While I'm aware many electronics releases occur overseas and don't appear in US markets until a year or so later, given the historic background of this US comic book character, I was really surprised to learn that LG is only retailing it's LG-GD910 wristwatch 3G videophone in Europe.

Booooo!

Then again, LG is a South Korean company, so perhaps they didn't understand the social slap in the face this is to all gadget-loving Americans...

I currently own an LG monitor, but given their choice in this matter, I think I'll make my own choice in another matter: when I buy my two new side monitors, they won't be LG.

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If I set the budget, we'd have Ares and more. Unfortunately, I don't set the budget, and Ares is just too expensive and too far out for us to accomplish our goals within the budget we were given.

If we halt the ISS, all versions of Ares, and transport Orion and Altair aboard DIRECTv3's Jupiter family of Shuttle-Derived Launch Vehicles, we just might make it back to the Moon by 2020.

The linking of this product with that Dick Tracy character is actually rather tenious, sure, it may look natural to you, but this is an instance of how the human mind tends to find patterns and connections in unrelated data, I, having never read the comic, would never have made this connection. You can't really expect LG to know about and connect the product with some comic. There is the possibility that you would not have made the connection either, at least not to the level that you are concidering to boycott LG, if it wasn't pointed out in the article.

They probably have their reasons for choosing to launch the product in Europe, and not in America, Perhaps they are just following their normal lauch schedule.

Of course, you may boycott this company as a result of this, but it seems to me that this is hardly making your own choice, your choice have been swayed by the way this news was presented to you, if nobody had mentioned Dick Tracy, you may not even have thought much about this, beyond some vague regret for the general geek appeal of such a piece of hardware. Also, it comes to mind to ask if you would have chosen LG for your new monitors if not for this, or just gone with what ever monitors you found that fit your requirements and pricerange.

Anyway, is the character Dick Tracy really so popular that this can be considered an insult to the technophile people of the USA, or is it just a few Dick Tracy geeks that care? I suspect you would have found it pretty silly and unreasonable if I had posted something like this about some character in some comic over here.

I would suggest that you make a choice based on you experience with the spesific class of product you are buying, if you feel LG makes good monitors, that should be more important than the choices of their marketing department in the matter of launching unrelated products.

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Game over, you lose, we hope you enjoyed playing the exciting game of Thermodynamics...

A wristwatch videophone? Awesome!

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I don't care which rocket you use, whichever one you pick, I'll like it, I swear.
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Actually, I've been noticing that much gadgetry is released outside the US, first, before being released in the US for some time, now.

As a fan of Dick Tracy when I was a kid, I would certainly have noticed it.

Most people won't pick up on why they released it outside of the US, first:

1. US reviews tend to be fairly harsh, while those in other countries are more subdued.

2. A harsh review can spell the death of a product. By fielding the soft reviews, first, and making necessary improvements before a US release, a company side-steps that potential land mine.

3. The US, while smaller than the other markets, combined, is the largest single market for this stuff, so before releasing things in the US, it's critical they "get it right." Thus, they pick one or more other markets to use as a sort of beta test.

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If I set the budget, we'd have Ares and more. Unfortunately, I don't set the budget, and Ares is just too expensive and too far out for us to accomplish our goals within the budget we were given.

If we halt the ISS, all versions of Ares, and transport Orion and Altair aboard DIRECTv3's Jupiter family of Shuttle-Derived Launch Vehicles, we just might make it back to the Moon by 2020.

It may also be that the cellular carrier situation in Europe (3G coverage everywhere¹) is more beneficial for such a product, making introduction and acceptance easier here than in the US.


1) just guessing about that.

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‘To those who regard “crime fiction” as some sacred icon which must follow a rigid formula, I will always be the man who writes 18-syllable haiku.’Trying to make sense of computers, The Error Log.

No, you're right, Henrik, as it's fairly ubiquitous. The US is catching up quickly, though.

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If I set the budget, we'd have Ares and more. Unfortunately, I don't set the budget, and Ares is just too expensive and too far out for us to accomplish our goals within the budget we were given.

If we halt the ISS, all versions of Ares, and transport Orion and Altair aboard DIRECTv3's Jupiter family of Shuttle-Derived Launch Vehicles, we just might make it back to the Moon by 2020.

Believe it or not, personal electronics have a bigger market in Europe than here in the States. As mentioned above, many'a'cool gadget has been released as a Euro-only product.

Don't fret too much; generally if the gadget shows marketability, it'll eventually cross over to the US/American markets.

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.
"In order to increase awareness of the homeless, security have been given binoculars."

