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Fossil Q Wearables Smartwatch
Wearable Technology

Fossil Finally Ready To Release Line Of Wearable Devices

October 21, 2015

Fossil Q Wearables Smartwatch

Over a year after they were originally teased, Fossil is getting ready to release their first wearable devices. There are 4 connected products in total, which are all branded as Fossil Q. The flagship product is the Q Founder, a stylish, circular Android Wear smartwatch. It lists for $275 and will be available sometime before the Holidays. From a functionality standpoint, the Q Founder behaves much as you would expect an Android Wear device to. Fossil has also created a special app for the smartwatch to sync with. The app is used to track your fitness data, manage notifications, and encourage you to be “curious” by prompting you to try things outside of your daily routine. This app is also used to manage the other Q devices.

If a full-on smartwatch is overkill for you, Fossil’s Q Grant might be the perfect fit. While it looks like a normal Fossil Watch, beneath the watch face of the Q Grant are fitness tracking capabilities, a vibration motor, and a multicolor notification LED. Similar to products such as Ringly, the notifications can be fully customized so you easily know what (or who) is trying your get your attention. Rounding out the Fossil Q product line are two fitness tracking bands with notification LEDs and vibration: the Q Reveler and the Q Dreamer. The latter of these features a striking leather band that can be traded out for a silicone one if you are hitting the gym. When they launch on October 25th, the Q Grant will sell for $175 – $195 while the Q Reveler and Q Dreamer will list for $125. All devices, including the Q Founder smartwatch, are powered by Intel hardware and are compatible with iOS and Android devices.

It is unfortunate that it took so long for Fossil to launch their line of wearable devices. Given the delay, we would have loved to see an element which was unique or really stood out. Sadly, we are left with devices that, feature-wise, are tough to differentiate from the rest of the market. Stylistically, Fossil did a great job creating a line of devices that clearly share the company’s DNA. While 3 out of the 4 wearables are more male-oriented, they all look great, but not striking. With so many of the newer smartwatches coming listing for over $300, the Q Founder is well priced to find an audience during the Holidays. The casual style of the other fitness trackers will also help them win over customers.

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by Doug Parker
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Asus ZenWatch 2 Launch
Watches

Entry Level Priced Asus ZenWatch 2 Launches On October 9th

October 6, 2015

Asus ZenWatch 2 Launch

As we approach the Holiday season, what would a week be without another smartwatch launch! This time it is Asus’s turn; the Asus ZenWatch 2 will be available in retail beginning Friday, October 9th. While we were a fan of the design of the original ZenWatch, we were less than excited when the followup was announced this summer. The company took everything we loved about the original design and made it worse and did not address any of the visual shortcomings (we are looking at you, giant bezel). Hardware wise, little has changed except an improved charging system. Asus is boasting improved software but that is most likely due to improvements of Android Wear over the past year. There are two pieces of good news though. First, there will be a 36mm version, which is downright tiny for an Android Wear device. Second, it will be one of the least expensive current model smartwatches for the Holidays: $149.

With the 2015 versions of several smartwatches costing more than their predecessor, it is nice to see that Asus has actually reduced the price of the ZenWatch 2 by $50 versus the original. Incorporating such minimal hardware updates and lazy design decisions, it was probably smart of Asus to go after the lower end of the smartwatch audience. Despite once being a flagship product, Asus seems to recognize that it is not going to be able to successfully compete against the Apple Watches and Moto 360s of the world. While from a wearables perspective we are not impressed with the new smartwatch from Asus, it will serve the $150 price point well and could prove to be a vehicle to spur an uptick in the adaption rate of connected watches.

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by Doug Parker
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LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition
Watches

LG’s Watch Urbane 2 Is First LTE Android Wear Smartwatch

October 5, 2015

LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition

LG has announced the successor to their Android Wear smartwatch Watch Urbane. The original Watch Urbane only launched in May, so we are bit surprised to be hearing about the  Watch Urbane 2nd Edition already. While the original device was applauded for being one of the best Android Wear devices at the time it, most reviewers were still quick to find shortcomings. Among them, a bulky design, lackluster screen, no ambient light sensor, and internals that were about a year old. Thankfully LG’s Watch Urbane 2nd Edition will introduce some (small) hardware upgrades. First, the screen increases in pixel density (from 245ppi to 348ppi), RAM sees a slight bump (from 512MB to 768MB), and the battery shifts from 410 man to 570mAh. The improved battery isn’t just there to increase the watch’s run time though; the Watch Urbane 2nd Edition is the first Android Wear smartwatch to support cellular connectivity, with the device including a LTE antenna. LG previously released a WebOS version of the Urbane with a cellular antenna and Samsung makes Tizen based watches with a mobile connection, but this will be the first time the Android Wear OS and the vast library of smartwatch friendly apps offered through Google Play will be available to watch users who prefer to leave their phone behind. LG has not announced pricing or timing of the device.

