Top 5 New SmartWatches

In the last year alone, wearable technology has completely evolved. The first round of smartwatches that hit the market were bulky, awkward and not entirely dependable. Fortunately for us, those days are over—now there are a number of good-looking, high tech timepieces that are as trendy as they are worthwhile.

So which smartwatch should you invest in among the hoard of many? Take a look at these top five:

1. Moto 360

1. Price: $250
2. Physical Specs:
   Screen Size: 1.56”
   Case Diameter: 46 mm
   Case Thickness: 11.5 mm
   Weight: 49 g
3. Technology:
   Compatibility: Android 4.3+
   Display: LCD
   Screen Resolution: 320×290 pixels
   RAM: 512 MB
   Internal Storage: 4 GB
   Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0; Wi-Fi
4. Features: Incoming calls, missed calls, texts, email, calendar reminder, weather, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Voice/hangouts, Link Loss Alert
5. Sensors: Heart rate monitor, pedometer
6. Average Battery Life: 1 day

2. Apple Watch

1. Price: $349
2. Release Date: Early 2015
3. Physical Specs:
   Screen Size: 1.49”
   Case Diameter: 38 & 42 mm
   Case Thickness: 11.5 mm
   Weight: n/a
4. Technology:
   Compatibility: iOS 8+
   Display: Retina Display
   Screen Resolution: unknown
   RAM: 512 MB
   Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0; Wi-Fi
5. Features: Email, phone, text, sketch, walkie-talkie, Passbook digital pay, Siri
6. Sensors: GPS, Multi-touch, heart rate sensor, accelerometer
7. Average Battery Life: 1 day

3. Samsung Gear Live

1. Price: $199
2. Physical Specs:
   Screen Size: 1.63”
   Case Diameter: 68 mm
   Case Thickness: 8.9 mm
   Weight: 59 g
3. Technology:
   Compatibility: Android 4.3+
   Display: Super AMOLED
   Screen Resolution: 320×320 pixels
   RAM: 512 MB
   Internal Storage: 4 GB
   CPU Cores: 1
   Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0
4. Features: Incoming calls, missed calls, texts, email, calendar reminder, weather, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Voice/hangouts, Link Loss Alert
5. Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Heart Rate
6. Average Battery Life: 1.5 days

4. Pebble Steel

1. Price: $249
2. Physical Specs:
   Screen Size: 1.26”
   Case Diameter: 57.2 mm
   Case Thickness: 10.5 mm
   Weight: 56 g
3. Technology:
   Compatibility: Android 2.3+ and iOS+
   Display: Black and White ePaper
   Screen Resolution: 144×168 pixels
   RAM: 512 MB
   CPU Cores: 1
   Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0
4. Features: Incoming calls, missed calls, texts, email, calendar reminder, weather, Facebook, Twitter, Google Voice/hangouts
5. Sensors: Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Ambient Light Sensor
6. Average Battery Life: 7 Days

5. Sony SmartWatch 2

1. Price: $199
2. Physical Specs:
   Screen Size: 1.6“
   Case Diameter: 58.7 mm
   Case Thickness: 9mm
   Weight: 122.5 g
3. Technology:
   Compatibility: Android 4.0+
   Display: LCD
   Screen Resolution: 220×176 pixels
   Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 3.0; NFC
4. Features: Incoming call, missed call, email, calendar reminder, weather, Facebook, Twitter
5. Sensors: Accelerometer, GPS, Multi-touch
6. Average Battery Life: 4 days

The Verdict

It’s great to have so many diverse products in wearable technology that are supported by different wireless Internet providers (such as digitaltvbundles.com). In comparing the five watches, you’ll notice that the Apple Watch and the Moto 360 will undoubtedly be neck-to-neck in terms of design and features. While the Moto 360 was recently released—and has already gotten a lot of praise by Android fans, Apple lovers will soon flock to the Apple Watch on its early 2015 release date (which hasn’t been disclosed). Both watches are pushing the boundaries of modern timepieces and will help pave the way to future model designs and amenities.

Pebble Steel a conscious effort to improve the quality and feature performance of its predecessor, the Pebble. With Bluetooth and NFC wireless connectivity and a multi-touch display that is easy-to-navigate the Internet, etc., Pebble Steel is a great option for both Apple and Android users. Plus, Pebble is a startup, which is endearing compared to the others who are by huge tech conglomerates. The only real downside to the Pebble Steel is its black and white ePaper display.

With so many fans of Samsung’s lineup of smartphones and phablets, the Samsung Gear Live is a great watch to use along with the Galaxy and Note phone models. It features many of the specs found in the Moto 360— although it isn’t as new or have such a sleek physical design.

The Sony SmartWatch 2 is a pretty clunky and heavy smartwatch—weighing 122.5 grams (far heaviest of the five). To be fair, it does have one of the larger display screens (1.6”) and has an impressive four day battery life. But $199, it’s priced the same as the Samsung Gear Live (which is lighter at 59 g and features a larger 1.63” screen).

Despite their similarities and differences, these five models are the best on (and soon to be) market. It all depends on choosing the right smartwatch that will meet your specific tech needs and functions.