Seiko Astron, the World's First Solar GPS Watch

In 1969, Seiko introduced the first quartz watch, and now they are introducing the world's first solar GPS watch.  Using their own, patented, low-energy-consumption GPS receiver, the Astron is able to recognize all 39 time zones around the world to identify time zone and set the time and date data using the global network of GPS satellites.  The Astron receives the time signal once a day, and it can connect to at least four GPS satellites on command to determine the time zone and the exact time.  There are five models in the Astron line: three in “high-intensity titanium, which is stronger than stainless steel but has only 60% of its weight, and two in stainless steel. All have ceramic bezels, the same functions and high specifications, including a dual time sub-dial, in-flight mode indicator and sapphire crystal with Super-Clear Coating.”  All have ceramic faces and all have the same functions, and they're solar-powered so you don't need to worry with batteries.  The Astron will be available in Autumn 2012; no price information is available yet.

Jedi Training Ball Alarm Clock – Use the Force Luke

Mmmm young Padawans,  shoot sparks to wake you up in the morning this Wesco Star Wars Jedi Training Ball Alarm Clock will not. But Force push umm…. throw it you must for the alarm to turn off. Available for preorder (expected delivery April/May) from Frontline Hobbies Australia for $29.99AU (approx $32US ).

Track and Analyze Your Run with the runtastic GPS Watch

The GPS Watch from runtastic records important parameters from your run: pace, laps, calories, distance, target HR zones, speed, duration, time, elevation and heart rate.  After the run, connect the watch to your computer with the included USB cable to transfer your data to your profile at runtastic's website to analyze your metrics.  The watch display is customizable, and it has a compass and navigation function.  The battery lasts about 14 hours on a charge with GPS.  The runtastic GPS Watch costs €149.99; unfortunately, runtastic seems to ship only in Europe.

