Seven-Ounce Linux 'Wrist PC' 250
An anonymous reader writes "A European research and development firm has announced a seven-ounce, wrist-worn wearable computer with a 2.2 x 2.8-inch color touchscreen. Eurotech's WWPC (wrist-worn PC) runs Linux or Windows, offers a wealth of standard PC interfaces (WLAN, Bluetooth, IrDA, USB, SD-card, etc), and has patented technology that puts the device to sleep when the user drops their arm. It can detect motionless user states, and serve as a location-transmitting beacon, thanks to a built-in GPS receiver and 'dead reckoning' technology. The company also claims six hours of battery life under 'fully operational' conditions."
Cool Beans (Score:5, Funny)
It targets emergency rescue, security, healthcare, maintenance, logistics, and "many other" applications.
Many other==geeking which may be further qualified as: Listening to you MP3s, watching videos, playing games, wandering around various cons talking to it and having it respond "by your command", "I can't do that, Dave", "danger, Will Robinson", or actually trying to impress the heck out of that jerk executive with his Ferrari laptop that he's not such hot stuff anymore. Alas, ...
Re:Cool Beans (Score:3, Insightful)
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Re:Cool Beans (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:2)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:2)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:2)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:2)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:2)
Paperwork? Who needs paperwork - just press send.
Re:Cool Beans (Score:2)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:2)
Re:Bright Career Path (Score:2)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:3, Informative)
1) Yes, Canada does have the internet. We have had it for almost as long as the States, and on average, we actually have better internet connections up here than you guys do.
2) No, not all Canadians say "eh". You guys are thinking of Eastern Canadians. I live in Western Canada. Although I do know a guy from Eastern Canada who says eh a lot, it's kind of funny.
3) No, our heads don't flap around when we talk (thanks a lot South Park)
4) No, we don't live
Re:Cool Beans (Score:2)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:2)
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Re:Cool Beans (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Cool Beans (Score:5, Funny)
But wait, there's more ! (Score:5, Informative)
A European research and development firm has announced a seven-ounce, wrist-worn wearable computer concept with the possibility of a 2.2 x 2.8-inch color touchscreen. Eurotech's WWPC (wrist-worn PC) would run Linux or Windows, offer a wealth of standard PC interfaces (WLAN, Bluetooth, IrDA, USB, SD-card, etc), and has patented technology that could put the device to sleep when the user drops their arm. It would be able to detect motionless user states, and serve as a location-transmitting beacon, thanks to a built-in GPS receiver and 'dead reckoning' technology. The company also claims six hours of battery life under 'fully operational' conditions."
there we go, fixed that summary for you
FTA:
Eurotech describes the WWPC as a "user-centric, ubiquitous computing" concept, suggesting that the device is not yet available in product form. The company did not respond to availability enquires by publication time.
so stick this on the Duke Nukem wish list
Heavier Wrists! (Score:2, Funny)
Not vaporware (Score:5, Informative)
I was not working on the device so I do have any exact information about the project or its status. However, it is definately not vaporware as in Duke Nukem Forever, but rather a working physical device.
Disclaimer: all views and observations are mine and not representative of Eurotech.
Re:Not vaporware (Score:2)
Like IBM's Linux watch? (Score:5, Informative)
IBM had a working Linux watch years ago, and plenty of people saw it working, but it still became vaporware.
http://www.research.ibm.com/WearableComputing/lin
Re:Not vaporware (Score:2, Funny)
Hmmm... (Score:5, Funny)
All features tell me one thing.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Neat! (Score:2, Insightful)
I actually had a thought of a miniature wrist-type PC with bluetooth. Transmit between your watch and a "full" system and be able to share documents, etc. That'd be neat. :-)
Re:Neat! (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Neat! (Score:3, Interesting)
That seems like a pain in the ass. If the alarm goes off for the time your appointment is set to, what good is it? You're already late unless you already got there on time. If your watch sounds an alarm before your appointment to allow you travel time, then you've got another problem because not all appointments require the same amount of travel time (i.e. meeting a friend across town vs. going to a meeting just one floo
Re:Neat! (Score:2)
The biggest difficulty in the first two parts is fitting a GPS device into a watch that's also a PC. The third part is tricky and will probably need to be able to vary somewhat to handle individual difference in travel speed and preferences.
Re:Neat! (Score:2)
Re:Neat! (Score:3, Interesting)
I can but dream.
