Log in

View Full Version : Amazing SPOT Mock-up Designs


Jason Dunn
06-25-2003, 08:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://old.timezone.com/~rkny/spot2.html' target='_blank'>http://old.timezone.com/~rkny/spot2.html</a><br /><br /></div>I was contacted by a fellow named Rob a few days ago, and he had a link that made my eyes pop out of my head 8O - read Rob's story below, then click on the link, and you'll see why. I don't actually wear a watch day to day, but this might get me to start!<br /><br />"Back on a steamy day in July 2001, when I received an email entitled "Job Opportunity", I almost dismissed it as spam. But I read it anyway. Turns out it was from a fellow wristwatch fan who lurks at Timezone.com, a site I write for. It's not unlike Pocket PC Thoughts, but it's dedicated to wristwatches. He said he had liked my work at Timezone and his "group" was looking for a graphic designer for an upcoming project. His email address was @microsoft.com. Hmm. I called him. We hit it off. By the end of that week, I was on a plane to Redmond to discuss the project. I made a little presentation and found myself hired. Then I signed a huge stack of papers that basically said I was sworn to secrecy regarding any and all aspects of the project, under penalty of death.<!><br /><br />So I spent the next two years working on this top secret project, out of my home office, unable to tell a soul what I was doing. <br /><br />In February 2003, the cat was let out of the bag. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Bill Gates unveiled some examples of <br />Microsoft's newest venture, Smart Personal Objects Technology, or 'SPOT'. As many now know, SPOT is the technology behind an upcoming wave of new devices, from key chains to alarm clocks to refrigerator magnets and more, that receive data via radio signal. <br /><br />I was mostly hired to work on the digital wristwatches...more specifically, brainstorming, mostly via graphics, on how the watches should operate, what the screens might look like, what advertising and merchandising for the watches might look like, what the watches themselves might look like, etc. <br /><br />As with Pocket PCs, Microsoft is designing the tech and letting other folks make the thing. So far, Fossil, Citizen, and Suunto have signed on and will be producing watches using the SPOT technology. The first offerings should be on the shelves by fall. <br /><br />So what does this watch do anyhow? Well, for instance, if it knows your daily commuting route, it can analyze the traffic conditions on that route and alert you to problem areas. If there's a tractor trailer jack knifed on Main St., you'll know right when you wake up by looking at your watch, instead of having to hang around the radio or TV for the traffic report. You'll even have the option to have an alarm automatically set itself earlier based on traffic delays or poor weather conditions...i.e. if you went to bed with the watch set to wake you up at 7am, but there was an accident on your route at 5:30am, the watch could wake you up at 6am instead, so you have time to find an alternate route to work. <br /><br />It can also provide info on airline schedules, stocks, weather, news, sports etc. You'll be able to customize what content you receive on the watch. The content will change depending on where you are. If you fly to California, you'll get local California weather updates on your watch when you land. Your watch will also automatically display the local time wherever you are. <br /><br />The variety of content is virtually endless...everything from movie times to restaurant reviews, short text messages from friends and family, upcoming meeting details, directions to a local store. <br /><br />Thanks to Bill & Co. for a great gig!"

Foo Fighter
06-25-2003, 08:05 PM
Initially, I thumbed my nose at Microsoft's SPOT concept. But this might just have some merit to it. And if the price is fairly reasonable on the watches, and service, I my adopt this technology. We'll see.

Enderet
06-25-2003, 08:09 PM
8O :lol: :D :) 8) :alfdance: These seem really nice. Ah I can already imagine the possibilities. Like Foo said... I hope the prices are good... Im one potential customer :D

Crystal Eitle
06-25-2003, 08:13 PM
Those images are so cool! As someone for whom aesthetics are supremely important, I like the idea of being able to customize the display of my watch. I hope they're able to make them at least somewhat sleek - not like the current wrist-PDA watches that only a geek could wear with pride.

