First Android revolutionised the work of the Smartphone, proving to be the OS that all other companies are scared of, and with a lawsuit here, a patent infringement there, Google and Android are under some intense pressure at the moment – but that is not stopping the OS from being at the forefront of mobile word domination.
Android seems to be everywhere; it’s on our Smartphones, it’s on our computers, tablets and tvs, and it looks like it is just about to take over our wrists.
The idea of a computer on your wrist is not a new thing – it’s something that was dreamed about back in the 80s, but the best they could do back then was a calculator. Times have since changed and the revolution that is Android is opening up new doors in the world of the ‘Smart Watch’.
We have seen Sony Ericsson dabble in this with the largely unsuccessful Live View. This was an Android-based device that used a Bluetooth connection to connect to most Android devices, providing updates and info on the small 1.3” OLED display. Unfortunately that is pretty much all the Liveview did – there was no touch screen and it was pretty chunky for the size of the display. It was however a proof of concept; that this was something that could evolve into a massive market
Watches are no longer the “in thing”, why do we need a watch when our Smartphones do almost everything, except maybe making your tea (even then they can tell you how to)? Watches are still one of the top fashion accessories, so what could be done to make the watch cool again? Well, with the growing addiction young people have to Smartphones, a Smartwatch is a logical step.
Step in Motorola with the Tracy XL and the Moto Active, the Blue Sky Group with IM Watch, and the most advanced Smartwatch to date – the WIMM Wearable platform.
There isn’t much info about the Motorola Tracy XL aside from a leaked screenshot from the Motorola website. There is a little bit more info on the Moto Active though; this is going to be a sports marketed device, with around a 1-inch touch screen, with apps for tracking sports performance. The Smartwatch itself is a nice looking piece of kit and will not look out of place on your wrist, in fact it will more than likely have your gym-going friends rather jealous.
Next we have the Blue Sky group’s IM Watch. It’s similar to the Sony Ericsson Liveview in that it will utilize Bluetooth connectivity to bring updates from your iPhone 4 or Android smartphone, however it is running a customised version of Android 1.6. So, the device will combine the Liveview-style updates with independent Android OS to give you a full Smartwatch experience. Why the IM Watch chose to use the outdated version of Android 1.6 is a mystery, but this will not be something to judge until we can look at it, and at the moment the website will only give you the option to pre-order the device as it is not quite ready for sale just yet.
Finally in our list of Smartwatch devices is the WIMM wearable platform – this looks to be the most accomplished of the devices to date and there is even a nice video of the device in action provided by slashgear.
The device is still in development stages but WIMM has released an SDK (Software Development Kit) for the device to help get developers on board and they are also offering the WIMM ONE developer device at a discounted price for developers who are interested in getting involved.
Even in the early stages of the WIMM device it looks to be a very accomplished piece of equipment and could be released as it is; as a basic Smart watch device. However, WIMM seem dedicated to have the device in perfect condition upon release and there will be a variety of different finishes for the device including plastic and ceramic, as well as numerous different strap designs. There are also a lot of concept images of the WIMM wearable platform, and some of these look amazing!
One of WIMM labs’ main focus with the device is micro apps – they will have a micro market place once the device is publicly available, and this is something that will sit well with users and developers alike. There will also be a companion app for Android and Blackberry devices which will manage the content that can be sent to the device from your Smartphone, and how frequently the info is sent. Here is the video giving an overview of the WIMM wearable platform.
It looks like this is going to be the next wave of smart tech that is going to take the world by storm, with Android once again at the forefront of this domain. How will the ‘Smartwatches’ fair in the real world though? The ideas are good but is it a product that is needed when you can just take your Smartphone out of your pocket to do the same things? Only time will tell. I for one hope that this sort of thing takes off, as the more connectivity I have the better.
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