The best feature of course (Score:2, Funny)
"It...has flexible left- or right-handed straps"
That, or add-in another $500 for image stabilisation. Pencils down.
From the Article (Score:5, Funny)
Looks, well... (Score:5, Funny)
Oh wait...
Re:Looks, well... (Score:2, Funny)
Hmmm...motion detection? (Score:5, Funny)
But can it detect fap-fap-fap-fap-fap motion?
Perhaps it will usher in a new era of pr0n?
Steve
Watch that supports wifi? (Score:5, Funny)
According to its website, Eurotech's corporate strategy is to "define and penetrate new and emerging markets."
I didn't realize that my neighbor's WEP encrypted access point qualified as an emerging market, but hey.
Featured on "What not to wear..." (Score:3, Funny)
This must be something that tops that list haha...
forget about the bar (Score:2)
Not comfortable... (Score:5, Funny)
This device does not look comfortable at all - from the artist's rendition it wraps around at least 1/3 of the forearm and half the length from the wrist to the elbow.
I would imagine it feels similar to wearing a cast...or maybe an arm-mounted chastity belt.
Re:Not comfortable... (Score:5, Funny)
And somehow creates an identical effect!
Re:Not comfortable... (Score:3, Funny)
Why always on the back of the wrist? (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't understand why they always insist on designing wearable computers like this to work from the back of the wrist the same way a wristwatch is worn. It would be far more ergonomic to turn your hand palm-up, and it would have the added benefit of giving the screen a measure of protection as it wouldn't be sticking out from your arm.
This is a very cool device, though. I'd buy one if I had the money and could see a practical use for it.
Re:Why always on the back of the wrist? (Score:3, Funny)
That's interesting. For me, the best place would be strapped to my penis.
You can pee and check email, it'll make it look bigger ( and square), and it's the best place for viewing porn!
Re:Why always on the back of the wrist? (Score:2)
You could make a cloth thing that would be worn around the palm that would interact with the fingers and send signals (using something not made of cloth, obviously).
Now I'm getting mental images of someone wearing one of t
Re:Why always on the back of the wrist? (Score:2)
Re:Why always on the back of the wrist? (Score:3, Informative)
I'm sure that end users are not their target market. This could be a useful form factor for industrial handheld computers. It will be too bulky and ugly for people to wear in everyday use, unless they start making this thing like a sandbenders:
A better design (Score:2, Interesting)
Modern PDAs have an awful lot of power these days, more so than my pentium pro desktop from a few years ago. Where they fall flat IMO is in the display. I can't get much done with a 3 by 4 inch display. But if all the batteries, memory, and processor spread out around my waist, I wouldn't really notice the weight, and a full screen translucent display in front of my eyes that
Re:Why always on the back of the wrist? (Score:3, Insightful)
Those two observations are the death knell of most any product.
Anything you can't justify actually paying the money for and whose actual purpose is cloudy is doomed to failure.
Re:Why always on the back of the wrist? (Score:2)
I find palm-up more comfortable, so there
Re:Why always on the back of the wrist? (Score:2)
Touch Screen? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Touch Screen? (Score:3, Funny)
Dufus, that's why it comes with the toothpick.
Any alarms? (Score:2, Funny)
Hmmmm, will it detect if the user raises his arms to defend himself from people who are trying to steel his lunch money?
Re:Any alarms? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Any alarms? (Score:2)
Reminds me of an old show (Score:2)
Show sucked, but the 'stuff' was cool.
Always wanted to build one of those 'scout cars'
Re:Reminds me of an old show (Score:2)
The main actor, Terry Lester, had a depressing career. He moved on from Ark II to do single appearances in Eight is Enough, Dallas, Santa Barbara, Voyager, JAG, Walker Texas Ranger, and Diagnosis Murder.
Oh, and he was in KISS meets the Phantom of the Park.
He died a couple years ago, and now I'm sad.
why Why WhY WHY WHY... (Score:3, Insightful)
Chips are readily available for g and that support WPA. Really - imagine walking around the city wearing one a wireless device that is trivially crackable - you are just asking for trouble.
At least with a g chip that supports WPA, you can downgrade to WEP if you *really* want to run around with your pants down.
pants down? (Score:3, Funny)
At last! A serious post unrelated to porn jokes, I think!
if you *really* want to run around with your pants down.
