Watch This Wednesday: the Linux Watch

Last week on watch this Wednesday we slapped our wrists with the onHand PC watch and, it felt oh so good. This week we ask, where's our Linux watch?

Sheesh, calm down, it's right here.

Starting in 2000 IBM started showing a Linux watch to showcase how great Linux is and where it can run. December rolled around, they added Bluetooth; then in to January of 2001, IBM and eMagin added a high resolution Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) for CES. But in 2001 IBM teamed up with Citizen Watch and since then we haven't heard a thing. It's almost 2005 now! What happened to this watch? Well, we figured we'd use our "Watch this Wednesday" weekly feature to ask, and hopefully hear when we can buy one. Ain't nothing like root on your timepiece.

What it is

Linux on a wrist watch, duh. While we�re quite fond of our Microsoft based SPOT watches, we can�t (yet) add programs, new faces and store data other than the data we send it. So a watch like the Linux Watch would potentially and likely solve all those problems, while simultaneously feeding our hacking addiction. And hey writing Cron jobs on a watch? Hardcore. Don�t even get us started on kernel recompiles.

Specs
Linux operating system version 2.2
X11 R6
Size: Watch: 56 mm wide by 48 mm long by 12.25 mm thick (2.20 in. x 1.89 in. x 0.48-inches)
Motherboard: 27.5 mm wide by 35.3 mm long (1.08 in. x 1.39 in.)
Weight: 44 gms (approx. 1.5 ounces)
Touch sensitive display
8MB Flash memory, 8MB DRAM memory
IrDA, Radio Frequency wireless connectivity
Rechargeable lithium-polymer battery

Why we like it
You tempt us oh great Big Blue, but you�ve been silent for so long. What did we do? Should we not have licked the watch when we saw it at CES? Just tell us, we can take it.

Where to get it and how much
You can�t yet, but we don�t think it would go for over $250, at the most. C�mon IBM, Microsoft got their watch out, you can do it too.

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 2:26AM]

... a little more juice, and you could run your web server on your wrist. Yes.

[TheZodiac @ Dec 19th 2005 2:26AM]

you already can run a wevserver from your wrist.. link to follow:

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 2:26AM]

Should be a big seller in Munich.

[Robo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:26AM]

That watch is fugly.

The Swatch SPOT may have been described as "chunky", I'll still take it any day over this brick.
http://www.engadget.com/entry/4081190443365288/

[kksh @ Dec 19th 2005 2:26AM]

Since it has bluetooth, can it communicate with a bluetooth in a way that :
show caller's ID
show SMS
remote control the cellphone to make a dial or answer a call ?

[Ravnos @ Dec 19th 2005 2:26AM]

I wonder if anyone can get NetBSD to run on this thing.