-quality playback."
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Interesting. It was rumored that an iPod with video playback would be coming out soon. I have to wonder if this will push for faster development of an MPEG4 video playback device at Apple.
Jason, if you are a Microsoft fanboy, I guess I am an Apple fan boy. Well, maybe not too much - I use a PocketPC, Microsoft Office, and don't own an iPod.
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01-09-2003, 06:32 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 96
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by entropy1980
Seiko had something very similar a few years back.... http://smasher.com/fun/watch/info.html just wouldn't want to end up in a lurch if they stop supporting it, besides have you seen the watch? It is butt-ugly! |
somebody post a picture I wanna see it!
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01-09-2003, 06:47 PM
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,878
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Hank Scorpio
Quote:
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Originally Posted by entropy1980
Seiko had something very similar a few years back.... http://smasher.com/fun/watch/info.html just wouldn't want to end up in a lurch if they stop supporting it, besides have you seen the watch? It is butt-ugly! |
somebody post a picture I wanna see it! |
See this thread...
Steve
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01-09-2003, 06:54 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 864
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Just go to Fossil's site they have a ton of info.....
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01-09-2003, 07:17 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by entropy1980
Seiko had something very similar a few years back.... http://smasher.com/fun/watch/info.html just wouldn't want to end up in a lurch if they stop supporting it, besides have you seen the watch? It is butt-ugly! |
That one was, but there were very pretty MessageWatches too. I know, I have (had?) one. The special band finally broke, and so I've ordered an atomic Casio watch. Unfortunately, as you said, the Seiko service died years ago. While it was a nice standalone watch, you're right, you want some assurance of service. The new one I'm getting uses the NIST service, broadcasted from Colorado, which isn't going anywhere.
--janak
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01-09-2003, 07:19 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 864
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
Quote:
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Originally Posted by entropy1980
Seiko had something very similar a few years back.... http://smasher.com/fun/watch/info.html just wouldn't want to end up in a lurch if they stop supporting it, besides have you seen the watch? It is butt-ugly! |
That one was, but there were very pretty MessageWatches too. I know, I have (had?) one. The special band finally broke, and so I've ordered an atomic Casio watch. Unfortunately, as you said, the Seiko service died years ago. While it was a nice standalone watch, you're right, you want some assurance of service. The new one I'm getting uses the NIST service, broadcasted from Colorado, which isn't going anywhere.
--janak |
No i was saying the new MS watch is butt-ugly I mean look at it:
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01-09-2003, 07:25 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,023
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I love the idea of a smarter watch, but the services listed just don't get me going that much. Weather? Sports? Time sync? Eeeeh. Audio and Video sounds somewhat cooler, but only from a "Excuse me while I plug headphones into my wrist watch." perspective.
Still, if they can make it do some spiffy stuff for around or under $200, and make it look decent enough to wear... why not. Right now I use one of them Casio watches with the little keypad and databank to store numbers, addresses, calculator functions, etc. It's simple but at least what it can do is handy.
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