SleepTracker Elite Review

SleepTracker Elite is the wear-at-night wristwatch that can monitor your sleep movements and help you ascertain how well or poorly you're sleeping at night.  Time Magazine calls it the Invention of the Year.  I call it an interesting way to figure out why I'm such a grouch in the morning.  Simply put, it's a wrist watch that monitors your sleep patterns and sleep movements and then analyzes those patterns in a software program that shows you your progress.  I was selected to give one a try when SleepTracker offered a review unit to The Gadgeteer. When you sleep, your body goes through various sleep cycles during the night with the average human typically going through four or five. SleepTracker's theory is that if you are woken up during a “light stage” of sleep as opposed to another, deeper stage of sleep, you will wake up more refreshed and feel better.  Instead of waking up when your alarm clocks says you should wake up, the SleepTracker, when worn as a wristwatch at night, will wake you up when you are in a lighter stage of sleep. You can set the time you go to bed, you set the time you want to wake up and set the time to tell the watch when the lightest sleep stage is in accordance to your alarm time to then go off and wake you up. This watch has two alarms, a beep and a vibrate and they can be used together.  The beeping alarm woke me up.  The vibrate did not. SleepTracker also monitors the number of sleep interruptions you experience each night, even if you are unaware of those interruptions.   Those interruptions could be from anything.  If you sleep with your dog or your cat (or both in my case), any movement from the animal will cause you to move from one stage of sleep to another and will register as a sleep interruption.  For instance, the first night I used Sleeptracker, I had 21 (!) instances of sleep interruption. Using an accelerometer, SleepTracker monitors and tracks the slightest physical signs from your body, and tracks that progress to determine your deepest sleep moments and your lightest.   Your lightest moments are when you really want to wake up because you'll wake up feeling better and easier. Using the data that the watch collects, you download it to the SleepTracker software on your computer, and it analyzes your night's sleep and then gives you the number of interruptions, how long they lasted, as well as your total sleep time and a score that places your sleep progress. Setting the watch for your sleep times, alarm times and the actual time and date is extremely easy.  And if you happen to go past your “To Bed” time, it's simple to change it.  Trust me, I'm clumsy in the “Set the Watch” department and I can set SleepTracker. Until SleepTracker, I thought I was doing OK in the sleep department.  My favorite hobby is sleeping with weekend daytime naps something I work hard at.  I always seem to wake up more refreshed and less grumpy from a nap than overnight sleep.  I have three animals and a husband with sleep apnea, so I was pretty interested in seeing what kind of sleep I was getting with the SleepTracker. My first SleepTracker score was 95, which is pretty awesome.  But for the next two days, it went steadily downward. I am prone to migraines so I took Advil PM the next night thinking….ok, it will take care of my headache and I'll be down for the count all night.   I was down for the count, but the next morning I woke up groggy and grumpy.  The upshot was that I had no headache, but my SleepTracker data on Day 3  read that I'd gone from a 95 to an 82.  Being unconscious doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the sleep you need.  In some cases, it just means you're unconscious. The data also records your uninterrupted sleep moments, and you can go back and view the data to determine when those moments occurred.  Some I remembered, such as when the dog decided to jump off the bed and go bark at something unseen in the dark… most likely dust.  Or when my cat jumped on me for reasons I still have yet to determine.  (My cat likes to sleep ON me.  Not near me, ON me.  Usually on my hip as I'm a side sleeper and makes a nice comfy nest out of the blankets in the curve of my hip.  Like I'm a log in the woods.  Or a piece of driftwood.  Or a living room chair. Only warmer.) I used to be a “Sleep With the Televison On” kind of person.  I like something playing in the background when I'm working, and even when napping during the day.  Napping during football (my husband stays awake for this) in the autumn and lacrosse during the spring has never been an issue, but television at night has become a problem, and it's showing in the SleepTracker data as well which I found interesting. This is what the data graph will look like for your SleepTracker data. My husband, who uses a C-PAP at night, does not experience the things I do at night.  He hears basically nothing because of the machine, and the animals don't go near him on the bed. They've learned the painful consequences.  It's me they bug because they know I'm a great big pushover.  Our youngest cat starts annoying me around 5:00 am because that's when she wants to be fed.  She should know she has to wait until 7 am because that's when I feed both cats and our dog.  She knows this but that doesn't stop her from her shenanigans until I get so fed up, I get up and feed them all just to shut them up and let me sleep.  Surprisingly, it's all showing up in the SleepTracker data. Our Pembroke Welsh Corgi loves to sleep snuggled between my husband and me, but anyone who knows anything about Corgis knows they're heavy shedders because they have a thick undercoat.  So while Gipper likes the whole “Snuggle with my Humans” thing, he gets overheated and starts this annoying raspy panting…usually in my ear and usually when I'm just drifting off to sleep.  Is it in the SleepTracker data?  Oh yeah. For further testing, I let my husband wear the device.  Day 1 he got a 100 score.  That's a perfect score.  That means he's getting the sleep he needs to get. As for comfort, I'm the wrong person to ask. I didn't like wearing SleepTracker.  I found it to be bulky, I didn't like the plastic against my skin, I knocked it against things (not that it hurt it, it's even waterproof!) and ended up latching it to my belt loop which I can't do at night or (of course) it will not record data. But I am not a watch wearer.  I don't wear wrist watches of any kind.  I haven't worn one in years.  Even as a teen, I never wore a watch, I've always worn a antique pendant watch pinned to my blouse or something. I also wear very little jewelry on my wrist or hands save for my wedding ring so again, the comfort of SleepTracker is probably more of a “me” thing. People who wear watches probably won't have a problem with it. Cool watch...I just didn't like wearing it. Turning off the alarm when it went off in the morning proved problematic at least for me.  I kept pressing every button but the one that shut it off.  Again, I think that is a “me” thing.  I'm not used to being woken by a watch on my wrist with an alarm going off.  The watch does feature a very nice glow light for reading it in the dark. For beginners, it's a cool watch.  It's got an alarm and keeps time, date and alarm info.  Second, we don't always sleep as well as we should or could.  We have all had instances in our lives when getting a good night's sleep was imperative, and SleepTracker will help you wake up during your best cycle so you can be at your best.  For travelers, it's even better.  I've got three co-workers who travel to Europe frequently and are interested in what it can do. The price isn't bad either. And Another Thing: SleepTracker's Customer Service rocks.  By and large, I hate reporting glitches to a product's Customer Service department because they pretty much don't care.  Not so here.  When I had questions and issues with the product, I got an weekend email from Lee Loree, the owner of SleepTracker!   This is a company that believes in their product, believes in their customers, and if their customers are going to pay for their product, they're going to make sure everyone gets what they need.  I can dig it. It's an open door policy at SleepTracker and these days, they're the exception to the rule when they should be the rule.

