Dumb it down

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  I explained in the previous post that my Pebble smart watch was banned from the prison.  I wasn't about to let this go as I really love my Pebble smart watch.  Not just because of the features that work with a cell phone, but because it's faces are perfect for work.

So I emailed the inspector and explained my position.  It was a long email, but this is the gist of it:  The watch only connects via blue tooth.  The watch does not connect to computers.  The watch is a valuable tool for me.  The watch has no microphone, camera, or cellular technology.

I suggested I bring him the watch so that I could show him first hand what it can and cannot do.  He agreed and yesterday morning I met with the Inspector, watch on wrist.  My first impression of the inspector was... well technophobe is probably a bit to far, but he wasn't loving technology like I do.  He had a phone (he works outside of the secured perimeter), but it was a dumb phone.  A flip phone.  Just the way he had his desk set up made it clear that he didn't even like his computer.  It was pushed off to the back corner where the front of his desk had room for papers, pens, and pencils.  This didn't bode well.

He also seemed to immediately take this as a "Me Vs Him" conversation.   He had a stack of papers that included a photocopy of my watch and a print out from the Pebble website explaining all the features of a watch.  Specifically they were talking about the new Pebble Time.  While I have a Pebble Time (Steel) on order, I do not currently have one.  He turned the papers around and tapped his finger accusingly on a highlighted passage and said "This is why I don't want you to have this watch."


The highlighted area covered the microphone on the Pebble Time.  First off, wrong watch.  Second off, why he doesn't want 'me' to have this watch?  How about 'This is why we don't want this watch to be allowed inside the facility"?  Saying that 'he' doesn't want 'me' to have this watch makes it immediately personal and adversarial.  I would imagine that's not how he feels... but saying it that way immediately got my hackles up.

Just a quick aside... I've found this to be a problem among prison employees often.  Correction Officers, Wardens, a few nurses, other administrative staff, and now the Inspector.  They talk to everybody as if they were talking to an inmate.  They try to puff themselves up and prove dominance.  I don't get it.  Sometimes you need to be the 'alpha dog' when talking to an inmate, and sometimes you need to do the same thing with non inmates... but it's rare.  When I talk to an adult, family, friend, colleague, co-worker, stranger, or even an inmate, I talk to them respectfully like an adult until they prove they don't deserve that respect.    In most cases if you verbally try to push me around you are going to get pushed right back.  I saw a facebook post that went something like this;  "Don't try to be an asshole to me.  I'll be an asshole right back and I'm far better at being an asshole than you!"  Yeah... that's generally my reaction.  Sadly I couldn't go there in this instance as I need something from the inspector.  If I pushed him, he could simply say 'no' and end the conversation.

Back to the story.

I politely pointed out that the paperwork he had gathered was for a different model.  That as I've now explained to him on three separate occasions my watch does not in fact have a microphone.  He then quized me on the information I had given him before... asking how the watch connected to a smart phone (blue tooth), how it connected to a computer (it doesn't), how far the blue tooth connection goes (33 feet, less when things like bricks, bars and an electrified fence are in the way), what I used it for (multiple watch faces, calendar, 24 hour time, second hand, alarms, timers), how I got it inside in the first place (permission from the previous inspector).  I got the distinct impression that he was looking for a reason to not let the watch in.

He finally admitted that the watch was 'on the fence' and that he was leaning to not letting it in.  His only voiced concern that had any validity to it was that it could get data in.  His example was sports scores.  That I could 'download' the day's sports scores to the phone and bring them in.  I would love to say that the phone can't do that.  It was certainly not designed for such a feature.  I can use the watch to display notes (I personally use Evernote), but those notes are pulled from the phone and not stored on the watch itself.  I can use the watch to get sports scores (I've seen the ESPN app, but don't use it), but those scores are pulled from the internet through the phone.

But I can't deny that it's possible.  The Pebble currently has around 6000 apps and more are continually under development.  I even found a part of the pebble code that allows for storage of local data.  It's designed to store a few characters, but there isn't exactly a limit on it.  On the other hand there is only 24kbits of app storage... so it's not like I'm bringing in a dictionary or database.

So he ended our meeting with him telling me that for now, I couldn't bring it in.  That he would discuss it further with the deputy warden and the department heads, and get back to me with permanent decision.

The way I interpreted that:  Temporary No while he figures out a legitimate sounding reason to offer a permanent No.

So now I have to find a new digital watch.  I won't buy one just yet, at least not until he gives me that permanent no, but if/when that permanent no comes in I want to be ready to purchase.  Now I need to look at exactly what I want/need.

First off, I want digital.  It doesn't look as nice as a standard analog watch, but I'm not exactly going for style here.  Yes, I do want whatever I wear to look good, but this will be specifically for work.  It won't look as good or be as usefull as my current Pebble Steel or upcoming Pebble Time Steel.

It MUST have a large display.  A standard timex style display will be just too small.

It MUST have a second readout.  Without the seconds being easily read, then I might as well not have them.

It MUST display in 24 hour time.  Without 24 hour time it may as well be analog with a large sweeping seconds hand.

It MUST be water resistant.  I wash my hands way to often to be taking the thing off and on each time.

I'd like it to have a calendar.  I'm probably howling at the moon on this, but it's incredibly useful on my current watch.

I'd like it to have an alarm and/or a timer.  I don't use those features all that often, but they're very useful when the need arises.

I'd really like it to have additional watch faces... this would just keep me from getting bored with any particular look.   I'm fairly sure this will NOT happen, so I won't even hold my breath for it.

So far the only thing I've found that would be semi useful is this Lorus on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/R2303HX-9-Digital-Quartz-Silicone-R2303HX9/dp/B00U1VHOX4/ref=sr_1_48?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1435669592&sr=1-48&refinements=p_4%3ALorus

Not exactly a bargain at $59, but it's doable.  I'm still holding out hope for the Inspector to find reason and let me keep using my Pebble.   But if he doesn't, I think I'd be ready to jump at this watch.   I'll spend a few minutes each day looking at other options every day just to see if something jumps out and catches my fancy.



Oh... and something else I'm going to have to consider.  Where to put the damned thing.  If I end up having to use this dumb watch at work, I'll have three watches that I use on a regular basis.  The dumb work watch, the Steel and the Time Steel.  So I'm also in the market for some kind of watch or bracelet stand.

Good Grief.