Alas. No such luck.
802.11b has nothing to do with WPA (Score:5, Interesting)
Come in... (Score:4, Funny)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Dicktracy.jpg [wikipedia.org]
We're living in the future of the '30s...
Futurama cosplayers rejoice.. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Futurama cosplayers rejoice.. (Score:2)
Chris Mattern
Re:Futurama cosplayers rejoice.. (Score:2)
Sweaty forearm (Score:2)
The thing is half the length of the display dummy's forearm. And it holds 6 hours worth of battery power, most of which is going to be turned into heat.
This couldn't be comfortable.
wow, this is awesome (Score:4, Funny)
I'm goin' home and drawing up my new hovercar. It may have top speeds of up to 300mph, and will be able to run on hydrogen, propane or the laughter of children.
Pr0n usage? (Score:5, Funny)
Patented? (Score:3, Insightful)
In other words, a mercury switch.
Xybernaut will sue them into oblivion (Score:2, Interesting)
wearable? (Score:2)
Cool use (if this thing actually gets made) (Score:2)
Imagine Grendel with a Beowulf cluster of these (Score:2)
Even cooler!
not that big - not for a dive watch (Score:2)
With the recognition of how much stuff you can/have to hang on yourself, you also tend to wear bigger and bigger watches and computers
That device does not seem to be bigger than your modern dive computer (e.g. Uwatec smart) , and yes, people wear things that size, and there are screen protectors that cost a few bucks to save a few hundred (many
missing required features (Score:3, Funny)
1) make me invisible (Galactica 1980)
2) deflect bullets (Wonder Woman)
"I'm Robert Patrick, and I approve of this message (Score:3, Funny)
More than just a computer (Score:3, Funny)
Still, one could always use it as an exercise aid, or as a substitute for 'brass knuckles'
Like my iPaq, but cooler and more expensive :-) (Score:5, Informative)
A patented what now (Score:2, Interesting)
Erm, also known as a... tilt switch? not enough? try 3 switches, one for each dimension. still wanting? use one for each DOF. no? Measure some arm drops, run them through a an auto-correlating neural net and compare with input data. Seriously, I see no reason to patent this stuff.
I reckon that either they've created something totally ingenious that they can sell the rights to for a whole lot more than they can make out
Missing feature (Score:2)
Why does it have to be wearable? (Score:3, Insightful)
Life imitates Futurama (Score:2)
The big problem with wearable computing... (Score:2)
This looks cool anyway, but I know from looking into getting a wea
Predator (Score:3, Funny)
-Peter
How much does it weight WITH batteries? (Score:2)
Yummy! Tastes like vaporware! (Score:2)
1. Announce product with neat ideas
2. IPO
3. Have nothing to show but drawings and a slick slide presentation
4. PROFIT!
Seriously now - I go for watches with lot of functionality -- usually flight computers. I had a Seiko flight computer, got sick of it because it was so clunky and gave it away, then I got a Citizen flight computer, slightly less clunky, but gave it to my brother. I am about to buy a Pulsar flight computer, but will probably get sick of THAT, too. The
Dual Wrist Device (Score:2)
Is anyone else irritated by ... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:A computer can function on 7 ounces??? (Score:5, Insightful)
Embedded Linux == Linux, WinCE != Windows (Score:2)
Where this makes a difference is that with an embedded Linux device you get the full security etc that you expect of big-iron Linux,whereas WinCE security is not even as good as Windows. Security is an increasingly important issue with promiscuous devices
Re:Embedded Linux == Linux, WinCE != Windows (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Not new (Score:2)
Re:Not new (Score:2)
Well, I'd assume that it's been made rugged enough to withstand most torture. But the biggest benefit...the medical field. Or any field that requires you to use both hands a lot. But especially the medical field if you could also cram some diagnostic equipment into the thing at the same time. Think about the glove device used in Earth2 [imdb.com] that you waved over a body and got instant vitals, xray images, and whatever else a field medic would need. Ok, all
Re:Dead reckoning? (Score:2)
Re:yeah but (Score:2)
Given the enthusiasm of Linux's support base, I think it's safe to say that pretty much any device with a processor and RAM will run it sooner or later.
About to install Ubuntu on my iBook. First time for me for Linux.
Re:yeah but (Score:2)
Re:Flagrant false advertising... (Score:2)
Re:Pocket PC in a new Shape (Score:2)