SPOT-powered watches, weather station previewed at CES

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Jan. 05, 2006

Microsoft's Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT) initiative previewed the next generation of "Smart Watches for MSN Direct" and highlighted Oregon Scientific's recent launch of "Regional Weather Stations with MSN Direct," today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

(Click here for larger image of Oregon Scientific's weather station)

SPOT watches offer access to continually updated content such as news, traffic alerts, weather reports, stock quotes, and sports scores. They receive all this information from Microsoft's MSN Direct broadcasting service, which sends selected content directly to the devices through FM radio station subcarrier transmissions, a service to which owners of the devices must subcribe on a monthly or annual basis.

According to Microsoft, the next generation of Fossil's Abacus-branded Smart Watches, one of the original Smart Watch brands, will boast doubled storage capacity, improved battery life, and enhanced speed relative to Fossil's previous SPOT-powered watches. The new Abacus Smart Watch is expected to be available in retail locations this spring, Microsoft said. Two of fossil's earlier Smart Watches are shown here -- the "Dick Tracy" is on the left, while one from the Abacus designer series is on the right.

Oregon Scientific's Regional Weather Station with MSN Direct represents the "next evolution of SPOT technology and MSN Direct content," according to Microsoft. The unit provides complete weather information at a glance including a three-day weather forecast, National Weather Service warning information, current indoor and outdoor temperatures, humidity levels, sunrise and sunset times, wind direction and speed, heat index, barometric pressure, and UV levels, Microsoft says.

"We are extremely excited about the expansion of the SPOT technology and MSN Direct content into new devices from Oregon Scientific," said Eric Lang, general manager of Microsoft's SPOT initiative. "Our network is ideally suited for delivering a wide variety of personalized location services at a low cost to the consumer, and we are proud to be working with industry leaders to continue the evolution of the SPOT vision of making everyday objects smarter through technology."

For more information about SPOT technology and Smart Watch products, refer to our SPOT special report.

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