Ask Slashdot: Wrist Watch For the Tech Minded 466
NNUfergs writes "Sure, my smartphone can deliver just about any piece of information I could want in under 30 seconds, but I miss being able to just look at my wrist to get the time, date etc. I've been shopping around for a while and haven't come across anything particularly inspiring. There are loads of various features that have been incorporated into watches, but you usually only see a small, specialized set in a given watch. Budget is always a concern, but I am willing to invest in a quality time piece. In short, I'm not looking for a piece of jewelry; I'm looking for a gadget to wear on my wrist. Are there any neat, fun or just plain cool watches out there for techies? What do you have?"
Wrist watch is for style, not gadget (Score:2, Insightful)
Now, I would understand if you did actually say it was for your style. There is still certain amount of glamour and style in wearing a watch, especially if it represents your other outfit and the way you act. If you are a rich guy, it's a good way to show it. Women know this and men notice it too. I would totally bang a guy with
Re:Wrist watch is for style, not gadget (Score:5, Informative)
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Exactly the same reasons why I have a Casio GW-2500BD-1AER:
- Solar powered (as long as I wear it at work, which is inside all of the time, it stays charged 100% meaning it'll keep running for 6 months in total darkness)
- Multi Band 6 radio sync every night so it's always correct (unless I'm on vacation further North in Norway) and I'm always on time.
- Both digital and analog
(- and since it can withstand 200m of water pressure I can safely think of it as being properly waterproof).
Re: (Score:3)
Exactly the same reasons why I have a Casio GW-2500BD-1AER:.
I've just started wearing my Casio OCW-650T again after 6 months of fishing around looking for my smartphone and continually being late for things; sounds like my casio is similar to yours; it looks like a normal watch but also has the geeky solar panel and it syncs with european radio clocks.
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I have a Casio ECW M300E, which has the same or very similar innards.
It's pretty much the first model where they managed to figure out how to get the receiver working properly in a fully stainless steel case. It's very nice, works well and looks good, but there are a few niggles that make it somewhat less good than it could be, centred round its robustness.
The first one is that they have gone for spring-bars in the strap for looks. A steel case and band is very hard on spring-bars since it transmits all for
Re:Wrist watch is for style, not gadget (Score:4, Informative)
I just came in here to recommend the Citizen Eco-Drive and I see I'm not the only one. Listen, I bought mine about 3 weeks before Service Merchandise liquidated in 2002. The lady there didn't know how to resize the band so mine fell off about 5 times (hitting pavement) before I finally took it to get the band fixed. It was unaffected by the trama. The watch simply kicks ass and takes names.
So, mine is now 10 years old and still looks sharp. The slide rule still works, the battery still works, and I've never changed the battery since it recharges itself with the built-in solar panel. It's a geeky watch that doesn't look geeky. It has all the time zones in it and does day light savings time (manually) so I can easily tell what time it is when traveling. It has alarms and stopwatches and all that, too.
It's also a joy to read how it's programmed to save battery. At the bare minimum, if it's totally dark the second hand will simply park at 0 and quit moving. When exposed to light, it will race around to catch up.
Did I mention the slide rule?
Lastly, my wife - who is an asian babe - loves it. That alone should do it for you.
Re:Wrist watch is for style, not gadget (Score:5, Informative)
Geek can be a style! Check out this amazing Nixi Tube Watch [cathodecorner.com]. It's awesome, geeky and pretty great to look at. It doesn't go too well with an Armani suit, and it isn't quite classy enough to flash around a funeral, but it sure would score you some points at a geeky interview.
Re:Wrist watch is for style, not gadget (Score:5, Informative)
I always thought that this binary display watch [thinkgeek.com] is a rather novel way to spray your geek scent on. It is also fairly styilish and not too loud in design - the LEDs only come on when you press a button.
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I have one of those... and it is good as an icebreaker (well, sometimes)... but traditionally I wear my $9 Wal Mart timepiece (analog) because it's not a crime if I lose it or scratch the face of it.
It's a flexible band, so I can wear it easily on either wrist (left-handed geek here.)
