Eyeing the iWatch, or What to Watch out for in a Smartwatch

Ever heard of a smartwatch? Probably, but do you know what it actually does? Perhaps you’re still uncertain if a smartwatch is something you’d want or need. Perhaps you’ll just give in and buy the inevitable iWatch, since everyone will definitely have one… Or will they? Read on to see what the latest gadget craze is all about, and which smartwatch may be just right for you…

Smartwatch – Smart… huh? What watch?

What’s a smartwatch? It’s basically a device that is put on your wrist that has a small screen. It shows you time like any regular wristwatch, but also relays some information from another device (like a phone) so that you don’t have to use that larger device. Basic models can only relay information or have passive functions. For example, they can put something on screen for you to read, and update it on demand or when a notification comes. You can read an email or text message that way, but normally you won’t be able to respond.

Advanced models offer independent functionality, like GPS sensor that shows you where you are along with a map function, music playback directly into Bluetooth-enabled headphones, a plethora of fitness activity sensors such as heart rate monitor and even a barometer. Newer versions include more interactivity, as you can record videos or talk to your watch to dictate texts or emails, or even do online web searches (e.g. with Google Now service).

All models are equipped with gyro sensors and accelerometers. These handy sensors detect movement of the watch in the world and count the amount of steps you take, how fast you go, or what position the watch is in relation to the ground. Some also have vibration (the so-called „haptic feedback” function), to inform you of emails and texts discretely. The former two functions can be used in many ways, starting from the watch only activating itself if you raise your arm to watch the dial, to actually counting how much calories you’ve burnt by walking or running.

Depending on their screen’s technology, smartwatches can last more or less time on a single battery charge, just like smartphones or tablets. Colour displays are nice and glowy, but harder to read in direct sunlight. They can display moving pictures and are almost always touch-enabled, so you can swipe or tap the watch’s face to control some of its functions. Devices equipped with those last typically a few days. Black-and-white displays are usually e-ink-based, like the Kindle or other e-book readers. They only glow when needed and can be read under any conditions. Devices that have such screens last for a week or even more, depending on use, but cannot show any fast-moving images like movies or games. They are also rarely touch-operated, meaning you have to use knobs, buttons or a crown to select functions, read notifications etc.

And oh yeah, because it’s still a watch, a smartwatch also shows time, but you can change the way your watch’s dial (or handles, or numbers) look, heck, you can even make it actually tell you time or write it in sentence form — because, remember, with very few exceptions, „smart” means you don’t see actual numbers or handles, you see an image of them displayed continuously, and that image can be changed at will. AND almost all smartwatches are water- and dust-resistant, just as regular watches.

Neat, right? Smartwatch is the hippest new gadget these days, combining men’s love for tech specs with women’s love for style, elegance and ease of use. In short, a smartwatch is just what you’ve been missing in your dull, smartwatch-less life up till now. So, how would you go about making your life „more smarter”? Let’s start with Pebble.

Pebble
Pebble wasn’t the first such watch, but it’s the one that got the most attention in the media for its brilliant use of social crowdfunding. In fact, Pebble’s campaign was at one point hailed as one of the most successful fundraisers on Kickstarter. In 2012, the company got enough donations to produce their own watch and offer it to thousands of people. The original timepiece sported a black-and-white e-ink display, a week-long battery life and deceptively simple functionality. It can connect to devices via Bluetooth to display messages and calendar events, it can track some sports stats and it is readable in sunlight as well as in the dark (via LED backlight). The device is now considered outdated, but people that want an accessory that speaks to more than their love for gadgetry can still obtain one for about EUR 129, which is a mid-range price at the moment. The success of a Kickstarter-backed start-up had caused quite a stir in the electronics segment, where companies like Nokia, Seiko, IBM, Citizen and even the current mainstay of this niche, Samsung, had for decades tried to market similar devices with little success.

But then along came Pebble. It has shown the big boys that some modern gadgets can not only function in an ecosystem, they can create a necessity for one, and that that is the way to go when trying to make a „smarter” watch. Making an all-round unconnected accessory just doesn’t work, that’s why previous attempts were doomed to failure.

