GSM Wristwatch Phone to be sold

[GadgetKen]

I always thought a wristwatch cellphone was just a Dick Tracy cartoon idea, or a prototype that would never make it to market, but apparently a company in Australia is actually going to be releasing a bluetooth enabled triband gsm watch phone very soon, with more models to come. Check this site out: http://www.mymobilewatch.com

It's cute, but a bit on the expensive side. Still, it's an incredible feat of engineering to make a workable phone this small. Hope they do well.

Wrist watch phones that make it to market are a rare event. There was a Japanese Wristomo watch that worked on their proprietary handyphone system. There also was a bulky watchphone made a while back in China. Also some bluetooth enabled watches have been made, but that's different from making an actual watchphone.

[PhotoJim]

The shopping cart is down right now, so I can't tell how much it is. How much is it?

I see a GSM 850/1900 version is coming but even the 900/1800/1900 tempts me a bit. GSM 1900 coverage here in Canada is reasonable. There are no sites here that are GSM 850 only.

[GadgetKen]

The price on their website is $649 Australian which based on http://www.xe.com/ucc would be about $605 Canadian or $520 US. Kind of expensive but I think it's appropriate for what it costs to build an ultra-mini phone like this. Closest distributors to North America look like one in the US, and one in the Dominican Republic. Due to the high cost, would caution you should probably check to make sure it's in stock and ready to ship before you give them (or one of their distributors) a credit card number.

[GadgetKen]

They just updated their website. While the M300 model was apparently a 900/1800/1900 triband, the fancier M500 model is apparently quad band. No price listed for the M500, it probably falls under the category of "if you have to ask, you can't afford it." Still it's amazing they can build a quad band phone with a touch screen keypad, bluetooth, a PDA organizer, and an MP3 player into a wristwatch that weighs 60 grams

[GadgetKen]

Apparently CECT of China is rushing a competing watchphone (in choice of colors) to market before SMS(who has repeatedly delayed release of their phone). Both are scheduled for release in early September:

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/...78&newsLang=en

No word on the price of the CECT W100 or whether it's dual, tri or quad band gsm (if it's made only for the domestic Mainland China market, it may be only dual band). They even managed to squeeze in a camera. If it turns out it's a triband or quadband phone that's not too expensive, I might try ordering one through ebay and pretend I'm Dick Tracy

[GadgetKen]

Just ordered a CECT M800 wristwatch phone on ebay yesterday(with postage and insurance added in it came out to US$157).

Link to a short review of it and a picture:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Mobil...et-71095.shtml

Doesn't have a camera, but it only weighs 70 grams, has an MP3 and video player, bluetooth, a touchscreen triband 900/1800/1900 GSM phone (only the last frequency band will work in North America), and oh yes, it does tell the time.

Dealer is located in Hong Kong, so it may not show up in my mailbox for a while. Can't wait to try it with different sims and see how it works in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean.

Granted this is an oversized watch phone toy, but it should be a lot of fun to play with. I'll report on how it works when I get it.

[ygeffens]

Originally Posted by GadgetKen

Just ordered a CECT M800 wristwatch phone on ebay yesterday(with postage and insurance added in it came out to US$157).

It lacks a dual sim option

[GadgetKen]

Originally Posted by ygeffens

It lacks a dual sim option

LOL, I'm not sure they could fit another sim card in something that small

[GadgetKen]

Just got in the mail. Nice toy

Tried with call back and direct dial sims. All worked fine. Tried Beyond Wireless/AT&T-USA, Fido-Canada, Digicel-Bermuda, UM+, and Yackie Mobile. May also try with a T-Mobile/Tuyo chip when in a T-Mobile coverage area.

Dialing is by menu or virtual keyboard.

Texting is by handwriting recognition.

Amazing they can fit a phone in something this small. Receiver sensitivity is good. Tried calls both talking at my wrist (should be interesting trying that in public....), and via bluetooth.

Also has an MP4 audio/video player that plays either vertically or horizontally for video. Haven't converted files for it yet, but intend to. Also can play ebooks.

Instruction manual is in English and Chinese. No diagrams but can figure out most watch functions through the manual and rummaging through the menus on the phone.

USB cables provided to charge headset or phone. Cables connect either to a PC or to an included AC Adapter (110-240V AC; has rounds pins). Spare battery provided and sim cards easily install under the battery pack on the back of the phone.

USB drivers weren't included but were easily found by Windows XP on the internet (3 drivers were downloaded by the hardware installer when I plugged in the USB cable). USB cable can be used to either use the phone as a USB drive or as a communications cable to teather a device.

All in all a good value for US$157 with postage on ebay.

[bylo]

More competition here:
$159: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10479
$165: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10480

Phones are tri-band 900/1800/1900 and include Bluetooth, MP4, etc. Prices include air shipping from Hong Kong.