There also was a Fossil watch a while back that had the cascading "matrix code" in the background. I could kick myself for not getting one because, like the Binary watch... it's just geeky enough not to look like I'm wearing a
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Almost the same here. A cheap ($14.95) watch at a small place in the local mall. When the battery dies, $5 for a new battery, installed. When it finally gives up the ghost (I tend not to take it off to wash the dishes), I'll just buy a new one.
If someone were to give me an expensive watch, I'd be worried about breaking it, or losing it, or scratching it, so I'd only wear it occasionally. So what'
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Right down the path of management, which, lets be honest, isn't where some of us are interested in going.
I'm completely happy to be working for someone*. They can take care of the political and sales thing while I get down to interesting things
* Provided that someone's goals and ideas are aligned with my own
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Coming soon - Magic Green, for when you want to be "electric".
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Smart phones may be "better", but they're also about ten times bigger and there are plenty of times you don't carry a phone, but would wear a watch. I used to own a Casio full scientific watch (in the '80s) and used it as such all the time.
Huh? (Score:2)
there are plenty of times you don't carry a phone, but would wear a watch. ....
Really? Like what. I cannot think of one. That even includes swimming!
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Still not answering question (Score:2)
Maybe not those of us addicted to a mobile phone but some of us like the idea of being able to leave home with only your keys in your pocket,
Why? Keys are sharp. I usually try not to carry any if I can.
A mobile phone is no bother. And you seem to have forgotten it but YOU ARE IN CONTROL of when it gives you information. I don't care about Facebook statuses either - guess what, I don't have it alert me when they change!
When all you have with you is a smart phone there is no "fumbling" to look at the time
Re:Still not answering question (Score:5, Insightful)
Scuba diving? Watches are quite handy there, while phone cases might leak.
While working? You can angle your wrist around to see if it is nearly time for dinner without putting your tools/workpiece down, switching off the machine or crawling out from under something to unzip your overalls to reach your jeans' pocket.
In fact, it would be an idea to not take the phone to work at all if possible, I have broken 3 at various times as they get crushed in my pocket ( a colleague managed to break one of those Land Rover tough phones at work, but that was by trying to clean the swarf out of it with an air line ).
Cheap waterproof digital watches just keep on going, and you can use abrasive compound to clear enough of the scratches away to read the display. Or smear grease on it if you are lazy.
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there are plenty of times you don't carry a phone, but would wear a watch. ....
Really? Like what. I cannot think of one. That even includes swimming!
Then, please... DON'T FUCKING DRIVE!!!!!!!!
Don't post while idiot (Score:2)
Then, please... DON'T FUCKING DRIVE!!!!!!!!
How does having a smart phone in your pocket hamper you when driving? Just about any car has some kind of clock somewhere so you can tell time.
You really didn't think that post through did you? That was a really stupid response, and this is Slashdot we are talking about so you had quite a bar to get below.
Re:Don't post while idiot (Score:5, Insightful)
How does a phone in your pocket tell you the time?
There's a reason wristwatches supplanted pocket ones.
Re:Don't post while idiot (Score:4, Insightful)
There's a reason wristwatches supplanted pocket ones.
Fashion trends are cyclical.
After enough years, everything old is new again.
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I use a watch when I go camping because I found lighting up the display just to see what the time was ate into the battery life of the phone (an issue when charging availability is unpredictable). I also prefer to keep the phone in the rucksack or in the tent rather than carrying it in my trouser pockets like I do when not camping to save it getting wet
Re:Huh? (Score:5, Informative)
If you happen to work in a secure facility, often you can't even bring the phone into the building.
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Really? Like what. I cannot think of one. That even includes swimming!
You must be single, or have a very understanding partner who lets you bring a cell phone while making love or cuddling.
Other scenarios include when you use both hands. When I solder or read a book, I can still look at my wrist watch.
Same when walking dogs on both sides.
How about when riding a bike?
Or when talking on the phone[*], or playing a game on it[**]?
When taking pictures with an actual camera?
Or when you wear gloves or mittens (winter, yard work, other).
[*] Unless you're one of those who always use
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You must be single, or have a very understanding partner who lets you bring a cell phone while making love or cuddling.