In Pebble’s case, to get more than very simple functionality out of it, you actually NEED to pair it with a smartphone running iOS (iPhone) or Android and capable of connecting via Bluetooth on top of other software requirements. This means that users that opt for Pebble are already mobile users out for something more, so marketing this product to them is only logical. After all, it’s undeniably cool that you can read your messages without taking out your phone, or remotely control your iPhone’s camera (an increasingly important feature in a selfie-obsessed world), a lot cooler than simply playing a game of snake or using your phone as a calculator.

What’s that you say? Enough about small rocks, what do the giant mountains have to offer? Well, apparently, some are not even there yet, including, strangely, Apple.

iWatch
Apple iWatch news comes amid the most profitable period in Apple history. It had posted a record-shattering USD 18 bln in actual profit recorded at the end of 2014, mostly thanks to the increasingly gadget-fixated China. On top of this record-breaking income, Cupertino giant sold its 1 billionth device, a figure that perhaps no other electronics manufacturer can top at the moment.

No surprise then, that their iWatch is set to release at a comfortable spring period. With such revenues, who’d need to attract new customers using Black Friday or the Christmas craze? And once the basic model will have been released, they can (and likely will) start improving on the somewhat flawed design they have presented at the electronics fairs late last year.

The flaws are there and start with the looks. Being late to the game, Apple’s design seems overly conservative and definitely not up there with the latest trends – it’s a rectangle, it has a large crown and smaller secondary button. It’s also a little thick-looking, but that’s not as worrying as some of its tech specs. One of the biggest hurdle that all smartwatch producers have been struggling to overcome for the last 2 years is the wearable’s battery life. Pebble lasts a comfy week, as do other e-ink-screen devices, whereas similar OLED and LED-display devices can last for 2 or 3 days. iWatch reportedly works for only a day or even less in its low-use mode, a figure that shrinks considerably to mere 4 hours of continuous use.

Before you ask „who’d want a watch that has to be recharged every few hours?”, remember that it has the magic letter „i” in front of the name, and that means that no matter how half-baked or flawed the initial design is, the hype will be massive, and the sales even bigger. It’ll take them 2 or 3 generations to iron out the kinks, like with the iPhones, and then they’re going to put a new one every year making it smaller or bigger, just enough to tantalize Apple aficionados, all the while polishing the design. It worked on the smartphone market, where Apple was simply the dominant force way back when. It’s not likely to be the case with the smartwatch segment which is pretty crowded just 2 years into its inception.

You can already find much better devices than iWatch — on paper at least, since the specs for iWatch are mostly speculative at this point. What’s definite is that you’ll pay a lot less for it, considering Apple’s infamous „tax” and a seeming inability to understand currency exchange rates.

So what can you buy right now or in the nearest future that will not put you out of pocket as much and may actually last a little longer on a single charge? Let’s look at the 2015 crop of traditional and advanced smartwatches to shop for locally or online.

Round Smartwatches
Round smartwatches are the newest iteration of the design, offering superior style. Earlier models had suffered from roundness of their screens, since most round smartwatches don’t have actual handles, but rather display them — and anything else — as an image. Most interfaces and apps were designed for typical square windows or tabs, so some of the available space was unused or some of the image lost. Current selection is better at using circular screen to their advantage AND look great, so look no further if style is your main criterion.

Martian Notifier
Martian offers a simple device, with a very small and elegant display hidden below a regular, analogue watch face. It can display only a single line of text, but other than that, offers all the basic functionality of a smartwatch. The watch’s battery is independent from its interactive component, so if you run out of juice you can still read time.

LG G Watch R
LG G Watch R is one of the best — if not the best — smartwatch on our list. It’s got all the bells and whistles, can play music independently, offers interactive search and works a few days on a full battery. It’s also running on Android Wear, so is very easy to use.

Motorola Moto 360
A slightly worse round-watch than LG, but not by much. The only problem that some people might have is the small part on the bottom of its round face which is covered by a small strip. Other than that, Moto 360 is cheaper than LG G Watch R while offering as much functionality and style.

