Dick Tracy was a popular comic book character in the 1940s. One thing that set the detective apart from the other comic book characters of his day was his strong knowledge of technology. The two-way communicative watch phone was one of the devices that was a recurring feature in all of his comics. The Dick Tracy comic was probably the forerunner of what we know today as a smartwatch.

Smartwatches: traversing time

We belong to the juncture where the fine line between science fiction and science is blurring. We hope that smart watches or watch phone will come true in a few days. There have been cases of the prototype of these watch phones in the 1970s by Japanese watch brands like Seiko. These prototypes could compute but at a very superficial level.

These watches have mainly dominated in spy movies as a must-have tool for espionage. But these concepts with evolving technology were buried under the sands of time. There were glimpses of this technology earlier this millennium when IBM devised a Linux-based prototype for such watches in collaboration with the Citizen Watch Company. But the idea was taken off the drawing boards until today.

Today in 2013 we see a completely different picture. The mobile phone giants are hell-bent on giving the watch phone concept a big makeover this year. Be it Apple, Google, Samsung, or Sony, they are creating their own brand of smartwatches that can take a market share from the already established tablets. This article will focus on the variety of smartwatch avatars from different tech giants like Apple, Samsung, and Sony สมาร์ทวอทช์ ไอโฟน.

Smartwatches: what to expect from them

Samsung Galaxy Gear

Priced at $ 299, the Samsung Galaxy Gear has a number of features that would definitely appeal to Android users and non-users alike. Equipped with a 1.6-inch image viewer that can produce 320 x 320-pixel resolutions, this smartwatch has several things to offer users. The watch displays vivid colors and high contrast. With built-in microphones and speakers, users could speak directly with the help of the watch. Armed with a 1.9-megapixel camera and a 720p HD video recorder it would be a must-have for the photography enthusiast [pii_email_f744b3ae828b2f819cbd].

With 4GB built-in memory storage space, this watch can easily run small local applications that are needed at the moment. With built-in intelligent personal assistance such as S Voice, the user can easily give voice commands on the go. This gadget would definitely give mobile app developers a chance to create more apps specifically designed for the watch.

But one of the biggest drawbacks of the smartwatch is that its pairing can only be done with the Galaxy Note 3, which is a new entrant in the Samsung Galaxy family.

Sony SmartWatch 2

As a smartwatch, Sony’s Smart Watch 2 is much less expensive than Samsung’s counterpart. With the 1.63-inch viewfinder, the Sony smartwatch comes with a resolution of 220X176 pixels. The clock’s LCD display prevents the wearer’s view from blurring in daylight.

With the first iteration of the Sony Smart Watch it has been a failure, but this time Sony has filled the phone with various goodies. The touch screen user interface, sliding widgets for viewing the weather, Facebook, Twitter, and phone alerts are combined into one. This watch is compatible with other Android phones. But one of the biggest drawbacks of the Sony smartwatch is that it doesn’t have microphone and speaker support. In this case, users need to take out the phone to use it.

Sony has incorporated NFC technology with the smartwatch and the best affordable products. With NFC or near field technology, you can find your phone in no time if you misplace it.

One of the biggest advantages of this watch is that it is resistant to dust or water, similar to Sony’s flagship mobile phone, Xperia Z.

iWatch or Apple smartwatch

Apple’s version of the smartwatch is still in the rumor stage. There has been talk of a device being produced in Apple Labs that looks like a bracelet and works with iOS software. The device is rumored to be compatible not only with our personal desktops, but also with other devices to come. But one thing is for sure: the watch will run on iOS7 or higher version of the Apple operating system.

As it is still in its prenatal stage, there is a lot to expect from Apple technologies. Hypothetically speaking, Apple would be incorporating several of its flagship products in the watch. So far nothing has been revealed.

Pebble

With a 1.26-inch e-paper screen, Pebble is considered one of the biggest competitors against smartphone giants like Sony, Samsung, and probably Apple. The Pebble is a package that includes email notifications and messages, SMS and incoming calls, calendar reminders, Facebook, Whatsapp and Google Voice, to name a few. One of the biggest advantages of this smart device is that it can be acclimatized with both Android and Apple.

Users have the prerogative to install third-party Android or iOS apps on their pebbles. Although it does not have a fixed microphone attached. It acts more like a notification terminal. With a built-in pedometer, it is definitely a must-have for fitness enthusiasts.

With so many smartwatches on paper, traditional watchmakers are also diving into this changing trend. They are overcoming the marketing myopia instilled by traditional watchmaking and taking the train alongside modern watchmakers. As for a few last words before finishing, only time will tell the story.