You must be single too, because if a woman ever caught you looking at your WATCH while love-making/cuddling, you probably would have been a chalk outline at a crime scene by now.
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You must be single, or have a very understanding partner who lets you bring a cell phone while making love or cuddling.
How understanding is your partner if you pause mid-thrust to check your watch?
Re:Wrist watch is for style, not gadget (Score:5, Informative)
I am really disappointed that there was no anti-google rant in your post. But back on topic...
Try to motoactive watch. GPS, music, radio, android- based, records your workouts, syncs with your android phone to receive texts and messages. And touch screen. What more could a geek want?
http://phandroid.com/2011/10/18/motorola-actv-a-smart-fitness-watch/ [phandroid.com]
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Re:Wrist watch is for style, not gadget (Score:5, Informative)
If you're not in a hurry there is always the Pebble [kickstarter.com]
And if you want a cheaper alternative we have Sony's [sonymobile.com] offering. It says it is running Android but CMW seems to have debunked [www.cmw.me] that claim.
That said I also believe as others here have stated that your watch is more about style [bulovaprecisionist.com] and status [rolex.com]
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+1 for the Pebble. I love tech, and watches, and I've been waiting for many years for someone to make a good looking, programmable eInk watch. There's a reason that they raised $10m on Kickstarter. Of course, you can't buy one now - they had the integrity to stop taking people's money at $10m, when they could have kept taking orders like crazy for another week, because they didn't want to commit to making more than 80k watches in the first batch. But that means that you can't even order one one, though you
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I agree with the features, and it is a cool idea, but a watch has to be stylish to make sense. (Because let's admit it, as a watch it is outdated.) And unfortunately the motoactive is pretty fugly in my eyes...
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Speaking of which, the iPod nano would make a nice smart watch; it looks decent with the right strap. Shame we can't put apps on it (plus it lacks Wifi).
Re:Wrist watch is for style, not gadget (Score:4, Interesting)
Yes but as chips grow smaller and voice functions grow easier to use the watch might just come back.
Say you have a watch, with a good sized data storage for music, able to make cell phone calls, and bluetooth. Combine with an earpiece and decent voice commands and then you don't really need nearly as big of a screen.
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This far in and nobody mentioned CASIO yet? There's only one true geek wristwear - a humongous CASIO G-Force.
You can get them with lots of gadgets in them - solar panels, thermometers, altimiters, compass, radio controlled, etc. They can even have motion sensors in them to turn the light on when you make the right arm gesture ("auto-light").
Get a really big one.
If you're on a budget get a F91W [wikipedia.org]. Retro cool and there's people locked up in Guantanamo just for wearing one (really).
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Wait, so it's legitimate to use a watch to show off your wealth, but it's illegitimate yo use it to show off your geekiness?
Wearing things for style is perfectly fine, but if you're going to wear for style it should actually be your style, not your conception of society's conception of what the most "glamorous" style is.
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You can go nerdcore, as some below have pointed out, but there can be a medium. I love my Tag Heuer, it's a stylish and a quality timepiece, but it won't be too long (I dunno, 4 years?) before the two ends meet and the high end meets the unobtrusive technology. Case in point, you used to need a fucking nerd machine calc to graph shit on the go, now you can do it on your status symbol smart phone. The guy specifically says he's not specifically looking for jewelry, but the idea that high end tech isn't a par
Douglas Adams Edition Pulsar (Score:4, Informative)
The original Pulsar digital watch was marketed through upmarket jeweller, Tiffany and Co. A solid gold version sold for $2,000 and a stainless steel model for $275.
Digital watches initially caught on only in the US and very few were exported. There was a strong market for them in 1973 and prices dropped quickly. Other firms entered the market, including Bowmar, which also pioneered the early pocket calculators in the US.
These are only sold at the gift shop in the Restaurant at the end of the Universe and at the Big Bang Burger Bar.
