Smartwatch
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Google could start mass production of its smartwatch within months, says WSJ
We've already had an inkling of a Google smartwatch, courtesy of some timely patents, company acquisitions and Wall Street Journal's unnamed sources. The latest gossip points to a launch next year, if the WSJ's contacts are correct, because development on the wearable has apparently reached the point where it "could be ready for mass production within months," and Google is said to have already started talks with Asian manufacturers. Further details are scarce, but the same source suggests the watch's interface and "personal assistant" functions will be based on Google Now, potentially offering sophisticated voice recognition as well as predicting what sort of information the user will find useful at any given moment, based on the content of their emails and other personal data. None of this makes it clear if we'll see another companion device, like the Galaxy Gear or Pebble, or whether Google will push things forward somehow -- perhaps by incorporating a SIM and running Google Now locally on its own processor. For the sake of the whole wearables trend and our own selfish desires, we kinda hope it's the latter.
Sharif Sakr10.29.2013
Samsung begins rolling out Galaxy Gear support to more smartphones in the US
Right on schedule, Samsung has announced the rolling out of a key software update that will bring Galaxy Gear smartwatch support to more of its phones in the United States, beyond just the Galaxy Note 3. Owners of the Galaxy S 4, Galaxy Note II and GS3 will get their refresh as early as today, or "over the coming weeks" depending on their exact model and how energetic their carrier is. The same update will also upgrade the OS to Android 4.3 and add compatibility with the manufacturer's KNOX software for businesses. As expected, owners of Galaxy Mega and the GS4 Mini handsets will have to wait a little longer for these features, but should expect their update in the "coming months."
Sharif Sakr10.28.2013
Sony SmartWatch 2 review: a fair effort that still hasn't cracked it
Cast your mind back to the period between August and October 2012, and there was barely a whisper about a smartwatch round these parts. Pebble was funded and well underway, and we discovered a curious Google patent -- but that was pretty much it. In that same period one year later, you'll find nearly 40 news stories on Engadget alone. There's definitely been a climate change. One player in this year's wrist-based technology battle is Sony's SmartWatch 2. That number appended to the end of its name lets you know that this isn't the company's first foray into this area (it's technically its third). Because it's a tech giant, then, and also one of the more established players in this market, our expectations were rather high. So, can Sony show the competition how it's done.
James Trew10.26.2013
Garmin Tactix ruggedized GPS watch lets you play Navy SEAL for $450
Garmin's gone after swimmers, runners, pilots and golfers with its specialty watch lineup, and now battlefield-trained agents are getting some attention from the global GPS giant as well. The company's latest wrist-mounted machine is dubbed Tactix, and as you may have guessed from the design, it was "inspired by the requirements of law enforcement and police special operations." There's an altimeter, barometer and a 3-axis compass. US devices come preloaded with tide data (for amphibious wearers) and all watches include Jumpmaster software (for airborne use). It's waterproof to 50 meters, has a night-vision-friendly green backlight and can track GPS coordinates for up to 50 hours on a single charge. It also functions as a boring ole wristwatch, with timer, stopwatch, world clock and alarm functionality. The Garmin Tactix, which ships in matte black, is expected in stores later this year for $450.
Zach Honig10.22.2013
HTC reportedly building an Android smartwatch that will be more than 'just a gimmick'
Bloomberg's gotten word from the perennial "people familiar with the matter" that HTC is building an Android-based smartwatch that's set for release in the latter half of 2014. While other features and a price have yet to be set in stone, the outlet's source says the timepiece will sport a camera. Just two days ago, HTC CEO Peter Chou revealed through a Financial Times report that the firm had worked on an intelligent watch with Microsoft, and noted that current high-tech wristwatches are just "gimmick" experiences. "It has to meet a need, otherwise if it's just a gimmick or concept, it's not for people's day-to-day lives," Chou told FT. "That is an opportunity for us." And if you were only expecting wrist-worn hardware from the outfit, chairwoman Cher Wang hinted that a tablet is in the pipeline as well. "When the [HTC] tablet comes out it will be something nice and disruptive," Wang said. Clearly, slates and futuristic tickers are filling the company's collective mind, and it looks like 2014 will bring more details (and hopefully its fair share of leaks, too).
