The wrist phone. Who's going to buy one?

[rxonmymind]

Ok gent's who's going to buy one either for the geek factor or cool factor? Remember growing up with Dick Tracy and how cool it was to see him talk into his wrist? It's almost upon us. Along with Google glass our technology is linking us ever closer. I'm a little ambivilent about it in the sense all this technology seems to be suffocating but to the youth it's "progress". Then again, how many kids do you even see wearing watches? Very few. I guess this could be the renissance of the "watch" that sets generations apart or binds us. While I'll keep wearing my analog I wonder if this will make us any more productive as a society. Do we need this? Perhaps there will be uses for this that we haven't imagined. On a lighter note I don't see me ever wearing one to a formal dinner. Now if we could start making smart people.

 

[Andy]

Looks interesting, but personally I wouldn't buy one.
Tend to dislike mobile phones, and have been known to purposely leave it at home on occasions.

 

[Nomad1600]

I plan on getting a "smart phone" which BT's to my Android phone... more for the novelty (as I am into watches and phones).

 

[Marsman]

Not for me, I am not Get Smart or Agent 99. Ok I am old.

 

[Face Bannon]

I already wear a Pebble watch, which is an open source, interdependently produced smart watch. Love getting texts, phonecall notifications, and emails on my watch.

www.getpebble.com

 

[Foyle]

I used to wear a watch all the time until I got a cell phone. That has a clock on it, and the watch seemed a little superfluous. How many time pieces do I need to have one me at one time anyway?

That looks cool but not particularly functional. Can you imagine trying to answer an email or send a text from that thing?

 

[Unadan]

Pass. And the "Dick Tracy" references are getting tiresome. Someone needs to demonstrate how this would be in the least bit useful.

 

[rajagra]

Wrist phone? Yeah, why not? (Apart from the likelihood of a big display getting smashed.)
Wrist tablet? Not so smart.

The big problem I see is that as such devices become more and more versatile, they get worse at doing specific things (like making phone calls.) Standards/our expectations are falling, and most people seem unaware of it happening.
(When I watch satellite TV, speech is out of sync more often than not if I look closely. So much for digital superiority. Digital is great for giving the illusion of quality where it doesn't truly exist.)

 

[russhatch]

I will pass on this one - I love my swiss automatic and am very fond of all my other wrist watches. I know how hot my phone and tablet gets some times don't want to imagine that on my wrist. Reminds me when calculator watches came out - I didn't get one of those either ..... what is next?

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

I already wear a Pebble watch, which is an open source, interdependently produced smart watch. Love getting texts, phonecall notifications, and emails on my watch.

www.getpebble.com

I know someone who was in on their kickstarter and has the watch now. They like it not so much to use to respond but to be aware of who is contacting them. Oh, and it tells time. Not for me but hey, I'm a generation ahead of them... chronologically, that is. Or is it I am becoming a generation BEHIND if I don't get the latest? Eeeek!

 

[Samurai-5]

While it looks interesting.......

No. Just no.

 

[rxonmymind]

Pass. And the "Dick Tracy" references are getting tiresome. Someone needs to demonstrate how this would be in the least bit useful.

While this technology is in its infancy I could see first responders using this. People with medical issues and having doctors do face to face with their patients. Put a heart monitor option on their down the road I could see this device making a call if a person has a potential heart attack. I used the military having uses for this also. Keep hands free for other hardware. Give it time. I see a lot of people getting mugged too! But definitely more upside potential than down.

 

[PFP_Dad]

I already wear a Pebble watch, which is an open source, interdependently produced smart watch. Love getting texts, phonecall notifications, and emails on my watch.

www.getpebble.com

+1. I never realized how much I needed a rangefinder on my wrist until I got one. Great for running, golfing, switching music and even telling time.

 

[ouch]

How long before they have a nose ring phone?

 

[vertelselaar]

I see no use for it and won't buy it. Probably you will get flooded by ads, location-detecting devices and all kinds of useless stuff that will log your every move in massive databases all over the globe so companies and governments will know even more where you are end what you do. Another nail in the end of privacy as I see it.

 

[Aristeros]

I am interested, but I am not getting this guy yet.

 

[Andy]

How long before they have a nose ring phone?

Possibly not that far off, but my money would be on the eyephone

 

[Techichi]

 

[Isaac]

while it is a new tech toy, i just dont see the practicality of it, unless it is connected to an earpiece BT

 

[StillShaving]

I am still holding out for the microsoft version

One they get a little smaller and have more functionality then maybe. With the right kind of filtering of your daily input stream, it might be a useful gadget to assist. Today watches occupy very valuable spot on our wrist and only tell time. If tomorrow they can show your location in an unfamiliar city, real time information about when the next bus will arrive, the box score of your favorite team, reminder to pick up something on the way home, ... then maybe. Lots of possibilities but hard to get right and fit on the small screen.