The idea to combine several devices into one recently acquired povalny character. This process can be safely called a trend in the industry. The form factor of a wristwatch is becoming more popular among manufacturers of mobile equipment. Take, for example, mobile phones ... With what they just did not interbreed? As such cell is no longer enough, and manufacturers are trying hard, adding to the regular "cell phone" all sorts of "gadgets". A simple example - the so-called smart phones - a "smart phones" (from the English smart - "smart", phone - "phone"). Hybrid mobile phone and handheld computer - is the most common example. But in this paper we do not consider this type of device. We'll talk about the watch, not just hours, and in symbiosis with various devices. Ever wanted to warn readers that this story does not claim to leadership, but has only informative character. Thus, we start our excursion into the bizarre world of devices, but first consider some quite ordinary at first glance wristwatches. We adhere to the principle - from simple to complex, from small to great. This copy is represented by Allied Data Technology. This wristwatch Tornado USB Memory Watch with built-in flash memory.
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| Tornado USB Memory Watch |
Tornado USB Memory Watch (UMW) - a portable storage device built into an elegant wristwatch-based quartz movement Citizen 2035. Watch case is protected from shock and is waterproof to a depth of 30 m. The Tornado UMW performed in 3 different versions: with 64, 128 and 256 MB of memory. Read speed is 1000 KB / s write speeds - 920 kbytes / sec. Battery life - 3 years. If necessary, Tornado UMW allows sensitive data to password protect. The supported standard - USB 1.1. When used in operating systems 98SE, 2000, ME, XP, Linux 2.4 and higher, Mac OS 8.6 and above or PDA with Windows CE 3.0 driver installation is required. Estimated price for UMW ranges from 70 to 200 Euro, depending on the size of a drive. Does not that interesting instance? More - more ... The next device from the company LAKS has an even more interesting options - presented in an improved version of the clock LAKS USB Memory. Upgrading is an integrated 256 MB "flash", the rest - all the same as before. Price of approximately - 149 euros. In addition to this model in the line of present models: 32 MB, 64 MB and 128 MB. Watches are sold only in Europe. Communication with the computer through an interface USB 1.1. Reading speed up to 1 Mb / s, write - 0,92 MB / sec. There is also a version with USB 2.0.
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| LAKS USB Memory |
When you connect to your PC clock to place a 9-hour mark of status indicator lights. Hours are supported by the following operating systems: Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Linux 2.4, Mac OS 8.6. Unit dimension 11 x 40 mm., Weight - 43 grams. Waterproof (to a depth of 1 m - 30 minutes, at a depth of 20 m - 1.5 min), has protection from static and shock. The clock mechanism was designed by Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. The package includes a CD with drivers for Windows for password protection of data and meter extension cable. We reviewed several examples of successful synthesis of traditional watches and computer technology to improve the functionality of the first. But this is only the beginning. Next, get acquainted with even more intelligent and high-tech devices. The very first attempt to unite his watch and a computer were OnHand PC - clock microcomputer - an attempt, I think, not entirely successful. Watches were cumbersome, not very easy to handle, and lost as a notebook as PDAs and phones. Therefore we shall not greatly sharpen our focus on this device, we turn to more interesting, "devaysa" ...In this situation, it is not surprising that such a computer giant, as a corporation Microsoft, has also decided to contribute and learn at the same time another new, maybe a promising market for handheld devices. The head of Microsoft Bill Gates held in Las Vegas in January 2003, the Consumer Electronics Show introduced the wristwatch, based on the so-called technology SPOT (Smart Personal Object Technology). Watches have been issued specifically on the eve of launching Microsoft's new online service called MSN Direct. Its subscribers can receive a variety of information from news and stock quotes to the data on the repertoire of movie theaters, restaurant menus for such a watch. The head of Microsoft described the SPOT-device like this: "If before the clock was part of a pager, the pager will now reverse part of the clock." So we have to deal with clock-pager!
