EXPLORE

Thinking of Getting Your First Smartwatch? 5 Practical Starter Pieces to Choose From

The best of wearable tech you’ll actually be excited to use everyday

Smart TVs, smart speakers and smart ovens: a clear indication that smarter tech is not just the future, it’s here and now, and the scope of the Internet of Things is only about to get bigger.

Think about one day walking into a smart room in a smart home in a smart neighborhood: everything potentially WiFi-enabled, loaded with tons of cool, surprising features and behaving like small-scale personal assistants. This big picture isn’t far from becoming a reality either, which makes tuning in to see what comes next even more exciting. But let’s reel it in and get reacquainted with the smart gadgets that came first: smart accessories meant for the individual person.

As advanced as our handheld computers (AKA smartphones) are today, the genius lies in being able to augment them with wearable pieces of technology that boast upgraded functions and then some. The smartwatch happens to be one of these game-changing items.

Well-loved by techies across the globe, the smartwatch has become the trendier extension of the smartphone: It can assist with just about any task be it for work and business, fitness, navigation and sports. Techie or not, the everyday activities that can be made easier with the smartwatch are countless. And it may be high time you got to experience this for yourself.

Find the smartwatch that’s right for you and scroll through for the five practical starter pieces you can choose from:

Apple Watch

It comes as no surprise that Apple managed to dominate the smartwatch arena, too. This tech giant’s smartwatch is designed to seamlessly sync with other Apple products, so loyal users will have no trouble at all familiarizing themselves with the device. The best in the overall category, the Apple Watch 3 comes with outstanding features (it’s swim-proof, features GPS, an altimeter and an Intelligent Activity Tracker) and is packaged in a sleek, minimalist design.

via Macworld

TicWatch Pro

Since the Apple Watch 3 is exclusive to iOS, it’s only right to track down the best smartwatch option for Android and Wear OS users. Meet the new Ticwatch Pro. An Apple user interested in this two-screen marvel? No problem! This smartwatch by Mobvoi is compatible with both iOS and Android.

The Ticwatch Pro features two displays: one transparent LCD on top of a full color OLED screen. The transparent display switches on and shows the time, step count and other displays while conserving battery. The OLED screen, meanwhile, is where the smartwatch functions come in. Google Maps, Spotify, Gmail, GPS, NFC features, Google Play apps and all the great features powered by the latest Wear OS software are all here. Powerful stuff, but easy on the battery: it features 5 to 30 days of battery life on a single charge.

via Android Central

FiLIP

Parents with little kids could benefit from investing in a smartwatch, too. The FiLIP, a leading product in the family wearables category, is the first smart locator and phone for kids that offers all the features of the Apple Watch repackaged in a fun, kid-friendly wristwatch.

The FiLIP can send and receive voice calls and one-way text messages, send parents a notification when their child enters or leaves a SafeZone and set daily reminders for the child wearing the smartwatch. It also has GPS, GSM and WiFi capabilities, which allow parents to track their kids no matter where they are.

via TechNave

Huawei Watch 2

If cool and advanced features are at the top of your smartwatch checklist, look no further. The Huawei Watch 2 is leagues ahead of its competitors in this area.

A real watch plus smart assistant, the latest edition of this smartwatch has built-in GPS, an advanced workout coach, an onboard music storage, Bluetooth connectivity and the stunning features that come with Android Wear 2.0. This means this smartwatch has the capabilities of a smartphone but can also act as a standalone smart device with its own superior features.

via Engadget

Garmin Fenix 5

If you are looking for the perfect outdoor smartwatch with the most useful fitness tracking capabilities, Garmin’s Fenix 5 is your best bet.

It’s got all sides covered: a heart rate monitor, step counter, a navigation system and advanced performance metrics beyond the capabilities of standard smartwatches. You can monitor your performance, training and recovery, analyze your technique and create an athlete profile based on your sport of choice.

via Wearable