Pebble E-Paper Watch, an e-paper smartwatch.
The WIMM One, wearable computer powered by
Android.
The Fossil Wrist PDA, running
Palm OS.
A smartwatch or smart watch is a computerized wristwatch with functionality enhanced beyond timekeeping, often with features comparable to a PDA. While early models were capable of performing basic tasks like calculations, translations, or playing games, modern smartwatches are effectively wearable computers. Many smartwatches run mobile apps, some run on a mobile operating system, and a few have full mobile phone capability, while others function as mobile media players, with playback of FM radio and audio and video files, with sound via Bluetooth headset.
Such devices may include features such an camera, accelerometer, thermometer, altimeter, barometer, compass, chronograph, calculator, cell phone, touch screen, GPS navigation, Map display, graphical display, speaker, scheduler, watch, SDcards that are recognized as a mass storage device by a computer, etc. and Rechargeable battery. It may communicate with a wireless headset, heads-up display, insulin pump, microphone, modem, or other devices.
Also "sport watch" functionality commonly seen in GPS watches designing for Training, Diving, and Outdoor sports, such as; Training programs (such as intervals), Lap times,Speed display, GPS tracking unit, Route tracking, dive computer, Heart rate monitor compatibility, Cadence sensor compatibility, and compatibility with sport transitions (such as triathlons).
Any computer has a data processor, memory, input and output. It may collect information from internal or external sensors. It may control, or retrieve data from, other instruments or computers. It may support wireless technologies like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS. However, it is possible a "wristwatch computer" may just serve as a front end for a remote system, as in the case of watches utilizing cellular technology or Wi-Fi.
1970s–1980s
Seiko, a Japanese watch company, was one of the first to develop wrist computing technology. The first digital watch, which debuted in 1972, was the Pulsar manufactured by Hamilton Watch Company. "Pulsar" became a brand name which would later be acquired by Seiko in 1978. In 1982, a Pulsar watch (NL C01) was released which could store 24 digits, making it most likely the first watch with user-programmable memory, or "memorybank" watch.[1] With the introduction of personal computers in the 1980s, Seiko began to develop watches with computing ability. The Data 2000 watch (1983) came with an external keyboard for data-entry. Data was synced from the keyboard to the watch via electro-magnetic coupling (wireless docking). The name stems from its ability to store 2000 characters.[2] The D409 was the first Seiko model with on-board data entry (via a miniature keyboard) and featured a dot matrix display.[2] Its memory was tiny, at only 112 digits.[1] It was released in 1984 in gold, silver and black.[3] These models were followed by many others by Seiko during the 1980s, most notably the "RC Series":
Seiko RC series
The RC-1000 Wrist Terminal was the first Seiko model to interface with a computer, and was released in 1984.[2] It was compatible with most of the popular PCs of that time, including Apple II,II+ and IIe, the Commodore 64, IBM PC, NEC 8201, Tandy Color Computer, Model 1000, 1200, 2000 and TRS-80 Model I, III, 4 and 4p.
The RC-20 Wrist Computer was released in 1985.[2] It had a SMC84C00 8-bit Z-80 microprocessor; 8K of ROM and 2K of RAM. It had applications for scheduling, memos, and world time and a four-function calculator app. The dot-matrix LCD displayed 42x32 pixels, and more importantly, was touch-sensitive. Like the RC-1000, it could be connected to a personal computer, in this case through a proprietary cable. It was also notable in that it could be programmed, although its small display and limited storage severely limited application development.[2]
The RC-4000 PC Data graph also released in 1985, was dubbed the "world's smallest computer terminal".[2] It had 2K of storage. The RC-4500 (1985), also known as the Wrist Mac, had the same features as the RC-4000, but came in a variety of bright, flashy colors.
Other brands
During the 1980s, Casio began to market a successful line of "computer watches", in addition to its calculator watches. Most notable was the Casio data bank series. There was also the Nelsonic game watches and many other novelty "game watches" produced by Casio and other companies.
Linux watch
In June 2000, IBM displayed a prototype for a wristwatch that ran Linux. The original version had only 6 hours of battery life, which was later extended to 12.[4] It featured 8MB of memory and ran Linux 2.2.[5] The device was later upgraded with an accelerometer, vibrating mechanism, and fingerprint sensor. IBM began to collaborate with Citizen Watch Co. to create the "WatchPad". The WatchPad 1.5 features 320 x 240 QVGA display and runs Linux 2.4.[6] It also features calendar software, bluetooth, 8MB of DRAM and 16MB of flash memory.[7][8] Citizen was hoping to market the watch to students and businessmen, with a retail price of around $399.[8] However, the project was discontinued sometime around 2001–2002.
GPS functionality
The GPS tracking unit can be used to record historical data by completing a work out and then uploading the data to a computer or online to create a log of previous exercise activities for analysis.
Additionally, some smart watches can be used to full GPS navigation, with a screen that can display maps and current coordinates in real-time using the hh.mm.mmmm (hours, minutes, and minute decimals) GPS coordinate format. Users can "mark" their current location and then edit this entry's name and coordinates, which enables navigation to those new coordinates.
Other examples
- LG GD910
- Pebble E-Paper Watch
- Sony SmartWatch
- WIMM One
- Fossil Wrist PDA – A watch which runs Palm OS and has 8MB of memory.
- Ruputer (also known as "OnHand PC") – A computer watch with 2MB of memory
- Timex Datalink series
- Calculator watches
- the 6th-gen iPod nano has a detachable bracket for watch bands, and can function as a wristwatch media player
- Neptune Pine - A fully independent Android smartphone watch with 3G, GPS, 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and much more.
- Nike+ FuelBand and other NikeFuel devices such as Nike+ SportWatch GPS
- Garmin Forerunner
- Suunto sports watches for Diving, Training and Outdoor sports
In popular culture
The famous 2-Way Wrist Radio
The cartoon character Dick Tracy, from the 1940s on, had a two way wrist radio that has been seen as a forerunner of the modern smartwatch.[9]
In the 1982 TV series Knight Rider, the lead character, Michael Knight, wore a 2-way communication wrist watch.
See also
References
