In the burgeoning world of wearable tech, convenience is the purported name of the game. Smart watches have gained traction amongst early adopters of the latest technology with their marketed ability to eliminate the digital clutter from your everyday and ease the distraction that a smart phone tends to impose upon those less disciplined.
It’s been over a decade since the first smart watch entered the market with the clunky Timex Datalink, of which the most advanced function is its cross-platform transfer between the watch and a PC, enabling the user’s schedule to become programmed into the watch with the prehistoric software, Microsoft Schedule+. Smart watches today have thankfully developed light years from their rudimentary predecessors.
Many boast a myriad of features that have become elevated due to their innovators’ increased attention to design, creating a well-rounded package of physical hardware, style, usability and the variety of third-party applications available.
It doesn’t take a geek to know that smart watches are the pioneers for wearable technology. We examine the latest offerings and brain-cramping technical jargon to tell you which smart watch works best for your lifestyle habits.
For the Pragmatic Minimalist – Pebble Time Steel
As a man focused on the bare essentials, having a web of applications on your wrist holds little appeal. If functionality is more up your alley when selecting a watch, the Pebble Time Steel is a straightforward option. Structurally, it harkens back to a more retro age, with the wide squircle design, big bevels and the 8-bit-inspired watch faces that are customisable, like most of the Time Steel. Its Timeline interface lets you keep track of your calendar, free of hassle, and the Time Steel is also the first Pebble smart watch to come with a microphone for users to swiftly respond to notifications and record voice memos. The most alluring feature of this watch is ultimately its 10-day battery life – unheard of in the realm of wearable tech, but a bonus for even the most forgetful of users.
For the Modern Luddite – Mont Blanc e-Strap
As an individual free from the insatiable need to clamber on the cramped bandwagon of the latest and greatest tech fad, your gadgets are kept to a minimum. But should the desire to set aside your mechanical watch, and cautiously enter the world of innovative wrist candy arise, the Montblanc e-Strap is the accessory that lets you have the best of both worlds. As an interchangeable strap compatible with most TimeWalker watches, the e-Strap’s offers an activity tracker, smart notifications, remote control functions for your smartphone’s camera or music player and the resourceful Find-Me function that eases up searching for your phone or watch, by tracking its location within a range of 30 metres.
For the Horological Purist – Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch
Analog watches are your timepieces of choice, and you can’t seem to understand why the digital bloom has rid many of their appreciation for stellar horological craftsmanship. The Swiss luxury watch makers, Frederique Constant are on your side, and one step forward. Precision, finesse and all the classic attributes of a luxury watch are found in the Frederique Constant’s Horological Smartwatch. Made from stainless steel with a rose gold plated case, the Horological Smartwatch’s is free from the digitized aesthetic of smart watches in the market, and only reveals its functionality when connected to your smartphone via an application. Equipped with MotionX technology, this timepiece isn’t elaborate in its capabilities, performing the basal functions of tracking your activity for the day, monitoring your goals as well as sleep cycle.
For the Technological Junkie – Apple Watch
Few virtues make a product more sellable than being made by Apple, and the Apple Watch is no different. Packed with truly ambitious features on a simplified iOS system, the Apple Watch’s seamless interactivity with an iPhone allows you to perform most of the functions you would with your phone, but on the watch itself, such as picking up calls, organizing your schedule and receiving subtle “taps” on the wrist when notifications arrive. This intelligent timepiece excels on fitness features. Not just exclusive to an activity tracker, it logs your daily movement, and reminds you stand once at least every hour when awake. The Apple Watch’s OLED sapphire display is also perhaps the clearest among existing smart watches, further heightening the user experience on this achingly cool piece of technology.
For the Alpha Male – Bulgari Diagano Magnesium Concept Watch
Masculinity – one of the essential traits that defines a “man’s man” is encapsulated in Bulgari’s latest intelligent watch, the Bulgari Diagono Magnesium concept watch. The watch’s construction sees no frills, with a 41mm diameter black steel case that conveys a stylish bulkiness. The differing factor from mass market smart watches is the watch’s focus on data protection and security. Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology embedded within the watch enables safe data transmission storage and transmission from smartphone to watch. You can pay your bills, store private codes, open car doors and house locks with the Diagano Magnesium while never having to fear for third-party infiltration of your personal data, due to the Bvlgari Vault application that is fortified by Swiss security company, WISeKey.
For The Fitness Fiend – Sony Smartwatch 3
For some aural relief that isn’t traffic noises, the encumbrance of lugging your smartphone around for the music player can be a downer on the adrenaline boost on your daily jogs. The Sony Smartwatch 3, primarily a fitness wearable, has tackled that issue for fitness enthusiasts by creating a smart watch that combines built-in GPS tracker and a music player that works with Bluetooth headphones. That means never having to bring your phone along for your workout, or getting wires in the way of movement again. The Smartwatch 3 4GB storage space allows the user to download a collection of fitness applications, even a route tracker, MyTracks, which lets you revisit your running data.
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