Strange stuff (UC-2000)

Strange stuff (UC-2000)
=======================

I wrote recently here [1] that I have got the Seiko DATA 2000
smartwatch. This thing is very interesting and quite useful, too.
Anyway, just one alarm and no way to sync data with ane desktop
computer (except for re-typing of them manually) have made me curious
if there is anything more enhanced.

It is. The Seiko UC-2000. It is even more interesting machine: it can
be connected to a desktop-style keyboard and used as a normal home
computer from 1980s. I mean that it can boot to BASIC interpreter or to
run some custom programs from sort of cartridges. Actually, the
keyboard includes its own Zilog Z80 CPU and the watch screen serves
just like the computer monitor. Some of these programs can be loaded to
the watch and run without the keyboard. Actually, it seems that only
one or two such cartridges exist and the one which is more known
includes three games and a schedule program.

I hoped that the BASIC code (when finished) can be uploaded to the
watch itself and run without the "keyboard" but it is not the case (the
manual didn't disclose such functionality). Even more strangely the
BASIC don't have functions for working with time. This is a bit strange
on a watch, isn't it? Did I mention that it runs the Microsoft BASIC?

Anyway, someone tried to play with the UC-2000 thing and made a device
for communication with these watches (two versions actually). So it is
probably possible to write new programs in an assembler and run
them on the watch itself. Even more, there is an example of the
Tetris implementation and also some custom watch faces. Fortunately,
everything is available [2].

There is also an Android application which can be used to enter text
into watch's memo areas (also on [2]). It is possible because watches
use wireless connection to the keyboard or other docks and it is
possible to emulate work of the dock with use of phone's microphone.
The author warns that it cannot be done in reliable way so there is
error rate about 10-20%. So such application can be used for typing of
text but not for uploading of programs. Also, it is not guaranteed that
a particular phone/table/PDA device will actually work.

Because I have the older DATA-2000 and not the more advanced UC-2000 I
was unsure if the thing can work with my watch. The "transmission
circuit" thing on the watch seems be the same so I tried to install the
application on my Gemini PDA device and tried to connect the watch. And
it worked! But when I tried to repeat my success I wasn't unable to
position the watch correctly to it didn't worked once more. On a Sony
phone it didn't worked at all (but I didn't tried too hard).

So it is somewhat cool stuff: if your phone work and you master use of
the Android app (i.e. find and remember the correct position of watch
and phone) then you can enter your notes via phone (without need of an
external keyboard). Certainly there are environments where it is not
advisable to use phone but looking on watches is quite normal (in
crowded places, in public transport vehicles and so).

Written on a SGI O2.

References:

[1] gopher://sdf.org/1/users/jirka/Phlog/
[2] https://github.com/azya52/seiko