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| Watch-pager from Microsoft, technology-based SPOT |
The release of these hours, created based on SPOT-technology, will be engaged in quite well-known companies Fossil and Suunto. The cost of such "smart" her watch will be from 100 to 300 U.S. dollars. Information on them will come on the radio FM-band. Network Services MSN Direct will be available in 100 U.S. cities located in 50 states, as well as in all major centers in Canada. It should be noted that Microsoft is far unlonely in their endeavors, and commitment to the creation of hours based on the new technology also demonstrate Fossil, Suunto and Citizen Watch Co:
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Will the technology available outside North America, in our region is still unknown. One can only hope ... Another interesting device, a watch with a built-in digital camera were presented by Casio. First there were the model WQV-1 / 2 and WQV-3, equipped with 25,344-pixel color CMOS sensor and allows you to store and up to 80 images (to JPEG, Built-in Memory 1 MB), which then can be transferred to the computer using the infrared port. Watches are equipped with 120 x 120 built-in LCD display with 16 shades of gray, playing the role as a viewfinder and the screen to view the footage.
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| Hours WQV3D-8 with integrated digital camera |
Subsequently, these models have been upgraded. They were replaced by new - WQV-10, in general, repeating their predecessors. Watch differed only by color STN LCD display. Dimensions of the screen is 20x20 pixels, the resolution supported by 78h80 points.
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| Improved clock WQV-10 |
WQV-10 (in part of a digital camera) is also equipped with a 1 / 14 "color CMOS sensor to 25,344 pixels, the system of double optical zoom, use the JPEG compression format and give a picture size of 176x144 pixels. In addition, the built-in clock flash-memory capacity of 1 MB can store up to 100 images, unlike previous models where the number of photos were limited eighties. The infrared port allows wireless connection, as with the PC, and with the predecessor models. It should be noted that the data rate in this case reaches 115.200 BPS.Dimensions are 39.3 x 51 hours, 1h18, 2 mm, and weight varies depending on the material from which made strap (WQV-10J with a rubber strap - 47 grams, WQV-10DJ with a metal strap - 106 g), respectively. As I said earlier, we will move from simple to complex, from small to great. And the time has come. We turn to the most interesting, most complex and truly "mobile an hour! The exhibition WORLD PC EXPO 2001 from the Citizen and IBM Japan Ltd. presented their development - watch the operating system Linux. WatchPad 1.5 computer (as they are called) are, in fact, a microcomputer. On the show exhibited two main versions: a model with a black and white LCD display with a resolution 96h120 and watches with an electroluminescent display, which supports resolution of 640x480 (in Fig. Left).
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| WatchPad 1.5 computer |
Linux-clock technology support wireless voice and data Bluetooth, and IrDA 1.1 - infrared data transfer and printing. Given their small size, the number of embedded I / O devices is simply amazing. Judge: fingerprint scanner, speaker, microphone, keys and sensitive touch screen. Feeds on the tiny built-in PDA Li-Ion battery.
