Thursday, April 12, 2012
Calling Dick Tracy, calling Dick Tracy!
I guess it was only a matter of time before someone put all the functionality of a smart phone into a wrist watch, and frankly I’m surprised that someone hadn’t done it sooner. It seems like a no-brainer to me.
But now Sony is coming out with what it’s calling a “SmartWatch” a wristwatch that can display your text messages, e-mails and calendar reminders; let you follow your Twitter and Facebook pals; help you manage your cell phone calls; and play music.
The device is based on the same Android operating system which powers many phones and tablets and connects to your cellphone via Bluetooth. It comes with a USB charger, watchband adapter and your choice of colored rubber watchbands: black (standard), gray, white, a reddish-pink, a mint green and blue.
It currently works with several of Sony’s Xperia phones as well as the HTC Desire S, HTCEvo 3D/Shooter, HTC Sensation, HTC Wildfire, HTC Wildfire S, Motorola Defy, Motorola Droid 2/Milestone 2, Motorola RAZR, Orange San Fransisco, Samsung Galaxy 5, Samsung Galaxy Ace, Samsung Galaxy Fit, Samsung Galaxy Gio, Samsung Galaxy Mini, Samsung Galaxy S II and Samsung Galaxy SL.
According to Sony’s website, under “typical usage” the watch will only have to be charged every three or four days. Heavy users, it says, will have to charge it every night, and I suspect that’s what most people will have to do.
A quick Google search revealed that the SmartWatch is selling for $119 to $149. Now I like cool gadgets as much as the next geek. But Sony forgot the one thing that would have made this a must-have for me.
No web cam.
I mean how much room would it really have taken to insert a tiny web cam above (or below) the 1.3-inch, color organic LED, multi-touch display? With it you could have made Skype video calls to your friends.
Sure a web-cam would have probably eaten too much power or not really be practical, but gosh darn-it! It has been 81 years since Dick Tracy made his comics debut in the Detroit Mirror and we are STILL waiting for our two-way wrist radio!
Here's the minute and 10 second video Sony produced to introduce its latest creation to the public. Give it a watch and let me know what you think and if this is something you would find useful.
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