Very intriguing.

bbarker
06-25-2003, 08:15 PM
Why does it sound a lot like those Microsoft Internet outhouses (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12180&highlight=outhouse) that turned out to be a hoax?

Leviathan
06-25-2003, 08:18 PM
Looks cool... but, as usual, I'll wait until they release version 2 or at least until Service Pack 3 is out. :D

Lev

Jason Dunn
06-25-2003, 08:20 PM
Why does it sound a lot like those Microsoft Internet outhouses (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12180&highlight=outhouse) that turned out to be a hoax?

This is really a service that will be launching, along with products, I asure you. Google Micorosft SPOT and see what comes up.

bbarker
06-25-2003, 08:22 PM
Sure it is.

Foo Fighter
06-25-2003, 08:24 PM
This service will run on an FM frequency backbone.

GoldKey
06-25-2003, 08:25 PM
Any guess what the product as well as monthly service might cost?

Mexico
06-25-2003, 08:26 PM
This is really a service that will be launching, along with products, I asure you. Google Micorosft SPOT and see what comes up.

I googled "Micorosft SPOT" but nothing came up... :wink:

Leviathan
06-25-2003, 08:29 PM
This is really a service that will be launching, along with products, I asure you. Google Micorosft SPOT and see what comes up.

I googled "Micorosft SPOT" but nothing came up... :wink:


are you "asure" you googled correctly?


Lev

Kati Compton
06-25-2003, 08:34 PM
Those images are so cool! As someone for whom aesthetics are supremely important, I like the idea of being able to customize the display of my watch. I hope they're able to make them at least somewhat sleek - not like the current wrist-PDA watches that only a geek could wear with pride.
I'll be surprised if they have a ladies' form factor on this... Maybe further down the line, but I'm still doubtful.

freitasm
06-25-2003, 08:45 PM
Any guess what the product as well as monthly service might cost?

This link shows some definitions (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=959), including prices and availability I've found earlier this month.

Basically $9.95/mo $59/yr...
[/b]

Paul Martin
06-25-2003, 08:52 PM
I googled "Micorosft SPOT" but nothing came up... :wink:

Try this (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Microsoft+SPOT). Tip o' the day: the note Google puts for "Did you mean" has sure helped my typo-proned fingers! :roll:

Kati Compton
06-25-2003, 09:12 PM
Try this (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Microsoft+SPOT). Tip o' the day: the note Google puts for "Did you mean" has sure helped my typo-proned fingers! :roll:
Mexico was ribbing Jason about a typo in his post.

MikeKey
06-25-2003, 09:26 PM
I remember reading a press release about SPOT last year. There was a picture of Bill Gates standing there surrounded by all sorts of cool gadgetry from fridge magnets to alarm clocks that all do 'the SPOT thing' like receiving weather, traffic info, stocks, etc.

I can't wait to get my hands on this stuff, it's a brilliant idea. I'm betting it won't be available in the UK for some time tho :cry:

I think it's about $10 per month or there's a yearly subscription for $75 or something. As I recall, different radio stations will just piggy-back the SPOT signals onto their existing broadcasts and SPOT devices will just pick them up :D

Mike

Paul Martin
06-25-2003, 09:28 PM
Mexico was ribbing Jason about a typo in his post.

:oops: Shows you what happens when you try to do work and follow the forumns at the same time. Whoops, gotta go...........

disconnected
06-25-2003, 09:33 PM
I haven't read anything about this, but if it's going to broadcast all kinds of local info, I think I'd rather have it on my PDA so I'd have a larger screen to read it on.

Jonathon Watkins
06-25-2003, 09:36 PM
I'm betting it won't be available in the UK for some time tho :cry:

Exactly what I was thinking! :?

brianchris
06-25-2003, 09:38 PM
I was at Bill Gates' keynote at this year's CES where SPOT was first announced (perhaps a lot of you were too?). Regardless, like Foo Fighter said, when Bill first mentioned exactly what the secret project was, at first I was underwhelmed.......a monchrome watch? :zzz:

HOWEVER, ten minutes into his speech, it all clicked.....this was an amazing technology that I couldn't wait to use. I won't reiterate his speech or the whole marketing campagin for SPOT here, but it really is a new way of getting current accurate information on a device most people already carry with them now on a daily basis (i.e. a wristwatch).

