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Toshiba's Wristwatch PDA

Posted by CmdrTaco on Sun Mar 21, 2004 09:19 AM
from the get-your-lust-on dept.
Handhelds Hardware
pdawerks says "Toshiba has previewed what it calls a Wristwatch PDA, which it considers to be very popular in future. According to MobileMag and BBC News, the device will provide the functionality of a high-end PDA in a comparatively small and handy form factor. It features a wide hi-definition display, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless networking and is perfectly suited for videophone conferences. The concept also sports voice recognition, which allows you to simply talk to your Wristwatch PDA."
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  • My question is this (Score:5, Interesting)

    by revolvement (742502) on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:19AM (#8626980)
    When is enough, enough?(When it comes to size factor) With PDAs, how small can you have them until they're no longer functionable?
    • as long as you can read the screen, i guess.
    • We were talking about this the other day, and it really seems like some kind of alternative interface is necessary.

      Consider a device which can project images onto your retina and also track the movements of your hands. Something like that would have no trouble taking input from a "virtual" projected keyboard...

      To be honest, my phone is pretty much as small as it can get, and I wouldn't want to do any serious data entry on it. There needs to be some kind of interface revolution before we can do anything
    • . --- this big

      and even then, they could store files, which you retrieve by bluetooth. think about the espionage value!
    • In this case they've addresssed the issue by combining a large (for a "wristwatch") form factor, with nonexistant technologies: working voice recognition and a screen with the resolution of paper (in fact the "screen" appears to be a cutout of an AtoZ [a-zmaps.co.uk] map).

      If and when speech recognition and speech production do work, I don't see why you couldn't have a pda the size of a normal wristwatch. After all you can interface with a real, human assistant effectively using only speech.

    • They could be smaller.

      Using an audio interface you could nearly have no limit on how small it is. Especially if you off processing power to a remote location.

      Some people can be terminally forgetful you know, such as me. I'd sacrifice my pride for help remembering things.

      Key things:

      - INTERFACE is still the problem. Really you need something that interfaces directly with the brain conciousness - a proper memory expansion. HUD glasses and handwriting recignition as good as M$ Windows would be a jump forwar

  • Contradiction? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:21AM (#8626988)
    Anyobody else thinks "small and handy form factor." and "a wide hi-definition display" contradict each other? What use is a high resolution display if it's so small?

  • Point of diminishing returns? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Zathras26 (763537) <pianodwarf&gmail,com> on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:22AM (#8626990)
    Smaller and lighter is usually a good thing with mobile devices, but doesn't there come a point when you've gone too far? In particular, with a wristwatch PDA, I'd be concerned that the screen is too small to be useful -- even on a regular-size PDA, I sometimes feel "cramped".
    • I totally agree. I'm a PocketPC user, and that is just about the right form factor for me (it makes an excellent chess companion ;-)...

      For basic contact/appointment stuff, I usually rely on my mobile phone.

      If anything I'd probably prefer something slightly larger than the PocketPC form factor for the roles I use it for - a 640x480 screen (as on the new Zaurus) would be nice for digital photo browsing - and a built-in ethernet port would be great (I already have a foldable keyboard). It would make the

  • But, but, but... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Blahbbs (587167) on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:22AM (#8626991)
    But, It's HUGE! No one wants a monstrosity like that on their wrist.

    • Re:But, but, but... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:35AM (#8627052)
      I think this product would sell more if they marketed it as a form of reliable birth control.
    • much I'd buy this, me? early adopter? hell yes

      the appropriate name is 'data cuff' and yes, I'd buy one, and utilize it, in public...
      some of the stuff (crap) I've purchased and mostly still have include
      Sony Glasstrons
      Logitech cyberman 1 and 2
      Archos 340
      nintendo game glove
      Kyocera 6035 and now 7135
      TRS-80 mdl 100 (2) and 102(1)
      stuntmaster hmd
      at least 4 different lcd shutterglasses

      some people don't care about appearance, but enhanced ability/capabilities .. this potentially would allow-

  • ironic (Score:5, Insightful)

    by tobes (302057) <tobypadilla@NOsPAm.mac.com> on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:23AM (#8626995) Homepage
    I don't wear my watch anymore since I find it more discrete to just keep a cell phone/pda in my pocket and whip it out when I need to know what time it is.

    I think the watch form factor was just fine when time was the only portable function. Once you start adding other features it really pays to have more interface options.

