Fossil's Smarter Smart Watch

Bulky timepiece delivers lots of info, but it requires frequent battery charges.

Michael S. Lasky

A smart watch can tell you more than just the time of day. Fossil's Wrist Net offers news, weather reports, stock quotes, movie times, and messages via Microsoft's MSN Direct service, which uses FM radio signals to transmit data.

I looked at a shipping model of the Fossil Wrist Net FX3005 (software version 1.25), an update of the Fossil Wrist Net we tested last year. Although the $199 FX3005 is not as bulky as its predecessor, it's still noticeably chunkier than your average timepiece.

The related service has improved. For no additional fee, the watch will display basic news and weather information; for $40 per year, MSN Direct delivers customizable content such as news, stock info, movie showtimes, and more. The watch face display is 1 inch square, and I found headlines easy to read.

For an additional $20 per year, MSN Direct will include Outlook syncing and limited MSN Messenger service. You can receive instant messages from anyone on your MSN Messenger buddy list; alas, you have no way to reply.

The unit's biggest downside continues to be its avid power consumption. With frequent channel switching and backlighting, it lasted about four days between charges; under less demanding conditions, it ran for about six days.

This Fossil watch improves on the first version, with a smaller form factor, better battery life, and more service options. However, it's clearly still a work in progress.

Fossil Wrist Net FX3005

Oversize watch offers improved service and plenty of info, but its need for frequent charges makes it a less-than-ideal travel partner. List: $199 Current Price (if available)