Press release
Tag Heuer launches Meridiist GMT for The Odyssey of Pioneers, the first world tour of a fully electric, emissions‐free GT car.
I/ Pioneering across the meridians : TAG Heuer, Meridiist GMT & Tesla World Tour
To commemorate its 150th anniversary year, TAG Heuer teamed with Tesla Motors to create the TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster GT car for The Odyssey of Pioneers, an epic around‐the‐world voyage. This journey demands only the best in avant‐garde technology and internal precision instruments.
The Meridiist, the first communication instrument engineered by a Swiss horology leader, has been specially fine‐ tuned and brought to peak performance to accompany the meridian‐crossing global adventure of TAG Heuer and Tesla Motors.
New GMT features allows drivers to juggle dual time zones, responding directly to the needs of the driver, as the TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster accomplishes its 37,000 km voyage passing through 15 cities across the globe. Cruising through Budapest, with a simple press of a button on the Meridiist, that is built into the center console of the car, the driving team can determine the local hour as well as manage the hour of its support and communication base in Palo Alto, California – where the Tesla Roadster was designed and produced. The GMT function manages perimeters, allowing enhanced global and local awareness and communication.
Enhanced internal software also advances the efficiency of essential functions, and sporty design models with signature aesthetic finishing signify the evolution of the Meridiist communication instrument, rising to meet new and challenging frontiers.
A powerful combination of “Meridian” and “Specialist”, the Meridiist name explains the core objectives of legendary Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer's venture into communication mobility. The Odyssey of Pioneers speaks directly to the DNA of the Meridiist, which was conceived for traveling seamlessly across meridians with reliable specialist technology. TAG Heuer, with its essential tools for chronology and communication, drives toward an ecologically sound future as performance‐orientated and avant‐garde as ever.
II/ Master time : GMT Function for Global Awareness
Just two years after its official launch, the Meridiist advances to the forefront of advanced capability with a new GMT function – Master Time – targeted for world travelers. Master Time was incorporated into the Meridiist for its role in The Odyssey of Pioneers, yet all Meridiist models will now integrate this function starting from July 2010.
GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) is a universal reference for coordinating time zones worldwide. Master Time allows mobile users to maneuver more than one time zone, reference across meridians, and switch between home/travel or origin/destination time. The GMT function already features prominently in the horology industry; its integration into the Meridiist technology references the core timekeeping DNA of the TAG Heuer tradition.
One of the Meridiist's superior design features is its top sub‐LCD screen allowing users to discreetly view time when the Meridiist is situated in a shirt breast pocket. A direct touch of the polished stainless steel side button allows users to politely refuse a call and, with the new GMT function, also juggle multiple time zone references displayed on this top screen. The GMT feature can be further managed throughout functions such as call history, messaging (SMS, MMS, or E‐mail), agenda detailing, and alarm settings.
The Meridiist models that employ advanced GMT assessment are easily distinguished – a GMT logo is engraved at the back of the handset directly above the TAG Heuer logo, offset by engine‐turned concentric circle detailing on the interior of the camera shutter, a design motif also found in classic TAG Heuer timepieces such as the Grand CARRERA Calibre 17 RS2 Chronograph.
III/ Pioneering design : Styled for Performance
The Meridiist communication instrument is more sharply styled in dynamic design versions for the occasion of its participation in The Odyssey of Pioneers.
Integrated into the interior vehicle design of the TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster, on the center console beside another essential tool the TAG Heuer Limited Edition 1/5th second stopwatch, the Meridiist design is as sporty as ever for this performance role.
The 3D carbon leather back, a new design model, features a distinctive texture that echoes the woven carbon fiber accents on the interior of the TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster, and the vehicle's external Foucault Field Gray color scheme. The “vintage racing” back, another new sport style, features black perforated leather with red eyelets, evoking only the chicest of driving gloves and a legendary era of sports racing.
Other superiorly sporty models include a smooth black rubber back with an inlaid TAG Heuer logo or genuine alligator skin covered with an exclusive “soft touch” black rubber coating – an advanced finishing technique never before used on a telephone – that is bordered by a contrastingly bold, red stitching. Back covering in black, brown or white alligator skin are also available for utterly classic style.
IIII/ Software enhancements : Efficiency Is Everything
Enhanced interface software maneuverability, shortcut efficiency and crystal sapphire display screen reflectance altogether advance the Meridiist communication instrument to the next level.
While all Meridiist communication instruments contain over 430 hand‐assembled mechanical components and bespoke digital engineering, key elements of the Meridiist functionality have been upgraded for all future models, marking its participation in The Odyssey of Pioneers.
Twice as fast as former Meridiist models, the base software structure is lighter and more fluid. Navigation applications are highly intuitive, with the number of validation steps reduced for the main features – registering a new contact takes place in five steps instead of eight, sending a sms or setting the alarm are both more efficient procedures. Pre‐set volume adjustments accommodate real‐life situations to fit the noise level of an indoor meeting or an outdoor environment. New ring tones showcase an improved digital sound quality, while new wallpaper designs and on/off animations are experienced through an even clearer 60.5‐carat sapphire crystal screen display.