Re:Douglas Adams Edition Pulsar (Score:5, Informative)
Geek watch? Check. Good Looking? Check. Conversation Piece? Check.
http://www.firebox.com/product/3525/Devon-Tread-1-Watch [firebox.com]
Re:Douglas Adams Edition Pulsar (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/597507018/pebble-e-paper-watch-for-iphone-and-android [kickstarter.com]
Re:Douglas Adams Edition Pulsar (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
I hate to braeak it to you, but you are in the minority. In the real world, women actually appreciate a man with style. Not sure about 1K man-earings ... odd comparison, but whatever ... but stylish clothing, nice watch, nice car, yup women do dig them. Show up in your cheeto-stained armpit-holed thinkgeek tshirt and android held like a lightsaber in your meaty paw ... all their questions are pretty much answered bef
Luminox (Score:5, Informative)
The light is from a radioactive Tritium source - automatic cool points, and its actually useful, the hands are bright enough to see in any light without needing a second hand to push a button.
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The problem with Tritium is that it doesn't glow forever. If I splash out on a fancy watch I'd like it to last a few years. Tritium will be noticeably dimmer after four or five years (half brightness is about 12 years from time of manufacture).
This is why I love my old Omega - radium has a half life of 1600 years.
With today's presumably safer and mostly robotic production processes, one would think that watch producers would be allowed to use radium again?
EZChronos (Score:5, Interesting)
It's a programmable watch by TI. sells for 50$, but 50% deals are regular.. so you can snag one for 25. Has a bunch of things inclusing heart monitor reciever, altimeter and temperature sensor.
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+1.
http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/EZ430-Chronos
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While I do think that is pretty cool, and probably worth $25, it would be at least twice as cool (but not four times as cool) with a just slightly better display. I am really impressed with the [claimed] water resistance of 30m though.
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I'll put my vote for the TI Chronos as well. It is just something funny about having a watch that you can create your own custom software for. Programmable in C, well documented and got a community (fairly small) of hackers playing with it.
You should be able to make it open you garage door :)
on the plus side:
-Got a few sensors (pressure, temp, acceleration)
-It includes IDE's to make your own firmware
-Got a radio tranceiver to interface with "whatever" you want it to
-Doesn't look that bad
negative:
-Doesn't lo
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
...terribly crippled by only permitting programs up to some ridiculously small size, like 5 kB...
Isn't that meant as a challenge? Like, for instance, tossing out that API and using Assembly? You should be able to get anything worth doing in less than 1kB.
Damn, kids these days have no sense of adventure...
pebble? (Score:5, Informative)
Bluetooth e-paper watch with apps, talks to both Apple and Android. Made a splash on kickstarter earlier this month:
www.getpebble.com
You can't buy it now, but I have a hard time believing this isn't the future of watches, in terms of not needing to pull the phone out of your pocket, it can send just about anything to the watch, and you can use the watch to control your phone.
Re:pebble? (Score:5, Informative)
Oh, and it will have an open SDK so you can develop your own apps for it :)
Re:pebble? (Score:4, Insightful)
And by a curious coincidence, not only does the pebble meet each of the askslashdotter's criteria, funding for this particular project on kickstarter closes less than 24 hours after the article was posted here. Is that the foul stench of astroturf assaulting my olfactory system?
Cool idea, but really, does it need a slashvertisement?
Re:pebble? (Score:5, Informative)
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It's a good point, but the platform itself is just getting started. I can't believe how many people have responded to, "I want a gadget that works as a traditional watch" with "Just get a watch." The Pebble is an open platform, so you can make it whatever you like, and while it's current form is a far cry from something you'd wear as a formal timepiece, it's not half bad looking.
Casio GB-6900 (Score:5, Informative)
Casio G-Shock GB-6900 Bluetooth watch [ubergizmo.com]. Uses Bluetooth Low Energy with compatible devices (iPhone 4s, few newer Android phones) so it doesn't drain power like other past Bluetooth enabled watches. Sync to the time on your phone, lets you set phone alerts/alarms/ringtones/etc, read text messaging and email, etc. Good companion piece if you don't like take your phone out of your pocket.
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Get the Casio G-SHOCK MTG900DA-8V - It's easy to read, the battery is charged by built-in solar cells, it automatically syncs to WWVB, it's resistant to water and most other drinkable liquids to a depth most geeks will never encounter, and it's damn near indestructible.
