Apple has recently issued a version 2.1 software update for the Apple Watch. This update mainly incorporates improved language support and bug fixes. The system now includes several European languages, East Asian languages and Arabic.
Apart from a larger language base in the software, the update also supports a right-to-left UI mode, which is an obvious feature considering the fact that Arabic is read from right to left. Adding to this, Siri has also been upgraded to understand Arabic that is spoke in Saudi Arabia and UAE; while a dictation-only support is added for a number of other languages.
Apple seems to have incorporated the Arabic language rather efficiently into its system as they even added the Islamic and Hebrew calendars in the update.
For more information about this software update, please click here.
Since, Motorola is planning to launch the Moto 360 Gen 2 in India today, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the fashionable tech accessory. But, before we begin take a look at our hands-on video:
Design:
The Moto 360 will arrive in three different sizes – a 42 mm male and female version and a male-only 46 mm model. The difference between the male and female version, is that the latter attaches itself to a thinner 16 mm strap while the former is compatible with a 20 mm strap only. The 46 mm variant is compatible with a strap that measures up to 22 mm. While the size of the straps differ, the models are all 11.4mm thick.
Size isn’t the only point of variation the Moto 360 offers; it comes with a variety of bands to pick from – metal, leather and silicon. However, the silicon version will not be arriving in India any time soon. The smartwatch also comes with gold, rose gold and silver cases and bands. You can use “Moto Maker” to personalise the Moto 360 Gen 2 with over 300 styles.
Display:
The 42 mm and 46 mm variants have a 1.37 inch and 1.56 inch LCD display respectively, both with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The 46 mm version comes with a 360 x 360 pixel resolution and 233ppi, while the 42 mm version has a display resolution of 360 x 325 and 263ppi.
Features:
The Moto 360 Gen 2 is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, an Adreno 305 GPU and comes with a 512 MB of RAM space with a 4GB internal storage on board. Connectivity options include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The watch also supports a GPS connectivity, however it only comes with the Sport range (which unfortunately isn’t arriving in India yet).
It is compatible with Android smartphones as well as iPhones due to Android Wear’s move into the Apple Store. The Moto 360 has a unique feature called Live Dial, which allows its users to set dials on their home screens.
The smartwatch also supports the Moto Body software, that keeps a tab on calories burnt and bpm stats with the help of an optical heart rate monitor. It is packed in with a 400 mAh and 300 mAh battery for the 46mm and 42mm versions respectively. Both variants will come with a charging dock station.
Price:
Globally the Moto 360 Gen 2 is priced at $299.99 to $429.99 depending on the model. So, in Indian rupees, it should approximately range between Rs.16,668 to Rs.28,669.However, we’ll just have to wait until it is launched to get the accurate price.
Meanwhile what we know is that the Moto 360 will be launching in five variants in India – the 42 mm with black leather, 42 mm with cognac leather, 42 mm rose gold female, 42 mm silver metal, and the 46 mm black metal. Watch this space for more updates.
The Fossil Q Founder smartwatch that was only available for purchase at select Fossil Stores and their website, will now be available at the Google Store as well. This watch is available in two model options – light stainless steel case with silver-finish steel bracelet and light stainless steel case with leather band.
The Q Founder is the result of a collaboration between the three companies – Fossil, Google and Intel. The smartwatch runs on Intel’s processor while Google provides it with an operating system that is compatible with Android and iOS. However, the Intel Atom processor isn’t named, and neither is the amount of RAM. Although we do know that it has a 4GB of internal memory along with sensors for activity tracking and Bluetooth; and comes packed with a 4,000mAh battery.
The price for Google Store hasn’t been mentioned yet, however the smartwatch is priced at $245 (Rs.19,709) in stores across USA.
Motorola had released the Moto 360 Second Gen smartwatch during the IFA Berlin event earlier this year; however, it was not available in India until now. The smartwatch will be launched in India next month on the 1st of December 2015.
