Zypad military-grade wrist computer

Zypad WR1100 is a computer that straps around your forearm, designed for use by the military and particularly adventurous ravers. From GPS World's review:

The WR-1100 uses the Linux (Kernel 2.6) operating system, weighs in at just 23 ounces or 650 grams, and is about 4.5 x 3.5 x 3 inches in size. It is rugged to MIL-STD (military standards) 810F and 461E for temperature, thermal shock, humidity, transit, and crash shock; normal and vehicular vibration; altitude and enclosure class for immersion in three feet of H20; so you don’t have to worry about damaging the WR-1100 when you hit the deck. ... The WR-1100, the device I am reviewing, also incorporated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The WR-1110 adds an RFID or radio frequency identification capability and the WR-1120 adds ZigBee in place of Bluetooth. ... it is a computer with all the associated capabilities.

Speaking of the miitary, I deserve a medal for getting through this post without making a Fallout reference. Not even a clever, oblique one in the headline.

Review [GPS World via CrunchGear]

[#1 posted by maus , March 13, 2009 8:28 AM]

Medal revoked for making an obtuse reference to the fact that you didn't make a reference, thereby making a reference. This is a Theoretical Internet No Fallout 3 Reference Medal, not some crackerjack Presidential Medal of Freedom.

[#2 posted by Moriarty , March 13, 2009 8:40 AM]

See, now that's the kind of durability I'd like to see more of in consumer electronics. If there isn't a market niche for drop-kickable, submersible, "thermal shock" proof laptops/netbooks/smartphones, I'll eat my hat.

[#3 posted by Category , March 13, 2009 9:06 AM]

DO. WANT.

I've wanted a wearable PC for YEARS, ever since I saw a groovy one at IBM Hursley...

[#4 posted by kleer001 , March 13, 2009 9:51 AM]

No medal, but you do get a nice ribbon. Here, it says "A commenter on my blog thinks I'm #1".

[#5 posted by Jazzhigh , March 13, 2009 9:59 AM]

And no Futurama/Leela reference either. You are strong!

[#6 posted by Halloween Jack , March 13, 2009 10:06 AM]

I recently watched Escape from New York and Escape from L.A. with some friends, and we laughed at the fact that, even though the state of the art in technology had advanced significantly since the first movie, Kurt Russell still had the same ginormous clunky countdown wristwatch to tell him how much time he had left. This thing makes the Plissken Watch look svelte.

[#7 posted by Alan , March 13, 2009 10:32 AM]

I'm drooling on my keyboard.

[#8 posted by Scuba SM , March 13, 2009 11:16 AM]

I really wish durability wasn't a "feature" anymore. I want every piece of portable electronic equipment I own to have a comparable level of durability. A lot of electronics are damaged or destroyed through drops, accidental dunkings and the like. Of course, the manufacturers like that because if you break it, you've got to buy another one...

I want one of these. Maybe with one of those laser keyboards I've seen floating around at thinkgeek and other places.

[#9 posted by Marcel , March 13, 2009 12:28 PM]

And of course, it WILL inject that neurotoxin in your veigns the moment you are detected to have gone awol during a mission.

[#10 posted by dculberson , March 13, 2009 1:07 PM]

Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhh....

Sorry. Anybody have an idea of cost?? It very much looks like an "if you have to ask..." type device.

[#11 posted by Aion , March 13, 2009 1:53 PM]

*gasp* its a practically PIPBoy 2000!

[#12 posted by Dewi Morgan , March 13, 2009 3:41 PM]

You're right though - that is so incredibly Fallout. WANT.

[#13 posted by seen2much , March 13, 2009 3:55 PM]

I notice the lack of a radio reciever. That is a necessary feature. I rely on the ability to stay updated on the latest news of the Capital Wasteland.

[#14 posted by Anonymous , March 13, 2009 7:17 PM]

It also looks like the tracking device for "Escape From New York"

[#15 posted by The Lizardman , March 13, 2009 9:00 PM]

Seems like for most of drooling over it, it would easier just to build a secure forearm enclosure for our phones, touches, etc. But this does scream wasteland chic

[#16 posted by mdh , March 13, 2009 9:26 PM]

I, for one, like the presidents new BlackBerry.

[#17 posted by Luc , March 14, 2009 5:24 AM]

He seems to think 'dead-reckoning' is a feature of the device that allows it to tell when you're no longer alive. So beautifully wrong...

[#18 posted by PaulR , March 14, 2009 5:46 AM]

Cost?

$7.995. 'Stralians dollars.
http://www.myshopping.com.au/PR--251087_Zypad_WR1100_MilSpec_IP67_Rugged_Wearable_CE6_GPS

That'd be around $6.699.

$6.699 Canadian.

[#19 posted by dculberson , March 14, 2009 2:16 PM]

Youch.

Lizardman, you're probably right. But it's so pretty.

[#20 posted by la3541 , March 14, 2009 3:04 PM]

Can it be used to make a phone call?

[#21 posted by Rob Beschizza , March 14, 2009 5:41 PM]

DEATH RECKONING SYSTEM

[#22 posted by demidan , March 14, 2009 8:37 PM]

Can you scan retinas? If so I want to be the first gargoyle on my block!

[#23 posted by cnawan , March 14, 2009 10:25 PM]

I prefer NRK's (the folks behind the free Norwegian documentary torrents) "How to get a bigger screen on N95 than iPhone"
http://nrkbeta.no/how-to-get-a-bigger-screen-on-nokia-n95-than-iphone/

Hint: It involves duct tape. :)

[#24 posted by tels7ar , March 15, 2009 10:47 AM]

We've come a long way since the Wristmac:

http://www.hollenback.net/index.php/WristMac

[#25 posted by Daemon , March 15, 2009 11:50 AM]

first thing that occurs to me - you can only use it one-handed, so emulators are out.

Wonder what it's battery life is like when playing back vidio...

[#26 posted by octopussoup , March 15, 2009 12:09 PM]

What's the deal with the adventurous raver comment? Are they even able to use computers?