Tokyoflash watches (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.tokyoflash.com
They have an array of really cool designs that are pretty damn geeky. Its pretty easy to tell the time on most of them, but for some telling the time is the equivalent of a binary clock.
Sony SmartWatch (Score:2)
As everybody before me said, go for Pebble :) :D
I can't wait to try mine
Another option would be the watch that runs Android: Sony SmartWatch. See for yourself.
http://www.sonymobile.com/us/products/accessories/smartwatch/
Re:Sony SmartWatch (Score:4, Funny)
Sony Smartwatch?
Yeah... but unlike so many other advertisements every one of your dollars that goes to Sony really does support terrorism :)
Casio calculator watch (Score:2, Insightful)
"When I was younger I flossed a Casio, calculator watch, yeah it was nasty yo. I used that, shot to head of the class, and then I went the speed of light and shot to infinite mass."
Personally, a simple Movado is enough watch for me. For everything else we have smartphones, tablets, netbooks, laptops, desktops, lending libraries, wise talking dogs, wikipedia, and oracles. Ahhh... the simple life...
Watches are not about telling time (Score:3, Insightful)
I once had a concierge at a 5 star hotel tell me he could always figure out a customer by observing two things: his shoes and his watch.
The watch is to men what the handbag and shoes are to women. It is the ultimate fashion accessory. It can be a sign of status like a Rolex. It can be a sign of one's interests like a Bell & Ross. It can be a sign of ones appreciation for artisan watch craft like a Breguet. The question when buying a watch is not what features does it have. Do you really think anyone spends 100K on a Breguet because it tells accurate time? It is a very traditional status symbol of style so find the one that says what you want to say and enhances you personal brand.
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Yes, but it is nice to know they have the right time too
That is part of why I like my JDM Casio Oceanus (this is Casio's domestic upper line model, not sold in the US)
model OCW-P600TD It is made out of titanium, has world atomic time reception in 5 regions from China to Europe, is solar powered and at a little under $1,000 street price shipped to the U.S. is not so cheap that you will see them everywhere, and not so expensive that you worry about someone cutting off your hand to get it.
http://www.tokyo-toy
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Watches are for wage slaves (Score:5, Funny)
True men of leisure don't require watches as they have all the time in the world.
Re:Watches are for wage slaves (Score:5, Funny)
Quite right. Instead, they buy fifty thousand dollar Rolex Yachtmaster platinum cosmographs so that they can track the phase of the moon while complaining about having to pay taxes.
Mechanical. (Score:5, Insightful)
How about respect for mechanical watches? They are true marvels of engineering and work very well. Just because it's electronic doesn't make it any better.
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How about some respect for a false dichotomy? Who says you can't own more than one watch? I'd wager that many folks who do own watches own more than one.
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I'm a pilot and engineer and work with embedded systems and software mostly, but I wear an old mechanical watch. Not many people pay any attention to it, but it has major geek cred. That is because the watch is an Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch. On the rare occasion that someone comments on it, I will show them the inscription on the back: "Flight qualified by NASA for all manned space missions...the first watch worn on the moon".
Sure, it wasn't cheap. But I don't plan on buying another watch.
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http://www.thewatchhut.co.uk/Rotary-Gents-Mechanical-Skeleton-Strap-Watch-GS02521+06.html [thewatchhut.co.uk]
Calculator watches? (Score:5, Informative)
I still wear them. I currently wear a CASIO Databank 150. I I only use basic stuff. Nothing fancy. I'd like to get a PDA watch but they are too heavy and big for my thin wrists. :(
Nixie watch (Score:2)
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Re:Nixie watch (Score:4, Interesting)
Build it. (Score:5, Interesting)
Casio (Score:2)
F-91W [wikipedia.org].
If you want a watch that just works and keeps on (Score:2)
working, the Casio GS1300B is ultimately cool. 5 motors, analog display, atomic time sync, solar powered, count down timer that makes it run backwards, water and shock resist, and it looks nice too. You can read the time at a glance and know that it is absolutely correct. Since I got mine I stopped looking for any other watch. I picked mine up at a Saks 5th Ave outlet store for $240.
