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OCTOBER 11, 2005 at 2:30 PM
Posted by EUDAEMONIA
Source: Phoneyworld.com & Irish Independent
As it was mentioned back in spring, the Weasleys' living room clock
in the Harry Potter books, which indicates where any family member is at the moment, may become available to households in the future. The Irish Independent reports that Microsoft is researching on the development of a similar device that will display locations of family members outside the home with the use of mobile gadgets.
Inspired by JK Rowling's novels, the researchers and developers have labeled it the "whereabout clock". A brief summary as to how the technology is being developed surfaced recently:
The whereabout clock's screen uses icons bearing the faces of each family member. Signals from their mobile phones are used to tell the computer where they are and the icons wander between colored segments to show whether they are at home, school, work or elsewhere.... The clock will also be able to receive and display text messages. For instance a mother could text the screen that "working till 9pm, please put dinner in oven" and the words would hover next to her face icon.
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Squib
Points: 127
looneybooks says:
Wow, it would be amazing to have a clock like that, but on the other hand i'm a bit worried about all this computer technolgy; for me it would be another way for big brother to keep an eye on us at all times.
Posted Apr 11, 2006 at 11:33 AM EST
Squib
Points: 137
SnApE iS mY hErO says:
Brilliant! And to think...Jk was merely writing fiction and it is slowly turning into reality. Maybe I will get a letter from Hogwarts soon..Just joking.
Posted Apr 18, 2006 at 7:16 PM EST
Student
Points: 265
ThePowerOfRedemption says:
This just shows how creative jk is and how even her inventions can become reality.
Posted Apr 21, 2006 at 7:45 PM EST
Auror
(Moderator)
Points: 2484
Since the Start says:
What ever happened to using cell phones as actual phones? It's getting kind of ridiculous now I think... are people really so lazy that they need to have a clock that they can text message instead of maybe talking to their families once in a while? Kind of sad if you ask me, and not really in keeping with what the point of the Weasley's clock is either.
Posted Apr 30, 2006 at 3:49 PM EST
Student
Points: 299
Raukainuial says:
That is so awesome!! I want one! Although it would have to have many hands for my family.
Posted May 1, 2006 at 7:04 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1499
Belle of the Ball says:
I've always thought the Weasley clock was cool, but I don't know about this clock. It sounds like you'd have to carry some sort of remote with you everywhere. Unless they make it work where it can just be in your cell phone and keep track of you like that. Who knows.
Posted May 10, 2006 at 5:29 AM EST
Witch
Points: 646
~!*Gryffindor Rules*!~ says:
I really Love the that clock! It would be so cool if o got it!
Posted May 11, 2006 at 8:56 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1180
July_21_GAH says:
That sounds totally awesome!! I hope that when/if it comes out, they make a special edition, made to look EXACTLY like Mrs. Weasley's. UGH, do I want that clock. But then again, some teenagers would find that annoying, cause what if a parent looked up and saw "Matt= partying at the docks." I mean, that wouldn't be cool.
Posted Jun 24, 2006 at 11:41 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 513
Humphrey Belcher says:
Sweet! that would be cool! But then again, I'd wouldn't be able to skip school anymore...
Darn you technology!!!
Posted Aug 11, 2006 at 12:58 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 66
jolenex says:
Wooooooooooooow! I wouldnt want my parents knowing where i was all the time though :|
Posted Aug 11, 2006 at 8:46 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 53
Flying Pheonix says:
They already have those but the only way for them to be certain the gaget that locates you there has to have somthing on you so you can be located and you could leave it in school so humphrey belcher you could still skip school.
Posted Aug 11, 2006 at 8:54 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 11
nimbus*2000 says:
this will totally change the future of safty! It rocks!
Posted Aug 17, 2006 at 7:17 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 50
starbucksbabe101 says:
Thats so cool! I hope that I will live to see that clock come out!
Posted Aug 20, 2006 at 2:29 PM EST
Witch
Points: 859
hwhitesi says:
Wow I want one! I want one! How coold would that be. Ofcourse if it ran off cell phone gps it could get a lot of kids in trouble. Having a setting like "Not where I said I was". Classic, I want one!
Posted Aug 20, 2006 at 5:30 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 480
Geowitch says:
I would not have wanted a clock like that around when I was a kid but now that I have my own child....boy do I want to buy that clock when it is available. To know where they are and that they are hopefully safe...priceless.
Posted Aug 24, 2006 at 7:11 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 65
nicole79nc says:
That would be so cool if they could actually do that. I hate to sound like a valley girl, but that would totally rock!
Posted Aug 26, 2006 at 12:29 AM EST
Witch
Points: 663
Blacksnake says:
Sounds great! That would be a great advance of technique. But a little bit scary, if you think about the fact that your parents know exactly where you are...
Posted Sep 10, 2006 at 7:25 AM EST
Witch
Points: 629
Crookshanks535 says:
Ok this is really scary, I am not a technophobe but this is a little too much1 I love the clock in the books and would like for such a device to stay there, although as a mom I'd probably like to have a clock like that to keep track of my girl.
Posted Mar 21, 2007 at 1:54 AM EST
Pirate To The End
Points: 6758
*The*Shining*Star* says:
I think that it would be very neat to have such a clock. But I do think that it would be very difficult to create the technology for it.....
Posted Mar 24, 2007 at 9:49 PM EST
Witch
Points: 590
deathreaper says:
Wow! I definatly like the idea of a Weasley clock in real life...but I'm a bit wary of how it would be used...I'm not sure that I would want my family to know my location 100% of the time.
Posted Dec 2, 2007 at 11:52 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2424
bonniewrightrulz says:
Wow!!Thats incredible. so want one now.Looks really cool,really do hope they create this.should be really cool.
Posted Jun 21, 2008 at 4:12 AM EST
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