Vibrating Watch from Alexandra Vision

By Matthew Bullis

App Details

By:  Alexandra Vision

Price:  $150 and up

Description:  For years in the blindness community, we’ve had talking watches and clocks. They’ve been great to keep us on track, but many have been noisier than some of us would like. Most have a bing! Noise before you hear “It’s five thirty one PM.” If someone wanted to check the time, and was wearing a wristwatch, it’s very hard to try to cover up the watch to muffle the sound of your checking the time. There have also been the “braille,” or actually tactile watches, which make checking the time more discreet, but there again, you get a click sound when you open the lid. Tissot came out with a vibrating watch about ten years ago, where you ran your fingers around the face to find the vibrations where the hands would usually be. This watch has been discontinued, but now another Swiss manufacturer has produced a line of pocket and pendant watches for discreet time telling. Press the first button to get the hour, the second for the next digit of the hour, and the third for the last. A long vibration signals five units, and no vibrations signal a zero in that position. Moving through an hour, you don’t need to hear the whole time, but maybe just press the middle button to see how close the top of the hour is. For about $150 and up, you can have this innovative way of telling the time discreetly. This reviewer chose the Meteor, which slips neatly and slimly into your pocket.

Compatible for blind, low vision, and sighted.

Pros:

• Discreet way of checking time, without distracting sighted peers
• Unique look and conversation starter
• User is able to check partial time throughout the hour, such as one digit at a time, instead of needing to get the complete time announcement

Cons

• Not at this time

Tips & Tricks:  Visit www.AlexandraVision.com