-Brian

Santa Fe
06-25-2003, 09:39 PM
http://www.suunto.com/pls/suunto/suunto2.pubmainpage.frameset

Click on "N Series". Sunnto is guessing it will be available by the end of 2003 per their e-mail response to me in late 2002.

Mexico
06-25-2003, 09:49 PM
:oops: Shows you what happens when you try to do work and follow the forumns at the same time. Whoops, gotta go...........

Micorosft... forumns... :silly: (yes, I'm a smart ass...) :wink:

Pat Logsdon
06-25-2003, 09:59 PM
Fossil has a picture and description of their watch (http://www.fossil.com/Tech/productfeatspot.asp?Tier1=Tech) on their site.

Looks a little bulky, but the "cool factor" is off the chart! 8)

egads
06-25-2003, 10:02 PM
Maybe I just cheap, but the prices seem a bit high for both the watches and the service. I'd pay $25 a year for the service and $50 to $100 for a watch. I think most people will pass on these, only the gadget types will bite on these.

Paul Martin
06-25-2003, 10:09 PM
Micorosft... forumns... :silly: (yes, I'm a smart ass...) :wink:

Actually, as I typed it...I wondered, but not too long. :roll: Now back to your regularly scheduled topic.

peterawest
06-25-2003, 10:10 PM
Take a look here if you want to try out an interactive demo:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/spot/default4.mspx

Leviathan
06-25-2003, 10:23 PM
This SPOT thing may have a chance of success only in the States. The rest of the world enjoy a pretty efficient GSM network that can deliver SMS and MMS (containing any soft of objects) with a lot more variety of information and at 9$ per month of usage they really will be lucky to sell few just to the dealers. Machine-2-Machine MMS are getting quite common, almost everybody can publish data on the new generation phones and there is no need to reach agreements with radio stations.

Lev

freitasm
06-25-2003, 10:40 PM
This SPOT thing may have a chance of success only in the States. The rest of the world enjoy a pretty efficient GSM network that can deliver SMS and MMS (containing any soft of objects) with a lot more variety of information and at 9$ per month of usage they really will be lucky to sell few just to the dealers. Machine-2-Machine MMS are getting quite common, almost everybody can publish data on the new generation phones and there is no need to reach agreements with radio stations.

Lev

True. Companies are created just for SMS and MMS delivery of subscription-based information. With a mobile phone any user has coverage in 70% of the planet - try doing this with FM 8)

rcecme
06-25-2003, 10:51 PM
Looks like I'll be sticking with my 9.95 Wal-Mart watch.

Can't afford to pay 9.95 a month to have a watch that will probably perform as good as my PocketPc sometimes does. :mrgreen:

mjaffe
06-25-2003, 11:02 PM
Page at mircosoft...

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2002/nov02/11-17SPOT.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/images/features/2002/11-17spot-sm.jpg

Marc

GoldKey
06-25-2003, 11:13 PM
Any guess what the product as well as monthly service might cost?

This link shows some definitions (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=959), including prices and availability I've found earlier this month.

Basically $9.95/mo $59/yr...
[/b]

Another question, I am assuming that spot technology is designed such that a person may have multiple spot devices, (watch, ref magnet, etc). Would that mean you would have to pay an individual service fee for each device you had, or can you get your subscription data pumped to multiple devices?

Skitals
06-25-2003, 11:33 PM
Another question, I am assuming that spot technology is designed such that a person may have multiple spot devices, (watch, ref magnet, etc). Would that mean you would have to pay an individual service fee for each device you had, or can you get your subscription data pumped to multiple devices?

IU have the same question...

