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Swap Rebel watch phone laughs at your wrist-mounted iPod nano
Apple's iPod nano and the Sony Ericsson LiveView may have disappointed as wrist computers, but our Dick Tracy dream soldiers on, to the point where we found ourselves taking another look at that most dubious of converged devices: the watch phone. There, we discovered the Rebel, the latest creation from UK manufacturer Swap, a quad-band GSM wrist unit with a 1.46-inch color touchscreen and a built-in camera for both video and stills. It may look like a sterile medical wristband, but that silicone strap actually hides a USB port on one end, the better to let you transfer your MP3s and MP4 video to its paltry 2GB of expandable microSD storage. The watch also does FM radio, beams audio to your Bluetooth headset and comes with the typical smattering of basic apps. Still, there's not a lot for the asking price of £189 (about $300) so you'd best be head over heels in love with the design. PR after the break, more images at our source link.
Entelligence: Putting a spotlight on the invisible
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. When Apple refreshed the latest version of the iPod nano, the combination of the square form factor, touch display, clip and cool clock app made me think it would make a great watch. I was not alone. I've already seen a number of vendors scrambling to create straps and wrist cases for the nano. While Apple stopped well short of calling it a watch replacement, there's no doubt Cupertino will be looking carefully to see if there's an iWatch in your future. From Microsoft's Smart Personal Object Technology devices to watches that ran Palm OS, vendors have tried and failed to push high-tech watches every few years. I personally think the watch space and the larger invisible space hasn't been exploited properly beyond the core feature of telling time. Here's why.
GPS 800G watch phone gets the job done (and little else)
Watch phones clearly haven't hit the mainstream yet, though a resurgence of Dick Tracy may very well turn that around. Given that we're probably years, if not centuries, away from that happening, it's up to niche import shops like Alibaba to bring us goods like these. The GPS 800G -- delivered by none other than Shanghai Zhiyuan Vacuum Electric Company, of course -- manages to handle time telling, texting, GPS routing and even emergency calling. Oh, and normal calling as well. Looks as if you'll need to ping the supplier in order to get a lock on pricing, but we can't say with a straight face that it'll be worth your while.
Neutrano's Nutec WristFone granted FCC approval
Last time we got a look at the Nutec WristFone -- a brainchild of Canadian company Neutrano -- the year was 2009, we were at CTIA, and the prototypes were looking pretty rough and chunky. Sure, the common ancestor of these watchphones is the same typical China-sourced model that you're prone to see in SkyMall every month, but we admired Neutrano for putting some time, energy, and money into customizing the thing and making it just a little more desirable for the North American market. Anyhow, we just stumbled across what might be the final ID for the WristFone in the FCC today, and it's a heck of a lot slicker looking than anything we saw last year -- in fact, you might be able to get away with wearing this without passers-by wondering what the gigantic Dick Tracy-esque object on your arm is. The model rocks GSM 850 / 1900 with GPRS alone for data, which is just fine considering that you're not going to be doing much web (or Flash) browsing on it -- and naturally, you've got Bluetooth in there so that you don't need to talk to your own hand. We'll let you know when we've got a date and price.
Redesigned LG Watch Phone caught showing off shapely figure in Brazil
LG's £500 ($800) GD910 Watch Phone made quite an impression when we reviewed it late last year, but part of that impression was of a bulky, blocky thing that feels decidedly substantial on the wrist. A subtly redesigned version was spotted recently at the LG Digital Experience in Brazil, sporting a slightly more curvaceous shape and a new logo placement -- up top rather than below the screen. It's hard to tell what (if anything) else has changed, and apparently LG reps weren't forthcoming with information, but with any luck this new version will offer a more affordable price point than its stately but spendy predecessor.
LG GD910 Watch Phone review
You're not how much money you have in the bank, you're not the car you drive, you're not the contents of your wallet, you are not your freaking khakis – oh, who are we kidding, if you're reading a site such as this, you're all about your khakis. To sate that "look good, feel good" need in all of us, LG has brought out the ultimate in techie chic: a watchphone. This is not just any watchphone though, this is a £500 ($808) droplet of Orange-tinted exclusivity that straddles your wrist and demands onlookers' attention. Do the consumer in you a favor and come along past the break where we have the full scoop on the GD910. %Gallery-75733%
Kempler & Strauss W PhoneWatch is everything we ever wanted in life
We're tired of wasting time waiting for LG's GD910 watchphone to mosey on over to these shores and rob us blind, and now we've found a new, cheaper bauble to love: the Kempler & Strauss W PhoneWatch. The W, which K&S calls the "world's smallest full-function GSM tri-band cellphone watch," has a touchscreen interface, camera, microSD slot and even comes with a Bluetooth headset in the $200 package. Better yet, it's available now -- if you can track one down. [Via Electronista]
LG's GD910 watchphone cheaper than expected, still worth more than your Dick Tracy collection
We've been tracking LG's G910 pretty closely since it was announced late last year, because as you can clearly see it's a videophone in a watch and if that concept doesn't get your gadget senses tingling you're probably dead inside. But, we were somewhat afraid when early reports indicated that the couture-phone's exclusive partner in Europe, Orange, was going to be engaging in a bit of price gouging, selling the thing at a whopping £1,000 / €1,144 (about $1,500 at the time -- now well over $1,600 thanks to our flimsy currency). The official price has finally been confirmed, and it's an ever so slightly more palatable figure of €899 ($1,290) when signing up for a 12 or 24 month contract. That's still too rich for our blood, or wrists, but hopefully you fabulously wealthy commenters will give us some real-world impressions free of marketing inanity.