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The heart of the watch is 32-bit processor, and the board contains 8 MB of RAM and 8 MB flash. It eats all this economy from the internal battery, charged through the docking station. In WatchPad 1.5 is lightweight version of Linux, a simple software with an address book, scheduler, games and notebooks. However, watch quite voracious, and, according to IBM, able to operate on a single charge of not more than a day. Their size - 65 x 46 x 16 mm, weight - 1943 Senior Consultant IBM Vaytvik Glen (Glenn Wightwick) reported that the company has no intentions to promote this model to the market, though, if such a device has all the advantages of mobile phones, PDAs and was equipped with high-resolution displays, it certainly would have waited for success. The creation of these hours is just one of many projects under the company's commitment to spend 1 billion dollars. the development of Linux. The main task WatchPad - to prove that the OS is able to administer any type of devices - from largest to smallest. Follow on. So, we have the first version of the hours of Fossil. This unit is compatible with PDAs running Windows operating system Palm OS. According to the manufacturer, the clock is particularly suited to owners of series handhelds Palm III, V, VII, m100 and m500, as well as the Handspring Visor PDA and Edge, and Sony Clie. As vice president of technology at Fossil Donald Brewer said in an interview with Wireless NewsFactor, "using the infrared port available on most modern PDAs, data from the handhelds can be loaded into the clock, which is calculated only on their reading. This information is stored in the built memory capacity of 190 KB. This volume will be enough to keep track of your 1100 contacts, 800 different activities planned, or 350 memos. The owner of these watches can receive up to 20 electronic business cards sent from a PDA or other smart hours. Access to information by means of four-button, causing the drop-down menu.Among other things, a clock, of course, show time:)
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| Watches Fossil FX2001 |
Specs are: CPU Motorola DragonballVZ 33 MHz, 2 MB RAM and 2 MB of flash memory, Palm OS 4.1, touch screen display with a resolution of 160x160 pixels, showing up to 16 shades of gray. There is a built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery, which lasts for 4 days (30 minutes per day) work. Dimensions her watch are 35x51x12, 5 mm. A little later, the second version was released hours - Fossil Wrist PDA-PC, compatible with devices based on the PocketPC. If we compare the Fossil Wrist PDA with the average sports watch, you will notice that the first still more, however, is not much. Dimensions Pocket PC-version - 44 mm in length, 50 mm in width, 15 mm in thickness. In addition, reviews, PDAs hours - pretty light - 75 grams. May not be too elegant for the ladies, but just right for someone who wants to show off a miracle technology.
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| Watches Fossil Wrist PDA-PC |
For many, this device may be a good substitute for a PDA in campaigns, on weekends and in the field for continued access to the diary, address book and other functions of the usual PDAs. In a round plastic containers Fossil, according to the manufacturer, put everything necessary for modern man. Includes self Wrist PDA-PC, a cradle for synchronization, CD with programs, instructions for use, and eight 3V-lithium batteries.
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Stand allows you to place for information exchange and Pocket PC clock in close proximity to each other. Fossil feeds two batteries, which should suffice for 1,5 - 3 months depending on use. When the batteries sit down, all information is stored in flash memory. Wrist PDA-PC runs on an 8-bit processor, and Epson has a 48 KB ROM and 190 KB RAM. Contacts section allows you to store multiple phone numbers, email addresses and notes for each contact. "Diary" allows you to schedule a week or a month, and about coming events may alert signal. However, his memory is limited to 40 KB (if all of the memory, the download will take considerable time). True, the manufacturer recommends the use of these, only 5 KB. In principle, this should suffice perfectly, and, in the opinion, enough. With all of the above manufacturers somehow forgot about the clock function per se: Missing and alarm clock, a stopwatch, and other key for the clock function. Despite this, we can safely say that the Fossil Wrist PDA-PC - stylish device for gadget lovers and outdoor activities that can successfully replace the Pocket PC in the field. There is a third version of the hours ... Full-length wrist Palm. This model is considered to be the heir Fossil Wrist PDA, which is only a companion device.
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| Fossil Wrist PDA |
Operating hours of PDAs running Palm OS 4.1 and is compatible with virtually any application written for that operating system. Inside a small corps settled processor Motorola DragonBall VZ 33 MHz, 2 MB RAM and 2 MB of ROM. The list of installed software includes standard applications Palm OS: Address Book, Date Book, Memo Pad, Calculator and To Do List. The device has a monochrome display.His resolution - 160x160 pixels, supports the display 16 shades of gray. In general, very similar to a simple Palm Zire - just a miniature. To synchronize with your desktop PC using a USB interface. Unit dimensions: 35 x 51 x 12.5 mm and weight - 160 g. And finally, we got to the most interesting part of our journey into the world of mysterious metamorphosis that led us to the most, in my opinion, the demand for today device that combines conventional wristwatch and cell phone. At last in Hanover in March 2003, CeBIT 2003, Samsung introduced a wristwatch with built-in GSM-phone. The device works in GSM 900/1800 networks and supports data transmission GRPS class 10 (up to 57.6 kbit / s). Its display is built on the newest technology OLED, has a resolution of 94 x 64 pixels, and displays 256 colors. Sound System - polyphonic, 40-voice. Supports voice dialing, Internet access protocol WAP 1.2 and wireless Bluetooth. Thin lithium-ion battery with capacity of 400 mAh lasts for half an hour of talk time or 80 hours of the device in standby mode. The dimensions of the phone (without strap) are 37.8 x 64 x 17.7 mm Weight with battery - 1980
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| Mobile phone watches from Samsung |
Is believed to Samsung, their new product will be sold on the market. "Market research showed that consumers need to be ultra-light mobile devices, they could use in any place and at any time" - said vice-president of the San-Jin Park. Followed by Samsung, at the same exhibition CeBIT 2003, a similar device called Wristomo introduced leading Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo. Folded Wrisotomo represents the usual hours, revealing that, you can get a miniature telephone: at one end of the bracelet is a microphone, and on the other - the speaker. Due to the fact that most of the buttons, including keys, a navigator, brought to the bracelet, the device has received a large screen (for its class) and comfortable control.