I really like the idea of this technology. Im sure the next-gen (not the ppc2k3 launch, obviously) pocket pc's will have spot technology built into them. From what I gather its just a small radio receiver. Wouldnt it be nice to have a 5 day forcast on our today screen, with live headlines... all without a gsm/gprs/bt/802.11x connection? Broadcasting this kinda info seems trivial and I dont see why this was thought up before... we could have had this technology 10 years ago.

William
06-25-2003, 11:44 PM
Did anyone notice all those Palms in the Microsoft ads? 8O No single Pocket PC. :?

Pat Logsdon
06-25-2003, 11:50 PM
Did anyone notice all those Palms in the Microsoft ads? 8O No single Pocket PC. :?
I had that same thought, but then I noticed that they were referring to PDA's as the "old way" of doing things. They probably don't want their products shown in that light.

Leviathan
06-26-2003, 12:06 AM
Wouldnt it be nice to have a 5 day forcast on our today screen, with live headlines... all without a gsm/gprs/bt/802.11x connection? Broadcasting this kinda info seems trivial and I dont see why this was thought up before... we could have had this technology 10 years ago.


Could be because you need a nation wide broadcast station and generally they do not broadcast at the same frequency everywhere? Giving the current MS trend, these thing will probably perform as follows:

SmartPhones: 60,000 units sold
TabletPC: 40,000 units sold
Spot devices 10,000 units sold.........


Lev

JoeMoon
06-26-2003, 12:13 AM
Knowing Microsoft, I wonder what kind of new bugs we would run into... Like data loss - suppose you use the watch as an alarm clock and it mysteriously loses data in the middle of the night... Would you wake up to a blinking watch - similar to your flashing VCR clock?

How about hacks! Can you imagine hacking into someone's watch and changing the time zone of 'em?

What about interesting subscriber based services? Like a dating service! Suppose this service can tell you when a compatible, eligible mate is in the vacinity... It can provide you with GPS like data to come within touching distance of the potential partner!

Hmmm... All we need now is transporter technology and this thing just might be the end all of all future gadgets!

Yeah, I agree... The possibilities are endless...

Joe...

Latch
06-26-2003, 12:50 AM
--> The Radio Alarm goes off, The DJ anounces the days headlines and the weather.
--> I Turn on my desktop at home to check overnight email, Homepage comes up (you guessed it-- it has the weather)
--> Moving into the living room to enjoy a bowl of cereal, I flip on the TV... They anounce the weather.
--> Looking out the window I see the thermometer on the deck (current temperature... and visual on the weather)
--> Sync my pocket pc (which now contains the weather forcast.)
--> Drive to work... Morning Drive Radio, with weather.
--> Pass the Bank (Current temperature/weather on the outside scroll sign)
--> Pass the Newspaper Stand... Weather outlook right on the front page... more info inside.
--> Get to work, Home page of the corporate intranet (more weather)
--> Go to coffee break, "guess what" says someone at the table "the weather is going to be..."

And oh yeah... I'm pretty sure I can get the weather on my cell phone too.

The technology is neat... but there isn't anything they are offering that is worth $10 a month to the average joe who already has all the above vehicles of comunication. Especially if you own a PocketPC/Palm and a Cellphone.

Now charge me for the watch and give the info away... and I'm all for it :) Of course then I'd probably have to get ads throughout the day

--> Chime Chime
"D@mn it!" I say.

"Problem with your watch Chris?"

"No" I say "Just some-- Grow Your Penis 3 inches and Free Mortgage information Instant Spam :( "

possmann
06-26-2003, 01:02 AM
:jawdrop: i love it - must have... now when? How long do I have to wait?

He Ed! How come there is now drooling emoticon? LOL!

sweetpete
06-26-2003, 01:13 AM
Again, the nay sayers are here bashing something they've never laid hands on. Not all technology tools are intended for everyone and this is a clear example.

Microsoft is introducing smarter technology to something many of us carry around with us every day and everywhere. Yes, PDA's, computers and phones have access to much of the same information and those of us that are tech savvy have no problems using these devices to obtain the same info. This is dumbing it down a little and bringing it to the masses at an affordable price. People spend $100 on a watch easily, but few spend between $200 - 500 for connected PDA's and smartphones.

