Sony SmartWatch review

Mobile phones are marvellous little compact slabs of technology, but for some it seems, a phone is just isn't handy enough. Enter Sony's SmartWatch, designed to connect to your Android phone via Bluetooth and deliver a wealth of functionality from your wrist including music controls, messaging and social networking updates.


Design


It's a neat little 36mm square with a flip clip at the back that attaches it to the supplied silicone strap which is available in a variety of colours. It makes for a secure fit and slots in and out neatly without any hassle or you can do without the strap altogether and clip it to your lapel. You connect it to your PC via the supplied USB cable which features a proprietary connection to the watch.


The default display is a digital clock but when you press the single button at the side you're presented with four programmable shortcut options: music, Twitter/Facebook, messaging and weather, all of which you can access while your phone is safely tucked away in pocket or bag. Incidentally, there's a growing number of apps available for it as well, including the ability to see the view from your phone's camera -- terrific for Mission Impossible-style remote spying. So long as you don't break the Bluetooth connection by moving more than 10m from your phone, that is.


Features and performance

It's small, but the pin-sharp 1.3-inch OLED display is startlingly clear, and the screen supports multitouch. It connects using Bluetooth 3.0 and vibrates when you receive a call -- it will also show you who's calling so you can decide whether or not you want to take it. It's intended for use with Sony (Ericsson's) Xperia phones, but it should also be compatible with other Bluetooth-enabled Android handsets from Samsung, HTC and Motorola -- best to road test it with your phone before you buy though.


It's certainly a lot easier to control your music playback while you're on the move than fiddling with your phone. The obvious audience for the SmartWatch is the sporty type who wants to keep up on their social networking while (literally) on the run. But the whole concept has a bit of an issue, in that when you're jogging, say, you tend to be moving around, and hitting the right button on such a small surface isn't always easy peasy, even with a touch screen as responsive as this. Likewise reading messages -- you can see them, but they're much easier to read when you stop moving, which rather seems to be missing the point.


Battery-wise it kept going for a good few days of occasional use, so it should be perfectly fine if you charging it between workouts, even long ones.


(http://www.wired.co.uk)