The Moto 360 made a very strong fashion statement by arriving in two models, three sizes and up to 300 different ways of customizable styles. It also came in two sizes – a women’s version, and a sport version with an on-board GPS and outdoor readable display. The device is round in shape and also has a men’s version in two variant sizes – 46mm and 42mm. While the women’s version, is thinner and also comes in two variants – 42mm and 16mm strap mounts.
The prices for these products globally range between $299.99 to $429.99 (Rs. 19,000-Rs. 28,000 approx.). However, in India, the device is expected to go on sale with a price of Rs.17,999 for the 42mm with black leather. So, watch this space for more updates.
Click here for more information on the smartwatch.
Here’s a successful Kickstarter project, and it’s called Block Wearables. This start-up company has announced a gadget called BLOCKS, which is the world’s first fully customizable smartwatch. Here’s a quick look at what you can expect from it.
Modules:
The watch comes in three modes, namely, the athlete’s module, the business man’s module and the adventurer’s module. The athlete mode can be activated by adding a Heart Rate and GPS module to measure your pulse and track your location respectively.
The businessman mode can be activated by turning the NFC contactless module on; this will help you to make payments directly from your wristwatch. Apart from that the watch will also have a SIM module in order to keep you connected even without your cell-phone in hand.
Finally, the adventurer’s mode which can be activated by adding extra batteries and switching the adventure module setting on, which will alter altitude, temperature and humidity settings according to your surroundings.
Hardware:
BLOCKS has a open platform for hardware development; this means that any tech company can develop modules for its modular smartwatch. And because of its success it has announced some major collaborations with a couple of big names in the tech world.
Examples of important tie-ups include a cellular connectivity agreement with AT&T in the U.S, a heart rate monitoring module with Pixart Imaging along with inbuilt tri-LED pulse sensor, and a collaboration with Biometric Authentication for a fingerprint module to be made available via BioConnect Entertech Systems.
Design:
On the design front, BLOCKS has gone high-end by collaborating with Tateossian, which is a luxury British jeweller. Therefore, all the shells will come with a rhodium plated base along with enamel colours over alutex. So, you will be able to customize your watch just by replacing the shells accordingly.
To add to this, there will also be a limited edition version of shells made with small black and white diamonds. Here’s a couple of images for a better understanding of this smartwatch’s design –
This does sound and look like quite the smartwatch, now we just have to wait and watch how well it does in the market. What do you think of this innovation?
We have some more news for you in the tech wearable department; Tag Heuer has launched its first smartwatch called TAG Heuer Connected, inspired by Tag Heuer Carrera, at $1,500 (Rs.99,653). This smartwatch was launched at an event in New York City and is an android wear powered timepiece created in collaboration with Google and Intel.
The TAG Heuer Connected is powered by a 1.6GHz dual core processor from Intel, and has a 1.5 inch circular transflective LTPS LCD display with 360 X 360 resolution and a pixel density of 240ppi. Moreover, this watch is protected by scratch resistant sapphire crystal glass and comes with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory fueled by a 410 mAh battery.
Other features include a tilt detection sensor, microphone, a haptic engine and a gyroscope. Connectivity options include Bluetooth BLE 4.1 and Wi-Fi. The luxury smartwatch weighs 52 grams and is 46mm wide and 12.8mm thick. It is compatible with Android 4.3+ and iOS 8.2+, it also comes with extra equipment to detect the direction of the wind and weather monitoring while also being water and dust resistant.
Now, we can speak about its availability, the smartwatch will arrive in various colours in the US, however, only the black band bracelet option will be available for purchase online. If you want the other colours, you’ll have to get yourself to a store in the US. It arrives in Europe on the 12th of November.
New reports tell us details about the price and availability of the ASUS Zenwatch 2. The larger of the two – 49mm version will cost around $170 which is Rs.11,256 and the smaller 45mm version will be around $190 which is around Rs.12,580.
The Zenwatch 2 is said to hit the worldwide in october. Some other features of this tech wear are – a new metal crown, AMOLED screens,Snapdragon 400 processor, magnetic charger cable, dust-and water-resistance and will come in three colour variants of silver, gunmetal and rose gold. The watch will also come with rubber, leather and stainless steel straps for the fashion conscious user.