    • Re:ironic (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:26AM (#8627012)
      When I reach in my pocket and whip it out you know what time it is...
    • Same here. There was a time when I was in a gadget war of sorts with my buddies, to see whose watch could do more things (early 80's). But once it reached the full blown scientific calculator stage, we just stopped. I did try the TV remote thing but ended up bringing the thing back.

      Now I don't even wear a watch. My phone/pda can tell me the time or I just look at the computer screen in front of me.

      The plastic wristband of my watch would get me all uncomfortably sweaty. By the looks of that chunk

    • Re:ironic (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Ugmo (36922) on Sunday March 21 2004, @10:19AM (#8627236)
      I don't wear my watch anymore since I find it more discrete to just keep a cell phone/pda in my pocket and whip it out when I need to know what time it is.

      I really think that a good form factor for a PDA or some kind of electronic device is the old Pocket Watch on a chain.

      Make the case out of some light weight metal or gold at the high end and have a mall screen in one end of the clamshell and a key pad at the other. With bluetooth you could also have a headset seperate from the PDA/phone. The pcoket chain could double as an antenna and the phob (the hunk of metal at the end of the chain that stays in your pocket) could be the battery/power supply.

      I wish some jewerly designer/watch company would team up with a PDA/Cell Phone company and make one.
  • About two days, before you smash your wrist into desk or corner as you're walking, and little pieces of LCD dribble down your arm.

    "No, the screen is not warrantied against accidental damage."

    And the device is not suit-compatible. Great for t-shirts, lousy with long sleeves.

    Needs more work.
    • I'd say it is suit compatible but not t-shirt compatible. It looks pretty ugly; I think most people would prefer to have it hidden and just pull up their sleeve to use it.
    • you are also missing one other important point.. if it is not WATERPROOF then it is an absolute piece of crud.

      The human body is a very hostile place to be for electronics, if it lives on your arm, it had better be waterproof, almost bulletproof, scratchproof (why do you think that a good watch crystal is made out of a super hard scratch resistan material?) and breathe easily where it touches the human. I wont grab my cellphone in the middle of a downpour, but I wont think of covering my arm.. also what a

  • Doubles as a wrist brace (Score:5, Funny)

    by chia_monkey (593501) on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:24AM (#8627000) Journal
    Did you see how big that thing was? I don't expect it to be tiny, but it doesn't look like you'd be able to move your wrist at all with that thing. It stretches from your wrist to your elbow! Soon we'll see all the skaters wearing it as wrist protection.
  • All those in favor of wearing a grey and blue torpedo on their wrists and calling it a PDA, say I. In other news you can buy a nice pocket sized device that wont make you look so odd when you check the time....
  • The article has a picture of the "watch" displaying a map in such a small screen. They don't mention about any real specs... I sure hope the resolution is high in fact for this to be useful at all.

    On the other hand, I would certainly have a PDA/Calculator/Cell Phone/Digital camera all in one and in a PDA size (with a decent screen size and definition) and a regular watch. When such a device will come out AND be quite reliable for ALL the functions, I will consider the investment.

  • strappinga PDA to your wrist does not a Watch make (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward

    is a "watch" now defined by strapping anything to your wrist that can tell the time ?

    this sure doesnt look like in the same category as Rolex,Cartier or even a Casio i would argue this is a wrist mount for a PDA not a Watch

  • Hmmzz.. night rider? (Score:3, Funny)

    by Core-Dump (148342) on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:33AM (#8627044)
    Kit!!

    Yes Michael?

    Come and get me...
    • the part of the serie when they were in Earth they had communicators/arm computers that covered half of the arm. Not remember now the details, but wonder how much they look or like this model.

  • Pics (Score:3, Informative)

    by amembleton (411990) <aembleton AT bigfoot DOT com> on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:38AM (#8627067) Homepage
    The BBC have some nice pics [bbc.co.uk] of this device.

    One big problem I can see is that it will affect your wrist movements making it uncomfortable to wear in every day use. A mobile phone (they're becoming more and more like PDAs) is a discreet device that you can hide in your pocket and doesn't look so 'weird'. I don't think this will take off. I don't think there will be a market for such a thing because people want to look good. Also this thing will be prone to getting scratched and damaged with everyday wear.
  • Battery life is the important question, imho.

    You don't want a waist PDA spec-ed out so good to be true that you have to carry the spare power source in your other pocket.

  • Progressing to wearable (Score:3, Interesting)

    by stecoop (759508) on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:41AM (#8627077) Journal
    A few have written about diminishing returns in terms of size, but these are the future.

