When people say we have adapted to new technology, I wonder if they’re saying it right. It is more like we have been invaded by technology and were more than happy to lose the battle. Any why not! Tech has opened up enriching little springs of knowledge, entertainment and addictive ways to waste time without even feeling guilty about it!
Apart from the hundreds of smartphones and tablets and Ultrabooks, there is a new line-up of personal gadgets hovering at the brink of mainstream usage. I’m talking about the new genre of personal tech called smartwatches.
Recently, Sony launched the Sony MN2 SmartWatch which can connect to other mobile devices via Bluetooth. While we are still waiting for these nifty new things to be accepted as just another gadget we carry around, a lot of companies are working extra hard to make sure the process is accelerated.
A company called Pebble has come up with an homonymous, e-ink based smartwatch. It’s the same display technology that was used on the first-gen Amazon Kindles, which means the watch will probably have a super-long battery life and will offer great readability indoors and out.
The software development kit is open for developers to download and work on. As of now, Pebble is designed to work only with devices running Android and iOS. Rather than complain, I think it’s a relief that they’ve covered the two biggest operating systems instead of waiting to be successful with one and then adapting to the other.
Time to do more
But, what exactly will you be able to do with a smartwatch? What will you buy it for? Now, the point of new technology is to offer more than just the obvious functionality of a gadget. No one now buys a phone based on how well it can make a phone call. The most important deciding factors are how sophisticated it looks and what apps you can use on it. Similarly, a smartwatch has to offer the user a lot more than basic functionalities. Most concepts, based on the presumption that they will be connected to your smartphone or tablet, will be able to notify of new message, reminders, emails and so on. You might even be able to use them to control your music. With the right apps, smartwatches can be used to track physical activities such as running, cycling and swimming, thus doubling up as a digital personal trainer.
The Sony SmartWatch MN2 is similarly compatible with more than 200 widgets, which work in sync with a Sony smartphone. You can use a handful of these without having to depend on a handset. The watch weighs just about 15 grams which means you can have it on all the time and it’ll be much easier to keep track of your notifications on this, without having to pull out your 5-inch smartphone every time you get an email of a tweet. The display on the Sony MN2 is an OLED one which means it might just be preferred over the monochromatic Pebble. However, the battery life of both the devices are claimed to be the same - about seven days on a full charge.
Doubtful debut
Sceptics are yet to show any faith in the concept. Many have called it just another iPod Nano mounted on watch straps. Many others don’t understand why they would buy a device for the functions that are already served by a smartphone or a tablet. But then, every one was doing just fine before the advent of smartphones without feeling the need for them. Now, one can barely do without them. With the right kind of software leverage and pricing, manufacturers can probably hope the same for smartwatches as well.