Smart watches were once a niche part of the consumer tech market, but after the success of devices such as the Pebble that may no longer be the case. With major manufacturers such as Samsung, Sony and Qualcomm stepping into the smart watch game, you may very well find yourself sporting a tech-savvy timepiece by the end of 2013.
As tech industry big-shots and crowd-funded start-ups begin pushing their wearables to market, other prominent gadget makers are rumoured to be working on smart watches of their own. Apple, Google and Microsoft are all believed to be crafting wrist-worn smartphone companions, although this is largely based on published patents and speculation. Over the next several months we’re expecting to see a slew of devices that can deliver social notifications from your phone, snap photos, and answer phone calls among other tasks. Here’s a look at five watches that are worth eyeing today.
1. Samsung Galaxy Gear
Samsung beat Apple to the punch when it comes to the smart watch race. The Korean manufacturer just unveiled its Galaxy Gear watch, which is being touted as a companion for the newly announced Galaxy Note 3. The watch will only be compatible with the Note 3 and new Note 10.1 upon launch, but will eventually work with other Galaxy devices running on Android 4.3.
The Galaxy Gear features a 1.63-inch 320 x 320 Super AMOLED touch screen and runs on a modified version of Android. Users can download apps and switch watch faces through its accompanying Gear Manager app, and once the watch is synced to your smartphone you’ll begin receiving calls, texts and notifications on your wrist. Complete with a 1.9-megapixel camera built into its strap and seven colours to choose from, the Galaxy Gear could give its rivals some stiff competition - if its audience wasn't so limited. Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.
2. Apple iWatch
If anyone can make wearable computing cool, it's Apple Lead Designer Jony Ive. According to Bloomberg, in addition to Ive, the company has 100 developers and designers working on its rumoured iWatch. According to rumours based on a real Apple patent, the iWatch could be made of flexible glass and attach to your wrist like an old-fashioned slap bracelet.
Others believe the device will have a simple 1.5-inch screen and run iOS, which would open the door to all sorts of mini apps.
3. Qualcomm Toq
Qualcomm is the latest tech company to confirm it has entered the smart watch race. Its newly unveiled Toq watch syncs with your Android smartphone to deliver notifications, and the company says its working on iOS compatibility as well. The watch is expected to hit store shelves in October and will cost around US$300.
The Toq runs on Qualcomm’s operating system and uses the company’s low-power sunlight-readable display known as mirasol. This is similar to e-ink, but it differs in that it can produce colours and can run video. To keep the device thin, Qualcomm placed its battery in the clasp of the watch band rather than in the watch face itself. It runs on a 200 MHz Cortex M3 processor to extend battery life as well. Qualcomm hasn’t mentioned specific apps that will be available for the Toq, but we’re expecting to hear more about that as October approaches.
4. HOT Watch
The HOT Watch, (an acronym for Hands On Talk) may not be the most well-known smart watch, but that could all change very soon. The e-ink touchscreen timepiece brings a near-smartphone experience to your wrist. The HOT Watch, which is still running its Kickstarter campaign, is capable of making and receiving phone calls, playing music on your phone, and displaying notifications among other tasks.
It syncs with your iOS or Android smartphone and can be controlled via its accompanying app. The HOT Watch comes with speakers embedded inside its wristband and uses an audio technology that bounces sound off the palm of your hand into your ear to keep conversations private. The watch relies on gestures and swipes for navigation, meaning you can trace the letter “A” to get to the app screen or wave goodbye to hang up a phone call.
5. Kreyos Meteor Watch
The Kreyos Meteor watch is one of the few waterproof smart watches capable of gesture support and voice commands. Crowd-funded on IndieGoGo, the wrist-worn device comes with built-in activity trackers and syncs with your Android, iOS or Windows Phone 8 device. Like most smart watches, the Meteor promises to deliver updates from your social networks, messages and phone calls to your wrist.
Kreyos’ watch offers wristbands in various colours including lime green, black, white, blue and purple. Users can opt to wear the watch face around their neck as a pendant as well if they don’t feel like strapping the device to their wrist. Buyers will also be able to customize gestures via a companion app when the watch launches.
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1. The Internet of You: How the future of computing became screens and sensors on every appendage
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Thanx for sharing the right information on smart watches.I want to buy a basic smartwatch.
ReplyDeleteWill any Smartwatch work with my smartphone?