Rectangular Smartwatches
Rectangular smartwatches still look a little bulky and not everyone may like an ostentatious device like this. However, they do offer a lot better screens at lower prices and can be operated a little easier than their round-dial counterparts. Because they have slightly more space to use for hardware, some offer functions the relatively small round watch does not.

Pebble Steel
An upgraded, very stylish version of the original Pebble. Get it for that classic watch feel that has thousands of apps ready for it, but now with a better screen and a host of new functions and improvements.

Samsung Gear Live 2
Samsung’s devices can control TV via infrared diode, play their own music and have heart rate monitors. They are pretty great, but only run combined with other Samsung devices – you cannot use them with other Android or iOS phones or tablets.

Garmin Vivoactive
A more advanced version of a sports fitness tracker that records almost everything you need to know about your workout. It can vibrate and has its own built-in GPS, so it can function as a full-fledged activity monitor for sports enthusiasts wherever they go, without the need to have another device nearby. Unfortunately, some may find the watch’s body to be a little too bulky, even though it’s not heavy at all.

Sony Smartwatch 3
The only smartwatch that can actually use that name legally is this classic rectangular design by Sony. It runs on Android Wear, so it’s very versatile and easy to use. Sadly, the decision to equip it with a middling transflective display may have been a mistake. Transflective displays can display good quality image in direct sunlight (like e-ink) AND moving picture in full colour. However, it’s not as vibrant or crisp as other devices on our list, and the battery still drains as fast as all the other traditional LED/OLED colour screens. Sony’s Smartwatch also has its own GPS module and all of the features of the above models, but at a substantially greater price tag.

So, have you decided yet? Which smartwatch are you getting your sweetheart this Valentine’s day?

