A hybrid smartwatch can help you do everything from looking at the time, measuring your fitness levels to having biometric sensors and more.
A smartwatch is like a smartphone on your wrist. It will be able to receive voice commands, use applications and perform other functions. The first such watch, Moto 360, was unveiled in the US in summer 2014. It is based on Google Now technology and since then, we have come a long way!
The SmartWatch Fad
It seems all tech companies have been itching to get their smartwatches in the market soon. Sony took it out last year. Apple came out with its own smartwatch have been doing the rounds for quite some time now. Microsoft making one of its own is nearly confirmed too. And now, Samsung has confirmed that it is making its own smartwatch!
So, what’s the fad with the smartwatches? Well, it has been there for many years now, nearly four decades in fact. But the clumsiness of the smartwatches has resisted it from becoming one of the most popular tech devices. In fact, Sony’s smartwatch last year was the closest when it came to a smooth hi-tech gadget of the future.
Microsoft has been developing this device for more than a year now, according to sources. Unnamed sources also suggest that Microsoft has ordered 1.5-inch displays from component manufacturers. Microsoft, of course, had taken out its own smartwatches back in 2004 under the SPOT brand, which it ultimately discontinued in 2008. The Smartwatch used to gather news and weather info from the radio. For Microsoft, getting back into the smartwatch battle seems a very likely thing.
Samsung on the other hand, confirmed some days back that it is developing its next version of the Galaxy Smartwatch and intends to release it soon. With analysts estimating that Apple could rake in as much as $6 Billion in the smartphone market, the company who create the right balance is surely going to be the winner.
IoT And Wearable Technology
The Internet of Things has been and will continue to be a sensation since it has brought about an evolution in the world of programming. Also, wearables like Apple smartwatches are the dream of even 8- year olds. This technology helps the exchange of information without human intervention.
The Top Contenders for a Hybrid Smartwatch
Rumors of Google developing smartwatch were initially based on patent filing.
1. Google was the First one to Take out a Smartwatch
The search giant Google doesn’t want to lag behind in the race to build a smart technology. Google’s plan to be ahead in tech-march is pretty much clear from its shift to a wearable gadget wave. And that wearable tech is a smartwatch for which Google has already filed a patent application to the US Patent and Trademark Office.
As confirmed, Google filed a patent for a smartwatch on October 26, 2011. The patent in specific relates to ‘smart-watch with user interface features’. The user interface will be on the face as well as wristband of the smartwatch.
The smartwatch – which was the Moto 360 – as described in the patent application is a battery operated watch with dual touchpad, a wireless receiver, display, and processor. The touchpads will be on either side of the bezel. The touchpads will be used to pinch, scroll and stretch on a platform with space limitations for user input. Those touchpads will also communicate with the data line which means that all the smartwatch functions will be controlled by dual touchpads.
Google smartwatch is the prodigy of Google’s research scientist Dr. Richard Gossweiler filed yet another patent for a flip-top, round- faced smartwatch in August, 2012. However, that patent for a gadget with transparent display did not find mention in the recent patent filing report.
2. Other Makers Followed Suit
Not only Google but other tech giants such as Apple and Samsung have also come out with their own smartwatch. Samsung Gear s2 Watch Bands Review, for instance, can pair up with your Samsung device seamlessly, and help you do all you want. Skagen is another player in the hybrid smartwatches space. You can read Skagen Hybrid Smartwatch Review to find out if Skagen smartwatches suit your needs.
3. Arrival of Fitness Apps
The world of best smartwatch for women has seen another entry which is originally a fitness tracker. The latest offering from Fitbit called Surge is a GPS based fitness tracker that provides all day heart beat analysis among other things. It can even deal with phone and message notifications of synced smartphone. Let’s start from the first and take things slowly to learn all about Fitbit Surge fitness watch.
Physical status
The Fitbit Surge features an all-day optical heartbeat sensor at the back which uses led lights to measure the heart rate. It gives a pretty accurate result though it should not be taken as the ultimate. It has auto sleep recording mode which shows the amount of time spent sleeping.
It can track distance traveled, steps taken, floors climbed, calories burned, etc which are synced with Fitbit app. You can easily swipe left to see your daily totals.
Sports tracking
The GPS mode of the smartwatch track runs and cycle rides. You can easily set three modes of running and see the distance covered and other details. The bike mode is especially useful for bikers which provides a detailed report of the route along with heartbeat analysis, calories burned, and speed.
The GPS gets connected and locked without lags. But there is some inconsistency in reporting the total distance covered.
Battery Life
Fitbit promises a battery life of 7 days when GPS is not used. But in reality, it lasts somewhere between 3-5 days. The GPS can continuously run for 5 hours which may not be sufficient for hardcore athletes. The charging can be done through a USB cable which connects below the watch.
Design
The design elements are simple and not really attractive. It has a non-removable band which comes in blue, tangerine or black. The display is 1.25 inch LCD with grayish blue display coloring and features a backlight. It has 3 buttons to control syncing, music player and navigation.
