This watch has a GPS receiver built in

January 12, 1999
Web posted at: 2:24 a.m. EST (0724 GMT)

From Correspondent Rick Lockridge

LAS VEGAS (CNN) -- The annual Consumer Electronics Show is a gadget lover's paradise.

Some of the standouts this year include a wristwatch straight out of a comic strip, a personal smog alarm that measures carbon monoxide and powerful speakers that hang on the wall.

Remember that amazing watch that crime fighter Dick Tracy wore? Well it's not such a comical notion anymore, thanks to Beepwear.

The new line of pager-watches from Motorola and Timex have full-text pagers that store phone numbers and appointments. Unlike bulkier predecessors, they actually look like watches.

"This is basically the smallest, lightest pager out there," says Beepwear's Victoria Dirken. "It is the smallest, lightest pager to clip or wear in your pocket."

Beepwear watches monitor satellite signals to check their own accuracy. They even change time zones automatically when you do. The cost? $139 to $199, not including paging time.

Feeling lost? The new GPS watch by Casio uses Global Positioning System satellites to get you out of the woods. Available in the United States this fall, they will cost $500 to $600.

More flat panel speakers are being produced

Worried about air quality? The innovative Pollumeter hand- held carbon monoxide monitor measures the odorless pollutant in parts per million, tipping users off when it's time to find some fresh air. The $100-plus device also comes with a bracket to attach to bikes and is being marketed to athletes as well as those with health concerns.

Are the kids crazy about Rugrats? A new line of clock-radios and phones featuring all the loony Nickelodeon favorites shrieking and laughing on cue will help rouse them in the morning -- as well as the rest of the household.

There's nothing micro about the new high capacity microwaves from Panasonic. The company says a smaller, more efficient power supply leaves more room for food and cooks it more evenly. Prices haven't yet been announced.

And flat speakers still pack a powerful audio punch. They look like built-in speakers, but actually hang on the wall. The innovative aluminum flat-panel speakers from Infinity cost $599 a pair. They can work with computers or even be disguised with paintings.