‘Smart’ wristwatches with WAN capabilities to hit market soon

Software giant Microsoft Corp. is set to roll out a product line of wearable gizmos capable of receiving information from the Internet via wireless wide area network, Microsoft executives headed by Microsoft chief Bill Gates announced at the 2003 International Consumer Electronics Show held last week.

The "smart" wristwatches, which can display customized information, are the first products to be powered by Microsoft’s Smart Personal Objects Technology or SPOT, a new and rather ambitious technology platform which Microsoft claims is designed to improve the functionality of everyday objects or appliances.

And Microsoft seems to be getting sufficient support for this undertaking as international watchmakers Citizen, Fossil and Suunto have all agreed to manufacture the product.

Bill Mitchell, who is heading the group responsible for SPOT, said, "The initial class of Smart Personal Objects comprises information-receiving devices that provide personalized information that is time, location and context-relevant. People are used to looking at their wrists to see what time it is. A SPOT wristwatch simply extends the common user experience of glancing at wristwatches for time to glancing periodically for timely information."

Mitchell added that SPOT allows users of the smart watch to receive information, thus allowing for more customizations, specifically the face displays.

The wristwatch can, for instance, display location and personal information, while providing information such as stock market rates. Users can even use the product as an organizer and planner.

The wristwatch is able to do a gamut of things because of the additional software integrated in it powered by an application chip and a minute radio receiver made specifically for the device, Microsoft claims.

The chip apparently enables the product to receive Web-based information transmitted via wide area networks through specific radio frequencies.

As Web-based information can be received, Microsoft expects users to be able to receive news, weather and sports information, once they subscribe to the service. A website for subscribers is also available for them to customize the information they want to be displayed on their wristwatches.

Microsoft is also claiming that these wristwatches will not be marketed as "geek ware," but will be targeted toward users with active lifestyles.

Further, each of the watchmakers will have a freehand in marketing the product. For instance, one of the watchmakers said it would market the product as a sports wear, while another said its SPOT-based wristwatches would be designed as "Dick Tracy" wristwatches. — Quadmedia News Agency