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In computer news this week – 04/07/2005

 

The Timex USB Datalink sports watch – the ultimate Outlook accessory  - or Dick Tracy never dreamed of half this stuff on his wrist.

 

Ok Ok I’m old, and I know I have to inform over half our listeners that Dick Tracy was a comic character policeman back in the 50’s who wore a very high tech wristwatch, actually a two way radio. Today cellphones do that function, but gadget geeks are still searching for the ultimate information databank on your wrist.

 

Well, it’s here -  in the form of the new  Timex USB Datalink sports watch – which hooks up to your computer via its own usb cable, and lets you download your outlook data, contacts and appointments, or virtually any data – and finally has the memory to store everything.

 

This watch is available on the internet at http://www.timex.com/datalink/ , who periodically offers sales on their products. I bought this onsale for $ 67.50.

 

First the basic watch functions:

It’s an attractive Watch with 3 times zones

It has a Nightlight

200 lap chronometer with Workout storage capability, and it even comes with a training software program

10 countdown timers – I’m using the 3 minute one to time the read through of this Raw Bytes show.

10 settable alarms

A schedule function for scheduled things to do

Special Occasions function so you don’t forget birthdays etc.

A note function for you to create reminders to yourself

Next the data functions –

The Timex USB Datalink comes with its own usb cable to connect to your computer, and kind of a parrot jaw type connector to hook up to the watch.

It has its own installation mini-cd which you put in your cd drive, and install the software, which also includes the training program.

As standard features of the data functions

You can download your Outlooks contacts – I downloaded over 300

You can download your Outlook appointments – I downloaded a month

You can also download other wrist applications from the timex website.

 which include:

A golf score counter

A calorie counter

A pulse calculator

And – and – and (Is this beginning to sound like on of those knife infomercials?)

The ultimate geek game – Space invaders (Be still my heart ...)

And next, if none of these make you happy, Timex provides their own programming tools for you to write your own watch functions.

This is truly geek nirvana – say it loud – I’m a geek and I’m proud. Hold up your hand – with the geek watch showing. Revenge of the computer nerds !!

 

Ok, I’m excited about it. I think Timex finally got it right, and I’m looking forward to using mine.

 

For Raw Bytes

This is Frank Delaney

(C) 2005 MTA Micro Technology Associates

http://www.mtamicro.com/kpbx.html

PO Box 31522 Spokane, Wa 99223-1522

(509)624-7230

mailto:frank@mtamicro.com