Oh, by the way: July 22, 2009
Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of mobile for Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009: For some reason known only to Samsung, it seems the S9110 watchphone won't be coming to the UK any time soon. Of course, if you've got unlocked GSM 900 / 1800 units floating around France this month, it should be a simple matter to get 'em anywhere in Europe. LG's second quarter report revealed an astounding 32 percent jump in phone shipments quarter-over-quarter, setting an all-time best 29.82 million units. The company specifically calls out the next Black Label phone -- presumably the BL40 -- as one of the phones it's pinning its hopes and dreams on toward the end of the year. [Via mocoNews] iPhones can now be used to generate RSA SecurID tokens, which should make a great many enterprise iPhone users happier than pigs in poo. Google Maps 3.2 has been released for Windows Mobile and S60. The big feature here is layered data, meaning you can add and remove different bits of information (Latitude, traffic, and so on) one layer at a time. A picture atop Samsung USA's mobile site suggests a new QWERTY slider is destined for MetroPCS. It's labeled Messager, but looks nothing like the Messager we're acquainted with -- instead, it looks suspiciously like Bell's Vice. [Via Phone Scoop]
LG's GD910 watch phone clears the FCC, makes beeline for American wrists
It's about time, wouldn't you agree? After finding that Orange would become Europe's first carrier to sell LG's luscious GD910 watch phone, every closet Dick Tracy fan in America began wondering when (and if) LG would make a similar announcement here on US soil. Regrettably, we're still waiting for the official line from the company, but this will certainly suffice for now. The image you see above is being provided courtesy of a freshly released FCC filing, which means precisely one thing: this here watch phone is destined for America. Of course, we suppose LG could have just made the filing for kicks and giggles, but our optimistic imagination simply won't let us believe such a tragedy could ever occur. Hang tight, Yanks -- your dream device just got a lot closer to clearing customs.
LG GD910 to start shipping in July
It won't be the cheapest way to get in on 7.2Mbps HSDPA, but it might be the coolest way -- or at the very least, the geekiest -- when LG finally begins shipping out its GD910 watch phone starting next month. Sales will kick off in Europe on Orange, followed by Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and Latin America, so odds are good that this thing will be available in a neighborhood near you over the next few weeks. Practical, it's not -- but video calling through a wristwatch is pretty much every little boy's dream, so we're going to cut this phone a whole lot of slack.[Via Akihabara News]
Neutrano's Nutec WristFone watch phones at CTIA
If this guy looks serious, it's because he is -- serious about bringing you some awesome watch phones. Canadian firm Neutrano is working with Chinese OEMs to import, tweak, and certify some of those watch phones that we've unfortunately been spending more time reading about than actually using -- and while they aren't going to appeal to everyone, the stainless steel version is the closest thing we've seen to something we'd consider wearing this side of an LG. Fans of chunky, stylish wristwatches should be able to pass it off as a fashion statement of sorts -- your friends don't even have to know it's a phone, really. When you get a call, the thing's got to come off your wrist and be held up to your ear unless you've got a Bluetooth headset ready to rock, but worry not: Neutrano's also showing a model of its Nutec WristFone that pops off at the base of the wristband so you don't need to unstrap it from your wrist. You pay for that convenience with some extra bulk (and we'd argue that this is the geekiest, ugliest model of the bunch), but we'll admit, it's pretty trick. Everything's controlled over touchscreen; you've got character recognition for entering text messages and a row of shortcuts silkscreened across the bottom of the display, and the detachable model also features an integrated keypad (think Casio calculator watch) to make entering phone numbers a little less painful. Neutrano is targeting June for these at a price somewhere between $300 and $400, and the company's president is still actively deciding on colors, band styles, and software features, so sound off in comments if you've got any hot ideas for 'em. Oh, and check some video of the phones in action after the break!
