10-21-2004, 06:30 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Swatch Enters the SPOT Watch Race
"Swatch has announced Paparazzi, a new MSN Direct watch that comes in four different colors. If you want a watch with personality, you're getting it with Swatch. The colors are extremely vivid and the price is right, MSRP is $150. Swatch is also debuting special content called "Swatch City" which will include local entertainment information. The Paparazzi will come in four color combinations: red with black accents, black with silver, orange with blue and blue with beige. We have a full image gallery below, each including a unique watch face. The bands are silicon, but he faces don't look large enough to house the antenna. It's likely the Paparazzi shares the same antenna deisgn as the Tissot (Swatch is the parent company of Tissot). The watches are also said to be waterproof, which the competing models at this price point are not. Another key point is that Swatch includes a two-year warranty, tied for tops in the MSN Direct category."
If you're a SPOT watch fan, the news that legendary watch maker Swatch is entering the market will come as great news. SPOT Stop has an article about this news, and a review of the Suunto n3i. There were some things I liked about my SPOT watch, but ultimately it didn't do enough for me to warrant continued use. I still think SPOT technology would be awesome in a Pocket PC or Smartphone...
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10-21-2004, 06:33 AM
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10-21-2004, 07:49 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 178
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I hope Timex get into the SPOT market. Their Ironman range is very popular and adding SPOT would make for a perfect time piece. They already have (or used to have) Skytel powered "internet" watches that received data via the paging network.
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10-21-2004, 01:05 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 58
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I like the watch, unfortunately there is no service in my area  Might buy the watch anyway for coolness/geekness factor and the watch looks good. Maybe we will get the service in my area.
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10-21-2004, 01:37 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 335
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I think SPOT will only really take off if there is NO monthly charges.
I'd pay up to $200 for a nice watch but I'm not going to spend $5 per month on top for the life of the watch. A $150 watch with a $50 lifetime service contract may work also...
My 2c
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10-21-2004, 01:56 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 76
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Quote:
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I still think SPOT technology would be awesome in a Pocket PC or Smartphone
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Absolutely. I agree that SPOT technology will be immensely useful in a Pocket PC or smartphone. All it needs is a FM receiver. And all the intereseting content delivered on your device right away. The benefits of the push-model are just enormous.
Happy Dusserha to all from India
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10-21-2004, 02:41 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
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*shrugs* Another useless to semi-useless gimmick to try and sell to the masses but in this case it�s a service so it�s the purchase that keeps on taking. Joy.
Thanks but I'll pass. Give me a watch that
1. I don't have to charge.
2. Doesn't have an OS.
3. Is a one-time purchase.
4. Isn't a digital representation of a real world watch face. :roll:
__________________
PDA History: Palm Pilot 5000 -> Apple Newton 2100 -> Casio E-11 -> iPaq 3650 (64MB Upgrade) -> iPaq 3700 -> Casio EM-500 -> HP Jornada 568 -> HP iPaq hx4705 www.spreadfirefox.com |
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10-21-2004, 04:34 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by PJE
I'd pay up to $200 for a nice watch but I'm not going to spend $5 per month on top for the life of the watch. A $150 watch with a $50 lifetime service contract may work also...
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But why would Microsoft offer services if they couldn't make a profit from it? Their licensing fees for the OS on the watch are probably only a few bucks...
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10-21-2004, 05:45 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 335
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
But why would Microsoft offer services if they couldn't make a profit from it? Their licensing fees for the OS on the watch are probably only a few bucks...
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I feel there should be a one-off fee built into the devices price up front. This would get more poeple to buy the device - especially watches which have a relatively short life (I tend to get a new watch every couple of years) and Microsoft would get multiple payments over time from replacement devices.
As it is they're charging a small number of first adopters the cost of the service rather than taking $10 off millions of possible units, with a one off fee depentant on the capabilities of the device.
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10-21-2004, 05:49 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Originally Posted by Jonathan1
*shrugs* Another useless to semi-useless gimmick to try and sell to the masses but in this case it�s a service so it�s the purchase that keeps on taking. Joy.
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It's not that useless. I carry an n3 and it's quite handy to have, if nothing else, an instant weather-lookup when I'm dressing in the morning.
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1. I don't have to charge.
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I worried about this, but it's much less of a problem than I thought it would be. It takes a second to plug in, and I charge it along with my Pocket PC phone. This way, I won't have to worry about the watch dying randomly when the battery gives out. 
The SPOT OS is extraordinarily stable and fast. It's not your typical Microsoft OS. The UI could use a little work, but that's a relatively small issue. Oh, and did I mention the Outlook alarms are 100% reliable? :lol:
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3. Is a one-time purchase.
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Well, I guess SPOT is the opposite of what you want then. :P It's a "smarter" watch. That "smart"ness is technology that's going to evolve, by definition.
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4. Isn't a digital representation of a real world watch face. :roll:
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Some of them are indeed bad, but others are surprisingly good. It's really neat to be able to get new watch faces. 
--janak
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