TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Smartwatches to watch out for
Smartwatches with new features have arrived on the market
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Smartwatches with new features have arrived on the market.
Digital wristbands, which sports-gear makers like Nike and Adidas that have been selling for a few years were some of the first wearable devices, and helped wearers assess and regulate their fitness regimens.
Today's technology has developed beyond these pioneering wearable devices and innovative products have been introduced to the market. Google Glass remains an eye-opener (no pun intended), with its vast potential for digitally connecting humans to the surroundings in exciting ways.
Today, smart watches are what most people mention when asked what sort wearable devices they would be most interested in purchasing. With the imminent arrival of the Android Wear, smart watches should finally have an operating system they can call their own.
Samsung Galaxy Gear
With Samsung dominating conversations in Indonesia about smartwatches, it is not surprising that the Samsung Galaxy Gear rates high on consumer wish lists. The Galaxy Gear offers all the basic features of a smartwatch. Notifications from social media applications are easily accessed with the device.
Controlling music from the Samsung Galaxy Gear is convenient and efficient, while its 1.630 inch, 32-by-320 pixel display screen easily accommodates long or short text messaging. The Galaxy Gear's ability to receive voice calls gives the phone an advantage over competitors, but its inability to connect with non-Samsung smart phones is a limiting feature.
The device boasts 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory, ensuring ample storage space for multimedia data files. The gadget is also equipped with a voice-activation feature that allows owners to verbally instruct it to perform functions.
However, this feature has not been perfected and is quite often a hit-or-miss affair. With its heart-rate monitor, Samsung Galaxy Gear will likely attract those looking for a wearable device that can also perform the functions of a digital sports wrist band.
Samsung has also launched a third-generation smartwatch called the Galaxy Gear Live. The device works with the Android Wear, making it one of the first products to adopt Google's dedicated operating system for wearable devices. The smartwatch boasts a host of improvements from earlier models, including a stronger 1.2 GHz processor.
The watch is priced at around
Rp 2.3 million, but it is not yet available in Indonesia. In the meantime, Indonesians will have to content themselves with the Galaxy Gear or the Galaxy Gear 2.
Sony SmartWatch 2
Sony is a big player in the global race to pioneer new and better technologies, making the release of its own smartwatch a logical development. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Gear, the Sony SmartWatch 2 can connect with any Android-based smartphone so long as they are running on the Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.
On the Sony SmartWatch 2, users can follow the conversation on popular texting applications like Whatsapp or Line, though the feature is limited to a 'Read-Only' setting. Users can also place voice calls with the watch, but doing so requires the use of earphones as the watch does not have a speaker.
Controlling a phone camera from the SmartWatch 2 is simple and easy. The watch acts as the phone camera's viewfinder and can even control the flash. Its 220-by-176 pixel display is unremarkable but adequate. The smartwatch features a better battery life than the Galaxy Gear and also a shorter charging time. Available in Indonesia on websites like lazada.com, the Sony SmartWatch 2 costs about Rp 2.2 million.
Pebble Smartwatch
The Pebble Smartwatch is not officially for sale in Indonesia, but consumers can still find it at electronic malls in Jakarta. The Pebble Smartwatch outshines the competition in the display department. Using e-paper technology, the display is scratch-resistant and highly readable, even outdoors under the full glare of the sun. The Pebble Smartwatch is compatible with Android-based or iOS-powered devices, boasts a long battery life and is water-resistant for up to 5 meters.
Budget alternatives
For those who are new to wearable devices and want to know what all the fuss is about, there are a wide variety of budget smart watches to choose from.
Introduced at the Indonesia Cellular Show 2014, the SpeedUpSmartwatch features a 1.54-inch screen with a resolution of 240-by-240 pixels. The SpeedUpSmartwatch is compatible with Android smart phones or iPhones and can play multimedia and read notifications. It is offered for Rp 1.5 million.
The Cookoo Bluetooth Smartwatch and Top Watch Smartwatch are two other budget-friendly smartwatches. They are produced in China. Cookoo sports a tasteful design, but it can only alert users regarding incoming texts. It cannot display them.
The Top Watch smartwatch is different from others as it features a slot for SIM cards and a micro-SD card, enabling users to place calls and receive short messages. Aside from its multimedia capabilities, it also features a simple 1.3 megapixel camera.
With the coming release of the LG G Watch and the much anticipated Moto 360 ready to hit the market, smart watches appear poised to become a mainstay in the device market.