Mechanical watch (Score:5, Interesting)
A watch is just for telling the time - your other gadgets are for everything else.
That being the case, there are few things as geekishly awesome as an automatic (ie self-winding) mechanical wristwatch.
A little tiny machine, small enough to wear on your arm, that uses nothing but springs and harmonic motion to keep time, accurate to within a couple of seconds per day.
If you have the means, you can spend $_absurd on a status-symbol automatic watch.
If you don't have those means (or that inclination), you can get some serious bargains.
My everyday watch is a Vostok. http://www.vostok-inc.com/ [vostok-inc.com] . Delivered from Moscow for under $100. Seemingly indestructible, and more than accurate enough - I only ever need to adjust it if it stops, after not being worn for a couple of days.
I've seen some Seiko 5 automatics recently on Amazon for similar prices. More elegant (and delicate) looking than my Vostok (which is more like a watch movement set in an anvil), but very good little units.
Second-hand mechanical watches can be found for even less.
Get some cheap watchmaking tools off Ebay and pull a cheap mechanical watch to pieces, just for fun. Because you can.
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Personally, I'm partial to the Citizen Eco-Drive watches. They look like traditional mechanical analog watches, but under they hood, they use atomic clock signals to keep exacting time, and use solar panels to stay charged. They're not cheap, but you get to walk around all day, smug in the knowledge that everybody thinks you have to wind your watch every day.
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Yes, sure, and you can get battery-powered analog quartz watches that look like a mechanical analog watch, and you don't have to wind them either.
There's something special about a wearable machine. An atomic-syncing solar-powered watch is cool and all, but I'll keep my automatic thanks.
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I have a few Vostoks too. They're built like a tank but also heavy like tenk. Typical Russian construction I suppose.
Get the self winder though, Never having to wind the thing is worth the ten dollar differential.
I prefer the models with soviet stuff on them, but they have plain ones too. amfibija series is my favourite.
Something Old-school Geeky (Score:4, Informative)
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Tissot T-touch (Score:5, Informative)
I have a Tissot T-touch. Looks like an ordinary watch. It uses a touch screen to bring the underlying gadgets to life. Altimeter, compass, barometer, thermometer, etc. Goes well with a suit too!
Suunto Core (Score:2)
But other than that, it is very functional. Barometer and altimeter work very well, and it even has a storm alarm when the pressure drops faster than a certain rate. I have found that works well, too.
Very functional, and nice looking (for a men's-style watch). I could hope for a smaller version, but I haven't seen any.
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Most "typical" digital watch functions: 12 / 24 hr. time, date, dual time, stopwatch, countdown timer. Also calculates sunrise/sunset times for your location, the date, and ST or DT.
Altimeter / barometer / depth gauge: tells you your altitude, atm. pressure, or depth underwater (down to 30 feet, not for scuba). Keeps a chart of pressure or altitude, depending on which mode has priority. Charts show directly on the watch. L
The 1970s called... (Score:2)
I haven't worn a watch since I started carrying a cell phone around. Even long before smartphones existed... cell phones have pretty much always had the time right on them - so who needs duplicate functionality attached to their wrist?
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How about people that want to know what time it is, I have seen my phone synced to the cell provider be off by 5 minutes or more, and also that don't want to worry about their phone randomly changing time zones on them while traveling.
Casio PRX-7000T (Score:2)
The Casio ProTrek PRX-7000T is a good candidate, it's solar, sets itself from an atomic clock signal automatically and has altimeter/barometer, compass and thermometer. It's also their first all-analog version. It's a bit expensive at $1500 but it should come down a bit if it gets release outside of Japan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOPaj5BW-Zg [youtube.com]
Alternately you could get one with a slide rule like a Citizen Skyhawk A-T which could be had for under $500. It's atomic solar as well and has a bunch of other fe
Pulsar Y911 (Score:2)
Actually .. (Score:2)
I actually want a watch that I can pair with my phone via Bluetooth, that will let me do things like dial and answer calls. I don't know if the protocols for that even exist, but it's what I want. Touch screen for a multi-modal display that's a watch when it's not being used for something else, but switches to a dial with send/end buttons when I need it, Maybe make it switchable between various analog and/or digital dial skins. Open source/open architecture if that can be done without introducing malware
ThinkGeek (Score:2)
ThinkGeek has a nice array of watches :
http://www.thinkgeek.com/brain/whereisit.cgi?t=watch [thinkgeek.com]
Their dipswitch watch is especially fun :)
Apple Nano + Watch Band (Score:4, Interesting)
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/ipod_accessories/cases
The only real atomic watch (Score:4, Funny)
http://leapsecond.com/pages/atomic-bill/ [leapsecond.com]
That said, I bought a new watch recently. I had four criteria:
- Maintenance free - electronic but no need for battery replacement (mechanical watches need an oil change every few years)
- Radio controlled, receiving all three standards (OK that kind of includes the one above)
- Titanium case
- at least moderately waterproof.