Apple’s very first wearable was unveiled last year along with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Today, a year later, there is no sign of it in India. However we have some good news for those waiting to get their hands on the device – it arrives in the country next month.
The wearable went on sale in March, worldwide, after the Apple Spring Forward event. Although the Cupertino-based tech giant claims India to be an important market, it did not launch the Watch here at the time. The Apple Watch comes in three variants – Sport, Regular and Gold Edition. Apple Watch Edition (pure solid gold edition), available in a block of 18 carat yellow, or rose gold went on sale starting at a whopping price of US$ 10,000 for the 38mm version, however, this watch will not be released in India just yet. And if we are to believe sources, then the Apple Watch Sport will be priced starting Rs. 24,999.
The Apple Watch is created in order to make interaction simpler and intimate. One doesn’t have to constantly be on their phones in order to check the time, reply to emails, take calls, respond to text messages etc, instead all these activities can be completed by a few glances and voice notes. It also has some unique gesture supports that will make it easy to use and to interact with others. Here is the catch, you have to have an iPhone (or any product by Apple) too so that all the information from your device can get synced to this new iWatch.
New reports suggest, that LG is working on a new Android Wear watch codenamed “Nemo”. And this could be the first Nexus smartwatch. What is known about the smartwatch is that it will have the highest resolution display any Android Wear watch has ever had at 480 x 480 resolution.
The connection that has been made is the due to the codename used. In the past, Nexus devices have used a similar nomenclature. Nexus 6 was codenamed ‘Shamu’, and Nexus 9 was ‘Hammerhead.’
Other rumours suggest that the watch will have a circular 1.3-inch display size with a pixel density of around 340 to 400 ppi. The importance of this pixel density is that it should ideally be able to eliminate readability issues.
With LG catching up in the smartwatch race with the anticipation of its new smartwatch, you can watch this space for more details about this new device.
Samsung has decided to up its game with its new Gear smartwatch installation. This tech wear is said to come with a rotating bezel which can be used for navigating menus, apps, widgets, notifications and can even be used to zoom information, as well as interact with games.
This is the first time Samsung is featuring a round bodied smartwatch. According to rumours, the watch will be unveiled along with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. It is said to be running the latest version of Tizen 2.3.4 OS with a display of 360×360 pixel resolution. Other speculated features include, an Exynos 3472 dual-core processor, the Mali-400 MP4 GPU clocked at 450 MHz, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of on-board storage, and a 250 mAh battery.
It is also said to have an inbuilt Global Positioning System, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and heart rate sensors. These features look promising, although one can never tell until the product actually releases into the market.
As reports previously suggest, Google Glass is making a comeback with a new pair of spectacles. The latest news, is that Google Glass 2 is actually being tested quietly in various workplaces. Reports also say, that the new version is already being used in “industries such as health care, manufacturing and energy.”
Sources from the Wall Street Journal suggest that the device features “a button-and-hinge system to attach it to different glasses”, instead of it being a full pair of spectacles. Therefore, Google is re-imagining their design to eliminate the previous hang ups of its device, such as style. In the process, we should perhaps soon get a ‘tech wear’ gadget that isn’t ugly or odd looking.
However, the above mentioned design seems to be created as a work tool, although reports suggest, that Google is also looking to make a new consumer version, eventually.
The Google Glass 2 is also reported to come with a better Intel processor, and a longer battery life that will be supported by a magnetically-attached, external battery pack. These improvements have been made due to common complaints about the Google Glass and its technological progress.
The new version is also said to feature a “longer, thinner” display, which can be “moved vertically as well as horizontally,” and will be better proofed against any damage and water.
However, it is yet to be seen whether the Google Glass 2 will surpass the Google Glass in its functionality, practicality and design. Do you think the Google Glass will work this time around? Let us know.
Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.wsj.com/article_email/google-quietly-distributes-new-version-of-glass-aimed-at-workplaces-1438283319-lMyQjAxMTI1MDMzMDczNjA3Wj”]Wall Street Journal[/tw-button]
‘Tech Wear’ is a relatively new concept that perhaps began with the introduction and launch of the Google Glass on April 4, 2012. There was a huge frenzy about the Google Glass and the things it promised its wearer – such as direct visual access to friends, schedules and Internet. But Google Glass did not work. Why? What makes products like Google Glass, the Neptune Pine, the Pebble, fitness trackers and other technological wearables not popular enough to cater to the taste of the general public?
Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz
Firstly, these are luxury products. They cater to the needs of the general public but make themselves available to only a certain strata of society. For example, the Apple Watch is created in order to make interaction simpler and intimate. One doesn’t have to constantly be on their phones in order to check the time, reply to emails, take calls, respond to text messages etc, instead all these activities can be completed by a few glances and voice notes. Here is the catch, you have to have an iPhone (or any product by Apple) too so that all the information from your device can get synced to this new iWatch.
To get an idea of the approximate amount of money we might have to spend to buy an iWatch and support it, let us look at its INR value. The Apple Watch Sport Edition: Expected price tag in India for 38mm case model is Rs. 25000 and for the 42mm case model is Rs. 30000, plus the other Apple product to support it, for example an iPhone 6 (Silver 16GB) which is Rs.42,920 (on Ebay). The total amount would be Rs. 67,920. The prices differ in different countries and the accessibility of the product also differs, but to the average Indian, an iPhone update makes no serious change to his lifestyle.
Secondly, even with a large portion of the world being able to afford tech wear, they are still looked at sceptically or cautiously by investors. Why? What makes a product stable in the market? The necessity of a product. Although, further research shows a changing trend in the demands of the consumers. Fashion experts say that most of these products look ugly, in fact, the New York Times even tagged them as ‘ugly tech’ instead of ‘wearable tech’.
The consumer’s taste is now much more sophisticated than it used to be, he/she is not going to wear anything on his wrist that looks like a mini Kindle. And this is where Apple comes in with its slick and fashionably created Apple Watch. The ‘iWatch’ comes in various belts, both leather and metal, and is styled in a way that is appealing to all. Perhaps following suit are smaller fashion-focused tech companies, with a handful of partnerships between tech companies and big-name fashion brands.
So far, the investors and critics were skeptic of these wearable products, but now with the coming of the fashionable and efficient iWatch, their predictions have changed. Gene Munster, managing director and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, predicted a 3 million dollars’ worth Apple Watch sale on 9to5mac.com, and thinks that 2017 will be the device’s ‘breakout’ year. What changed?
The reviews for the Apple Watch have been somewhat stable; most of the critics encourage the use of this wearable technology that is more compact, fashionable, efficient, modern, and advanced in its settings and features. For example, the product description states that the custom-designed chip at the heart of the Apple Watch is encapsulated in the resin to protect the electronics from the elements, impact and wear. Configuring an entire computer system on a single chip is an industry first; settings like these and many others make the Apple Watch user friendly. Although despite this commendable attempt by Apple, critics still suggest that there is room for improvement as far as speed, efficiency and battery life are concerned but that these are problems that can be rectified by perhaps an iWatch 2.
Similarly, The New York Times states that earlier this year Fitbit announced a partnership with the designer Tory Burch to make fitness trackers stuffed inside a hinged bracelet and pendant necklace. Google Glass has partnered with DVF and Luxoticca to make the geeky specs, stylish. Rebecca Minkoff and Case-Mate announced a new line of techie jewellery, including a gold bracelet that pairs with a smartphone. Intel has also partnered with Barney’s New York and Open Ceremony to create a bracelet with a curved sapphire screen and built-in wireless radios called the MICA (My Intelligent Communication Accessory.)
Image source: New York Times
As far as reviews are to be trusted, they give us a realistic take on the new influx of wearable technology and its appeal. What has changed therefore, is the taste of the consumer and now that modern technology is being able to steadily cater to it, wearable technology might actually carve a stable niche for itself in the years to come.
