21ST CENTURY SMARTWATCHES21ST CENTURY SMARTWATCHES
I’m not humble bragging when I say I’m a rare millennial who prefers talking on my phone over emailing and texting, reading from a book rather than on my iPad and wearing a watch every day—no matter what. My wristwatch fixation is part fashion, part function. Either way, it completes me, but society has seemingly had the watch on the endangered species list for a while.
Yes—with cell phones/ smartphones in the modern mix, why would anyone bother with a watch? Well, evolution has a way of bringing species back. Timepieces gave way to technological advancements, and smartwatches are now the hot topic—including Apple’s elusive iWatch, which iWant… even though it’s a little more than a rumor. Until we get a glimpse of the iWatch (which might be well into 2014), this Two for Tuesday, we’re taking a look at two smartwatches on the market.
Samsung Galaxy Gear
Even though I’ve been loyal to Apple since my first Macintosh computer, Samsung’s latest product release caught my attention enough to almost have me jump the Apple ship. The ad featuring Inspector Gadget, The Jetsons and The Power Rangers mixed with my iOS 7 dissatisfaction (paying for music I already purchased doesn’t make me happy) brought Galaxy Gear to my attention, but the product itself held my interest. The colorful display, embedded wristband camera, phone call ability and the 4GB of storage make Galaxy Gear the latest in smartwatch technology; however, some criticize Samsung for being more concerned with releasing the product quickly than ensuring quality.
Pebble
Crowd funded through Kickstarter in April 2012, Pebble—the first smartwatch compatible with Android and iOS via Bluetooth—hit the market earlier this year. Although it’s black and white, doesn’t include a camera and reviews say that the battery life is far less than that advertised, Pebble has several appealing features. Unlike Galaxy Gear, it’s compatible with all Android phones (not just the Galaxy 3), the devise is waterproof and users can switch the bands. And, possibly the biggest advantage, the watch only costs $150 (considering Galaxy Gear runs for $299 and is only compatible with the Galaxy 3, that’s an appealing price). However, users cannot make calls from the Pebble.
As long as Apple keeps the iWatch details on lockdown, I would like to throw my two cents in on what I’m interested in:
FaceTime (that would involve a camera on the watch face, but it seems much less awkward than using speakerphone)
Exchangeable bands (let’s face it—I will want to wear it with all kinds of outfits for an array of purposes—working out, working, hanging out)
Waterproof and/or water resistant (I can’t fathom wearing an Otter Box to get good iWatch protection)
Smartwatches may look nerdy (and masculine), but any smartwatch looks a lot cooler than Google Glass.
