HP Forum Archive 17

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OT- Binary Watch Message #1 Posted by Mike H on 19 Apr 2007, 5:04 p.m. I didn't know if I should laugh or get out my credit card... Recent Skymall ad.... BINARY CODE WATCH Hard-core techies love this watch. So do design devotees. Red lights on the green circuit-board face represent powers of two: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. A series of electrical impulses turns them on (1) or off (0), displaying the time in binary code. If you know the code, you can tell the time, amazing those around you who don't have a clue. Water-resistant to 100 ft., watch has a stainless-steel case and soft leather band. Face is 1 5/8" across.

Re: OT- Binary Watch Message #2 Posted by Geir Isene on 19 Apr 2007, 5:10 p.m., in response to message #1 by Mike H Don't laugh. I wear one every day. No kiddin'

Re: OT- Binary Watch Message #3 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 19 Apr 2007, 7:10 p.m., in response to message #1 by Mike H "There are 10 types of people in this world: those who understand binary and those who don't." And those who do would need no power of two in decimal base printed above the LEDs :-) Edited: 19 Apr 2007, 7:11 p.m.

Re: OT- Binary Watch Message #4 Posted by Geir Isene on 20 Apr 2007, 7:32 a.m., in response to message #3 by Gerson W. Barbosa It is to ease the transition from the one type to the other 9, or the nine to the one (whichever you prefer)

Re: OT- Binary Watch Message #5 Posted by Ren on 20 Apr 2007, 10:49 a.m., in response to message #1 by Mike H I've seen that ad a number of times and the one thing I don't "get". The "hour" display is 4 LED's, the hour shown in the picture is "13" (8+4+1). Yet, 4 LED's can only display up to "15" hours... So.... If the watch can't display 24 hours (that would require 5 "hour" LED's), why is it displaying "13"? After that I haven't even bothered to decipher the minutes. Ren dona nobis pacem

marketing strikes again Message #6 Posted by Don Shepherd on 20 Apr 2007, 11:28 a.m., in response to message #5 by Ren Good point. I'll bet the picture wasn't from a production watch, but was created by the marketing guys who obviously goofed it. I bet the watch really only displays hours 0-12.

Re: marketing strikes again Message #7 Posted by Geir Isene on 20 Apr 2007, 4:48 p.m., in response to message #6 by Don Shepherd Yes, it only goes to 12 :)

Re: OT- Binary Watch Message #8 Posted by Paul Brogger on 22 Apr 2007, 2:04 a.m., in response to message #5 by Ren Apparently, you're a card-carrying member of the target demographic. (They might do well to aim a little better . . . )

Re: OT- Binary Watch Message #9 Posted by Philip Reagan on 20 Apr 2007, 5:10 p.m., in response to message #1 by Mike H Yes, I have one too. Friends call it my geek watch. I generally wear it on important days such as Sunday at Church. I get a lot of questions and interest and they want to know how to tell what time it is. Unfortunately, it only takes about 10-15 seconds before they say, "never mind" and loose interest in how to tell the time. FYI, there is no provision to tell AM or PM unfortunately nor is their a calender. It is a fun watch however.

Re: OT- Binary Watch Message #10 Posted by Geir Isene on 21 Apr 2007, 4:57 a.m., in response to message #9 by Philip Reagan Quote: FYI, there is no provision to tell AM or PM I never had the need for a watch to tell me night from day.

Re: OT- Binary Watch Message #11 Posted by Matt Kernal (US) on 21 Apr 2007, 3:04 p.m., in response to message #1 by Mike H At last September's HHC2006, folks were asking to see Eric Smith's watch - which IIRC, was this Nixie Tube model (don't miss the Quicktime movie :-). The first HP-01 watch I had ever seen (in person), was also worn by Eric - at the HHC1998 (or 99?) in Vancover, WA. People often ask "What is that?" when they point at the BCD Clock in my office. I can rattle off the time instantly (because they don't notice the regular clock-radio sitting behind the BCD clock ;-). Matt

Re: OT- Binary Watch Message #12 Posted by Wayne Brown on 27 Apr 2007, 1:51 p.m., in response to message #11 by Matt Kernal (US) My office clock has the hours marked in multiples of pi radians: pi/6 for one o'clock, followed by pi/3, pi/2, 2pi/3, 5pi/6, etc. It's fun to watch people staring at it and trying to figure out how to read it. Eventually, most of them realize they can just ignore the numbers, since the hour marks are in the same places as on a regular clock. :-)

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