The
Sony Smartwatch 2 is the third iteration of Sony’s smartwatch platform that
acts as a second screen for almost any Android 4.0 smartphone.
With its upgraded interface, slim hardware and waterproof
body, Sony has improved its smartwatch in almost all areas, while maintaining
its functionality as a solid timepiece.
Designed to look like a watch
The Sony Smartwatch 2 strikes a fine line between looking
like a nerdy gadget on your wrist and resembling a regular watch.
It is square, but as its aluminium body is only 9mm thick it is
not that much chunkier than an oversized watch and will fit comfortably under a
shirt cuff.
Following the lead of recent Sony smartphones such as the Xperia
Z and Z Ultra, the Smartwatch 2 is waterproof with an IP 57 rating, which means
it is watertight at up to 1m deep for 30 minutes.
In reality that means you can wear it day to day without having
to worry about getting it wet while washing your hands or running through the
British downpours, as long as you’ve ensured the micro USB protective cover is
properly closed.
Sony sells the Smartwatch 2 with black rubber strap; however, it
also offers a range of coloured rubber and leather straps. The Smartwatch 2
also uses a standard 24mm watchstrap fitting, meaning you can customise the
strap with one of your own and aren’t tied to Sony’s options.
The top of the device is dominated by a 1.6in transflective
touchscreen LCD which – unlike most LCD displays currently in use – allows you
to see the display without a backlight by reflecting ambient light
That means the Smartwatch 2 has a persistent, readable display
that shows a watch face by default and makes it very easy to use the smartwatch
to actually tell the time, something that’s important if you’re replacing a
regular watch with it.
Unfortunately the display is decidedly low resolution, which
means text from notifications, as well as pictures and even the watch faces,
look pixelated at times.
The screen is something you can and do get used to, but compared
to the high-resolution, pixel perfect screens of most smartphones today, it has
noticeably lower fidelity.
Specifications
·
Screen: 1.6in transflective LCD with 220 x 176 pixels
·
Processor: 280MHz single-core processor
·
Operating system: Modified bespoke variant of
Android
·
Connectivity: Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, micro USB
·
Dimensions: 42 x 9 x 41 mm
·
Weight: 122.5g
·
Water resistance: IP57
Intuitive
to use, just like Android
Pairing and setup of the Smartwatch 2 is pretty straightforward
using NFC and Bluetooth – one tap of an NFC-equipped phone and the software
takes care of the rest, prompting you to download any software you need from
the Google Play store.
For those using an Android phone without NFC – any phone with
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and up with Bluetooth will work with the
Smartwatch 2 – you simply have to pair the phone and watch via Bluetooth.
Sony has given the Smartwatch 2 a low power, single-core
processor in an effort to balance battery life with the physical size of the
device. Processor power is always a trade-off, and for the most part Sony’s
Smartwatch 2 performs well enough.
Unfortunately that doesn’t mean the experience completely lag
free.
Battery life is relatively good, and I got a good four days of
usage out of the Smartwatch 2 with quite a few alerts and apps running. You
would probably need to charge it once every three days to be on the safe side,
but a full charge takes about an hour.
The Smartwatch 2 runs a bespoke variant of Android, which
resembles the regular platform with a homescreen full of app icons and the
usual Home, Back and Options buttons below the screen. There’s even a
slide-down notifications tray, just like Android on a smartphone or tablet,
which is where the lag creeps in.
The Smartwatch 2 can hang when a notification is being accessed,
failing to respond to taps and swipes for a second or so. It’s not every time,
and seems to be linked to the watch’s Bluetooth connection to your smartphone,
but it can be annoying.
The watch vibrates to notify you of incoming actions, including
phone calls which pop up and allow you to dismiss or answer them, if you have a
Bluetooth headset connected – there are no speakers or microphone hidden within
the Smartwatch 2.
Navigating the interface is relatively intuitive using swipes
and taps, which again resembles the way an Android phone or tablet is operated.
A long tap brings up an options menu, which is unique to the particular app
that’s currently in use. Often that can be a bit confusing, as some apps allow
you to clear notifications, and others, such as the Twitter app, allow you to,
for example, retweet.
Apps
galore
Speaking of the Twitter app, out of the box the SmartWatch
2 comes with limited functionality, offering built-in apps that allow you to
set timers or alarms. Everything else needs to be installed from the Sony
SmartConnect app, which handles the management of the smartwatch and is
available for free in the Google Play store.
Sony has produced apps for handling calls, reading text
messages, email, Facebook and Twitter updates, as well as calendar alerts,
photos and music control.
Beyond that, users are reliant on existing Smartwatch
apps, available from previous iterations of the Sony platform, which kicked off
with the LiveView in 2010. Three years later there are about 300 apps available
for the Smartwatch 2.
Unfortunately, it would be unfair to say there’s an app
for everything – there is no app for handling Google Hangouts for instance –
but developers are actively producing apps for services such as WhatsApp.
Price
The Smartwatch 2 starts at £149, which comes with the
standard black silicon rubber strap and a Runtastic Pro application.
Verdict:
A great second screen for your smartphone
The Sony Smartwatch 2 is more of a second screen for your
Android smartphone than a true smartwatch. It has very limited functionality
without being paired with a phone.
It does, however, function very well as a timepiece, which
some other smartwatches certainly don't, and it is readable in any lighting
conditions thanks to its transflective display.
Sony has managed to foster a relatively large third-party
app collection for its Smartwatch range, which bolsters its functionality
significantly. Sony says the Smartwatch 2 is a work in progress, and it is
actively listening to customer feedback and updating the watch with new
software and features.
Twitter notifications are handy, as well as having access
to your text messages or email on your wrist, but the Smartwatch 2’s
low-resolution screen, limited functionality beyond notifications and £150
price make it more of a novelty than a must-have item.
Having said that, if you're after a smartwatch that works
with any Android phone with version 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and above, then the
Smartwatch 2 is arguably your best option right now.
• Star rating: 3/5
Source:Telegraph
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