Alexis Santos10.22.2013
Pebble's Migicovsky: we're focused on software, not hardware right now (video)
"We future-proofed Pebble quite a bit," says Eric Migicovsky. "We put a lot of tech into Pebble because we knew that the watch we shipped to Kickstarter backers [was] what people were going to judge us on." The hardware startup's CEO is in New York for a few days, hitting the Big Apple after a recent appearance at an MIT hackathon, a chance to interact directly with the developer community his company holds so dear. After a tremendously successful crowdfunding campaign and subsequent product launch, Migicovsky's focus has shifted from hardware to user experience -- a job that means fixing bugs and helping to bring the next killer app to the wearable platform. "What we're focused on right now is software," explains the soft-spoken exec. "We know that there are hundreds of thousands of Pebbles out there. We had our Kickstarter backers, who were the first to support us. Our job now, almost exclusively as a company, is to move the software forward. Pebble has the really cool ability to update the firmware over the air. It gets better as we publish more software updates. There's been some gaps, we've moved quickly and broken some things, but we're working to make sure that the moment you open up a Pebble box, it's making your life better in tiny ways."
Brian Heater10.18.2013
Galaxy S4 now lets you talk to Samsung's Gear smartwatch with latest update
As Android updates have gone as of late, there really hasn't been much to get excited about -- not until we break into Kit Kat, anyway. But the rollout of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean to Samsung's former flagship the Galaxy S4, now live according to SamMobile, is notable as it adds compatibility with the newly hatched Galaxy Gear. So while you may not notice the bevy of tweaks Google's made to keep your Android device whirring along and fending off old mobile age, Samsung's made it so that you can early adopt its half-baked fad innovation and talk to your hand, literally. Samsung's also bundled in its own Wallet app, reading mode, updates to the imaging software, as well as a new keyboard and browser. It's not for everyone though -- you will need to have an unlocked model of the GS4 to download the update. We expect over-the-air updates to hit carrier-locked GS4 variants sometime in, well, let's conservatively say next year.
Joseph Volpe10.17.2013
Yup, Nokia's designing a watch too (update: video)
Plenty of companies have been noodling around with the idea of wearable tech, but Nokia's always offered up some of the most eye-popping concepts. The latest application to reach the Patent and Trademark Office, however, is a little more practical: a modular watch that you can customize to your heart's content. An even more outlandish idea is that each of the segments would contain a display tailored to a specific function -- and by turning the device around, you'd be able to access and use whichever was pointing upward. While you certainly can't draw any conclusions from the illustrative diagram, it's interesting to see that the doodles use a Windows Phone-style lock screen. Still, we imagine that Microsoft will want some say in this device's development if the Nokia Watch ever makes it as far as a working prototype. Update: Kent Lyons, one of the minds behind this device, got in touch to let us know a little bit more about it. Not only was this concept codenamed "Facet" but there's both an academic paper (available at the More Coverage link) and a video of the prototype in action, which we've embedded below.
Daniel Cooper10.17.2013
Adidas announces new smartwatch for runners, available on November 1st for $399
Just a day after Nike launched the Fuelband SE, Adidas' head of interactive, Paul Gaudio, has just announced a new smartwatch at GigaOm's Mobilized conference in San Francisco. Primarily aimed at runners, he said that it'll have GPS and will not only measure speed and distance but also provide personal training coaching based on your heart rate thanks to the built-in heart rate sensor. This won't only show up on the screen, but there'll be audio coaching via Bluetooth headphones as well. Unlike other smartwatches, Gaudio says the watch can act as a standalone device and will have a media player onboard so you can use it to listen to music. We don't really know too much else about the watch, but we're assuming it's an extension of Adidas' existing miCoach fitness brand. We'll be sure to update this post once we find out more details. It'll launch on November 1st for $399, or £350 in the UK. Update: Looks like Adidas' new device is called the miCoach SMART RUN. Curious folks can check out the press release after the break for more details.
Nicole Lee10.16.2013
FiLIP is an electronic leash for your kids' wrists and it's coming to AT&T
Electronic leashes for the 21st century kid? You knew this sort of thing was inevitable. FiLIP, a smartwatch and 'locator' for kids that takes helicopter parenting to an excessive level, is heading to AT&T's lineup as an exclusive. As you'd expect from a device targeted to tagging kids, the FiLIP doesn't come close to the functionality of something more grown-up like the Galaxy Gear. It's mainly intended to be a colorful way to keep tabs on your kids, whitelist who can call their wrists, see their current location (via GPS, WiFi and cell tower triangulation), send texts and set safe zone parameters, so you know when you're child is literally out-of-bounds. It's the stuff of overprotective mothers' dreams and, at some point in the "coming months," those needy momagers will be able to pick it up for an undisclosed price with requisite data plan at AT&T. Basically, this is just AT&T giving that neurotic demo a heads-up -- you know, plenty of time to add FiLIP to the ever-increasing to-do list. If you thought you had it bad as a kid, imagine what life's going to be like for this upcoming generation.