Bulgari crafts sophisticated Octo Maserati watch

There's no lack of choices in timepieces for automotive enthusiasts, but unfortunately most of them come down to simply slapping an automaker's name or logo (or that of a racing series or driver) on an existing timepiece and calling it a day. That, however, is not the route Maserati has gone with its new timepiece. In fact, you'd have to turn this watch over to see the Trident logo on the casebook. Instead, Bulgari has opted to let the design and the mechanical precision it encases speak to the same themes it shares with its new automotive partner. The Octo Maserati watch is built around the highly sophisticated Calibre GG7800 automatic chronograph movement which Bulgari crafts itself at the Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie Bulgari in Le Sentier, Switzerland. Rather than displaying its time through the ordinary combination of hands sweeping around the dial, the Octo watch places a jumping hour window at the 12 o'clock position and retrograde displays for the minutes, date and chronograph counters. The 45-jewel movement is backed by a 38-hour power reserve and encased in a 45-millimeter brushed steel case with scratch-resistant, anti-glare sapphire crystal front and back. The blue-lacquered dial is designed to recall a Maserati's grille, and the piece is affixed to the wrist by a blue calfskin strap with butterfly clasp. We dare not ask what a timepiece like this will sell for, but trust that it will be sufficiently Maserati-like in its sticker.

Ferrari contracts Movado for new line of watches

Having trouble keeping track of which watchmaker is producing timepieces for Ferrari these days? It can get a little confusing. Girard-Perregaux held the license for many years, after which a lackluster partnership was formed with Panerai. Then Cabestan was contracted to make one very fancy-looking watch for the Prancing Horse marque, before Hublot got the nod. And that's not including the more affordable watches marketed less to Ferrari owners than to the Scuderia's tifosi. Now, Maranello has formed another partnership with a different watchmaker. That watchmaker is Movado, the Swiss firm best know for creating elegant and simply styled timepieces that look just as much at home in a museum showcase as they do on a wearer's wrist. Movado also makes watches under the Ebel, Concord, ESQ, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, Juicy Couture and Lacoste labels, and will now be adding Ferrari to its roster of brands. The collection is set to draw its inspiration from Ferrari's road and racing cars, and is set to be launched next year at the Watch & Jewelry Fair in Basel, Switzerland, after which they will go on sale at Ferrari stores around the world and online with prices peaking at 1,500 euros (around $2,000).

Garmin Approach S3 Golf Watch

If you think the game of golf could not get any techie-er, Garmin introduces a GPS-enabled wristwatch for golfers. The Garmin Approach S3, an upgrade to its Approach S1, now comes with a touch screen and provides assistance to over 27,000 golf courses all over the world. Sure, it will not help improve your swing, but this watch provides you with important knowledge on certain courses such as layup distances, green overviews, and precise yardage. This waterproof device runs effortlessly for eight hours until its battery juice drains out. The Garmin Approach S3 golf watch is available this month on authorized retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $350. It will be available in white with red trim and black with gray trim.

Google Android Watch Set

Just released on the Google Store, the Android Watch Set has been designed with Modify Watch so the watches are mixable and matchable.  Each set comes with two custom straps and a you get a choice of large watch face or small watch face.  Made of stainless steel with a polycarbonate casing they're also water-resistant to 3ATM. I must admit when I first saw this I was hoping that it was actually an Android Watch Extension for your Android device The small is 9.5″ and the large is 10″ both sets being priced at $59.95 from the Google Store.

