04 Mar Smartwatches: Is It “Time”?
The last year, or so, the new buzzword has been smartwatches. So, is it time for the smartwatch to catch fire is the real question? Are we going to see the smartwatches on everyone or is it just going to be talked about? When I think of a smartwatch I think of impracticality. If they connect to a smartphone have we really become so lazy we can’t pull our phones out of our pockets to answer it? Many of them have battery lives that are only a day or two before you have to charge it again. For the smartwatch to really take off there would mostly likely need to have a longer battery life, more affordable, and even possibly a stand alone device where the phone would not need to be right there. I believe many of these issues need to be addressed before the smartwatch sees its day in the sun.
There are some advances in the smartwatch department that could be nearing towards the dawn of the smartwatches. Just this last week Pebble has released a new version of their watches called Pebble Time. This watch has an e-paper display that allows it to last for up to 7 days. This is much more appealing to people so that they don’t have to charge another device every single night. There are only so many plugs in the wall for all of our devices! Apparently some people are thinking that these watches are worth the price since Pebble has made close to $15 million on their Kickstarter campaign in just a short time. I think a huge reason for this is that it isn’t trying to be another stand-alone device but just work with the smart phone. This may mean it may not do as many things as some of the other smartwatches but it makes it more functional for just the things that you use all the time.
There is definitely a debate about how practical smartwatches are or what type of watch is the best. Would you buy a smartwatch, and if so, which one and why?
Jake graduated from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems. He enjoys every aspect of technology and loves to keep up with the latest trends in software development and information technology. He has over 10 years experience in IT and software development ranging from computer technical support, iOS/Android development, and web development.
When not at a computer he is spending time with his beautiful wife and three children jeeping, snowmobiling, or anything outdoors.
