Compact and portable are the key themes of new feature-packed products coming from Casio Canada.
Next month, Casio will have its first Wrist Controller watch on store shelves, with four other models scheduled to follow next March.
The Wrist Controller is the ideal gift for gadget-lovers and couch potatoes.
It is smaller than a diver’s watch and has a built-in remote control pre-programmed for 10 makes of tvs, vcrs and converters.
It controls volume, changes channels, activates all the elements of a vcr and also has daily alarm and calendar features. It will retail at $120.
Paul Godin, Casio Canada vice-president and general manager, says employees have had some fun with the prototypes by changing channels and volume on tvs behind the bars in local night spots.
Job easier
One bartender even offered $200 for the watch because he said it would make his job much easier.
In October, Casio will be unveiling Zoomer Personal Digital Assistant (pda), competition for Apple Computer’s newly launched Newton.
Zoomer combines the ease of a pen and paper with the ability of a computer in a pocket-sized device weighing less than a pound.
It saves handwritten notes, recognizes printing and translates languages.
Zoomer is lighter than a portable computer and has a longer battery life because it uses standard off-the-shelf batteries.
A joint venture of Casio and Tandy, Zoomer is expected to retail at about $1,200.
Most advertising for the new products will be co-op efforts with retailers.
Casio has been handling advertising in-house, but plans to have an agency in place by April 1994, the beginning of its next fiscal year.