Hyundai's MB-910 watch phone gets priced and dated
Remember Hyundai's MB-910 watch phone that we spotted around this time last month? How could you possibly forget, right? That masterpiece / atrocity is actually coming to market, and Mobile Gazette has it that the bugger will cost around £200 ($281) when it lands sometime in Q2. As for specs, we're told that it'll boast tri-band GSM connectivity, Bluetooth, a 176 x 132 resolution touchscreen, 128MB of storage, USB 2.0 and the obligatory time-telling mechanism for good measure. Too bad it's closer to "heinous" than "halfway decent."[Via PMP Today]
Orange becoming first in Europe with LG's G910 Watch Phone
We knew production was destined to start in 2009, and lo and behold, Orange has committed to selling the thing. You heard right -- sometime "later this year," LG's G910 Watch Phone will be available across the operator's European footprint, though there's nary a mention of pricing. For those who've forgotten, this timepiece will support Bluetooth headset pairing, 3G HSDPA, video calling, multimedia playback and touch input, and it'll also make you the coolest cat in the office. And that's a Billy Mays guarantee.
Video: LG Watch Phone hands-on
So we dropped by LG's booth here in the South Hall at CES and weren't really surprised to see a whole bunch of watch phones in a case that looked like it was just moved out of Jacob & Co. There was a surplus of models dolled up behind glass, but only two out on the floor. LG was being super secretive about the transitions between the various screens, but we did our best to sneak peeks through the fingers on our not-so-generous demonstrator's hand. What we did see looked pretty polished though (which you should know by now) and the transitions looked like browsing music on the iPhone. We were able to find out that the screen is not an OLED. LG went with a TFT with capacitive touch but we were told that it would work through a golf glove -- though we're not exactly sure about this. Be sure to check out the gallery for even more glamor shots and check after the break for video of the device (or the parts that LG would let us see) and prepare to be amazed. Ooh, shiny. Gallery: Video: LG Watch Phone hands-on
LG's GD910 wrist phone in action
LG's wrist set was on hand at the LG press conference and we managed a quick peek. We'll fill in all the blanks tomorrow once we can see it up close, but as a teaser, this thing looks sweet. It does, however, look a wee bit more refined in the interface and design departments compared to the peek we got last year. Short video of it taking a call after the break.
LG shows off GD910 Watch Phone, production later this year
Now that we have serious buy-in from a major phone manufacturer to bring watch phones to market, we're just going to go ahead and say it: the Dick Tracy era has begun. LG's just announced that the GD910 will start production later in 2009, featuring 7.2Mbps HSDPA, Bluetooth, speakerphone, video calling, voice recognition, an integrated music player, and a touchscreen in case those three side-mounted buttons don't cut it. We hope to have a hands-on shortly!
LG's magical GD910 wrist phone packs touchscreen, camera and rainbows
It was deliciously inevitable that a watch phone would eventually show up that could actually "pack it all in," and it looks like LG has actually accomplished that feat in its LG-GD910 model. Of note, the phone packs a touchscreen LCD, 3G data, and a built-in camera for videoconferencing and being a general badass. Sure, browsing to your favorite gadget blog might be a tad bit difficult on that 1.43-inch screen, and there's always the question of fashion, but those are minor quibbles -- the real question is where can we get one, and for how much. LG should be showing this off at CES next month (it showed off a predecessor this January), and plans to release it in Japan and Europe, but we've got a couple of cereal box-delivered 2-way wrist radios crossed behind our backs in hopes for a US berth.[Via Electronista]
sWaP watch phone likely won't change your opinion of watch phones
While watch phones have gotten a tad more "wearable" in recent years, they still haven't exactly caught on like some folks may have thought they would in their younger, jetpack-filled visions of the future, and we're going to go out on a limb and speculate that this new so-called sWaP watch won't change that situation. As far as watch phones go, however, this one looks to be fairly capable, with it packing a SIM card slot to let you easily hop onto your cell network of choice, a 1.3 megapixel camera, 128MB of built-in memory, a T-Flash card slot to add up to 2GB more, and even an included Bluetooth headset to avoid the embarrassment of actually talking into your watch. You'll have to pay a bit of a premium for this particular slice of a future that might have been though, with the device sporting a price tag of £249, or roughly $370.[Via Coolest Gadgets]
Wearfone watch phone looks to style up Finns
Due to exceptionally poor machine translation from the Finnish language (what gives, Google?), we really don't know a whole heck of a lot about Wearfone's admittedly stylish watch phone. Reportedly, similar devices have been around the concept block, but a trio of investors are hoping to actually get this one on store shelves by the year's end. Thanks to our super-scientific methods of deciphering, we've determined that it will boast a touchscreen display, GSM connectivity and the ability to send / receive calls and text messages. Early reports pin the price at anywhere between €500 ($776) and €1,000 ($1,553), but that's the price you pay for having a technologically advanced timepiece that won't get you tarred and feathered in public.[Thanks, Petteri]
