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Sony has a new Android smart watch hitting shelves across the US today. The aptly names Sony SmartWatch picks up where the LiveView left off, enabling two-way communication with an Android smartphone via Bluetooth to allow users to access messages and notifications, control phone functions, and utilize wrist-sized apps. You’ll find close to 60 of these applications, including Facebook and Google Maps, available at launch.
The SmartWatch is priced at $150 and new wristbands can be purchased separately for $20 in a selection of colors. The app used to interface with an Android phone can be downloaded for free from Google Play. It also comes pre-installed on most Sony Android devices.
The last one was cursed with horrific Bluetooth sync problems (a long way between your wrist and your pocket!?) – you can pick them up for a 10th their original price now.
I wonder if this actually works properly??
Ordered…. will do a review once I get it ;)
I hope to see improvements since I had hands on at CES.
Can it work with any brand of Android phone?
More pressing, can it work with the deplorable Windows Phone 7?
Oh, and can it work with a Commodore 64?
I just want it to work with my abacus.
Yes. It will work with any Android phone that can install the corresponding app.
Can you see the screen in direct sunlight with sunglasses on?
i think i have a problem with a company building a “smart” device when they’re about to lay off 10K people
Why if those 10,000 are in a television manufacturing division which is losing 2 billions pounds a year?
re-purpose as many as you can. losing experience and business knowledge is the real tragedy here. you can’t put a price on it.
That’s a nice dream but it isn’t grounded in any sort of reality. Reality is that I suspect you’ll see a lot more people being laid off in the future. Technology is making more and more people redundant. Efficiency is a b***h. It’s definitely going to get worse and I’ll leave it at that. (And politics doesn’t have anything to do with it. I’ll get that out there before anyone gets any funny ideas in their head.)
i’m actually a fan of efficiency in the context that it forces people to have to get a higher education and think on the “next level.” i know we need our janitors and burger flippers as an entry to the job market. But people have to start thinking long term and stop being cumbersome in their job. i change roles about 2-3 years to pick up new skills. it’s just the way things are now.
Yeah but the problem with efficiency is we have waaaay more people than real jobs. There just isn’t any place for all of these people to go. The world’s economies are just far too artificially bloated.
Laying off 10k people so how many others may keep theirs?
not a good argument….you wanna take the fall for bad mgmt decisions so that i can keep my job? i doubt it.
It’s a good argument for those who kept their job.
Regardless of why it had to happen, as long as it saves jobs, it’s better than nothing.
Laying off 10k is the smart thing to do for the company. This could bode well for the “smartness” of the watch.
Ive been wanting a BT watch for a while. The initial liveview was horrible, I will have to check this one out.
I’m considering this. I’ll wait for a review and potentially purchase, I like the fact that I can see Google Maps
I’m interested in having a smartwatch myself… probably even more than a tablet. I’ll wait for sum reviews then check it out.
I dont like the big Sony logo across the top but I am considering this. Cheaper than a normal watch..
ok, how on earth can you say that $150 is cheaper than a normal watch ? you can buy a top of the line Casio for $30 Plus what is wrong with a company branding their product, its called marketing. You sound like one of the people that buy a car, then remove all logos and identifying marks, god knows why.
Actually a top of the line Casio costs about $500 ever heard of their Edifice line? Didn’t think so. $150 is cheap for a watch.
Anyone that pays more than $50 for something that ONLY tells time is wasting money.
I am not seeing the camera necessary for Dick Tracy style two way video chat.
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All that is necessary for Apple to triumph is for Google men to do nothing.
George Jetson: (to watch) What time is it?
Watch: (says time)
George: Thanks.
Watch: It’s alright.
(Can’t remember which episode.)
Count me interested in seeing a review. So far, Android watches haven’t been all that good. Hope this changes things.
The Pebble watch looks so much better.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/597507018/pebble-e-paper-watch-for-iphone-and-android
True, but the Sony watch actually exists for purchase right now. :)
I think I will go with the one that is a real thing.
Or I can sit around and wait for the Samsung Galaxy S XXIVVI Smartwatch.
Does anyone know if Google+ will work on this smartwatch?
Does it have a stand alone GPS to compete with the ridiculously overpriced Motoactv?
I can’t find any information on GPS. I doubt it has GPS, otherwise you’d figure that would be plastered everywhere.
I think smart watches will really take off if someone can manage to make one that looked good and not like it was designed for star trek geeks!
Sounds tempting. I’ll wait for some reviews. Anyone know if you can plug in ear buds and listen to Google Music from it?
I would really be open to this watch if it has alot of health apps, like pulse an heart rate monitors, stuff like that. Kind of a HUD or in this case AUD