If you are in the market for a smartwatch this year then there sure is enough choices to shake your hat at. Which is quite a turnaround from the state of affairs this time last year. Yes, 2014 certainly has been the year of the watch. Watches are suddenly in vogue again and like all things vogue, eventually style takes over from function. However, that doesn’t always have to be the case. If you are looking for a smartwatch that is both functional and fashionable then Geak II may be the one for you.
What is it?
As the name suggests Geak II is a follow-up to the Geak smartwatch which launched back in 2013. You might not have heard of it, but that is OK as the watch seemed to be rather big in its home country, China. Not to mention the company behind the original Geak watch was voted in the 2013 top 10 most innovative Chinese companies by Fast Company. The Geak II is the next evolution of the original Geak and as the developers note the Geak II is their attempt at breaking into the International market.
What are the benefits
Well, in terms of benefits there is nothing in particular that this watch does that you won’t find on other smartwatches. However, the difference is the Geak II seems to do pretty much everything. When you consider what is offered in the smartwatch market as a whole (in terms of features) you are basically getting them all wrapped up in this one watch. So in short the benefit of the Geak II is you pretty much are covered in terms of a smartwatch and all it has to offer. In real short terms you get everything and a lot of it.
One interesting feature is the Geak II is what the developers consider to be the first ‘true’ round watch. By true the developers are referring to the way smart watches are designed. Most watches in the past have been square to more effectively accommodate square chipsets. The newer rounder watches are big to accommodate the chipsets but being round generates what the developers refer to as “dead space”. The Geak II apparently does not contain any dead space and therefore is simply round. Another very interesting feature is the claimed battery usage on offer. To be clear the actual mAh of the battery is currently unknown. However, the developers claim the battery has the ability to run for 7 days on ‘light’ usage and 3-4 days on ‘moderate usage’. By this logic you would assume 1-2 days on heavy usage which compared to the current smartwatches is pretty good. If the screen is your thing then on offer is a 1.36″ display with a 320 x 320 resolution (254 ppi). In addition, the screen is both scratch and fingerprint resistant employing Dragontrail glass. If customization is your thing then there are a variety of straps to choose from.
Features Roundup:
- 1.36 inch, 320 x 320 (254 ppi) display
- Scratch-free and fingerprint-free with Dragontrail glass
- True Round – No ‘dead space’
- Battery Life – Seven days of light usage and 3-4 days of moderate usage
- Magnetic charging assistance
- Android 4 OS
- Transflective Screen – Time is visible 24 hours a day.
- Scratch and fingerprint resistant
- Customizable Straps
- Wifi and Bluetooth
- Unique Geak based apps
- Air Quality Index (AQI) trackers
- Monitors heart rate, Pedometer and more.
- Connect and control presentations, smart TV’s and other home appliances
Where can I get it
Well, the Geak II is part of a Pozible project (Pan-Pacific Kickstarter type site) and only went live this morning. If you are interested in finding out more or staking your claim on one then you should head over to the Pozible listing. The cost of the watch is expected to be in the region of $410 retail. However, if you are one of the early supporters then the current price you can reserve yours for is $344. There are only 100 of the early supporter prices available so do be quick if you are interested. If you miss the early price then there will be 500 units available for $376. In terms of when, the product is expected to begin shipping to customers as early as January. Considering this is a crowd fundraising project that really isn’t that long.
