Has Casio Perfected the Digital Watch?

The user inte***ce is how the user interacts with and experiences the watch's functionality, so it is every bit as important as the functionality itself. Tissot has made some important advances in watch usability with their Tactile collection, and I'd love to see others innovate, as well. Aesthetics. Even with all the functionality in the world, nobody will want to wear a watch that is too big, too heavy, or just plain ugly. Design, functionality, and user inte***ce all need to be given equal priority.Additional ResourcesReviewof the Casio GW-1100 G-Shock Reviewof the Casio GW-300 G-Shock TheCasio GWS-900 with Speed Pass Payment (Wrist Dreams) TheCurrent State of Wrist Phones Reviewof the Swatch Paparazzi MSN Direct Watch Reviewof the Fossil Wrist Net MSN Direct Watch Reviewof the Tissot T-Touch.I'm really surprised more watches don't have silent alarm modes these days. As watches assume more PDA-like responsibilities, the more useful and, at the same time, obnoxious they can become. Personally, I'm embarrassed when my digital watch draws attention by beeping, just like I hate when my mobile phone rings in public. I usually keep my mobile phone silent, and I'd love to keep my watch silent, as well, without having to give up alarms and hourly time signals. Customizable faces. As soon as you have a bright, high contrast, high resolution display, the next thing you'll want to do is create your own time-telling arrangements, or perhaps download and install those created by others. Personalization is becoming a priority in consumer electronics, though digital watches are not adapting. MSN Direct watches are starting down this path, though they still have a ways to go.) Customizable functions. Again, consumers are becoming less content with their devices being carbon copies of everyone else's. Customization and personalization are become increasingly important. Why should I have to have an alarm, or countdown timer, or a time recording function on my watch if I never use it? Or why can't I have 10 different alarms if that's what I need? Or a stopwatch with 50 split times? Downloadable content and personal configurations are standard on phones and PDAs now, and eventually will be for watches, as well. (The Timex Data Link currently allows you to use your PC to choose the types of functions you want on your watch, and even to choose their mode order -- well done, Timex!) User inte***ce improvements. As watches offer more and more functionality, their user inte***ces can potentially become less and less effective.