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Seiko Unveil The Worlds First GPS Solar Watch
Article by: rob brady
Date: 9 Mar 2012
As advancements in GPS technology continue to enter new realms, Seiko have achieved a new feat by unveiling the world's first GPS solar watch.
The personal time piece will automatically change the time to match the correct time zone when individuals travel, using GPS technology to keep track of the wearer's location.
The GPS receiver is low powered and this means that battery power is not consumed quickly. The device connects to four or more satellites in order to identify the location of the individual and adjust the time accordingly.
Whilst details of release dates and prices have not yet been announced, the watch is naturally expected to fall into a high price band and will be mainly targeted at those who travel frequently.
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| Comments
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 Posted by GeoffCee on Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:52 am |
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It isn't exactly a slim or dressy timepiece but I imagine it's an ice breaker, a talking point, between strangers trapped in each other's company on a long flight, for instance.
Speaking of which, whenever I fly the flightcrew kindly announce the local time as we are about to land. They are (almost) always right and adjusting one's watch oneself consumes no battery power whatsoever. Yet another example of technological innovation for the sake of it.
A must-have for geeks and dweebs. When will they be in the shops? 
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| Posted by AllyCat on Sat Mar 10, 2012 10:04 am |
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Hi,
Since GPS signals tend to be in short supply in aircraft, airport buildings and even trains (metallised windows) I wonder how long it actually takes to update its time zone? IMHO WiFi localisation might be a far better method.
But maybe it's an answer to the nonsense that many flight crew/airlines won't allow the use of GPS receivers in aircaft (or will wearers be banned from entering the plane)? 
Cheers, Alan.[/i]
Garmin GPS72H/76/60/45, Etrex H, Mapsource v6.5.
Acer N50,HP114,Loox N560,Dell x50,CF/SD cards to 4/32GB.
RoyalTek,Holux236,Navman B10 & Copilot(Globalsat) BT GPS,TomTom5/6.
Memory Map (v5.4.2 & v5.1.3 OS & Euro), GPS gate,OSGPSconverter. |
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| Posted by peterc10 on Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:16 am |
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| AllyCat Wrote: |
But maybe it's an answer to the nonsense that many flight crew/airlines won't allow the use of GPS receivers in aircaft (or will wearers be banned from entering the plane)?
Cheers, Alan.[/i] |
Do they? I have used mine (on phone) when flying with BA and queasyjet with no problems. As long as I am in a window seat I normally get a fix. The camera warnings are especially interesting!
Peter
HTC Sensation
Sygic GPS for Europe (No more TT "support"!)
Copilot for USA
Bury CC9060 bluetooth car kit & Brodit mount |
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| Posted by Guivre46 on Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:18 am |
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I've already got a watch that updates/times to an AM radio signal in Europe and NA. So this would be for people going off in the wilds. Though I've always wondered what would happen to gps devices at either pole?
Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom |
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| Posted by AllyCat on Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:54 am |
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Hi,
Yes, I have one of those watches as well. As long as you consider "the wilds" to be anywhere where there are no RTS broadcasts, such as (AFAIK) Australasia, South America, Asia (except Japan) and Europe more than about 2000 miles from the German transmitter.
GPS doesn't have any problems at the poles. The satellite orbits are inclined and they're sufficiently high that they're easily "visble" anywhere on the Earth (unlike geostationary satellites). A far as time zones are concerned, I guess they're not too significant with 24 hour days or nights (depending on the season).
| peterc10 Wrote: | | Do they? I have used mine (on phone) when flying with BA and queasyjet with no problems. As long as I am in a window seat I normally get a fix. |
Can't remember the last airline I used but GPS use was specifically excluded in the safety notes in the Flight Magazine. BA and Easyjet do indeed seem to permit them, but not Lufthansa, Ryan or Virgin  :
http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm
Cheers, Alan.
Garmin GPS72H/76/60/45, Etrex H, Mapsource v6.5.
Acer N50,HP114,Loox N560,Dell x50,CF/SD cards to 4/32GB.
RoyalTek,Holux236,Navman B10 & Copilot(Globalsat) BT GPS,TomTom5/6.
Memory Map (v5.4.2 & v5.1.3 OS & Euro), GPS gate,OSGPSconverter. |
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| Posted by M8TJT on Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:11 pm |
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Surely it must to more than adjust the time zone and keep deadly accurate time? Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist to me. 
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| Posted by PaulB2005 on Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:52 pm |
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| M8TJT Wrote: | | Surely it must to more than adjust the time zone and keep deadly accurate time? Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist to me. |
But when you love gadgets who cares if you NEED it???
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| Posted by Guivre46 on Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:43 pm |
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Exactly. Cut to the chase - how much is it?
Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom |
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| Posted by DennisN on Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:54 pm |
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| GeoffCee Wrote: | | adjusting one's watch oneself consumes no battery power whatsoever. |
For me, adjusting the time on my Seiko is a major effort to overcome geek technology on my mega expensive world time thing. I can change to/from summer time with a single touch of a button, but changing to and from Greek time means I have to take the manual with me twice a year.
| Quivre46 Wrote: | | Cut to the chase - how much is it? |
It had better cost more than this one which was £300 eight years ago! ('Course, it's still up to date, unlike my TomToms since then!)
Dennis
If it tastes good - it's fattening.
Two of them are obesiting!! |
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| Posted by M8TJT on Sun Mar 11, 2012 10:29 pm |
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| DennisN Wrote: | | ('Course, it's still up to date, unlike my TomToms since then!) |
And probably still will be until some bright spark in the EU decide to decimalise time 
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