As one of the biggest advocates of SPOT watches, the wrist-carried devices which allowed you to receive immediate stock quotes, news and calendar updates on the go — I could not be more sad to hear these gadgets will no longer be supported by Microsoft.

Here are the reasons the watch is gone:

1) High Cost: Many of these devices cost around $400+ and this is simply too much for a digital watch.
2) Ugliness: The watches are horrid looking but the Tissot High-T which was the best looking one of the bunch was priced high and is now discontinued.
3) Battery Life: 4-5 days of life was just not enough for a watch. One month is more acceptable.
4) Reliability: My experience with these watches (at least from Tissot) is that they break often.
5) One-Way Signals: The network only works in one direction so traveling to another location means telling the service ahead of time that you are going to be away from your home "range."
6) Weight/Size: Not everyone wants a big and heavy watch.
7) Watch Popularity: Watches are less popular in general — SPOT watches are no exception.
8) Cell Phone Competition: They say the latest generation won’t even use a watch because they have phones. Phones do everything a spot watch does and more.
9) Geek Factor:  Do I need to explain this one?
10) Cost: $10/month is a lot to spend if you are also paying a phone bill.

Having listed all of these items, owning a watch that vibrated 15 minutes before each meeting really helped me stay on track. In addition, it was easier to glance down at my watch for information because in many cases my phone was in my pocket or not in reach.

Sadly, the High-T was the only device in this genre that vibrated and I am not interested in devices that beep as they interrupt meetings, etc.

So basically I really am not as enthused  about SPOT watches as I once was.

I suppose life goes on and I can now focus on using my cell phone to do all the things my watch used to do.

Then again, I am sure Apple’s iWatch will probably be the must-have gadget of 2010.