January 14th, 2008
Use that real estate on your wrist
Like a lot of people I stopped wearing wristwatches a few years ago. My cell phone keeps time fine.
Turns out this leaves me with some important real estate, the space on my wrist, for rent. My health wants this real estate, and so does yours.
One way to use that real estate is with a heart rate monitor. Simple models like the Polar FS1 let you set your target rate, keep an eye on your heart in real-time, and they are water resistant.
Fancier models like the Polar AW200 track your calorie count, your steps, and keep an eye on the weather.
The best news in all this is how these devices, like the watches they replace, are subject to Moore’s Law, and falling prices. Here’s a wristwatch blood pressure monitor priced at just $25.
Watch-sized Pedometers and even strap-on breathalyzers can now be worn, saving data and often transmitting it via bluetooth for under $100. And they’re available everywhere, even on airplanes.
When I wrote about this in 2003 I called it the World of Always-On, but it’s the true killer app. Integrating a wrist-sized client with the Internet via a WiFi or cellular link sounds like a natural for those of us who are aging-in-place.
Catch that heart attack before it happens, keep up with your blood sugar constantly, and use that space on your wrist for something besides freckles.
Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist since 1978, and has covered technology since 1982. He launched the Interactive Age Daily, the first daily coverage of the Internet to launch with a magazine, in September 1994. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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