Tuesday, 25 March 2014

The Moto 360

When you think about it, wearable technology isn’t all that new of a concept; products such as Bluetooth headsets and fitness watches have existed for quite some time, but nobody really considered them to be something worth shouting about. Regardless, Samsung somehow managed to steal the show last year with their Galaxy Gear, overshadowing Sony’s Smartwatch and outshining even that of Google Glass, thus bringing the trend of wearable technology to a widely recognised stage. Following this, 2014 has brought us the very first technology show dedicated entirely to hi-tech accessories.


Allow me to narrow my focus to smart watches; I realise I may not represent a majority opinion here, but this is a trend I’ve never really taken seriously. Most of these devices seem to focus more on the wow factor rather than becoming an asset to everyday life; after checking out the upcoming releases though, there is one little gem that caught my eye. I won’t be surprised if you haven’t yet heard, but I’m talking about the Moto 360 – a smart watch to end all smart watches (despite being a product of the ever-unpopular Motorola).


Despite how little has been revealed, I honestly believe the Moto 360 far succeeds the market as it currently stands. One of major flaws in previous smart watches is their bulky, little-boy’s-first-spy-toy-like appearance; a watch is a timeless (no pun intended) accessory, worn mostly for fashion, so why would I want to sacrifice style for irrelevant functionality? Answer: I most certainly wouldn’t, and that’s what struck me about the Moto 360.

Motorola took a step back and placed a strong focus on design, managing to develop a sleek, stylish and downright sexy watch that most people would likely purchase simply to tell the time. Due to this fact, it is no longer an accessory you wear specifically to work in harmony with your phone, but something you would wear anyway which happens to have those additional features. The simple shift in emphasis is a real game-changer for me; if this is the calibre of future smart watch designs, I might just catch onto the craze, especially after the announcement of Android Wear.

Google have stepped up and attempted to blast my criticism of “irrelevance” right out of the water with their latest operating system. This new and improved OS will concentrate more on notifications, speedy responses and useful information, rather than being little more than an extension of your smartphone. Also, with the incorporation of Google Now technology, Android Wear will likely run far smoother and could genuinely be more efficient than reaching for your phone.


Needless to say, I eagerly await further updates on both Android Wear and the apple of my eye, Moto 360. You all ought to keep an eye out too.

N


The Moto 360 at CeX



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