VOCABULARY
device – urządzenie
wristwatch – zegarek na rękę
to relay – przekazywać
to update – zaktualizować
demand – żądanie
notification – powiadomienie
text message – wiadomość tekstowa, sms
to respond – odpowiedzieć
advanced – zaawansowany
sensor – czujnik
playback – odtwarzanie
X-enabled – mający funkcję X
a plethora of sth – mnóstwo czegoś, multum
heart rate monitor – pulsometr
to record – nagrywać
to dictate – dyktować
to equip sth with sth – wyposażyć coś w coś
gyro (gyroscope) – żyroskop, czujnik położenia względem ziemi
accelerometer – akcelerometr, czujnik przyspieszenia/ruchu
handy – poręczny, przydatny
to detect – wykrywać
in relation to sth – względem czegoś
so-called – tak zwany
haptic – dotykowy, czuciowy
feedback – informacje zwrotne
to inform – powiadamiać
discretely – dyskretnie
former – poprzedni, wcześniejszy z wymienionych
dial – tarcza zegarka
depending on sth – w zależności od czegoś
charge – ładunek (energii), pojemność (baterii)
display – ekran
glowy – świecący stałym światłem, równo świecący
direct sunlight – światło słoneczne (padające bezpośrednio na coś)
to display – wyświetlać
to swipe – przeciągnąć (np. palcem po ekranie)
to tap – stuknąć (np. palcem po ekranie)
to last – potrwać
X-based – (stworzony) w oparciu o X
condition – warunek
image – obrazek
touch-operated – sterowany dotykowo
knob – pokrętło
button – przycisk
crown – koronka (zegarka)
handle – wskazówka (zegara)
heck – do licha, do diabła
exception – wyjątek
at will – do woli
resistant – odporny
neat – nieźle, fajnie
hip – modny
to combine sth with sth – łączyć coś z czymś
tech specs – dane techniczne
ease of use – łatwość użycia
in short – krótko mówiąc
dull – nudny
pebble – kamyk
brilliant – wspaniały, genialny
crowdfunding – zbieranie funduszy przez prywatne datki w systemie typu Kickstarter
to hail sth as sth – okrzyczeć coś mianem czegoś
fundraiser – zbiórka pieniędzy
donation – datek, darowizna
timepiece – zegarek
to sport sth – nosić coś, paradować w czymś
week-long – tygodniowy
deceptively – pozornie, tylko na pozór
via – za pośrednictwem
event – wydarzenie
to track sth – śledzić coś
stats – statystyki, dane statystyczne
readable – czytelny
backlight – podświetlenie
to consider – uznawać, uważać
outdated – przestarzały
accessory – dodatek (do odzieży), akcesorium
gadgetry – gadżety
to obtain – uzyskać
mid-range – średniej klasy/wysokości
to back sth – wspierać coś (np. finansowo)
start-up – młoda spółka
to cause a stir – wywołać zamieszanie
mainstay – tu: stały bywalec
niche – nisza
to market – tu: sprzedawać, handlować
to come along – pojawić się
big boys – wielcy/najwięksi gracze
modern – współczesny
necessity – potrzeba
all-round – wszechstronny
attempt – próba
to be doomed to failure – być skazanym na porażkę
to pair sth with sth – połączyć, powiązać coś ze sobą (o urządzeniach Bluetooth)
capable of sth – zdolny do czegoś
software requirements – wymogi oprogramowania
to opt for sth – optować za czymś
out for sth – poszukujący czegoś
undeniably – niezaprzeczalnie
cool – fajnie
to take sth out – wyjąć coś
remotely – zdalnie
increasingly – coraz bardziej
feature – cecha, funkcja
selfie – zdjęcie samego siebie zrobione aparatem w komórce
giant – gigantyczny
apparently – najwyraźniej
strangely – co dziwne
amid – pośród, w samym środku (czegoś)
profitable – dochodowy
to post sth – opublikować coś
record-shattering – bijący rekordy
profit – zysk, dochód
to record – odnotować
fixated – sfiksowany (na jakimś punkcie)
income – dochód, przychód
figure – liczba
manufacturer – producent
to top sth – przebić coś
to release – wypuścić
revenues – przychody, wpływy
to attract – przyciągnąć
craze – szał
to improve on sth – poprawić coś, ulepszyć
flawed – wadliwy
fair – targi
looks – wygląd
to be late to the game – późno czymś się zainteresować
overly – nadmiernie
rectangle – prostokąt
secondary – wtórny
thick – gruby
worrying – niepokojący
hurdle – przeszkoda
to struggle – borykać się
to overcome – pokonać, rozwiązać
wearable – urządzenie elektroniczne noszone na ciele
comfy – wygodny (pot.)
whereas – podczas gdy
to shrink – kurczyć się
considerably – znacznie
mere – mizerny, słabiutki
to recharge – naładować
half-baked – niedopracowany
initial – pierwotny
hype – szum medialny, nagłośnienie
to iron out the kinks – pozbyć się wad/niedociągnięć
to tantalize sb – zwodzić kogoś
aficionado – wielbiciel, fan
to polish – szlifować, dopracowywać
dominant – dominujący
way back when – w tamtych czasach
inception – początek, wymyślenie
speculative – oparty na przypuszczeniach
definite – pewny, jasny
considering sth – zważywszy na coś
infamous – niesławny
tax – podatek
seeming – pozorny
inability – niezdolność
currency exchange rate – kurs wymiany walut
to put sb out of pocket – kosztować kogoś krocie
crop – tu: grupa, dostępna oferta
iteration – odmiana, wariacja
superior – lepszy
to suffer from sth – cierpieć z powodu czegoś
tab – zakładka
unused – nieużywany
circular – okrągły
to use sth to one’s advantage – obrócić coś na własną korzyść
criterion – kryterium
analogue – analogowy
juice – tu: energia
bottom – dół
strip – pasek
bulky – pokaźnych rozmiarów, nieporęczny
ostentatious – ostentacyjny
counterpart – odpowiednik
slightly – odrobinę
relatively – stosunkowo
infrared – podczerwony
combined – połączony, w połączeniu
workout – trening
built-in – wbudowany
full-fledged – pełnoprawny, w pełni funkcjonalny
unfortunately – niestety
versatile – wszechstronny
middling – przeciętny
vibrant – żywy, nasycony
crisp – czysty, wyraźny
to drain – wyczerpywać się
substantially – wyraźnie, znacznie
price tag – etykietka z ceną, cena