    Soon as Bluetooth can stream video and sunglasses have video monitor then theses devices will show a logical step towards the future. PDA will become wrist computers; later fully wearable computers with sunglasses to rival plasma screens. After that, who knows (only progress will tell)?

    By the way; I put on a 3d simulation helmet the other day - not quite fashionable but a step in the direction of wearable.

  • God, No! (Score:4, Informative)

    by dnaboy (569188) on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:45AM (#8627086)
    I, personally have had a love hate affair with PDAs for years. The thing that finally broke me was a BlackBerry. I lived and died by that thing, but what made me realize I had problems was when I couldn't use it, such as in airplanes and, still to this day, often hospitals (where I spend a decent amount of time for work). I would find myself, perhaps not so covertly huddled up in a window seat trying to time when we'd be above chicago to try to get signal (which I'm absolutely serious does work, if only long enough to get a message in or out between dropping connections).

    I was an addict.

    Anyway, long story short, went cold turkey. Cancelled my service, gave the blackberry to a friend, and have gone au natural for the last couple years. I'm finally happy and unbound from the tethers of wireless email (ironic, eh...).

    The thought of something hanging on my wrist to give me email, web, and IM anywhere anytime scares the crap out of me.

    Never in a million years!

    OK- I'm done...

  • All is revealed... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Stopmotioncleaverman (628352) on Sunday March 21 2004, @09:53AM (#8627112)
    So THAT'S what Leela had on her wrist all the way through Futurama...:)
  • it's too darned big. what sort of professional is going to be taken seriously walking around with a tv sitting on his or her wrist?
    it's damned cool, don't get me wrong, but i don't think that items like these are going to take off until they're able to project a holographic image and allow the user to interact with that.
  • That wrist PDA is a nice idea, but it's not quite there as far as I'm concerned. First, like a lot of people, I don't wear a wristwatch anymore. I have a cellphone most of the time, and it has a nice external LCD display with a clock. When I'm not carrying my phone, I prefer a pocket watch to a wrist watch. Basically, I just don't like bulky shit on my wrists, as it gets unfortable when you are typing on a keyboard (something I do a lot of).

    So if someone wants to introduce a wrist PDA that I would bu
  • It really looks impressive, but how long will this PDA run before the batteries go flat?
    Having to remove the watch in order to recharge the battery is going to rapidly lose the coolness factor.

  • Pluses and minuses (Score:3, Informative)

    by Mycroft_514 (701676) on Sunday March 21 2004, @10:10AM (#8627194) Journal
    I looked at the device, and like and computer, what will make or break is "killer" aps.

    For the PDA I have now, the killer ap is the blood meter add-on module. Combine this sucker with the sweat based blood meter device I read about a year ago or so, and you might have a rela interesting device.

    Make the casing waterproof to 300 feet, and add a sensor and it might replace several radio dive computers (Like the Aladin Air Z O2 that I already have). (www.uwatec.com)

    At the very least, it would almost surely need a screen protector, to protect it from getting clobbered.

    I think I'll reserve judgement until I get more data on it.

  • And this is why device convergence is bad... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by hacker (14635) <setuid@gmail.com> on Sunday March 21 2004, @10:19AM (#8627239)
    And this, my dear friends, is why device convergence is, and has always been, a bad idea.

    Not only do you get coupled to one device, vendor, or service (think Treo600 + Sprint cell service), but you can't decouple parts of the hardware to improve it as technology advances.

    • Built-in 802.11b WiFi. Oops, now 802.11g is the standard, and your device is no longer current.
    • USB 1.1 capable. Oops, now USB 2.0 and later is the standard, and your device is no longer current.
    • Want to get another Bluetooth headset to use with your PDA? Sorry, this one is built-in, and you can't connect any others. You can buy a new device though...

    Device convergence is a bad, bad bad idea. The technology (Bluetooth for example) was originally proposed to "connect devices together". It does nothing of the sort, when your devices are converged.

    I'd love to see a PDA, with a Bluetooth attachment, talking to a cellphone (bluetooth enabled, either internally or via attachment), talking to a bluetooth-enabled laptop/desktop, and so on. If you decide to upgrade your phone, the rest of the devices still keep working perfectly. It is the Unix philosophy. Replace one small part, and the process keeps working. You don't have to rip everything out and replace it all, because one small part merits an upgrade.

    What do you do when you want to upgrade a portion of this watch's capabilities? Throw it out and get a new one? Unacceptable.