That whittled it down to a manageable set and when I saw a Citizen Nighthawk on sale I hit it.
Atomic wrist watch (Score:3)
Casio WV-58DU-1AVEF - best cheap geek watch (Score:3)
I love my Casio WV-58DU-1AVEF - see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-WV-58DU-1AVEF-Ceptor-Bracelet-Digital/dp/B000MMCPKO/ [amazon.co.uk] - a huge amount. It's a cheap (30 pounds in the UK) Casio watch with the following major features:
* A steel wriststrap. If you're buying a Casio, do *not* get the black resin strap versions of their watches because they always break within 6 months of use. They may be up to 10 pounds cheaper, but the straps aren't replaceable and I learned this to my cost with two broken-strap resin versions of the watch before I switched to the steel strap.
* A huge amount of info on the default display:
- Day of the week
- Time (including seconds) - switchable between 12 and 24 hour display
- Full date and, critically, switchable between "wrong" American format (MMDDYYYY) and the far more correct "everyone else" format (DDMMYYYY) - most Casios don't allow you to switch and leave the watch in American format, which is frankly incorrect.
- An indicator to tell you that you've turned off all the annoying beeps when you press buttons (yes, I turn them off)
- A "DST" indicator to tell you that you're in daytime savings time or not
- A "satellite icon" to tell you if the watch correctly radio-synced overnight or not
* Usual countdown timer (I set mine to 25 mins for oven chips :-) ) and stopwatch as you'd expect (useful functions missing from most analogue watches)
* Daily alarm and optional hourly chime (I've never seen the point of the latter, but Casio always seem to include it)
* Press a button to find out the time and date when the watch last successfully radio synced.
* Hold the same button for about 5 secs to initiate an immediate radio sync (best to take the watch off or at least hold it very still when syncing).
* Luminescent backlight button - nice light blue background hue when you press it.
* Dual time zone option - can select the city and it will time sync to the "local" radio time service on 5 continents.
I've had a lot of cheap Casio digital watches in my time and this is the best one I've ever had.
Not exactly what you are looking for... (Score:3)
TokyoFlash (Score:3, Interesting)
I haven't seen it posted yet, so wanted to throw in my bit. TokyoFlash has some of the most beautiful watches I've ever seen.
http://www.tokyoflash.com/en/watches/1/ [tokyoflash.com]
All sorts of styles, displays, and interpretations. Some are more pricey than others, but I'd say every last one is a piece of art more than a plain watch.
They are all limited edition, so if you wait a few months they will have in new models, but at the same time some current models will be discontinued. So if you find something you really like, don't put it off.
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It is more than I would want to spend on a watch that will stop glowing in the dark in a dozen years
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When my nice Rodania titanium was stolen by the bastard security guards at Milan airport I bought the same one as you.
The compass isn't wildly accurate and I wouldn't rely on it out in the boonies, but it's great if you have an abysmal urban sense of direction like me. Sure, I'm at Foo & Bar, but do I go this way or that?
I can never work out whether the thermometer is measuring the ambient temperature or mine. Seems like it's somewhere inbetween. It's accurate off-wrist though, I tested it against a
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That isn't like a slide rule, it is a slide rule.
A tachymeter is something else. Usually it's a just scale of 720/n (where n is the number on the dial) that can be used with the second hand to conve