Microsoft Corp. will unveil a new suite of business applications, new computer server software and new technology for ‘smart’ wristwatches in the coming year as part of its vision for the future of technology, co-founder and chairman Bill Gates said Tuesday. Update: News.com has a story too.
Gates Previews Microsoft’s Upcoming Technology
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Eugenia Loli
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You can find the wristwatches at http://www.fossil.com/pda Funnily, there are watches based on Microsofts “Smart Personal Objects Technology platform” and on PalmOS, though the MS one seems more useful, with weather and instant messages… Wasn’t there something similar some years ago which failed due to low acceptance ? It will be interesting to see which watch, if any, catches on.
MSFT’s site here http://www.microsoft.com/spot
I saw some info on these a while ago but the demos were enormous. They did say the auto time-sync was broadcasted via FM, but “Instant messages” for sure means a subscription service on top of the steep initial cost of the watch. The date reminder could be useful depending on the annoyance factor.
Another cool watch I saw was http://www.timex.com/spd It has a GPS device that will give you info like distance traveled, current/average speed etc. It might be cool for biking, jogging, traveling etc.
If Bill himself keeps advertising them as he did at the belgian dotnetconvention he’ll push ’em through.
I am sure microsoft (r) will work it’s way into the market with those watches. It’ll start with some managers having some, then some almost managers wanting some and kids buying some.
At the .netconvention there were plenty of people who had a bag full of gadgets, but were still drooling over those watches, only cuz bill said they were great. Not for a second thinking, “hey, i can already do this with my phone _and_ my pda”
They can easily sponser a few pilot projects with those watches (i can actually think of a few useful applications), and once they’re launched, there are enough fools that ‘ll want them.
Eventually it’ll get accepted this time, because it get’s backed by microsoft (r), and it gets all mixed up in their .NET (r) hype which wasn’t the case before. They have a marvellous skill at winning over bozo’s to pay more for less, and having those bozo’s believe ms did them a favor.
Microsoft (r) does have a reputation for making people buy stuff they don’t actually need. Too many people believe that they have to follow microsoft in everything, that they need the latest version of all their software, need a ms mouse cuz it works better. They fail to see that they either don’t need it, or it’s too expensive for what they are using it for
One wonders why the cellular network isn’t used for these purposes… coverage via broadcast FM looks very, very spotty…
This seems like the silliest product ever.
On the other hand, add some flash to it, and make it support Blue Tooth and you have a portable drive that goes everywhere you do. Sit down at a computer anywhere and you have your music, and documents right there. Maybe that would finally kill the ubiquitous disk drive (and make Blue Tooth just as common).
Chances of MicroSoft actually doing that? About zero–the watch is going to be completely useless. Chances of Apple doing that? I’m crossing my fingers.
I picked up a magazine (PC World, I think) the other day that had a list of tips to make windows work better. One of the big ones was a method (with lots of steps) of setting it up to use a time server. On Macs (OS 9 or X), you can’t set the time without noticing the option to use a network time server. Not only that, but my iPod automatically sets its time from my Mac so even if my cell phone has no reception I know I always have the exact right time.
I’m watching for a iWatch.
The linux commnunity says “We could do that.” and starts working on Opensource versions.
can tell you the time in the time zone you’re NOT in, the MS version will be sending back pictures from astronauts on the Mars mission in 2031…
So, this is like that Linux watch that IBM was demonstrating like . . . about two years ago?
Some hid hacks into your MS watch and changes your time zone and uploads warez so that his friends can download the new version of the Sims.
Before M$ age we were ‘normal’. After M$ hit the arena we are dummy’s. M$ make us believe that. lol;-)
No, the linux commnunity says “We could do that.” and starts working on 400 different Opensource versions.
I think there should be a bluetooth wristwatch, that WOULD be awesome.
The linux community says “Hey, where do you think the idea came from?”
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6580187845.html
Lets place the “copycat” blame where it belongs, ok?
..
I need help writing a script to convert the binary time on my watch to decimal.
stretch, yawn
Sure Bill another one of Microsofts “new” ideas. Maybe you can patent this wristwatch idea too.
“The linux community says “Hey, where do you think the idea came from?”
http://www.l inuxdevices.com/news/NS6580187845.html
Lets place the “copycat” blame where it belongs, ok?”
Ok, let’s. Microsoft and Timex partnered to build a watch that synced with Outlook data. This came out long before the Linux watch you linked to did.
I don’t wear watches any more.
Is it just me or do the quotes from Bill Gates in that first article sound like the same kind of meaningless nonsense our political parties spew every election? When you get to the end of a string of words that make the speaker sound like he’s got something good but you can’t really get any meaning out of it… I shudder.