Those of you that say GSM phones can do this with SMS ... I challenge you to show me a service that has similar features. Yes, I can subscribe to weather, traffic, a stock quote SMS to my phone from services and I've done that for over 3 yrs., but can they adjust my alarm clock in the morning to move it up because of a 10 car pile-up on the 101? No! The information and ability is out there to do this, but no one has done it until now. :idea: Now we just have to wait and see if anyone cares enough to buy it, but I'll wager that this thing will start to catch on within a year as more models come out and the word spreads. :mrgreen:

klinux
06-26-2003, 01:25 AM
Sweet - although I hope they really open it up to various OEMs. And somehow, I have a feeling that the best designers out there (Apple and Sony, IMO) won't be participating.

Great work Rob.

freitasm
06-26-2003, 01:39 AM
Those of you that say GSM phones can do this with SMS ... I challenge you to show me a service that has similar features. Yes, I can subscribe to weather, traffic, a stock quote SMS to my phone from services and I've done that for over 3 yrs., but can they adjust my alarm clock in the morning to move it up because of a 10 car pile-up on the 101? No! The information and ability is out there to do this, but no one has done it until now. :idea: Now we just have to wait and see if anyone cares enough to buy it, but I'll wager that this thing will start to catch on within a year as more models come out and the word spreads. :mrgreen:

And why you want to adjust your alarm clock if there's a pile up? I mean, if there's an automatic way of doing this and Microsoft puts an EULA saying "we're not responsible for any loss", what would happen if the alarm is adjusted because of a fault? Because of a hacker? Are you going to claim this against MS? Nope.

It's not because technology is there that you have to use it. Have you read the stories about people losing all contents of their Pocket PCs because of a fault in ActiveSync? What about the fault last month where users of Windows XP were not able to connect to the internet at all after an automatic update was delivered? Tell me, if they can not connect to the internet, how can they download an update to fix the faulty update? Ah, you got it, wait for a CD in the mail!

Nope, :devilboy: too much automation is bad. Unless you want your life in someone's else hands.

Steven Cedrone
06-26-2003, 01:45 AM
Just like in some of those ads, I'd rather carry one of them over a Palm any day!!!

Steve

dean_shan
06-26-2003, 03:34 AM
I thought the idea was neat when I heard about it in January. I really like the one from Citizen that looks like a real watch and not some 80s lcd watch. I have a bad feeling that the SPOT system will not work in Alaska, and even if it did I doubt it will work in rural Alaska.

acronym
06-26-2003, 03:44 AM
I like how they hype up the whole thing, but when you read the details - and what is coming out soon - its nothing more that what we had with alphanumeric pagers a couple of years ago - except its a little smaller, and you can't send out anything.

konfoo
06-26-2003, 05:58 AM
I find it interesting the amount of hype there is about this product. I've worked in this field (encapsulating data in FM/HDTV/Satellite/whatever signals) for the last 8 years. SPOT as a transmission system is nothing new. Reception on a watch is.

Here's some things you have to bear in mind when looking at this service:

1. It is not akin to SMS or any other Cell service, since there is no return path. Meaning that you have no way to communicate back to the source. You can receive data, parse it, but thats it. Cell connectivity via GPRS or whatever network you use is way beyond this.

2. All users receive the same info in the same coverage area. Don't count on being able to view 'your' stock tickers. Count on being able to view the 'top 5' tickers as determined by the service provider. Your choice will be determining which one of those 5 to display on the screen.

3. Don't count on any rich media. The datarate for FM encapsulation is usually in the 10-20kbits range. Usually in the 9.6kbit range if you factor in FEC and error correction data. So the services offered will be extremely generic (weather info, timesync, and basic news)

4. Don't count on instant updates of all your data. Because the datarate is so slow, everything is transmitted in a FIFO queue. Items like a traffic alert can take priority, but you will still have a queue in the end.

