If you thought Android was meant only for smart phones or
tablets, think again. It’s open source nature has helped it transcend a variety
of devices, small or big. The latest addition to the list being Sony’s nifty Smart Watch which is supposed to
be the perfect companion to your existing Sony Xperia device. It has Android on
top of it but is merely a smartphone remote.
This smart watch has touch screen with a 1.3 inch, 139ppi
OLED display and a clip which you can place on a largely comfortable silicone wrist
band. It connects to the smartphone via bluetooth. This smart watch is capable
of retrieving all emails, SMS’s, Facebook and Twitter updates from certain apps
on your Android 2.1 to 2.3 phone. ICS users have reported patchy functionality.
Design
It measures 1.42 x 1.42 inches with a weight of about half
an ounce. It also has a large, sturdy
looking clip to assist in attaching the watch to any apparel or belts. I have
to admit, it does resemble the 6th generation Apple iPod Nano. The device comes
with one strap and you can get more straps at an eye-watering $20.
As A Watch
A watch is meant to tell you time whenever you look at it
and this one fails miserably at that part. You have to unlock the device like
you would any Android device, just to get the time. But this is what is
necessary to conserve battery and make the device functional.
As a smartphone
assistant
The smart watch vibrates and posts updates on screen
according to the events or incoming texts or calls as and when received. This
smart watch is like a mini remote of your Smartphone and when connected via
Bluetooth can help you regulate your basic phone activities when you’re at a go
and cannot access the phone directly. The vibrate feature of the phone is
particularly useful in tending to the calls you’d have otherwise missed out.
But for anything significant, you will have to reach out for
your smartphone.
Applications
Sony has developed a LiveWire app framework that
communicates with external devices and not just watches. It’ll be interesting
to see what comes out of this. The device is compatible with certain music,
social networking and fitness apps. There are apps that display particular
events in order of their occurrence, for messaging, Gmail, set reminders,
tracing your Smartphone and battery power. For Sony smart phones, there is an
app available to connect onto the corporate e-mail and also for diverse call
handling functions.
There is one “prime app” which commands over a set of
application programs, which controls what function the watch is supposed to
carry. Like for example, in order to access the weather updates you need to put
in a weather application programme. The Vfinder app allows you to use the
camera of the smartphone as a live video feed. The twitter app is not much of a
use and can be quite distracting as it sends an alert of all updates including
those minute ones which are not of importance. The confusing gesture system
will definitely enable an accident tweet atleast once before you get used to
it.
PROS
Slick design
Decent Social Integration
Comfortable
Decent Battery Life
CONS
Limited Apps
Average Display
Bad Watch
BOTTOMLINE
Though the information from your Smartphone is at an arm’s
distance but the versatility of the device is questionable. It’s useless
without a Smartphone and until you synchronize your phone with the device it is
not capable of even stating the time. This Smart Watch is not even that smart,
the thickness of the gadget is more than those of your normal wrist watches.
The good news lies here that the phone makes it lucid and user friendly to use
this watch and they synchronize their data to the phone freely.
Overall this
touch friendly Smart Watch is a pretty decent buy for all those who have to
have the latest technology. This is a good to have product, definitely not a
must have.
This is a guest post by Alia Haley who is a blogger by
profession. She loves writing on technology and autos. Beside this, she is fond
of cars and fancy accessories.
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