The Meridiist base technology was designed for evolution; engineers understood from the beginning that the Meridiist would be a classic and perennial TAG Heuer instrument that would develop to meet the challenges of adventure.
IIIII/ Worldwide legacy : Driven Toward the Future
The enhanced, GMT‐equipped Meridiist communication instrument will be available worldwide starting July 2010 in TAG Heuer boutiques and certified retailers. Meanwhile, The Odyssey of Pioneers can be followed online over the course of its sixth month, worldwide journey. The TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster and the Meridiist GMT communication instrument can be also be viewed in person, exclusively on the arrival of the TAG Heuer Tesla Roadster at key destination markers along The Odyssey of Pioneers:
May 19 in Delhi, India
May 20 in Jaipur, India
June 3 – 6 in Beijing, China
June 17 in Shanghai, China
July 8 ‐ 11 in Tokyo, Japan
July 29 ‐ 30 in Los Angeles, USA
August 19 in Miami, USA
September 2 ‐ 5 in New York City, USA
September 16 ‐ 19 in London, England
September 30 ‐ October 17 in Paris, France
For further information, please visit: www.tagheuer.com/meridiist Press Corner: http://meridiist‐presscorner.modelabs.com/
TAG Heuer, the leader in prestigious sports watches and chronographs since 1860, is one of the largest and fastest growing luxury Swiss watch brands. The Swiss watchmaking legend draws upon its active engagement in the world of sports to create the most accurate measuring instruments and sports watches in the world. TAG Heuer is the first watchmaker ever to master luxurious chronographs with an unsurpassed precision of 1/10th, 1/100th and 1/1,000th of a second. From the Olympic Games in the 1920s to its role as official timekeeper to within 1/10,000th of a second for the legendary Indy 500, TAG Heuer, in a constant quest for innovation, excellence, performance and prestige, continues to aim ever higher, as reflected by its 6‐year partnership with 2008 Formula 1 World Champion, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and its 25‐year partnership with team McLaren and its drivers Lewis and his teammate Heikki Kovalainen. TAG Heuer, more than ever, epitomizes prestige and performance through partnerships with 2007 F1 World Champion & Scuderia Ferrari F1 driver Kimi Räikkönen, world number 1 golfer Tiger Woods and WTA tennis star Maria Sharapova, as well as Hollywood icon Leonardo DiCaprio and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. TAG Heuer is a privileged member of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), the most exclusive club in the Swiss watchmaking industry.
Technical Specifications
Design and finishing:
Stainless steel model: 316L steel case with hand brushed and polished finishes Backlit mechanical stainless steel keypad
Black PVD model: Black 316L Steel Titanium Carbide‐Coated with polished finishes Bottom bar deco, Side keys, Rear deco in 316L steel with polished finishes
TAG Heuer selection key on key ring
60.5 carats of sapphire crystal glass on dual display screens
High quality rubber, leather and alligator back plates
Dimensions: 112mm x 46mm x 15.5mm
Weight: 155g
Performance
Autonomy: 28 days stand‐by, 7 hours talk time
Imaging: 2 megapixel high‐quality camera sensor (CMOS low noise) digital camera: 1,200 x 1,600 pixels
Image quality‐maximising and colour rendering software
Mechanical, automatic preview‐triggering sliding ␣camera shutter
Image formats supported: JPEG, GIF, BMP
Audio: Music playback (MP3, AAC, AAC+)
Video: Video recording and playback (H263‐AMR, MPEG4‐AMR, MPEG4‐AAC)
End‐user memory: 2GB
USB 1.0 with mass storage for easy multimedia objects exchange with PC
Network
Worldwide GSM network‐compatible for best performance
GPRS class 10
Quad‐band: covers all GSM countries
Hardware
2 LCD screens:
Front screen: LCD, 240 x 320 pixels, 260k colours, TFT – 1.9''
Top screen: OLED, 96 x 16 pixels
Acoustics: separate earpiece for call mode; loudspeaker for handsfree, ringtones and music playback
Long duration battery: Li‐lon 950mAh
Applications
Phonebook: up to 1,000 contacts ␣(multi‐entries and Outlook synchronisation)
Messaging: SMS, MMS
Browsing: WAP 2.0
Application: JAVA 2.0
PC synchronisation: contacts, messaging, multimedia
Apps: World clock, alarm, agenda, calendar, currency converter, chronometer, calculator, GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) providing dual time zone, Voice recorder, Client e‐mail
Connectivity
Bluetooth: headset, car kit and data exchange profiles
Single I/O connector for charging, data exchange and wired stereo headset via standard mini‐ USB
Stereo Bluetooth for audio with compatible devices
USB connection
Built‐in modem
Compatible with any operator/SIM card
