Smart watches are accessories to smartphones. Some have touch
screens and run applications, but they’re designed mainly to allow users to
interact with smart phones.
A woman displaying a
smartwatch developed by Sonostar, a Taiwanese golf GPS data base provider, in
Taipei on May 31, 2013. The device is scheduled to hit market in the third
quarter, with a price tag of $179 (U.S.).
By: San Jose Mercury News
In the past year, Sony and startup Pebble have released devices
called “smart watches” because they take on some of the functions of a
smartphone. In the near future, those devices will be joined by many others —
including, if the rumours are true, Apple’s much buzzed-about iWatch.
But just what is a smart watch and why would anyone want one?
Smart watches are accessories to smartphones. Some have touch
screens and run applications, but they’re designed mainly to allow users to
interact with or view information from their phones. Instead of having their
own connection to the Internet, they connect to users’ smartphones via
Bluetooth.
Smart watches deliver notifications, telling users when they’ve
received text and email messages, showing the caller ID for incoming calls and
alerting users to new Facebook or Twitter posts.
They also allow users to control apps on their phones. Users can
answer calls and start playing their music or fast-forward to the next song by
tapping buttons on their smart watch. And working with apps and sensors on the
phone, they can allow users to keep track of their workouts, showing the
distance run or time elapsed.
Oh, and they also tell time.
If you can already do all of these things with your smartphone,
why would you need another device?
The answer, advocates and analysts say, is that there are times
when it’s easier to simply glance at a watch than to interact with your phone.
Say you’re listening to music on your phone while running and want
to jump to the next song. Instead of pulling out your phone, waking it up and
finding the music controls — a difficult proposition while you’re jogging along
— you could simply press a button or two on your wristwatch. Or say you are in
a meeting, but want to know if your spouse calls or messages you. Glancing at a
watch might be less obtrusive or rude than constantly staring at your
smartphone.
And soon, smart watches may do a lot more. Both Sony and Pebble
are encouraging software developers to make apps for their devices. Already,
owners can play simple games on Sony’s gadget or use it as a remote control for
a smartphone’s camera.
In the future, smart watches may even replace smartphones by
including cellular and Wi-Fi radios. Those would allow users to make and
receive calls or send messages directly through their watches without having to
carry around a phone. And they could allow users to unlock the doors of their
car or set their home alarm with just their watch.
“What you do on a phone now or a tablet now, ultimately, you can
do most or all of those on a watch,” said Marshal Cohen, who covers the watch
industry as the chief retail analyst at market research firm NPD Group.
Their appeal is also likely to be limited because they are
smartphone accessories rather than independent devices.
And for now, few consumers see a real need to have one. Technology
research firm IDC recently surveyed consumers, assessing their interest in
various smart watch features. Not one of the features registered strong
interest from more than 15 per cent of consumers.
Smart watch facts
Q What is a
smart watch?
A While its
functions may change in the future, for now it’s a wristwatch that allows users
to interact with and control their smartphones.
Q What can
you do with it?A Receive alerts for things like incoming text messages and
emails; see the caller ID for incoming calls; control certain smartphone apps,
including music players, and track workouts.
Q Who’s
offering them?
A For now,
there are only a handful, notably from Sony and Pebble. But many more are
expected to come on the market over the next year or so, including,
potentially, models from Samsung, Google and Apple.
Q How much
do they cost?
A Sony’s SmartWatch
sells for around $90. The Pebble watch costs $150. Models of the MetaWatch
start at $130.
SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News research
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