Smartwatches with cellular connectivity are an interesting segment of the market. We get the appeal, but don’t see it becoming more than a niche segment for a while. First, I don’t think people are looking for one more device that they have to pay for and manage on their cellular plans. Second, I don’t think the technology is there yet. My phone barely makes it through the day and its battery is much more significant than what can be fit into a watch. Large strides need to be made in battery storage and mobile radio power efficiencies. Finally, I don’t think the software is there yet to make using an untethered smartwatch a compelling experience.

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by Doug Parker
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2015 IFA Asus ZenWatch Samsung S2 Moto 360 Huawei Watch
Watches

Heavy Hitter Smartwatch Announcements Dominate IFA

September 2, 2015

2015 IFA Asus ZenWatch Samsung S2 Moto 360 Huawei Watch

With IFA (Europe’s version of CES) in full swing this week, there have been a slew of smartwatch announcements. We have known most of these were on the radar but in most cases pricing and availability have only now been made public. The 4 big announcements thus far relate to the Asus Zen Watch 2, the Huawei Watch, the Samsung Gear S2, and the Moto 360 2.

The Asus Zen Watch 2 is definitely the bargain of the bunch, with a price starting at $170 (oddly the larger model is the cheapest). This is a price drop from the original which is probably a good thing because we are not nearly as enamored with the successor’s design. When it launched, the Zen Watch was one of the best performing and looking Android Wear devices available. Asus has made minor tweaks to the aesthetics for this year, but they all seem to be for the worse. It almost feels like Asus got lazy. Functionality wise,  

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by Doug Parker
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Wearable Technology

Official iOS Support For Android Wear Arrives Today

August 31, 2015

iOS Android Wear iPhone

Today Google announced the immediate support of Android Wear devices with iOS. Google’s official iOS Android Wear app launches today and will unlock an entire ecosystem of wearable devices to iOS users. To start with, only 3 devices will be iOS compatible: the Huawei Watch, the Asus ZenWatch 2, and the LG Watch Urbane (which is the only watch of the 3 available to buy today). Moving forward, all future Android Wear watches will be compatible. Unfortunately, the bargain priced first version of the Moto 360 is left out of the iOS party.

From a functionality stand point, without the deep, system level hooks Apple is able to use for the Apple Watch, the Android Wear experience is a bit shallower. You aren’t able to edit your iCloud based calendar, reply to iMessages, or respond to emails through Mail. You also cannot currently install any third party apps or watch faces onto Android Wear devices, because they depend on the Google Play store. The good news is that  

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by Doug Parker
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Watches

Android Wear Updated With Interactive Complications

August 20, 2015

Android Wear Interactive Watchfaces Bits 1.3

Hey Android Wear users, been loving your Moto 360 but long for Apple Watch’s interactive complications. Get excited because Google has heard you pinning away and has released Android Wear version 1.3. The new version of Android Wear allows developers to include complications, such as weather and a calendar, that can be tapped on to display more information. For launch there are 3 new watch faces. ‘Bits’ is designed by the development team of one of our all time favorite mobile games: ‘Monument Valley.’ The highly customizable watch face allows you to have six circular complications of your choosing surrounding a clock. ‘Under Amour’ is more focused on physical activity, displaying step count, calories burnt, and distance. The third watch face is called ‘Together’ and enables you to easily send scribbles (like the Apple Watch’s digital touch), emojis, or photos to friends. The update should be rolling out to compatible watches over the next few weeks.

Updates like these continue to make Android Wear a compelling option. Custom watch faces that behave differently for different activities makes a lot of sense; it will be interesting to see if Samsung’s Tizen OS and Apple’s watchOS follow suit. While the Apple Watch allows for a high level of customization, their watch faces are largely derivative of each other.

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by Doug Parker
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Watches

Fossil Shows Off Upcoming Smartwatch & Wearables

August 19, 2015

Fossil Intel Android Wear Smartwatch

We have heard that Intel and Fossil were working together on some wearable devices, but we finally caught of first peek of them this week at the Intel Developer Forum. Fossil will release 3 devices in total: a connected bracelet, a connected watch, and a smartwatch. The smartwatch is (obviously) powered by an Intel chip and is stylistically similar to the original Moto 360 watch; it is fairly large and thick with a round face that has a flat part at the bottom. It will run Android Wear and is expected to hit the market sometime around the Holidays. Beyond that, very little is known about the 3 devices. Fossil has promised to release more information closer to launch.

The reveal of Fossil’s first smartwatch closely follows news that US watch sales fell the most in seven years. The NPD Group, who conducted the survey, found that smartwatches, especially the Apple Watch, were a large cause of the sales erosion. The segment of the market hardest hit was the mid-tier level where Fossil resides. Unless Fossil has something more up their sleeves, I am not sure this is going to be the success they are hoping for. Already an uphill sales message (after all, what exactly does Fossil know about technology), it is going to take more than a seemingly recycled year-old design running a stock Android Wear OS to get people excited. It will be interesting to see how the market receives the watch, but I would guess “me too” products, as this appears to be, are not the correct path forward for traditional timepiece makers.

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by Doug Parker
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