Another Pulsar claim in the press

[dot matrix]

TMCnet just published a news article giving a history of many gadgets at http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/06/22/1692151.htm

They continue to propogate the myth about the Pulsar:

THE first digital watch, The Pulsar, launched in 1972 and had the classic red light LED (light emitting diode) display. It was soon superseded by the Seiko LCD display in 1973, which is still the most common display used for digital watches.

Get your corrections in now!

[Lordpulsar]

It was soon superseded by the Seiko LCD display in 1973, which is still the most common display used for digital watches.

Well that's wrong, because the Gruen "Teletime was the first LCD on the market in 72 also !

[rewolf]

Wasn't the BWC/Optel with DSM display the first LCD watch?
AFAIK, the Gruen Teletime came later, but it was the first to have a field effect LCD, which is the type we still have today.

[Lordpulsar]

Yes, but to my knowledge it wasn't released until 1973... I may be wrong.. Peter Wenzig is the LCD Guru.. I'll ask him..

[LiquidLed]

I thought this bunch http://invention.smithsonian.org/center ... /luce.html
where the first as mentioned above by reWolf

Or do I see this turning into another mass-debate - old but still funny

[rewolf]

Yes, but to my knowledge it wasn't released until 1973... I may be wrong.. Peter Wenzig is the LCD Guru.. I'll ask him..

It's on his website, in German...
In short, he writes the BWC was introduced to the public on the Basle Fair on March 6th, 1972, and the Teletime is from "about 1973", the first Field effect LCD.

[Lordpulsar]

Ah well,.... there you go then.

[Synchroserious]

Hate to to tell some people this but I have Optel sending my father a brouchure for their display and it was not led,or the 2 types of L.C.D,s talked about.This brouchure was sent to my father in 1971,and the salesman at optel was anxious to complete the transaction. The displays were mentioned to be usefull in test equipment meters,clocks and so on, but not a watch.From what it looks like my father almost ordered these readouts,but that is the only evidence he(RWR) had a brief thought of something different than what we came to know.

[dot matrix]

My understanding from conversations with Roger Riehl was that the extremely early Synchronars did not use LED displays but instead some sort of light pins. He told me all about it, but unfortunately I wasn't familiar with the technology so I don't remember the details. If my notes ever turn up I'll have more info.