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Other Tools & Devices May 2002 • Vol.8 Issue 5 Page(s) 127 in print issue |
Wrist PDA It’s More Than About Time | ||
 There were an estimated 8 million PDA (personal digital assistant) devices shipped in 2001, and that number is expected to grow by another 17% in 2002. According to a report from Cahners' In-Stat/MDR, a market research group, that number could rise to as high as 30% by 2004. Since they were first introduced in 1993, PDAs have evolved from a novelty to a standard tool for the well-connected businessperson. As third-generation PDAs enter the market this year, they will need to deliver improved functionality and greater consumer market appeal if they are to become the device of choice for end users. The typical PDA is a unit approximately 3 inches wide and 5 inches tall that uses a small screen for both the display and input of data. The size, or form factor, of a PDA makes it easy to transport, and the touch-screen data entry makes it convenient to use in situations where even a notebook computer would be impractical. But if you're the type of person who finds even the traditional PDA cumbersome, help is on the way in the form of a wristwatch.
 Stay Connected With Timex. Timex Corporation (http://www.timex.com) has several watches on the market that combine some very simple PDA functions, such as name and telephone number storage, with the features of a SkyTel alphanumeric pager. The watch can also receive news and entertainment headlines from SkyTel and exchange name, telephone number, and schedule information with a PC through Timex's Data Link System. The Timex Beepwear Pro Pager Watch sells for $69 and is available at many retail and department stores as well as from the Timex Web site. Microsoft Outlook, Meet Casio. The BZX20 PC Unite watch from Casio (http://www.casio.com) includes a more comprehensive contact manager, providing storage of up to six phone numbers and an e-mail address for each entry. The PC Unite also includes an appointment scheduler and a task manager not found in the Timex unit. With its infrared port, the PC Unite can exchange information with Microsoft's Outlook program as well as with the Cassiopeia and most other Palm devices. The PC Unite can be purchased from the Casio Web site or anywhere Casio watches are sold. The resin band model is priced at $100, and the model with a stainless steel band sells for $129.99. Fossil Delivers. The newest entry into the wrist PDA arena is from watch manufacturer Fossil (http://www.fossil.com). According to Fossil's Katrin Reifeiss, two models, simply called the Wrist PDA and the Wrist PDA/PC, are scheduled to be available in retail outlets and on the Fossil Web site in April 2002. The Wrist PDA is compatible with most Palm OS devices, including the Palm III, V, Vii, M100 and M500 models, the Handspring Visor, and the Sony Clie. The Wrist PDA/PC, on the other hand, is compatible with Compaq's iPAQ, Casio's Cassiopeia, and Hewlett-Packard's Jornada, all of which run the PocketPC 2002 OS. The unique thing about the Fossil design is that the built-in applications are more typical of what you would expect in a traditional PDA. The contact manager provides space for a contact name, six telephone numbers, an e-mail address, and miscellaneous notes or address. The calendar function includes day, week, and month views and supports repeating appointments, notes, and alarm reminders. The task list can be sorted and viewed by category and the notes feature will accept memos of up to 400 characters each. With 192KB of memory, these units can store up to 1,100 contacts, 800 appointments, 5,000 tasks, 350 memos, or some combination of all four. The Wrist PDAs can also store up to 20 electronic business cards in Palm OS or PocketPC format. The Wrist PDAs use a 57Kbps (kilobits per second) infrared connection to exchange data with their compatible big brothers or with another Wrist PDA. Even navigation on the Fossil units resembles a standard PDA. A joystick button, similar to that found on iPAQ PDAs or many cell phones, provides Up, Down, Left, Right, and Enter functions. The joystick is flanked by two other movable sections of the watch face. These serve as a Home button for returning to the main menu and a Toggle/Back button for navigating the application menus. The Fossil Wrist PDAs are equipped with an LCD (liquid-crystal display) that is 102 pixels wide and 64 pixels tall. When you compare this display size to an iPAQ PDA (240 x 320 pixels), a notebook PC (1,024 x 768 pixels), or a desktop PC (1,600 x 1,280 pixels), you discover one of the major disadvantages of wearable technology. There is a practical limit to the type and amount of information you can display on a screen that is only 20 characters wide and six lines tall. The Fossil applications have been designed to accommodate the limited display size, and their data presentation is better than that found on many multifunction cell phones. The Fossil Wrist PDAs will sell for about $145 each and interactive demos of both watches, including clickable joystick and "live" display, are available on the Fossil Web site. It's A One-Way Street. A major drawback to the small form factor of any wrist device is data input. Even the stylus and touch-screen keyboard found on most PDAs would be too much for the limited display size of a watch, so the Timex, Casio, and Fossil units are all read-only devices. The only way to get information into them is through the infrared port. This may seem to be a serious limitation to many, but as the PDA concept becomes more pervasive in our society, these easy-to-use, always-on information appliances will appeal to those who wouldn't consider carrying a conventional PDA.  by Dick Archer |
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