Joseph Volpe10.07.2013
Fitbit to launch new 'Force' fitness and sleep-tracking watch
Not content with its current range of fitness wearables, Fitbit is set to unveil an updated version of its Flex tracking device called the Fitbit Force. As spotted by The Verge, the Force will introduce a number of features that were omitted from the Flex but are present in its popular One tracker clip. One such feature is an altimeter that calculates your current altitude and the number of steps you have climbed over a 24-hour period. The second is that the Force will offer a digital watch face, effectively turning it into a fitness-focused smartwatch. This feature will give it an edge over some of its wearable rivals -- most notably the Jawbone Up. Although Fitbit has yet to announce its new product, the company has been taking steps to update its website, uploading a sizing guide for black and slate models of the wristband, as well as early listings for replacement clasps (which have since been removed). We were able to access some of Fitbit's promotional material, which highlights the Force's different measurements metrics, and have included some of them in the gallery below. Apparently the Force will be priced at $129.95, $30 more than the Flex, when it goes on sale -- but when that is, only time will tell.
Matt Brian10.02.2013
Daily Roundup: Galaxy Gear and Note 10.1 (2014) reviews, CEATEC 2013, GTA 5 multiplayer and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
David Fishman10.01.2013
Samsung Galaxy Gear review
When we speak of smartwatches, what do you think of first? If you're the nostalgic type, your mind might drift back to Dick Tracy, or to those times when Michael Knight yelled at KITT to help get him out of impossibly tight spots (which, let's face it, was nearly every single episode). But those types of products, once associated with sci-fi movies and TV shows, are now a dime a dozen -- they're so numerous in 2013, in fact, that an entire industry has been built around them, and big-name companies like Google and Apple are starting to show an intense interest in them. It was only a matter of time (har) before a large manufacturer like Samsung tossed its hat into the wearables arena. Its first attempt, known as the Galaxy Gear, was announced alongside the Galaxy Note 3 and the new Note 10.1 about a month ago. With a 1.6-inch AMOLED screen, upcoming third-party support and even a camera, this promises to be unlike any smartwatch we've played with before. Still, the suggested MSRP of $300 is a pretty high price to pay for the convenience of looking at texts on your wrist, and you may not even see Warren Beatty rocking the thing on the red carpet. But is this first-generation Samsung device executed well enough that you might consider purchasing it along with your new Galaxy Note 3? Let's see.
Brad Molen10.01.2013
Omate TrueSmart smartwatch is also a phone, incorporates Fleksy keyboard (hands-on)
While most smartwatches like the Pebble and the Galaxy Gear can't live up to their true potential without the assistance of a smartphone, the Omate TrueSmart is a full-fledged calling and texting machine right out of the box. We've seen a couple of other such smartwatches of course, but the TrueSmart sets itself apart with a design that's both water- and scratch-resistant, a unique UI that runs full-on Android 4.2 and most intriguing to us, a partnership with Syntellia's Fleksy keyboard so that you can actually type coherently on such a tiny screen. We had a brief hands-on with the TrueSmart at the Glazed conference in San Francisco, and we'll admit to a bit of skepticism that we'd be able to do much with a 1.54-inch screen. However, we did manage to flip through the four-icon menu without too much trouble. The icons were large enough for us to tap, and we simply had to slide our finger to the left to go to the previous screen. It refused to recognize our swipes on occasion, but hopefully that's just due to it being a pre-production unit.
Nicole Lee09.30.2013
A.I smartwatch is also a standalone Android smartphone (updated)
Smartwatches sure are multiplying faster than rabbits. One of the newest devices hoping to make it to market is the A.I Watch: a companion gadget that's also a standalone Android phone, similar to a Chinese creation we saw in August. According to its developers, you can use the A.I Watch to make and accept calls -- à la Hot Watch -- even if it's not connected to a phone via Bluetooth. That's because it has its own SIM card slot and supports 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM bands, as well as 3G. They also claim that its unspecified 1.2GHz dual-core processor is powerful enough for downloading apps from Google Play, loading Maps for navigation, streaming videos and accessing social networks, among others. The A.I Watch runs Android 4.0.4, has 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, a 1.54-inch 240 x 240 touchscreen display, a 500mAh battery and a 5-megapixel camera. If the device ever makes it to retail, it'll sell for $279 each, which is around the price of Samsung's Galaxy Gear. Right now, however, the device's fate hangs in the balance as its creators work to raise $100,000 on Indiegogo to cover mass production costs. Check out videos of the A.I Watch in action after the break, and enjoy a chuckle over one of its watchfaces that looks undeniably Metro-esque. Update (09/30/2013): So, a lot of you have pointed out that the A.I watch is a dead-ringer for