incl.
multiple 
>>
Casio Data Bank review. Several incl.
multiple
>>
Picked this one up recently. <<<< It's a Casio Databank ABX23-8BV ana-digi (or "Twincept", as Casio calls it).
Got it at Wal-Mart, of all places! $37.22 incl. tax, so it easily
qualifies as a Beggar's Watch. That's the official Casio website photo, lightly
Photoshopped. The specs, according to Casio:
- 30 page Databank (8 letters and 12 numerals per page).
- World time, 29 zones, 27 cities.
- Electro-luminescent backlight with Afterglow.
- 1/100 second stopwatch.
- Daily alarm.
- Hourly time signal.
- Auto-Calendar preprogrammed to year 2039.
- 12/24 hour format.
- Accuracy +/- 30 seconds per month.
- Battery type CR2016.
- Black resin band.
I'd kinda sorta been looking for an ana-digi, and the thing that caught my eye with this one is the fact that the digital info is displayed across the entire surface of the crystal, rather than in a seperate window. Apparently, the entire crystal is an LCD display. Quite unusual and striking.. and very functional!
I've been wearing my Marina Militares too much, I guess, as my first impression of this watch was "I wish it were a bit bigger."
The actual measurements are:
- 40mm basic case diameter
- 45mm across crown & pusher guard
- 47mm across lugs
- 15.8mm thickness
- 28mm dial diameter
My second impression was "Darn these short straps!"
Yep, it fits my 8-1/8 wrist on the last hole, and then just barely. It's an OK strap otherwise, mind you; a black resin job with a black, signed buckle. It's just too short. But hey, that gave me an excuse to use the cheapo resin Speidel with compass that I had in my spare straps box.
I've been wearing the watch for 4 days now. It's quite comfortable, and the size now seems just right. The +/- 30 sec/month accuracy rating is probably conservative, as mine's within 2 seconds after 4 days. The analog and digital functions are still synched dead-on, too, which is a relief.
It takes a substantial booklet to explain all the digital functions, and it's clear and well written. The menus and the functions of the pushers are well-thought out, too, and after a couple of days they became second nature. This watch is capable of throwing a lot of info at you, and Casio has done a great job of making it accessible and usable.
With, perhaps, one slight exception - conventional (analog) daytime readability could be better under certain lighting conditions. The conbination of silver skeleton hands against the grey dial just doesn't offer a lot of contrast.
I find myself using the digital complications quite a lot. Love the Data Bank/Telememo complication! Being able to store 30 phone numbers on your wrist is great! I have need of a stopwatch at work on a regular basis, so this will be my "work beater", I'm thinking. I do wish there was a lap timer function, though I can live without it. There is a 'Split Timer' function.. I.E. you can capture two finishes. And you could use that as a lap timer, I suppose.. as long as you don't want to time more than two consecutive laps. The Alarm complication is handy, too, and very easy to set. I'll use it a fair bit. The World Time complication.. well, it's cool, but I don't have much need for it.
Pros:
- The LCD-in-the-crystal digital overlay is super keen!
- Digital functions are intuitive and useful.
- Perpetual calendar makes life simpler.
- Quite attractive, to my eyes, in an understated tool-watch kind of way.
- It's a lot of watch for the money!
- Quartz accuracy.
- Casio reliability.
Cons:
- Analog readability could be better.
- Strap should be a bit longer - fits an 8-1/8 wrist on the last notch.
- Perpetual calendar only good thru 2039? I might still be around in 2039!
- Quartz is a bit humdrum..
All in all I'm really pleased with it!
Oh, if anyone's interested, Focus camera has 'em for the same price as Wal-Mart...
Thanks for lookin'!
-Ricky
Messages In This Thread
Casio Data Bank
review. Several incl.
multiple
>> (views: 63) Cool ! 
(views: 1) Very nice....I've always liked the 
Twincept
Ana-Digis.... especially that display
(views: 1) Great 
Ricky
(views: 1)