Rating: 
Summary: YEAH IT's BIG, BIG ON FUN & FEATURES!!
Review: Well I must start by saying the watch is bigger than you might think. The students in my classes said, "Dang, that's one big watch". However, when I showed them the features they were quite impressed. If I was only out to impress people this would be quite an expensive status symbol. Being a self-comfirmed Gadget FREAK I enjoy new technology and try to find ways to incorperate it into my so-called life as a teacher. I jumped on board when the first PDAs went on the market and haven't looked back since. The Abacus by Fossil works very well (once it's charged) and instant messaging seems to be quite speedy at 2:03 minutes per message (an average of 30 attempts). Set up is an absolute breeze. For this item I had my non-tech-savvy wife set it up and she had NO problems whatsoever. After the initial set-up it took only 30 minutes for all of the channel content to appear. Most channels were ready to view in 5 minutes or less but it was my local weather channel that took 30 minutes. The channels are easy to switch to and news content and messages are easily erased. The cool feature with this watch is that you can set-up breaking news to be instant messaged to you. On early Wednesday morning, when the trains in Madrid were targeted by a terrorist organization, I was quickly informed of this news. (I would suggest that you set your tones to off or to sound only when an instant message comes in, otherwise your watch will be beeping with every news flash that is stored in you news channel.) The band is a bit odd. However, on the fifth day of owning this watch I have figure out "the trick". I would tell you "the trick", but I want you to have a huge sense of accomplishment after you have placed it on your arm in under 1 minute. Overall, this is a great product. I subract a star because of the band learning curve, and the thickness of the watch. Will the second-generation devices be better?.....yes, but until then I can check the news while using the bathroom. And if that's not cool, and geeky, I don't know what is!!!!!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Great watch
Review: Works great here in Richmond, VA, Watch works great even in a 40 mile + radius. The signal won't work right until it is chaged the first time (about 6 hours) Time from activation on MSN website to geting information on watch was on <30 minutes and not 12 hours. Using the section on MSN website to personalize your watch, you can also select to receive local news in your area from whoever provides news on your local NBC channel. The watch will even beep when theres is late breaking news in your hometown or across the world! Great for people who are somewhere with no Internet, Television, or Radio, (like at work, the mall, etc.) Great product for those who want to be informed in minutes, not waiting hours later for the local news to come on to find out what's happening either locally or globally.
Rating: 
Summary: Great watch for the big kid in you! But dont depend on it!
Review: The Dick Tracy watch is the coolest big kid toy around. If you always wanted a Dick Tracy watch well here is the first generation Dick Tracy watch. Its cool but not perfect. Text messaging takes 7-10 minutes to receive. Some messages NEVER arrive and are lost in transit. So for the business man that needs to depend on text messages...maybe not the best choice. The calender on watch is very limited. This to me is a big disappointment. It only holds limited info for yesterday, today and the next 6 days...so if you want to use it to check on your appointment 8 days from now ...forget it! Very limited! But if you just want to be the coolest gadget guy/girl around and you think owning a Dick Tracy watch is cool. Buy it just don't depend on it. The news, stocks, and weather seem to work well. Also at this time the service area is very limited so if you dont live in a big city like me...you may want to skip this gadget. The charging adapter is cool and unique. You just rest the watch on it and it charges automatically. Another problem is the wristband YOU CANT CHANGE IT even if you want to. It's connected to the antenna and charging device so it can never be changed...if it breaks you gotta go to Fossil for replacement.
Rating:
Summary: Fossil Spot - Ready and Able
Review: Had the Fossil watch for over a week now and it has performed flawlesly. Short of a wrist PDA, this is the next best thing. The screen is extremely readable and the backlight is very bright. Yes, the watch needs to be charged, but unless you insist on wearing it 24/7 this shouldn't be a challenge. The charging stand is well-designed - no wires to attach to the watch - just sit the watch on the ergonomic stand and you're set. The MSN site is well-designed and there is a good selection of data sources. One nice feature is that the MSN service provides a local news channel. I've had lots of static zaps over the past week with no problems to the watch. The band takes a little getting used to, but is comfortable. Basically, it's just a fun watch, and if you like the geek factor - it's there - but not THAT geekie that you'll be mistaken for a Borg. If you want data and appointments at your disposal without juggling a PDA or cellphone, this is an excellent alternative. The only small caveat is the coverage area, so make sure you go to the direct.msn.com website and check out your zipcode.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely get a Suunto instead.
Review: I was going to get the Abacus version of the new MSN Direct watch, but I noticed that almost all the customer reviews of the Fossil versions complained of hardware problems, and none of the Suunto reviews did. The Suunto is shockproof and waterproof, while the Fossil watches are not. The battery life is 5-7 days instead of 2-4 days for the Fossil watches. The antenna is integrated into the watch face, so it can't malfunction the way many complain that the Fossil watches do. And the watch uses an ordinary buckle and a strap with holes in it, so there's no issues with having to get extra hardware to use to adjust the watch strap, as many complain they must do with the Fossil watches. I think the Fossil watches look better, and, obviously, they are cheaper, but it is definitely worth the extra money to get something that you can rely upon, if you're going to buy it at all. $299 in addition to $59 a year for service may seem like a lot for a watch, but I know lots of people who pay thousands of dollars for their watches, and those watches don't really do a whole lot. If you were looking to spend $19.95 on your wrist watch, then this one isn't for you. But if you want to spend a little money to get a nice watch, then there are a lot of much more expensive watches, but I don't know of any nicer ones.