Good Morning, Sir is Waking You Up, Classy-Style

To many people, even the worst of news can sound better when said with a British accent.  And what worse news can you have every morning than a blaring alarm at 5am to wake you up and get  you started on your day?  Wouldn't the gentle prodding of, say, Stephen Fry help to better ease you into your work day?  ThinkGeek has answered this wish with the Good Morning, Sir (or Madam) Alarm Clock. There are over 120 sounds recorded by Stephen Fry as his character “Jeeves”, and just to give you a taste of this British wit, a sample wake up call is “It appears to be morning.  Very inconvenient, I agree.  I believe it is the rotation of the Earth that is to blame, Sir.”  The clock will still set off an alarm to ensure you get yourself up, but you'll look forward to a confirmation by Jeeves once you shut it off, such as “Madam has a firm touch.  But very fair.” The clock base is made of wood, not plastic, with the clock face similar to the above shot for the “Sir” version, and having little pink flowers on it for “Madam”.  It's implied on the ThinkGeek description of “Sir” that you may be able to toggle between the Sir and Madam recordings if frilly pink flowers aren't your style.  Both models run on 4AA batteries. Good Morning, Sir can be purchased through ThinkGeek for $69.99.

Manifold Clock: Telling time in 3D

This is another Kickstarter project.  The Manifold Clock is a wall-mounted clock with a 30″ sweep.  The hour and minute hands are joined with a flexible sheet that forms a changing 3-D shape.  This “combination of simple mechanics and modern design is based on the mathematical notion of Riemann surfaces, derived from the log(z) function.”  Pledge at least $45 to receive a Manifold Clock.  Funding has already been exceeded, but there is still time to pledge and receive a clock.  The funding period ends February 23 at 5:00 pm EST.

Kisai Optical Illusion Touchscreen Watch from Tokyoflash Japan

Here's another of those arty watches from Tokyoflash Japan.  The Kisai Optical Illusion Watch has a touchscreen for accessing the four main functions.  Like those optical illusion posters from years ago, the time display is buried in a pattern of high-resolution digital lines.  Once you've trained your eyes, you'll be able to see the time.  Until you've trained them, or perhaps if you never do,  there's a button that clears up the background lines when touched.  The Optical Illusion is a limited-edition watch with a mineral crystal lens with either a natural or green face and a stainless band and clasp available in silver or black.  The watch is $199, but it's available for $179 with free shipping until Friday January 27th, 2012 at 11:30 am (Japan time).

Google Android Wristwatch

Google offers in its online store an “Android” wristwatch. Well, do not be fooled by the name. As much as you wish for an Android-powered wristwatch that could make you shoot a bunch of angry birds, this watch only features Android logos on its face. Despite that letdown, this working timepiece costs a fraction of an actual Android-powered wristwatch. These watches are made by Modify, known for letting users swap the actual clock into different wristbands. This mix-and-match feature also goes to Google's Android watch. These Google-branded wristwatches are available for $59.95, but you better hurry because only nine small ones (measuring 9.5 inches tip to tip) remain in stock as of this writing.

Pop open a cold one with your watch

Filed under kooky but useful, the Happy Hour wrist watch not only tells time, but also allows you to pop open a beer with the strap buckle. Priced from $69.95 – $99.95, these watches feature a leather strap with a patented stainless steel bottle-opening buckle. I'm sure the college crowd would love this watch, but would you wear one?

Oregon Scientific's Touch Advanced Weather Station

Some weather stations have a confusing array of buttons that toggle between modes, but Oregon Scientific is announcing a new touchscreen weather station at CES that will simplify determining what you should wear in the mornings.  The Touch Advanced Weather Station gives you full weather forecasts, accurate time & date, temperature, humidity and air pressure readings with a touch of your finger.  The Touch Advanced station shows 12-hour weather forecast with 24-hour historical barometer and barograph, indoor/outdoor temperature and humidity with up to 3 channels, and a daily max and min temperature and humidity record.  It also has an atomic clock and calendar with crescendo alarm and 8-minute snooze.  The MSRP is $49.99.

