Dick Tracy's New Linux Box?

An anonymous reader writes "The Zypad is a new arm-wearable computer right out of Futurama. It can run Windows CE or Linux and has a 400 MHz CPU, 64MB Flash memory, 3.5 inch screen. The Zypad leaves the user's hands free — it has no keyboard, just a touchscreen and navigation keys. Voice recognition is 'being developed.' It turns on only when you look at it, so it saves power. It has GPS and Bluetooth/WLAN/GSM connectivity. Price: 1000 Euro." Too bad it's not yet available for sale — that screen looks more useful than the one on IBM's Linux watch from 2000.

voice recognition

For those of you in search of voice recognition ware that has already "been developed" you should check out Dragon NaturallySpeaking [nuance.com]. I got it for my boss who's paralyzed from the neck down and it works beautifully, making his life easier. Training only took 15 minutes and the accuracy is impressive. It comes with a headset mic but I recommend splurging on the Plantronics CS50-USB [amazon.com] wireless headset.

Futurama, eh?

The Zypad is a new arm-wearable computer right out of Futurama.

So it's pointless, except on rare occasions when it can used for completely random tasks to fill plot holes?

Re:Futurama, eh?

It looks like a useful gadget ... now if only they could make it in the form of a suppository...

mispronounced

Voice recognition is 'being developed.'

Somebody mispronounced 'doesn't work yet'.

Re:mispronounced

No, they said that, the voice recognition just thought they said "being developed."

As worn by Duke Nukem Forever!

"Too bad it's not yet available for sale..."

Too bad it's not yet in existence. When I see a radically new gadget from some company I've never heard of whose press release touts multiple moves forward in different realms of technology, and all they have to show is a computer-generated graphic of the thing...well, I've never seen any such device ever show up to market. Not ever, in my memory.

It does work!

They have a full working version.

The problem is they set a bit wrong and it only works when you don't look at it.

So...

does it have an ARM processor? In that case, do you need a StrongARM to be able to use it?

Good news, everyone!

If you were all sick and tired of having women hit on you before, I have this new device to show you!

Headlines

If it's right out of Futurama, why does the headline mention Dick Tracy?

It's morphin' time!

Now all we need are wrist communicators, an evil witch thing on the moon, and a big floating head in a jar.

Is it for sale or not?

Publishing a price means that I can bid the asking price and get the product. If it is not available, then the price is "announced to be" and is currently non-existant.

Slashdot editors could learn a thing or two by spending a week in writing/journalist summer-camp. Day in and day out they write non-sensical blurbs, never mind they don't check-out the underlying articles, at least post a cohesive summary.

Well..

I would love to have one, but wouldn't dare wear it outside anywhere. Every person I know already knows I am a huge nerd, but still. By wearing that, it gives all other nerds the right to kick my @$$ too.

64MB should be enough for everyone

Sorry, but in 2006, anything with only 64MB of flash storage space will not, contrary to the website's hype, revolutionize the way we use computers. Unless you're talking about a rising desire for austere minimalism.

I wonder...

'It turns on only when you look at it'

I wish it was that easy to turn my wife on.

Seriously though, I'm curious about the technology that makes this possible (no I didn't download the PDF yet). It would be pretty slick to incorporate this into other devices.

It's a cool idea, but personally if I were to drop a thousand euros on one of these I don't think I'd be wearing it on my wrist. I'm kind of a klutz sometimes and am pretty hard on watch crystals so I don't think it would take me too long to crack the display.

Physics majors have to work somewhere

"It turns on only when you look at it,..."

Looks like they have a Quantum Physics guy hiding out in R&D.

Left-handed model?

I'm wondering if it comes in right-handed, left-handed and ambidextrous models. Being a petite-sized person with small wrists and rather short arms, I would find this clunky device rather cumbersome. It would feel like having a can of soda strapped to your arm. A larger person with beefy arms might find it too tight, although the armband does appear to be adjustable (it reminds me of a blood-ressuren cuff.) Also, the person in the picture is wearing a short-sleeved shirt. In cold weather, would you wear it over your shirt and sweater, or would you have to roll up your sleeves. I don't even like wearing an ID badge.

seems upside down

On either wrist, you would want the keypad on the inside (medial side). If you put this on either wrist, the text (as displayed in the photo) would be upside down.

Did marketing do their homework on the photo for press release?

Fast forward 10 years...

What? People WORE those things? On their WRISTS? But they're massive! WHAT? HOW many gigahertz? Only four hundred? WHAT!? Megahertz? No way! No way, you're joking right? How could that even run voice recognition? WHAT? ...