A New York company has launched what it is claiming to be the first stand-alone smartwatch, the Omate TrueSmart.
Packing water-resistant and dustproof qualities, the Omate TrueSmart packs the majority of features found in a smartphone, but doesn’t require one to function.
Currently looking for funding on Kickstarter, the Omate TrueSmart has already received over $139,000 (£89,000) from backers, $39,000 over its goal with 29 days still to go.
“Smartwatches till now still needed a smartphone with you (even those that claim to be “complete”), or they have processing abilities that seem more dumb than smart, can’t run apps, have a dinosaur-age version of Android or even older operating system,” reads the Kickstarter page. “Omate TrueSmart, welcome to the truly smart generation Smartwatch 2.0.”
The Omate TrueSmart runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and is capable of making calls, text messaging, viewing social media content, running sports apps and GPS tracking.
Capable of registering gesture and voice controls, the Omate TrueSmart is said to be able to translate your speech into text, display weather apps. It also features a music player, world clocks, calendar alarms and voice notes.
The Omate TrueSmart is waterproof to IP67 standards and has side buttons for easier navigation, especially as the 1.54-inch 240 x 240p resolution touchscreen doesn’t work when underwater.
Powered by a 1.3GHz dual-core processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, the Omate TrueSmart has a microSIM card slot so it can work independently of smartphones.
However, it also works as a smartphone companion and comes with Bluetooth 4.0 or Wi-Fi connectivity. It can connect to any smartphone, independent of operating system.
Early backers will receive their Omate TrueSmart watch in October and November, dependant on the amount pledged. We could see this available on the market early next year for general consumers.
Samsung will reportedly launch its own smartwatch, known as the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, on September 4 alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
Next, read our pick of the best mobile phones of 2013.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