Suunto Elementum Terra All Black Watch Review

The All Black is ‘just…' a new color scheme in the existing Sunnto Elementum Terra line. The all-black casing and negative display make for a stealthy (Stargate ) look, while retaining all the functionality of the Terra clan. I have always been tempted by Suunto's luxury line of Elementum Terra watches but to be honest the original three styles, while very nice, never talked to me enough to do the deed. But the Terra All Black pushed me over the edge…. The Terra All Black is well sized and weighted and even better looking in person, featuring: time, date, alarm, 3D compass, altimeter, barometer, and chronograph. Here it is next to my old Suunto t6 running/workout (right) and Movado (left) watches I wear regularly.  As you can see, the Terra All Black is very nice looking. I have used my t6 for YEARS, having definitely gotten what I paid for. It continues to keep ticking…a new battery every couple of years and has yet to fail me. My hope and expectation is that the Terra will do the same; withstand the same rugged lifestyle that my t6 has. The Terra's professional appearance not only enables it to be worn anywhere (aka business setting), but also be used while running/outdoor adventuring. While nicely weighted and sized, the Elementum series of watches is relatively thick, but not painfully so. The overall dimensions of the watch are 1.8 (44mm) x 1.8 (44mm) x 0.5 (13.5mm) inches and weighs 95 g (200 g for Steel). Contents: Suunto Elementum Terra All Black Wrist Computer Cleaning Cloth Customer Support Card Quick Reference Guide Features: Time, Date, Alarm Backlight Altimeter Barometric pressure & trend 3D compass Chronograph Cumulative ascent / descent Log: last 8 ascent / descent, max. altitude Suunto's Elementum Terra has a simple design, manufactured with high quality materials and intelligent/well-thought out navigation. As you would expect from Suunto, its luxury line of watches is extremely well made: corrosion-resistant AISI 316L stainless steel case and buttons; sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective coating; intelligent knob positioning for easy scrolling; high-quality LCD display with metallic display graphics; water resistance to 100 m (and according to the manual, the buttons can be pushed underwater). The Suunto Elementum has two sensors: pressure and electronic compass. The pressure sensor has a dual purpose of monitoring the barometric pressure and altitude data. The main screen of the watch shows the time, date, altitude, and barometric pressure trend and reading continuously. The compass function can be accessed by pushing the bottom button. The 3-Axis (3-D) compass does not need to be level to operate accurately. The barometric pressure scale (outside ring display) turns into a pointer for North, and the watch dial reads out the degrees you are facing. The compass and barometric sensors need to be initially calibrated and aligned. Having majored in atmospheric science back in college, I find the barometric pressure gauge and trend indicator interesting and a lot of fun. So far, it has done an excellent job of letting me know what the weather is going to be like. The pressure was high and it was clear and cold but once it took a nosedive, the rains were here a few hours later. While this feature has limited benefits surviving in the urban canyons, it could definitely come in handy while out camping, fishing, hunting and the like. The watch also features an alarm and simple chronograph. The chronograph measures 1x100 of a second for a minute after which it measures up to 99 minutes. While the Terra can time your runs/hikes/rides, track your altitude gains/losses, and help you navigate your routes, it does not work with Suunto's foot pod, bike pod, GPS pod or heart rate monitor; making it not an ideal choice for hardcore training. The watch has a very bright backlight. It can be activated by pushing the middle button for a couple of seconds. The entire screen is illuminated with a blue/green glow. The backlight is impressively bright and stays on for approximately 3-4 seconds. In addition to the new Terra All Black, there are also three other styles in the line; Black Rubber, Black Leather, and Steel. Along with the Terra, the high end Elementum line also includes a Aqua (left) and Ventus (right). The Elementum Aqua is for ‘urban and underwater use' and the Elementum Ventus is for the ‘on-board and on-shore lifestyle'. The Elementum line of watches is made in Finland, where the brand started/is from. The Suunto Elementum Terra line ranges in price from $899 to $1199. While not as costly as Rolex or Breitling, a thousand dollars is nothing to scoff at either. Its lack of training and/or expedition features makes other less costly Suunto watches, like the t6d or Core, a more logical choice for the hardcore athlete or outdoor explorer. The Terra All Black is more for the professional who exercises during lunch or hunts/hikes on the weekend. Having said that, even though I workout pretty hard a majority of the time and do many outdoor activities, I have zero buyers regret on my 2011 Holiday gift/splurge (to myself )….without a doubt, I love the Terra All Black's look, feel, form and function.

