Smartwatches are here to stay- finally, and with Google’s release of Android Wear, we can expect to see a lot more in the near future besides the Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch…the first to jump onboard. We are still waiting for the exciting new Moto 360 version, although if Motorola doesn’t release it soon, people will get tired of waiting. Many manufacturers have jumped into the smartwatch arena and Samsung first comes to mind because they have release several models already during the span of only about six months. Pebble was one of the first manufacturers and Sony has already put two devices out on the market. Qualcomm also sold the Toq on a limited basis – more as an advertising platform to highlight their Mirasol e-ink display technology. It seems as though Qualcomm’s plan is beginning to bear its fruit as Timex has picked up on it and is releasing their first smartwatch this fall, the Ironman GPS One+ through the AT&T website.
Timex has not been around 160 years by sitting around on their laurels – I think they saw the writing on the wall and realized that they needed to get into the smartwatch market. The way they went about it, is totally unheard of, yet it may be the next new trend. This smartwatch does not use a smartphone at all, but it does connect via 3G and AT&T is offering up its own data plan, although no pricing or plan figures have been announced as of yet, however, the GPS One+ will come with a one year FREE data plan. Through the data plan you can synch running data and send and receive short messages, so when you go out for a run you can leave your phone at home – no phone calls, of course.
Features as stated in the Press Release: Stand-alone wireless connectivity without a phone – Email-based messaging capabilities – Tracking capabilities that communicate the user’s location to friends and family anytime, anywhere – Custom-built “Find Me Mode” safety solution, which allows users to send an alert with exact location in case of an emergency – Ability to track speed, distance and pace in real-time and instantaneously share performance metrics through your favorite social media and online fitness platforms – Water resistance up to 50 meters, an essential feature for water exposure, training in the rain or swimming – Built-in MP3 component with 4GB of memory to play music via a Bluetooth headset – Always-on, sunlight-readable, high-resolution touch display.
Timex brands the watch, but it is essentially Qualcomm’s technology – it runs their Brew software, is powered by a Qualcomm chip and uses a Qualcomm 1.5-inch Mirasol e-ink touch display that offers longer battery life and the ability to be seen in sunlight, with the added bonus of being in color. At $400, the GPS One+ is a lot more expensive than the other smartwatches out there, especially the ones running Android Wear. ‘Time’ will tell if Timex is simply ‘bunting’ or hitting a ‘homerun’ with the Ironman GPS One+.
Please hook up with us on our Google+ page and let us know what you think about the new Timex Ironman GPS One+ smartwatch…as always, we would love to hear from you.