circuits.

Dick Tracy was first. But soon, we'll all be able to talk into our watches as well as take photos, listen to music, and watch TV.

It took more than half a century, but the consumer model of the Dick Tracy two-way wrist radio is almost here. With the relentless miniaturization of technology, the time has come for wrist devices that have function lists as long as your arm: Depending on design, they double as cell phones, one-way pagers, email readers, computers, cameras, MP3 music players, television receivers, voice recorders, automobile security keys, television and VCR remote controls, health monitors, weather stations, compasses, Global Positioning System monitors, games, and simple amusements. Some can even serve as admission passes for ski lifts and museums. And, almost as an afterthought, they tell time.

WRIST AS REAL ESTATE

Following the example of the pocket watch, which first moved to the wrist less than a century ago, more than a dozen different types of electronic gadgets are adding straps and competing for space on the narrow stretch of body between the hand and the forearm. Until the time when such devices are implanted directly into the brain, which is still some years away, the wrist is the most convenient place on the body to wear technology. It does not encumber the hand, does not intrude on most manual tasks, moves easily in front of the eyes and is easier to reach than, say, the ankle.

"It's location, location, location," says Susie Watson, a spokesperson for the Timex Corporation. "The wrist is the most exciting and accessible place on the body."

Advances in circuitry have enabled these devices to shrink from handheld to belt-clip sizes, and the move to the wrist is seen as just another inevitable progression. As cell phones and other gadgets become even smaller, attaching a wristband may become a necessity to keep tiny phones and pagers from getting lost in a pocket or purse.

Both Motorola and Samsung recently demonstrated working prototypes of a digital phone watch--the closest thing yet to the fanciful two-way wrist radio worn on the comics pages by Dick Tracy, the detective whose fondness for exotic gadgets predated James Bond by a generation.

LIFE IMITATES COMICS

The two-way wrist radio made its debut in the comics in January 1946, says Max Allan Collins, who wrote the strip from 1977 to 1993. Collins says the strip's creator, Chester Gould, later said he had wanted Tracy to wear a wrist TV but that his editors called the idea too far-fetched.

No longer. From MP3 music players to tiny cameras, wrist devices are tumbling out of the pipeline. The digital phone watch--Tracy would have loved it--will become available this year. Samsung's phone uses speech recognition to allow the wearer to "dial" the wristphone by speaking the numbers. A tiny speaker-phone eliminates the need to use an earpiece. A Samsung spokesperson said it was safe to assume that the first units would cost more than the average detective's daily pay.

As it assumes a greater role in the technology world, the wrist may also become more vulnerable to repetitive stress injuries. Of course, Dick Tracy packed a lot onto his wrist for 54 years without problems.

COMING DISTRACTIONS

Here's a preview of the new watches, many not yet on the market. (Starting from the top row, left to right, then down.)

CASIO WRIST AUDIO PLAYER

This audio player will store about 30 minutes of CD-quality MP3 music downloaded from a computer. It's expected in May for between $149 to $249.

CASIO PC UNITE

An electronic organizer that links via infrared signals with Microsoft Outlook and Palm devices, this gadget will hold phone numbers, schedules, and homework assignments. Cost: $99 (black), $129 (silver).

CASIO WRIST CAMERA

This digital camera snaps and stores up to 100 tiny black-and-white pictures that can be viewed on the watch face, or transferred to a Windows computer or small printer. It's expected in May, at around $200.

CRIMESTOPPER VISION CAR ALARM WATCH

This car-alarm system, available soon, will replace keychain transmitters. About $100.

MOTOROLA ACCOMPLI

A prototype wrist cell phone expected early next year. Price is expected to be about $300.

SAMSUNG CELL PHONE WATCH

It comes with an earphone and is expected by the end of the year. Not priced yet.