A Watch? How Last Millennium!
from the they're-becoming-nostaligia-items dept
Thanks to the growing popularity of mobile phones, more people are getting rid of their watches -- realizing that it's just as easy (and often, more accurate) to just look at their phone. It appears that this trend has watchmakers in full revolt mode, even to the point of suing a wireless carrier because its commercials depicted watches and clocks as being items worth discarding. It's not clear what sort of leg they have to stand on, even in France. It's a shame, really, because the watch often seems like a good form factor to be used for carrying additional (wearable) computing power on you. Already, my watch has an MP3 player in it, and I find that to be much more useful and easy to carry around than a full-fledged portable music device, since I don't have to carry around an extra device. The smarter watchmakers are recognizing this and building in both additional smarts and connectivity into watches.
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Watchmakers must join streetlamplighters local 990 by me on Apr 4th, 2005 @ 5:44am
1987 called, they want their wrist watch/calculators back.
Seriously though...I haven't worn a watch in years. As I remember, the stupid things get hooked on EVERYTHING, are either too tight(sweaty) or too loose(keep fidgeting with/turning it), you get that nice anti-tan area on your wrist, not to mention loosing it, getting it wet/scratched, batteries,etc...
...and for what...THE TIME?!?!?
I've got a phone that does that...plus internet access, mp3 playing to my bluetooth headset,etc(motorola).
...or I could just look at the time on my laptop or PDA, or any number of clocks around...
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Re: Watchmakers must join streetlamplighters local by Chomper on Apr 4th, 2005 @ 6:53am
I find looking at my phone for the time is a pain in the ass, especially when it's on my belt or in my pocket.
Also, I own a Casio G-Shock watch, takes a beating that my phone would need an act of God to survive.
There are still uses for watches.
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Re: Watchmakers must join streetlamplighters local by me on Apr 4th, 2005 @ 7:46am
lessie...the only difference in both actions is a grasping action. You have an opposible thumb, right? :P Watch name-dropping? 1988 called, they...oh nevermind... Well, maybe if you wore your phone on your wrist, this would apply. As a clothing accessory perhaps, like cufflinks...that's about it(reply to this comment) (link to this comment)
Gonna Give It a Try by Cavanagh on Apr 4th, 2005 @ 8:30am
You know, I have been carrying my watch for years just because it is a habit. Your story has inspired me to get rid of my watch. I'll let you know how it goes.
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Re: Watchmakers must join streetlamplighters local by me2 on Apr 4th, 2005 @ 11:01am
another use for a watch?.....how about caller id?
would, of course, require bluetooth, but this would be both cool and practical....and would prevent lots of missed calls which happen regardless if you have the phone with you or not.
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watch has some useful functions by DV Henkel-Wallace on Apr 4th, 2005 @ 11:25am
I never wore a watch I could hack full time. Why bother -- the screen always has a clock on it.
When a took a year off to boot around in the 3rd world -- then I needed a watch.
Now I'm in management and set in meetings, I pull my watch off and stick it in front of me on the table. I can look at it while the meeting progresses. I can't do that with my phone since the screen always blanks to save battery power.
My wife's phone shows the time continuously on its external LCD, but it has a much narrower visible angle than my watch (which is confusing since they're both lcd devices, but whatever).
I think fewer and fewer people need one....but then again I've never understood why an expensive watch is better than a quartz cheapie that keeps perfect time.
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No watch for me... by Dan on Apr 4th, 2005 @ 11:34am
I stopped wearing a watch about 2 years ago. Just like the article stated I use my phone to tell what time it is.
Although now that I am running on a somewhat regular basis I bought a cheap watch to keep track of my times.
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Death before inconvenience by pfft on Apr 4th, 2005 @ 2:34pm
Phones will not replace watches for the same reason that wrist watches replaced pocket watches in the first place. Fishing around in your pocket to find out the time, is inconvenient.
If anything, watches will replace phones.
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wrister clickers by Steve Proper on Apr 4th, 2005 @ 11:41pm
I've been looking to loose mine for years now. I just can't find a small or attractive mans ring watch to replace it with. Wrist watches are kind of dorky; if you really think about it.
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no watch... by just me on Apr 5th, 2005 @ 8:18am
...I haven't worn a watch on a regular basis for over 20 years. If I can't see something else with the time on it, then I don't really need to know the time...
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Why don't watch makers just.... by nick hartman on Sep 8th, 2005 @ 8:05pm
make watch-phones, i mean everyone have wanted one since they saw James Bond with his! lets see the watch that can play mp3's and make calls on, then i'll start leaving my cell phone at home!.... nick
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