Smartwatch pioneer Meta returns with a premium alternative to Pebble
Back in the days when Pebble just made a BlackBerry accessory called the inPulse, the biggest name in wearables was MetaWatch, the smartwatch firm that spun out of Fossil. After a few years of seeing other people's devices hog the limelight, the company has shortened its name and is now ready to make a comeback. The Meta M1, designed by Nokia and Vertu legend Frank Nuovo is launching this September, but pre-orders for the unit are opening today. It's the same piece of hardware that we saw back at CES but -- unsurprisingly for a company with a background in watchmaking -- with a wider variety of cases and straps for fashion-conscious consumers including rose gold. For instance, the base model comes with a natural black rubber band, setting you back $250, but those with fancier-pants can slam down $450 for an all stainless steel variant. Either way, we're looking forward to getting this piece of gear in for review.