Dick Tracy's gadget always had a text box reading "2-way wrist TV" with an arrow pointing to it.

I'll be LG didn't think to include that

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Please enjoy your trip through this door.

A wristwatch videophone? Awesome!

Until you see some moron trying to drive and use one of these phones.

Now I'm picturing some suit-and-tie wearing, self-proclaimed "business god" driving, and lowering his face to the wheel rather than bringing his hand up to his face. (He couldn't do the later, of course his other hand is holding his cup of Starbuck's gormet blend).

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.
"In order to increase awareness of the homeless, security have been given binoculars."

Actually Larry... you just gave me a great idea for an invention. Thank you!

Hands Free Hand Kit (Patent Pending)

Attached Thumbnails

 

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.
"In order to increase awareness of the homeless, security have been given binoculars."

So, your idea is a headband with a rod that attaches to the user's wrist to hold the phone in the proper position? Why not just have the phone attach to the rod? It'd still be dangerous for someone to drive using such a rig but we'd be able to identify them and get out of their way. Make it a bright color (e.g. international orange) so we can see them at a distance.

no, that's a false wrist. likely some lightweight metal alloy. go big or go home, I always say.

(ETA: honestly, I just love making diagrams in win-paint )

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.
"In order to increase awareness of the homeless, security have been given binoculars."

You realize that if this becomes popular, it will create a market in hands - they will no longer be free.

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Disclaimer: Avatar is not an official NASA image and does not imply any specific interplanetary or interstellar capability.

The Leif Ericson Cruiser

An MSNBC article mentioned that this would have a short battery lifetime if used heavily, so probably isn't suitable as someone's primary cell phone. In the U.S., most people like to have one personal cell phone, and it wouldn't be practical for that. It sounds like it would have a very small market - mostly Dick Tracy fans.

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I say there is an invisible elf in my backyard. How do you prove that I am wrong?

Disclaimer: Avatar is not an official NASA image and does not imply any specific interplanetary or interstellar capability.

The Leif Ericson Cruiser

I don't know, is it common for people over there to talk for many hours on their mobiles between charges? The stated battery life of existing wrist watch phones are commonly around 2,5-3 hours talking(though I have seen a couple stated to 6 hours), and 6 - 7 days of standby time. Of course, these may be more for the people that only talks on the phone occationaly.

I would think that wristband form factor devices would be a good place for flexible displays and electronics, if they get them out of the prototype stage, as it seems to me that the real problem with the wrist watch phones is that there is a lot of electronics that is put into the "watch" part, and it becomes rather bulky. With flexible electronics we could have larger displays and the electronics could be spread out around more of the phone.

Though something like the Nokia Morph isn't likely to be around for a while yet.

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Game over, you lose, we hope you enjoyed playing the exciting game of Thermodynamics...

It's common for many people to have cell phones, and nothing else! They're usually not far from a plug, though, and most recharge in less than half an hour.

As cool as I think the idea is, I don't like the fact that you have to tilt your wrist up so far.

Personally, I'll wait for the earpiece cell phone with the eye contact accessory. They already have rudimentary screens in the contact, powered by RF energy from a neighboring device (the same one that's broadcasting the signal - and the signal itself can power the contact screen).

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If I set the budget, we'd have Ares and more. Unfortunately, I don't set the budget, and Ares is just too expensive and too far out for us to accomplish our goals within the budget we were given.

If we halt the ISS, all versions of Ares, and transport Orion and Altair aboard DIRECTv3's Jupiter family of Shuttle-Derived Launch Vehicles, we just might make it back to the Moon by 2020.

You know, we SF writers are having ahard time dazzling readers with fancy gizmos, what with all the portable electronics carried by everyday people nowadays.


OK. I envision a world in which explorers will carry pocket-sized communication devices that can also record sound and images, as well as send text-only messsages.

Now, what could I call that?

(some kid shouts out) "You mean like a cell phone?"

Yah. (Slaps forehead in frustration)

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Angel of the Abyss
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"I am Ripper...Tearer...Slasher...Gouger. I am the Teeth in the Darkness, the Talons in the Night. Mine is Strength...and Lust...and Power! I AM BEOWULF!"

Abbadon, you could regularly Google "cutting edge technology" in order to remain abreast of cool gadgets like these.

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If I set the budget, we'd have Ares and more. Unfortunately, I don't set the budget, and Ares is just too expensive and too far out for us to accomplish our goals within the budget we were given.

If we halt the ISS, all versions of Ares, and transport Orion and Altair aboard DIRECTv3's Jupiter family of Shuttle-Derived Launch Vehicles, we just might make it back to the Moon by 2020.