Sony SmartWatch

Sony has finally launched its second generation SmartWatch that seems to be better than the first one in terms of design and functionality. For those of you who have never heard of this extra; the Sony SmartWatch is an intriguing device — a secondary display for your Android-powered handset that provides quick access to notifications from select apps and services on your phone. It’s also able to show you who's calling or texting, control music, and even tell the time. There's been a growing trend for products like this over the past few months, from the WIMM One to Fossil’s MetaWatch, but Sony’s is one of the first of this latest wave (along with the inPulse) to make it to the general public.

Sony’s range of LiveWare accessories certainly offer a unique take on connected headsets and wearable interfaces for your Android phone, but they've previously been hit-and-miss-affairs, generally seen as great ideas that don’t quite fulfill their promise. The SmartWatch is the latest in this line, a follow-up to the LiveView that was released around a year and a half ago. I have had the LiveView for more than 5 months now but I will say it at times is unresponsive, unreliable, and utterly useless when it loses connection with the phone. Everyone has been in love with it and the previously mentioned cons can at times prove to be an embarrassment when I do a demo to a curious eye. Sony has made plenty of changes in this iteration, but the price went up too — the SmartWatch comes in at $149.99, almost double the $79.99 of its predecessor. The humble wristwatch isn’t dead, just evolving.

Detailed specification

Platform

·         Android

Bluetooth™

·         Bluetooth™ core version: 3.0

UI/Wearing

·         Watchband and clip

·         Music player control - track information on display

Messaging

·         Can read sms and email and calendar reminders on display

·         Social networking services: Facebook, Twitter

Power

·         Low usage, 1 week.

·         Typical usage, 3-4 days

·         Heavy usage,1 full day

·         Charging connector: USB cable

Calls

·         Reject and mute calls, pre-defined sms, take call and use headset

Perfect partners from the Xperia range

·         Live with Walkman™

·         Xperia™ active

·         Xperia™ arc

·         Xperia™ arc S

·         Xperia™ mini

·         Xperia™ mini pro

·         Xperia™ neo

·         Xperia™ neo V

·         Xperia™ PLAY

·         Xperia™ pro

·         Xperia™ ray

·         Xperia™ S

·         Xperia™ X10

·         Xperia™ X10 mini

·         Xperia™ X10 mini pro

·         Xperia™ X8

Compatibility – other brands

HTC Desire S, HTCEvo 3D/Shooter, HTC Sensation, HTC Wildfire, HTC Wildfire S, Motorola Defy, Motorola Droid 2/Milestone 2, Motorola RAZR, Orange San Fransisco, Samsung Galaxy 5, Samsung Galaxy Ace, Samsung Galaxy Fit, Samsung Galaxy Gio, Samsung Galaxy Mini, Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy SL