IBM is trying to do for computers what the Sony Walkman did for cassette players. On Wednesday, Big Blue showed off its Wearable PC, a computer with all the power of a laptop in a tiny, clip-on package.
"The purpose of the demonstration is to show how our definition of a computer may evolve over time," said IBM spokeswoman Judy Radlinsky. The demo happened at the IBM Fair '98 in Tokyo.
Developed at IBM's Japan Yamato Laboratory, the Wearable PC is about the size of a portable CD player, weighs 11 ounces, and has a one-inch 340MB hard disk drive, a Intel 233Mhz MMX processor, and 64MB of RAM. IBM said the computer is only a prototype at this point, but the company may manufacture them in the future.
Most small computing devices on the market run handheld computer operating systems, such as Window CE or the Palm Pilot's PalmOS. However, IBM's Wearable PC runs Windows 98 and has all the functionality of a notebook computer. It is being pitched as an "ultra-convenient information tool for maintenance, repair, and system-installation personnel" and can display wiring diagrams, schematics inventory lists, and videos.
"We used Windows 98 to demo the capability of a Wearable PC," said Radlinsky. "It may or may not be the OS used if and when a product like that would be available for purchase."
The computer has a miniature one-handed mouse controller and a headset-mounted display with a 3-inch monitor. A microphone can be used in conjunction with IBM voice-recognition software to respond to commands.
Despite its sleek design, one observer thinks the Wearable PC would have a pretty specialized market if IBM decided to produce it.
"This is nothing new," said Seamus McAteer, analyst with Jupiter Communications in New York. "For me this says, 'Big Blue goes blue collar.' It's a military, machinists', and mechanics' device."