    This goes for PDAs with phones, or phones with PDAs built into them. Either you get:

    • A "big" phone, capable of holding a useful PDA screen and keyboard, which can no longer be comforatably worn on a belt or in a pocket, or..
    • A "tiny" PDA, with an equally "tiny" keyboard to tap on to type in messages, with a screen you have to squint at to read.

    Building a PDA into a wristwatch, while at first seems "cool", in the real world of practical devices and people who use this technology, is an incredibly bad idea.. especially at this size.

    ...and I hope most of the technology in it is buit around some sort of updatable firmware, so you can update the OS, apps, and other software bits to help it remain compatible with other technology.

    I want my existing, bought-this-year devices to work with current technology. I don't want to have to throw them all away and replace every part, just to get a new connectivity option.

    Hrmph!

      • "Ooops, technical standards improve next year? What! Just buy a new gadget every year or so."

        Don't fall into this trap. This is exactly what these vendors want you to do.

        Remember when CDs used to last 50-100 years? Do you know why they don't last that long now? Because vendors decided to reduce their production costs by not adding the additional layer of plastic on the CD, preventing oxidation. Now CDs last 5-10 years, and cost 1/2 as much. Hence, you just go out and buy a new CD, rip your old one to t

  • Think about it. It's WAY too big to be a wristwatch (Comminicator is too big to be a phone, IMHO) and it probably costs quite a pretty penny, too. Probably in a similar fashion there'll be that small group of people who will want one and who think they just couldn't live without one.... and then they smash it against a sharp corner or something ;)

    Seriously, PDA screens are fragile things and wrists constantly bumb into stuff. I don't think there would be any way for someone to convince me to buy one of the

  • Time Travelers (Score:3, Funny)

    by banzai75 (310300) on Sunday March 21 2004, @10:24AM (#8627263)
    ...which it considers to be very popular in future.

    This is what happens when a marketer gets hold of a time machine. They don't travel to the future to find the cure for cancer or aids, they travel to the future to see if their latest line of watches are popular. Bastards.
  • It's too bulky, I wouldn't use something like that. My Palm V PDA is okay for size and has everything I need in a PDA, although the dafult calculator sucks. Handspring's is better. Yes I know Palm bought Handspring.
  • "considers popular in the future" What?.. they have a time machine now?

    These things remind me a bit of the old show from the 70's: 'ark 2'...

  • Total vaporware (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Shoten (260439) on Sunday March 21 2004, @11:30AM (#8627614)
    This doesn't even show a picture of a solid object,instead just giving an artist's rendition...based on that we could just as easily say that Toshiba is coming out with an X-Wing fighter. There wasn't any indication that there's any software written yet either; the original article note that they used a screenshot from PalmOS. I'd me a lot more impressed if they had ANYTHING besides a "gee, wouldn't it be nice if..." concept.

  • It doesn't matter anymore (Score:3, Insightful)

    by michaelmalak (91262) <malak@acm.org> on Sunday March 21 2004, @11:50AM (#8627721) Homepage
    The world of high-tech wristwatches is mostly vapor [linuxjournal.com], vapor [com.com], vapor [amazon.com]. It took 16 years after the 1983 Casio CFX-200 [pocketcalculatorshow.com] Scientific Watch (that could do trig and parentheses) until a more advanced watch became actually available, the 1999 On-Hand PC [pconhand.com], which runs a variant of DOS.

    Will the Toshiba actually reach the wrist of Slashdot user? It doesn't matter anymore, because of the invention of a little piece of plastic: the cell-phone belt clip. While wearing a PalmPilot makes one a first-class geek, even women now wear cell phones on their belts. The cell phone is the new standard for socially acceptable portable computing, not the Dick Tracy wristwatch.

    All thanks to a little piece of plastic.

  • Talk to your wrist? (Score:3, Funny)

    by Cloud K (125581) on Sunday March 21 2004, @11:51AM (#8627725) Homepage
    "Down and Safe, Liberator. I expect one of the villains to conveniently steal my bracelet in around 15 minutes."

    Seriously though, would this ever take off? I think it'd fail due to looking goofy, somewhat like VR headsets did.

    However, it's feasible through other input methods like say... a finger. I remember looking a little daft in the 80s operating a calculator watch, but at least it's not as bad as talking to it... :)

  • stupid. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by senatorpjt (709879) on Sunday March 21 2004, @10:16PM (#8630912)
    Maybe it's just me, but I feel incredibly stupid trying to use voice-recognition in public.

    The need for all this stuff would vanish if it somehow became socially acceptable for men to carry purses...

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