While initially it looks all so innocent of Microsoft to release a nice little watch, the fact is after time Microsoft will patent the time system. The second phase of their plan will be (basedon M$FT’s history) will ultimately be based around mass producing non-standard chronometric time keeping devices to lock the users into their pathetic proprietary time format.
Humanity will be doomed, you thought you were supposed to turn up to that meeting at 10AM notmal time right? Sorry. That was 9AM Microsoft Time ©, four days ago.
Show me a date, and some proof that it exists.
Also prove to me how it was a smart device, and not one that simply synced. You need fact, not crap.
It is just proof that OS bigots come in all different sorts of packages.
A bunch of folks say they want a linux version then a couple of Anti-linux folks joke about opensource development practices. Then we get the mention of the watch and another idiot comes in claiming that the MS started working, thinking or whatever on the watch idea first. Does anyone have a time/date call to milli-second of when the linux watch deal was first discussed ever? Then a couple of Anti-MS folks make jokes about MS screwing up time itself MS Time and all that.
OS pissing matches are so old. I like linux but I have a friend who loves his faithful XP box. So what?
After all, people it is a damn watch! Give me a break. I don’t want my watch getting the BSOD (for the cliche MS style) or dropping core and kernel panicing (for the linux set). I just want to tell time on the bloody frickin’ aggravating thing.
http://www.timex.com/html/data_link.html
The watch I have I got in ’97 or ’98, I don’t recall exactly when but I’d guess it was 1998. The software uses horizontal white lines against a black background on your screen to sync data with the watch. You can see it in the screenshot. It’s quite cool and a good way to save phone numbers without having to carry around a PDA or fiddle with keying them into my cell phone.
Yeah, uhh that was a Timex product. I see no mention that it was a Timex / Microsoft initiative. I stand firm in that Microsoft copied IBM’s watch. IBM made first mention (that I can find) in 1999.
http://www.ibm.com/products/gallery/linuxwatch.shtml
Uhh.. I thought of smart watches and linking them with computers in grade 4. Nobody has to be a genius to come up with the idea, and nobody has to copy anyone else. The fact that they are both now doing it means technology in general has come far enough that this idea is starting to be viable.
they don’t have interesting product in their core line of product to show, but at the same time they need free media exposure. Then they say why not pushing the wearable stuff, it’s shocking and stupid media will cover it. …. yep they did.
Here’s a page from 1996 and it clearly states the connection between Timex and Microsoft, “A built-in watch sensor recognizes the data programmed into the easy to use Timex and Microsoft- developed software which is included.”
http://www.netsucces.nl/gadget/timex/datalink.html
MS plans to patent the wristwatch,time, and their own version of time, in that order. The same way they were allowed to patent fonts that were decades old. Who’s to stop them?
>>>MS plans to patent the wristwatch,time, and their own version of time, in that order. The same way they were allowed to patent fonts that were decades old. Who’s to stop them?
Who’s going to stop them? IBM — the undisputed patent winner for the last 10 years. IBM probably patented time already.
Yes, they created SOFTWARE in 1996, that does not prove in any way that they did not copy IBM’s watch.
The fucking watch was released then as well you idiot. Timax and Microsoft in no way copied the Linux watch IBM helped develop. I’ve shown that Microsoft and Timex indeed innovated in this area and did so long before the competition. It is not up to you to show proof that Microsoft and Timex copied the Linux watch concept. I’ll challenge you even further. Show me an area where Linux has innovated, period.
You’ve shown that Microsoft worked with Timex to create a Timex watch, not a “Microsoft” watch. You haven’t even shown that Timex and Microsoft worked together using a credible source. Did you pull that info from a Microsoft or Timex page? No. Where has Linux innovated? Here are a few “innovations” swapoff -a you try it on YOUR OS, wait you’ll need to reboot lol Here’s another: X -broadcast. There are thousands of innovations in Linux guy, you are just too blind and arrogant to see them.
Have a nice day.
Look, nobody is going to by this thing. Except maybe some 16 year olds or something. I was so happy the day I bought a cell phone because it could tell the time. I didn’t have to wear a wrist watch anymore.
The exciting thing I heard today is that Motorola is coming out with a phone that runs Linux. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to put lynx on my phone. I have no idea why no one did this ages ago instead some stupid format made especially for phones.
Also prove to me how it was a smart device, and not one that simply synced. You need fact, not crap.
I can’t prove it, but take my word that it exists. I was at that demo, and the demonstrator (not Bill) wrote a program for the watch and uploaded the code there and then. This stuff does work.