Such excitement. The technology media world has been whipping itself into a frenzy of speculation and Dick Tracy jokes during the past couple of weeks since two US newspaper reports that Apple is working on a new gadget - the iWatch.
(Younger readers should know Dick Tracy was a hard-boiled comic-strip cop dating back to the 1940s, who invariably checked into headquarters via a "wristwatch radio" - quite a futuristic notion in the 40s).
Both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times - papers that don't usually report every wild rumour about supposed new products from Silicon Valley - this month claimed to have been briefed by people in the know about Apple's plan or at least people "familiar with the situation" (that can sometimes mean the chief executive but more usually a PR operative).
The gist of it was that the new i-gadget would be worn on the wrist, would link wirelessly to an iPhone or iPad, and be able to download programs from Apple's App Store. It should do a lot more than tell the time - monitor health, run exercise programs, organise music downloads and send email or tweets on the go.
The Bloomberg news service chimed in, claiming to have knowledge that Apple had a team of 100 people in its Cupertino, California, HQ working on the project - which, if true, makes it sound a very serious project indeed.
Other reports claimed the watch would use a new form of glass from Corning, capable of being curved, so that the display could wrap neatly around the wrist.
Apple as usual is declining to comment. Only time will tell if the iWatch is a goer - but if it is you can be assured it will be a good-looking device and a polished performer: Apple can be criticised for many things, but it doesn't put out rubbish or half-baked projects.
The iPod, the iPhone and the iPad were all polished performers and sales winners from day one of their release, each causing a mini-revolution in mobility that has been swiftly emulated by competitors, though not always with the same pizazz.
If you have your heart set on owning a smartwatch, you don't have to wait for Apple. There are several in the market already, though none has made a really big splash and not all are readily available in Australia.
The Sony SmartWatch launched last year to tepid reviews. You can use the watch to access your phonebook, send and receive emails, messages and tweets or check the weather, via the touch-enabled display.
The "watch" is powered by Google's Android software, so most of the apps available in the Google Play store should work. Battery life is claimed at one full day with heavy usage, three to four days for lighter use.
We have seen the Sony SmartWatch advertised at Australian online stores prices ranging from $106 to $163. Amazon has them at just under $US90 ($87) but because of territorial marketing arrangements won't ship these products to an Australian address.
Another choice is the recently launched Pebble from a US company of the same name that raised a record $US10 million in small investments from public-funding site Kickstarter to get the project off the ground.
It's a stylish gadget with a colourful LCD display and comes in a choice of bold tints and will link to iPhones and Android mobiles.
At the flourish of a wrist the Pebble will let you know who is calling, take text messages and show emails. It also will run some apps, such as acting as a bike computer. It's claimed to be water resistant to five atmospheres - OK for swimming or sailing, hopefully - but we wouldn't take it diving. If you want one, you can try dealing direct with Pebble at pebblewatches.com.au. The price is $165, plus shipping, but expect a possibly lengthy delay. The thousands of folk who anted up investment dollars on Kickstarter are being served first.
Another recently launched wrist-wearable device is the Italian I'm Watch, which looks quite classy. It has a classy Italian price to match: usually quoted online at $449 but available at the special price of $369, plus $38.88 shipping, until February 28. www.imwatch.it.
The I'm Watch relies on a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone when it makes calls but can operate independently and comes with its own collection of downloadable apps including a music player.
Also in the more exalted price range is the Forerunner 610 from Garmin, a Swiss company best known for its GPS navigation aids. It has a 2.5-inch LCD touchscreen, but the touch-sensitive area is only a little over an inch so you may need to squint a little to read finer types and map points. We have seen the Forerunner advertised at several Aussie online retail stores, including wildfiresports.com.au for about $249.
Most, alas, are likely to be out of date within a year or months if Apple launches its rumoured iWatch. Google is reported to be be planning to reply with its own smartwatch; it has been granted a patent for a model with a flip-up display. Watch this space.
