Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook: This Could Be The First Smartwatch That Actually Makes Smartphones Unnecessary (GOOG)

Thursday, June 20, 2013

This Could Be The First Smartwatch That Actually Makes Smartphones Unnecessary (GOOG)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/androidly-smartwatch-2013-6

androidly

A variety of smartwatches have popped up over the last year or so like the Pebble, I'm Watch, and Metawatch by Strata. The list goes on.

Meanwhile, we have knowledge of Google working on a smartwatch, and the rumor mill keeps churning around Apple's supposed "iWatch."

But now there's another smartwatch entering the market. Androidly claims to be the first full-featured smartwatch for Android.

It's a pretty big claim to make, but it seems like it could be true.

Androidly is essentially a full-fledged smartphone that you wear on your wrist. Most smartwatches out there today merely serve as a complement to your smartphone, but Androidly is able to function entirely on its own.

Androidly allows you to make and receive phone calls, take photos, and navigate via Google Maps directly from your wrist. The smartwatch has a built-in speaker and microphone, but you can also sync it with a Bluetooth headset for making calls.

It can also connect to Wi-Fi so you can browse the Internet, watch YouTube videos, and so on. It's probably not ideal for most people to watch videos on a 2-inch screen, but it seems to be a nice added feature.

Meanwhile, Androidly allows you to install any Android application from the Google Play Store. That means you can access apps like Facebook, Cut The Rope, Twitter, and Angry Birds directly from your wrist.

Androidly is currently available for pre-order at prices varying from $229 to $269.

Here are the full specs, in case you're interested: