subject: Features And Standards Of Modern Digital Watches [print this page] The use of modern Digital watches ranges from childrens idea of fun to youths statement of style. Nevertheless the features of these digital timepieces were designed firs keeping in mind their uses in sports and outdoor activities. With the advancement in technology, these features grow more and more in precision and accuracy. Today we are going to discuss the historical aspects of a digital watch and the modern features and standards a digital watch must have. These standards, depending on the geographical region may be imposed based on the market volatility, demand and consumer reviews as de facto or de jure.
Some of the basic yet standard features a digital timepiece must have are:
Real time precision: As the most common feature of a digital timepiece is its accuracy and precision, a digital timepiece must be able to show time in the standard format of HH:MM:SS. Some modern digital timepieces even go a step further to display milliseconds too like HH:MM:SS:MM.
Good readability: A modern digital watch should be well equipped with clear fonts and digits so that the user can read the time easily. Modern watches are equipped with Liquefied Crystal Display (LCD) or Light Emitting Diode (LED) screens. So these are a must-have for modern digital watches.
Dual functioning stopwatch: while the old digital timepieces gave rise to a new feature stopwatch which could record users activities (time taken to complete a particular activity), modern digital timepieces are equipped with a better version of a stopwatch, The Stopwatch 2.0. Essentially the new stopwatch system has two modes: a) split timing and b) lap timing.
oSplit timing allows a person to record time continuously using a check point system. E.g.: you are running on a path with 5 milestones then the split timing feature enables you to record the time frame at which you reached each of the checkpoints while keeping the timer ticking. This is an excellent feature for athletes who run triathlon or cycling or other endurance sports.
oLap timing: A makeover of the classic stopwatch feature, the lap timing allows the user to record time of the same track laps but in multiple storages (usually up to 5 laps) in an inbuilt memory.
Countdown timer: Some first generation watches lacked a reverse clocking functionality as what we call a timer. While most of the new generation Digital watches are already equipped with a countdown timer.
Temperature sensor: What the first generation digital timepiece of the 90s lacked has been now covered vastly by all major watch manufacturers. The modern watches now come with a temperature sensor that tells the wearer the current surrounding temperature. Now this feature is a handy one for people living in extreme areas.
Magnetic compass: Most digital watches are also equipped with a digital or analog magnetic compass that points the user towards the north, giving real time directions.
While the majority of these features were already introduced in the first generation of digital timepieces, the improvements and refinements in these features has made these digital timepieces more popular than ever before.