5. Don't believe the hype about the services and info offered. The data on your watch is only as good as the source material.

Anyway just my 2c.

ctmagnus
06-26-2003, 06:06 AM
Look! You have to charge it every so often, too. Either that or synch it.

http://old.timezone.com/~rkny/spot/charger2watchonb.jpg

SeanJ
06-26-2003, 12:15 PM
Microsoft SPOT watch, just what we need, a watch that blue screens once a week and requires us to constantly download and install security patches and bug-fixes for... :wink:

I think I'll opt for the new wristwatch phones being launched later this year by Samsung etc

idomolau
06-26-2003, 04:12 PM
Yes, I agree this is a cool idea and concept, but will wait the version 2. Then, we will have a better idea how good and how reliable it is... 0X

aroma
06-26-2003, 04:46 PM
With a mobile phone any user has coverage in 70% of the planet

70% of the planet? Yeah right... :huh:

Leviathan
06-26-2003, 05:40 PM
70% of the planet? Yeah right... :huh:


Yes, right, http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/index.shtml, listed there you will find 197 countries/areas where you just need to turn on your GSM phone right out the plane and be connected without any further setup.

Lev

aroma
06-26-2003, 06:10 PM
70% of the planet? Yeah right... :huh:


Yes, right, http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/index.shtml, listed there you will find 197 countries/areas where you just need to turn on your GSM phone right out the plane and be connected without any further setup.

Lev

And how does that give you coverage on 70% of the PLANET???

Steven Cedrone
06-26-2003, 06:22 PM
Hey guys, it may be time to take this discussion off line...

Steven Cedrone
Community Moderator

scottmag
06-26-2003, 06:23 PM
2. All users receive the same info in the same coverage area. Don't count on being able to view 'your' stock tickers. Count on being able to view the 'top 5' tickers as determined by the service provider. Your choice will be determining which one of those 5 to display on the screen.

This is true of devices like pagers too. All devices "receive the same info" because it is broadcast over a wide coverage area. However, only the device the data is intended for displays it. These SPOT devices will receive personal data. that's the whole point. Look through the marketing hype and you will see examples of personalized data including messaging.


3. Don't count on any rich media. The datarate for FM encapsulation is usually in the 10-20kbits range. Usually in the 9.6kbit range if you factor in FEC and error correction data. So the services offered will be extremely generic (weather info, timesync, and basic news)

Rather than rich media with color and animation I am more interested in high resolution to get more readable information on a small screen.


4. Don't count on instant updates of all your data. Because the datarate is so slow, everything is transmitted in a FIFO queue. Items like a traffic alert can take priority, but you will still have a queue in the end.

This sort of reminds me of an alpha pager I used to have. It had info slots for different news categories that were periodically updated throughout the day. This would happen silently as it was simply data I could peruse if I was interested. Then pages or alerts would come through immediately and beep or vibrate depending on how I had the device set up. I'd imaging this system working the same way. Various data services would flow out from a queue while time-sensitive messages would jump to the front and go out immediately. Sports scores and weather updates would have to wait.


5. Don't believe the hype about the services and info offered. The data on your watch is only as good as the source material.

We're talking about Microsoft here, right? :wink:
Good point.

Scott

sambeckett
06-27-2003, 05:33 AM
Cool! This thread was /. ed! 0X

rlobrecht
06-27-2003, 01:41 PM
Cool! This thread was /. ed! 0X

I saw that too. What's really cool is that the new server handles all the traffic /. generates.

G. I.
06-27-2003, 11:22 PM
this SPOT thing will be something like that...

http://members.chello.hu/kozari.erzsebet/watch/GI-msw.jpg

bbarker
06-27-2003, 11:32 PM
That's hilarious!

Jonathon Watkins
06-28-2003, 01:01 PM
8O :rotfl:

Vincent M Ferrari
07-05-2003, 11:28 PM
If any of these pan out, they may actually sell some!

Those designs are sweet!!!