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Fossil Abacus AU5005 - a PalmOS PDA in a watch :)

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cybr

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Fossil Abacus AU5005 - a PalmOS PDA in a watch :)

Post11 Jan 2017, 01:05

Hi,
I've heard about the Fossil Wrist PDA watch since the first rumors that it may exist in 2002...and I wanted one :grin1:
https://www.geek.com/hwswrev/pda/fossil/index.htm
https://www.geek.com/blurb/palm-os-powe ... il-550139/
The 2002 version - only a prototype - received a Best of Comdex 2002 award.
Than it was originally scheduled to be available in June 2003. Shortly after June, the Amazon.com stated the release would be pushed back to July 31st 2003. It was then pushed back to September and then put on an indefinite delay.
http://www.palminfocenter.com/news/6466 ... shed-back/
And finally it appeared in 2004 with the following features:
http://www.conradshome.com/wristpda/
- Motorola Dragonball Super VZ 66 MHz processor
- Operating System: Palm OS 4.1 Very popular handheld operating system. Will allow you to install most palm applications, however, due to the smaller screen size and rocket switch it is recommended to use software specifically developed for the wrist PDA.
- Wristwatch PDA with built-in Palm OS technology
- Customizable Watch Face: You can configure the time display of your choice when not in PDA mode
- Built-in Applications: Address Book, Appointment, Date Book, To Do List, Memo Pad, Watch/Time, Calculator
- 8 MB memory, enough for thousands of addresses, years of appointments, and much more. As an example this watch can store over 75,500 addresses of 111 characters (consisting of a name, address, and two phone numbers).
Backlit touchscreen input, with 160 x 160 pixel resolution (1.4" diagonal), 16 shades of gray. with a stylus integrated into the watch band (a link in the metal band or into the buckle for leather straps) for easy Graffiti input.


But the best thing it's that it may run many - if not almost all - applications available for low-res Palm OS 4.1 or earlier PDAs .
Thus below is my mint Fossil Abacus AU5005 Wrist PDA running Palm OS applications that I've installed on it:


I. Big Clock app - a very complex WorldTime, Alarm, Timer, Calendar/Schedule application for Palm OS 4.0 with Backlit ON (left) and OF (right):
Image

II. A Klingon Watch Face for Star Trek/SF fans :grin1: - the TLHack application:
Image

III. TimeZones - a Palm OS 4 App:
Image

If one need more information about this very interesting PDA/wristwatch hybrid, please let me know,
Regards,
Every watch should have its own story...consequently, a watch collector has to be a good storyteller :)
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dutchsiberia

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Re: Fossil Abacus AU5005 - a PalmOS PDA in a watch :)

Post14 Jan 2017, 21:09

Well it sure is super cool, no need for those old fashioned phones :grin1:
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cybr

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Re: Fossil Abacus AU5005 - a PalmOS PDA in a watch :)

Post16 Jan 2017, 17:42

Thanks for the post.
Yes, You're right, it is not a match for the actual smartwatches/phones...but it may be their "grandfather" :grin1:
And one may agree that it was somehow ahead of its time (it was initially designed with its first specifications in 2002 and appeared in 2004)...since this interesting PDA/watch hybrid:
- it may have offered an easy USB synchronization (schedule, appointments, to do list, applications etc...) between computers and the watch. Even now - more than 12 years later - by using Palm Desktop 6.2 and a little hacking, it may be "convinced" to synchronize using modern OS ( e.g. Win7 64 bit OS or later ) :grin1:
- it has the ability to run almost all existent software for Palm OS 4 and below, including thousands of games/books in prc/pdb format (but for books one have to use quite large fonts or to have the eyes of an eagle) :))
- touchscreen with a quite OK character recognition via Palm OS Graffiti and the included stylus (hidden in the bracelet), so one should be able literally to handwrite (e.g. an appointment/schedule etc) directly on the screen of a watch from 2004 :-D
- the ability to synchronize the watch with other Palm OS IRDA (infrared) devices to share appointments/schedule/books/apps or even to play some games together etc

But of course, there was no bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity for a watch at that time :grin1:, even if Fossil have tried - but only in 2006 - to make a bluetooth enabled watch for the Sony Ericsson phones.
https://www.cnet.com/products/fossil-ca ... th/review/
Regards,
Every watch should have its own story...consequently, a watch collector has to be a good storyteller :)
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cybr

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Re: Fossil Abacus AU5005 - a PalmOS PDA in a watch :)

Post06 Feb 2017, 23:25

A quite recent and nice review of this watch from Vintage Digital Watches on Youtube:
Also a short info/comment about which is the actual compatible battery/accu for this special PDA watch/hybrid... :grin1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSl_IEBSXUg
Every watch should have its own story...consequently, a watch collector has to be a good storyteller :)
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cybr

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Re: Fossil Abacus AU5005 - a PalmOS PDA in a watch :)

Post03 Mar 2017, 14:52

Another (continued) review of this watch on the excellent Youtube "VintageDigitalWatches" channel of Tibi - a person who really knows what's inside vintage digital watches ( for a short demonstration pls see also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fskrqFCJN48) :-D , about how to connect the Fossil Abacus to a PC and to install Palm OS software:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IecjVtNw7Ek
If You want to use/connect it with a Win 7 or above 64 bit OS (one may see these comments posted also on the Tibi's channel) :
One can use the USB 64 bit Palm OS Driver developed by Aceeca for their Palm-like devices. I've tested it with Fossil Abacus + Palm Desktop 6.2 on Win 7 Pro 64 bit and works OK. One can find the instructions and downloads at the URL below: https://www.palmdr.com/windows-7-64-bit-usb-drivers
And a direct download from Aceeca's URL: http://aceeca.com/downloads
The ZIP file is named "file_DVR_WINX64_USB_GN4-GN5_20110322" - 64bit USB Windows Driver for Palm/Garnet OS
Regards,
Every watch should have its own story...consequently, a watch collector has to be a good storyteller :)

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