This watch lets you make cardless MasterCard payments

In the past year, NFC/RFID technology advancements have allowed shoppers to make quick and easy payments using programs such as MasterCard's PayPass and Visa's PayWire. Without ever having to remove a credit card from your wallet or purse, RFID technology allows you to make a credit card payment by simply placing your enabled device next to a sensor. Although typical NFC devices come in the form of modern smartphones equipped with applications such as Google Wallet, watch manufacturer LAKS has partnered up with MasterCard to create another method for easy payments using RFID technology. Dubbed Watch2Pay, the device is a wristwatch equipped with a SIM card that can be linked directly to your MasterCard PayPass account. With the Watch2Pay watch, you'll be able to make quick payments by simply placing the watch next to a compatible MasterCard PayPass scanner. Since there won't be PayPass scanner everywhere you go, the device also comes with a traditional prepaid card to use. The watch comes in a wide variety of colors and can be purchased for the price of 99 Euros here.

Hydromechanical watch concept pumps away the hours for horologists

Vincent Perriard and crew have apparently gone from overseeing the Concord C1 QuantumGravity watch and its fluorescent liquid battery gauge to designing another high end watch that combines mechanical action and fluid measurement with the HYT H1. This hand-wound timepiece has a 65 hour power reserve and displays the time via pumping bellows that push bright green fluorescine past the time markers. A rendered video embedded after the break does more to explain how the watch works, but it may not help you figure out its rumored $45k price tag.

Modify Watches Review

I still wear a wristwatch, but I'm part of a dying breed.  News articles suggest that the current generation has turned its back on the wearable timepiece in favor  of checking the time on a cellphone.  Modify Watches is offering wristwatches that are more a fashion statement than for the telling of time.  With multiple faces and straps, you can configure your watch to express yourself.  Their packaging states the watches are ” Fashionable, Flexible, Modifiable and Dope”.  I have no idea what the last term means. The watches come in two sizes, big and bigger, they're water-resistant to 3 ATM and made of stainless steel and plastic. For the review I received 2 watch bands and one watch face which were packaged as above. On their website they show 13 watch bands, or straps as they call them and 12 watch faces.  They run the spectrum from subdued to rather eccentric and vary in price.  I tend to be conservative, so I opted not to get the polka dot face.  I went with black and blue straps and a silver face. Here's a closer look at the face.  This is battery operated, so it came with a wedge in the stem to keep it from operating until needed. On the backside are the screws that need to be removed when replacing the battery.  There's no indication on the web site how long the battery will last. The box the watch components were shipped in had the instructions for assembling the watches.  It's really not that difficult. To give some perspective, on the left is my daily use watch and the Modify watch. If you're someone with a small wrist, the watch may seem a little clunky, but that may be the look you're going for. The timepiece is very basic.  There's no day or date indicator, although there is a second hand.  Even though it is battery driven, you can still hear the second hand “tick”.  This fascinates my 3-year-old grandsons, so I'll count that as a positive. Changing straps is simple and if you have a large enough collection of straps and faces, you can have a different daily look on your wrist for a long time.  I've found the watches to be very comfortable to wear.  The soft plastic of the straps is “stretchy” and conforms to your wrist. It appears to me that Modify Watches is attempting to recreate the Swatch craze.  More power to them if they do.  If you're into vibrant colors and wear a watch as a fashion accessory, these are the way to go.  The least expensive combination of face and strap will cost you $40 plus shipping.  Just for comparison, you can buy 4 complete watches at most discount stores for the same amount.

CVRI-I90 High Definition Spy Camera Clock

Here comes another fashionable spy gadget from Chinavasion, the CVRI-I90 High Definition Spy Camera Clock. This fully functional table clock is able to capture both 1280 x 960 HD video at 30fps as well as up to 1280 x 960 digital still images. What's more, it also comes with a microSD card slot (4GB included), motion detection video recording function, a built-in microphone, a USB port and an integrated 250mAh rechargeable battery. The CVRI-I90 High Definition Spy Camera Clock will set you back $40.48.

HD Spy Camera Desktop Clock

Checking up on your things while you're away can only be possible if you have technology on your side. Spy cameras, for example can be used to help you check out your things at home or in the office without anyone knowing. You can try out this unique HD Spy Camera Clock to watch over your things for you while you are away. The HD Spy Camera Clock is a desktop accessory that can be quite common for other people to suspect as a camera. It is able to capture video as well as images secretly in high definition. It also features a motion detector that will capture and record anything that it detects moving in front of it. You can simply leave it in your desk at home or at the office and check it out the next day to see what it captures while you are away. The HD Spy Camera Desktop Clock is available at Chinavasion for US$41.