Gizmodo: altimeter

Timex Expedition WS4 Watch For the Alpine Adventurer

Sean Fallon — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:40:00 EST

Man, I don't even ski and I want this. The Timex Expedition WS4 features a altimeter, barometer, thermometer, chronograph, alarm and compass packed into a sweet-looking, rugged sport watch with a big display.

I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for gadgets with lots of functionality—even if I can't envision a scenario when I would ever use it. Plus, I have watched entirely too many Suvivorman and Man vs. Wild episodes. The Expedition WS4 will be available starting in may for $200. [Boing Boing Gadgets and Popular Mechanics]

Suunto X10 GPS Watch is Basically Perfect for Tomb Raiding

Kit Eaton — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:30:00 EDT

Suunto has just added to its range of GPS watches with the new X10, but this gizmo doesn't just do navigation and time-telling. It's also got an altimeter function, barometer, digital compass and thermometer: Exactly the sort of equipment any self-respecting real tomb raider would find darn useful.

Even better, the X10 has an improved GPS reception for tracking in difficult locations, like under heavy foliage in the rainforest. It's also got a track-back function so you can retrace your steps if you're lost, and 33% more battery life than the previous X9i generation. It also live-records routes and waypoints, so you can pinpoint on your PC later where that ancient undiscovered ruined temple really was, and it charges/connects over USB.

Available in two colors in September, though there's no info on price. [Navigadget]

Second Balloon Man Uses GPS, Kool-Aid To Go Where No Brazilian Priest Has Gone Before

Jack Loftus — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Oregon resident Kent Couch finished what our friend the priest could unfortunately not: he got into a lawn chair rigged with huge party balloons, and floated his way to Idaho.

Couch brought GPS but he also brought along a satellite phone, altimeter, and a second GPS device attached to his chair for redundancy. Then there was his pole with a hook, for bringing wind-whipped helium balloons into firing range, and containers of Kool-Aid, which served as ballast. His in-flight meal consisted of boiled eggs, jerky and chocolate. Video:

For his efforts and meticulous preparation, Couch, a 54-year-old gas station owner, was able to keep the balloon rig at 200 feet for most of the 200-mile journey.

"If I had the time and money and people, I'd do this every weekend," Couch said before getting into the chair. It was his third balloon flight in three years. "Things just look different from up there. You've moving so slowly. The best thing is the peace, the serenity." And landing, Couch, landing. Right? [CNN]

G-Shock GW-9200 Riseman Has Everything You Never Needed on a Watch

AddyDugdale — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 05:11:47 EST

Casio's new G-Shock GW-9200 may not have a phone or MP3 player, but that's about all it lacks. With an altimeter, barometer and thermometer, the chunky black plastic timepiece hits the US on June 28 and will cost you around $230. Full specs are below.

- 6 Band Atomic Time Sync
- Barometer (air pressure range 260 to 1100 hPa)
- Altimeter (-700 to 10000 m)
- Thermometer (-10 ℃ to 60)
- Stopwatch (1 / 100 seconds, 24 hours, with a split)
- World Time (33 world cities, 29 time zones)
- Countdown Timer (24 hours max)
- 5 Alarms (1 with snooze)
- Full auto EL light (with afterlight)
- Tough Solar (large solar charging system)
- Dimensions: 51.0mm × 48.9mm × 15.9mm
- Weight: 60.9g
The version with a Geiger counter is, I assume, coming out at a later date. [My G-Shock]