It has been kind of quiet on the MSN Direct front over the last year or so, but ABACUS has released five different models in the last few months that have improved significantly on the older SPOT watches.
Inside the box
The ABACUS watch and Quick Start Guide are visible when you first open up the box.
A/C adapter for the watch
The A/C adapter has a USB port for the unique cable and is easily stowed for travel.
Charging connector contacts
These 4 contact points are mounted on a magnet that attaches to your watch.
Charging contacts on the back of the watch
There are 4 matching contact points on the watch.
Charging cable connected to the watch
The magnet is strong enough to hold the cable to the watch, yet releases if the cable is pulled or bumped.
Green fabric band
The model I tested had a durable green fabric band that was attractive and strong.
Navigation buttons
The buttons are solid, well-designed, and work very well on the watch.
Leather inside the band
The inside of the band is a very comfortable leather material that is MUCH better than the old metal antenna bands on previous SPOT models.
The default watch face
The front of the ABACUS Smart Watch 2006.
The watch isn't too big for my wrist
While the watch is large, it is smaller than previous SPOT watches and comparable to many other modern watches.
Stylish face design
The ABACUS has a cool design on the left side that makes the device quite attractive.
Checking baseball scores
The Sports channel is one of my favorites since I don't have time to watch all of the Mariners games.
Post game details
The MSN Direct service provides lots of details on the game too.
Cool backlight
The backlight is very visible in the dark as you can see.
Backlit Weather channel
Local forecasts are another great channel that provide some good information when traveling.
Traffic channel
The Traffic channel is still fairly new and officially still in beta. As a Seattle commuter this channel can be very helpful during the afternoons.
Movie channel
The Movie channel is one of my favorite because my family likes to go to the shows and this is an easy way to see what is playing where and at what time.
ABACUS Smart Watch 2006 Traffic channel
ABACUS Smart Watch 2006 retail box
It has been kind of quiet on the MSN Direct front over the last year or so, but ABACUS has released five different models in the last few months that have improved significantly on the older SPOT watches.