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| Mobile phone watches Wristomo from NTT DoCoMo |
Unlike Samsung, operating in GSM 900/1800, Wristomo belongs to the standard PHS (Personal Handyphone System, based on TDMA-TDD), which is popular in Japan and Southeast Asia, but is not used in other regions. Internet access service via NTT mopera. Wristomo allows you to work with the sites of i-mode, to send and receive email (the message length to 6000 characters) and supports synchronization with Microsoft Outlook. Data transfer rate - up to 64 kbps. In factored form dimensions of the device are 171.5 x 40.4 x 18.5 mm. Weight with battery - 113 Corpus Wristomo waterproof. And as the latest development of the Chinese company China Electronics Corporation (CEC), which has launched a highly unusual mobile phone F88 works in the standard CDMA 1x.
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| Mobile phone watches on the CEC F88 |
Production of the device performs under contract South Korean Telson Electronics, and just planned to produce about 30.000 such unusual clock. A small number of the scheduled phone due to the very high price - 8,888 yuan, or $ 1070. This is likely to be the most expensive cell phone in China.
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| Keyboard F88 |
Phone is equipped with CSTN LCD display with 256 colors. Dimensions miracle hours are 38.3 x 76.7 x 17 cm, not including the antenna size, and in their functional list are: voice dialing, 4 minutes of audio recording, 16 polyphonic ring tones and, in fact, own hours. On the strap F88 is a miniature keyboard. Interestingly, the weight of the new items in all this is only 100 g. With built-in battery 600 mAh, watch phone is capable of operating up to 120 minutes of talk time and 100 hours in anticipation. To reduce the amount of damage the LCD screen is covered with special polymer composition, traditional watches.
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| F88 installed camera |
However, the developers seemed a little unusual to release a hybrid mobile phone and watch: the latest fashion, they have equipped with a removable novelty camera with a matrix of 300,000 pixels and a 180-degree vertical design. It is curious that the speaker phone device is designed as a ring and connects with a wire. Thus, when talking to your ear to hold the hand that is not very convenient.
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| Earphone-ring on the wire |
To reduce some discomfort by using an infrared headset, but with him will keep his hand in a certain position near the ear.
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| Infrared headphone |
Finally announced the news flashed recently in online media: "In response to the product of Chinese designers and enthusiasts (nationality unknown, and it is not important) gave his version of hours with the phone (or vice versa)."
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| Response to Chinese developers;) |
Conclusion
So, to sum up a little. This article, we traced the evolution of conventional watches in high tech devices that combine conventional at first glance, watch, pager, digital camera, mobile phone and PDA. It's safe to say that fantasy is no limit to the developers, and it pleases. At least for me personally. I am sure that soon there will be many such devices and, possibly, put still razrabotichiki their concepts to the stream. I, in turn, will follow the development of the industry and timely inform you about all the updates. If you notice any inaccuracies or typographical errors, inform the author about it. Also, if you have the desire to supplement this material, please send your addition or a link to the source, I am pleased to completion of this article. Thank Vibra.by site for the material! Sources, Materials:
http://www.vibra.by
The authors, translation:
Alexander Stepanchuk