LAS VEGAS — Jan. 4, 2006 — Microsoft Corp.’s Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT) initiative today previewed the next generation of Smart Watches for MSN® Direct and highlighted Oregon Scientific’s recent launch of the Regional Weather Stations with MSN Direct. These announcements were made at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
“We are extremely excited about the expansion of the SPOT technology and MSN Direct content into new devices from Oregon Scientific,” said Eric Lang, general manager of the SPOT initiative at Microsoft. “Our network is ideally suited for delivering a wide variety of personalized location services at a low cost to the consumer, and we are proud to be working with industry leaders to continue the evolution of the SPOT vision of making everyday objects smarter through technology.”
Limited Edition ABACUS Smart Watch Introduced
The next generation of Fossil Inc.’s ABACUS branded Smart Watches, one of the founding brands of the Smart Watch category, will be launched featuring doubled storage capacity, better battery life and improved speed compared to Fossil’s previous watches. The new ABACUS Smart Watch will be available in retail locations this spring and will feature a metal bezel, metal wrist band or interchangeable leather or cloth bands to provide even more design choices to consumers.
Oregon Scientific Expands Retail Availability of Regional Weather Stations
Launched in time for the 2005 holiday season, Oregon Scientific’s Regional Weather Stations with MSN Direct represent the next evolution of SPOT technology and MSN Direct content. Due to strong response to the product, Oregon Scientific announced that it will expand the retail availability to include BestBuy store locations, in addition to The Sharper Image and Oregon Scientific stores. The weather stations automatically deliver professional-level weather station information at a convenient glance, including a three-day weather forecast, National Weather Service warning information, current indoor and outdoor temperatures, humidity levels, sunrise and sunset times, wind direction and speed, heat index, barometric pressure, and UV levels.
About MSN Direct
MSN Direct, part of the Smart Personal Objects Technology initiative, is a specialized wireless service that delivers customized and personalized information to people. Those interested in learning more about MSN Direct can visit http://www.msndirect.com.
About Microsoft
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