Rating:
Summary: It works
Review: I read all the reviews and thought this was going to be a scary ride. I decided to get the cheap version vs the Suunto as the technology is really new. The first thing you have to do is to adjust the watch band, this is easily achieved by using a tiny screwdriver or thumb tack to pop the pin. I'm not sure it will size for everyone. The band looks and feels like something that would be OK 1000ft under water and yet the watch is hardly splash resistant. The watch looks Ok on my arm, a little big but not too out of place. For a fairly big sized guy it passes , if you're a petite female it might look very out of place. The watch activated and charged OK and began receiving its signal. I tried sending messages to myself, this has up to a 10 minute lag. I altered my content and found that it changed within half an hour. I have found that it loses all signal when I'm using my wireless laptop. I put the laptop down and it regains itself. Overall it works better than I hoped for given the rest of the reviews. +++> latest update
I've now had the watch for about 4 weeks, I went on a long trip to LA and managed to pick up local weather all the way. The battery lasts a good 3-4 days and seems not to be a problem. So far the watch has performed as advertized. People at home and work send me messages, I regularly track my stocks. I often compare notes with people whose watch only tells the time.
Rating:
Summary: A LOT more than the time...
Review: Given all the negative words written about these watches, I thought I'd chime in with a positive review (and no, I do not work for Fossil or Microsoft). I love it. Period. After wearing my Wrist Net Square for the past couple of weeks I can't imagine wearing a simple "watch" anymore. Being able to glance at my wrist and have access to news, stocks, weather, IMs, and my Outlook calendar appointments is nothing short of amazing. And yes, I do own a wireless-enabled PDA and cellphone, but there are plenty of times when using them is inappropriate or inconvienient. Mind you, keeping your expectations grounded in reality is helpful. You're not going to be receiving the entire NY Times on these watches, nor will they serve double duty as dedicated Bloomberg Stock feeds. If, however, you're looking for quick updates and news alerts, SPOT can't be beat. The display is crisp and clear, the backlight can double as a flashlight in a pinch, and the ability to change watch faces depending on mood/situations is a nice touch. Of course, it also functions quite nicely as a watch, with all the usual features present: dual alarms, stopwatch/lap timer, countdown timer, dual time... True, the band can be a bit of a pain to adjust, but it certainly doesn't require a trip to your local jeweler. Just use a thumbtack to push the pin in, and you're good to go. Now that mine is sized correctly, it's actually quite comfortable - and I have thin wrists for a guy, in spite of the fact that I'm six feet tall and weigh 170lbs. My advice to potential buyers: Don't cheap out, get a Fossil Square, Round, Dick Tracy, or Suunto. They won't crap out on you, and at least in the case of the Square, it actually looks cool (I've never received so many compliments on a watch - and that's before people see what it does). Also, be sure that you live in a supported area, and do not sign up for the yearly plan. You get a free month's service, so use it. See if the watch is useful to you before you commit to longer contract.
Rating: 
Summary: Stopped working in under 2 weeks
Review: Mine stopped working in less than 2 weeks. Amazon will take it back, but Microsoft will not refund the $60 annual fee I paid, even though they confirm there are problems with the watch (hardware and software) that they are still trying to work out. My advice, if you decide to get this watch despite the neg feedback: only use the MSN Direct free trial period. Do NOT sign up for a year in advance.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry, not quite ready for prime time...
Review: The short story---I returned the watch 3 days after receiving it. Now here's the long versino. Originally, this watch had been on my Christmas list, and so it was with great anticipation when it finally showed up at my door on January 19th. I opened the box, followed the directions and immediately signed up for the $59 MSN Direct Annual subscription (mistake #1). Within about 20 minutes, I had my MSN channels setup, and I was receiving signals and the watch was working fine. Setup was quick and easy. I waited until the next morning, after letting the watch charge overnight, to try and get it on my wrist---much as I tried, the watch was just too clunky to fit suitably on my wrist. Now when I ordered it, I realized the watch wasn't going to be a fashionable one---but at this point, its clunkiness really bothered me and made me doubt my purchase. It was just either too loose or too tight. Second problem. I follow a group of about 20 fairly large size companies on the NYSE and NASDAQ. Only 3 of them were available on the Stock channel of MSN Direct. And there seemed to be no rhyme or reason. 2 mid sized companies and one small company were all I could add to my Stock Watch list--leaving me 17 short. Third problem. I realized I wasn't getting any Sports information displayed on the watch. Guess what? The Sports Channel is coming soon... For nearly $200, plus a $59 annual subscription to MSN Direct, I expected to be able to get up to the minute Stock reports and Sports in addition to the News and Weather channels. Unfortunately, I couldn't, and so I returned the watch. Amazon refunded my money yesterday (minus the shipping charges since the return was 'my fault'). I've been trying to get Microsoft to refund my $59 with less success. They claim they have issued me a credit card refund, but all I have on my credit card statement is a charge for the annual subscription and now a new monthly charge for the service. I'm about to make my 3rd phone call to them. In summary, for me anyway, the watch didn't fit, and the MSN Direct Service didn't meet my expectations.
Rating:
Summary: Another One Bites the Dust
Review: Mine lasted six days before going dead. Not dead battery, it is fully charged, just a completely dead watch. Judging from the other postings, my experience was better than many. I find it amazing that MS and Fossil didn't delay this product until they got the bugs out. I guess these things build up momentum in the corporation and then no one dares pull the plug. MS will survive another flop, of course. Reminds me of my experience with Windows ME. Also, messaging didn't work inspite of painstaking efforts, showed every Outlook calendar item to 10:30pm Sunday January 25, strap extremely tricky to adjust and never feels comfortable, buttons too hard to press and don't always operate correctly, too big and dorky looking, etc.. I would have kept it inspite of all the above, just cuz I like checking the weather, but like I said, it doesn't work at all now.
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