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Seiko Unveil The World's First GPS Solar Watch
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RobBrady
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 8:46 pm    Post subject: Seiko Unveil The World's First GPS Solar Watch Reply with quote

pocketgpsworld.com
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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GeoffCee
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:52 am    Post subject: GPS on your wrist Reply with quote

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? Embarassed
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AllyCat
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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)? Wink

Cheers, Alan.[/i]
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peterc10
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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)? Wink

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!
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Guivre46
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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?
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AllyCat
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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 Crying or Very sad :

http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm

Cheers, Alan.
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M8TJT
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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. Rolling Eyes
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PaulB2005
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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. Rolling Eyes


But when you love gadgets who cares if you NEED it???
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 9:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PaulB2005 wrote:
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. Rolling Eyes


But when you love gadgets who cares if you NEED it???

Thanks Paul - I was struggling to find an excuse to buy one. Confused
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Guivre46
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Exactly. Cut to the chase - how much is it?
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:54 pm    Post subject: Re: GPS on your wrist Reply with quote

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. Crying or Very sad

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!)
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M8TJT
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 11:29 pm    Post subject: Re: GPS on your wrist Reply with quote

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 Shocked
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MaFt
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 3:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Everyone who has commented so far (including myself) has two things in common:
1) We're British
2) To change timezone we have to sit still (on a plane, train, ferry etc) whihc gives us time to manually adjust our watches.

Those in places like the USA or Australia have multiple timezones that could be crossed on foot or while driving to a business meeting. Those people don't have time to spare on an aeroplane to adjust their watches so something like this would be more practical/useful to them.

A neat bit of info I found in another news article about this watch said:
Quote:
The programming in the watch divides the world into one million 'squares' and allocates a time zone to each. Once a day (or on demand), Seiko Astron automatically receives the time signal by connecting to four or more of the GPS satellites that orbit Earth, allowing the watch to pinpoint its position and identify the time zone it's in. The process for manual updating involves pressing a single button.


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MaFt
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 3:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Also, I think the main selling point of this is the fact it is fully solar powered - no batteries involved. While the battery savings don't justify the cost, it is pretty clever!

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M8TJT
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 10:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

MaFt wrote:
Also, I think the main selling point of this is the fact it is fully solar powered - no batteries involved. While the battery savings don't justify the cost, it is pretty clever!
You mean just like the other solar Seikos. You don't have to change the battey, but you do have to replace the very expensive charge holding capacitor instead (but not as often) Rolling Eyes
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