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Japanese Watches to Carry Mobile Phone Messages | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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TOKYO (AFP) – Data-flashing mobile telephones may have lessened the need to wear watches, but a Japanese firm is hitting back, creating a wristwatch for the technophile on the move.

Citizen Watch said Monday it will market two watches from July that will signal incoming calls and arriving text messages even if the telephone is stuffed in the person’s bag.

The men’s watches, which feature a large rectangular screen with luminescent blue diodes, will use the Bluetooth technology that can transmit data within several meters.

The watch, which signals if contact is lost with the mobile, could come in handy if the owner switches his or her phone to silent mode, the company said.

Citizen Watch Co. Ltd. said it will sell a limited 5,000 watches from July 7 and plans to launch models for women.

Seiko, which along with Casio is a main competitor with Citizen, plans to launch a similar product next year.