Vapirius' AX2 smartwatch. We don't know for sure if A.I watch is merely a copy, but we've reached out to its developers for comment -- we'll update this post once we hear back. Meanwhile, the AX2 is available in Europe for €299 ($400), so you can probably bypass this Indiegogo campaign and go straight to Vapirius' website... although seeing as A.I has only raised a miserable $3,677 of its $100,000 goal, it seems like plenty of you weren't that excited to begin with. Update #2 (09/30/2013): Thanks to a helpful tipster, we've tracked the likely source of the A.I. smartwatch to a Chinese manufacturer known as Shenzhen Hop Industrial, which markets the device as the EC309 (shown after the break). These watches are sold individually at $229, or as little as $158 with bulk discounts. Needless to say, if you'd like to buy an A.I. smartwatch today -- and for a lot less -- you might look to an importer for the hookup. [Thanks, Lokifish Marz]
Mariella Moon09.29.2013
Samsung exec admits Galaxy Gear smartwatch 'lacks something special'
In an unusual bout of frankness, a Samsung official has acknowledged that the Galaxy Gear smartwatch lacks, you know, whatever the Korean is for je ne sais quoi. As reported by the Korea Times, the unnamed official said: "We've acknowledged that our Gear lacks something special. With more investment for user interface and user experience, Samsung devices will be better in terms of customer satisfaction." We're not sure if the source of the quote is Samsung's VP of strategic marketing, Lee Don-joo, but this exec is quoted in the same Korea Times article as saying that the watch is "definitely receiving a warm response" and that improvements would stem from software tweaks and the hiring of new UI experts, rather than from the development of a whole new device. He described the Gear as part of Samsung's drive to create new categories of "wow product" and, in virtually the same gasp, he also reiterated that Samsung would launch some sort of heavily curved -- or perhaps even partially bendable -- smartphone in Korea next month.
Sharif Sakr09.26.2013
Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear now on sale in the UK
If you've been looking to get your hands on Samsung's new Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear, boom, they're here. The company has kicked off another of its world tours to announce availability of its 5.7-inch smartphone and new smartwatch in 58 countries. In the UK, an unlocked Galaxy Note 3 will set you back £649 but it's also available on nearly all of the major carriers (we're still waiting to hear from Three) -- starting at around £30 on a traditional contract, or free if you decide to sign up to a new early-upgrader tariff. The Galaxy Gear retails at £299, but Samsung thinks you could use a £100 discount if you bundle it with an unlocked Galaxy Note 3, for a total cost of £848. Customers in the US, Canada and Japan, however, will have to wait 'til October -- though pre-orders are already open.
Matt Brian09.25.2013
Coolpad intros 5.9-inch Magview 4 phone with CoolHub and cWatch accessories
Oppo isn't the only company launching a 5.9-inch smartphone today. Coolpad has just unveiled the Magview 4, which mates a similarly large display with a 1.8GHz Tegra 4 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a 13-megapixel f/2.0 rear camera and an aluminum chassis. The Android 4.2 handset doesn't offer as many built-in tricks as its Oppo counterpart, but it's arriving alongside a trio of clever accessories. The pocketable CoolHub combines a battery with a Bluetooth speaker, a microSD card reader and NFC tag support; the CoolHub 2 extends this with environmental sensors and a pedometer. Coolpad is also launching the cWatch C1, a waterproof smartwatch with alerts for calendars, calls and messages. While the company hasn't yet priced its add-ons, it will ship the Magview 4 to mainland China in October for ¥3,980 ($650).
Jon Fingas09.23.2013
AT&T will start taking Galaxy Gear pre-orders tomorrow
You can stop wondering when AT&T will let you plunk down cash for a Galaxy Gear: the carrier has just announced that it will start taking pre-orders for Samsung's smartwatch at 12:01AM ET tomorrow, September 17th. AT&T hasn't detailed pricing or a final release date, although Samsung has previously suggested that the Galaxy Gear should reach the US by October for $299. Given the pre-order timing, we wouldn't be surprised if the Gear arrives shortly after the Galaxy Note 3.
Jon Fingas09.16.2013
Eric Migicovsky on Pebble's origin, smartwatch philosophy and what's wrong with the competition
Pebble is an unequivocal success story thus far -- setting Kickstarter funding records and making its way to retail outlets. However, the road it's taken hasn't been been all smooth, and at TechCrunch Disrupt today, company CEO Eric Migicovsky spoke about Pebble's beginnings and some of the challenges it faced as a hardware startup. Migicovsky said that he first started working on Pebble's precursor five years ago, not because he thought it would become a business but because "it was something I wanted to have," he said. That first prototype was essentially a hacked Arduino strapped to his wrist, and while it "didn't work too well as a watch" due to poor battery life and performance, he got a lot of positive feedback from other folks who saw it. Those folks geeking out over that prototype is what convinced him to enter the smartwach business.
Michael Gorman09.11.2013