Wearables
HTC One Watch release and HTC Grip to mark entry of HTC in the IoT market
At the last edition of the Mobile World Congress, HTC introduced their first wearable fitness tracker, the HTC Grip, only to postpone its release to the Summer. Summer passed and the Grip was not made available, but rumors of a new Android Wear watch being developed by the Taiwanese company started to appear. It seems those rumors were quite close to the truth as reputable leakster evleaks today confirmed on their Twitter account that the HTC One watch would be launched on February 3, as the first HTC Android Wear smart watch. Entering a market that is just beginning to grow, the HTC One watch might change the course of the company’s mobile division’s future.
Although at this point we know very little about the HTC One watch, rumors have reached a consensus about its design. Apparently, the wearable will adopt the round design we’ve seen on gadgets like the Moto 360, LG Watch Urbane and Samsung Gear S2. Seeing as round smart watches seem to enjoy slightly more popularity than rectangle-shaped ones (aside from the Apple Watch, though), the HTC One watch could land right in the middle of the spectrum when it comes to pricing and features. With a supposed 360*360 resolution display, we expect the device to carry a footprint and aesthetic that is similar to Motorola’s round wearable devices.
https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/672252259166720000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
If the HTC One Watch release date ends up being February 3, as suggested by Evan Blass, we should see a dedicated event launching the wearable – alongside the HTC One X9 or maybe even the HTC One M10. The company has been struggling in the past year with revenue and sales, their fanbase perceiving this year’s launches as inferior to what the company can actually do and condemn HTC for copying Apple and not releasing their best models in the U.S. The news about the HTC One Watch might change public opinion a bit and bring back attention to the company’s mobile business. Getting into IoT is also a pretty good representation of how HTC is going to try getting back in the saddle. IoT is just taking off in a real way, and joining the fun seems like a logical and sensible move from the company.
Development of the HTC One Watch is said to have begun early last Summer, when rumors of the company working with Android Wear first started appearing on social media and on the news. At the time, few believed HTC would be developing another smart watch, after what happened with the HTC Grip, but it looks like we’re finally getting a wearable from them. Most people seem to be very curious about what kind of design aesthetic the company followed when designing the watch, silently hoping it wasn’t Apple they got inspiration from. Early ideas of how the watch will look like bring up the brushed metal design of the HTC One M8 and suggest an industrial, sport feeling to the watch.
The question that keeps bugging me, however is this: Will the HTC Grip be released, too? It is possible that since the fitness tracker has been repeatedly delayed that it would make an appearance alongside the HTC One Watch as a more affordable and minimalist option. That would also suggest that the smart watch will land within the LG Watch Urbane genre and price range, so we expect it to be expensive. Although it’s possible that the project was shelved for a while and won’t resurface for a couple of years, it’s unlikely for the company to drop the product and the Under Armour partnership so easily in favor of another gadget. The HTC Grip will most likely come to market in 2016 as well, even if it’s not launched with the new watch. The HTC One Watch price could be estimated at around $350, considering that the suggested retail price for the Grip used to be $200.
Whatever happens, one thing is for sure: HTC is turning their focus in the direction of wearables and IoT and the HTC One Watch will be their first example of how they imagine Android Wear and users interacting. More information on the HTC One Watch should come to light in the following few weeks and we suggest you guys keep an eye on evleaks as well as Geek Reply to find out what’s coming to challenge the Moto 360, Apple Watch, LG Watch Urbane and Samsung Gear S2 Classic.
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live may be the better option if earbuds with a stem design, like Apple’s AirPods, feel unpleasant or frequently fall out of your ears. These bean-shaped true wireless earbuds are among our top picks because of their cutting-edge design and excellent sound, which we found to be even better than the original AirPods Pro. And right now, Best Buy has the opportunity to get them for less than half the regular cost. Only today, you can save $70 and get a pair of Galaxy Buds Live for just $80, which matches the lowest price we’ve seen thus far.
One of the most affordable pairs of earbuds you’ll find in this price range is the Galaxy Buds Live, which retail for about $80. They have three microphones for active noise-cancellation, as well as a 12mm speaker that has been adjusted and improved for bass for rich, immersive sound. Although they still let in a good bit of background noise because of their open-ear design.
The Buds Live feature an IPX2 water-resistance rating, making them safe to use during workouts and resistant to sweat and splashing, but you shouldn’t use them in the rain. They can operate for up to 29 hours on a single charge, including top-ups from the charging case, which doubles as a wireless charger for your phone. There are smaller reductions on other colors as well, but this offer is only valid on the white and black color options.
Read more in the 2020 Galaxy Buds Live review by David Carnoy. He gave them an 8.2 out of 10 and stated, “They’re quite unique-looking, inconspicuous, and not only do they fit securely, but they’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time.”
Sony is not just using environmentally friendly materials to upgrade its wireless earbuds. Now, the business claims that multipoint audio functionality will be added to its LinkBuds, LinkBuds S, and WF-1000XM4 models this fall. This allows you to switch between the audio on two Bluetooth devices, just as other competing earbuds. For instance, while watching a video on your tablet, you can switch to a call on your phone.
Sony’s Headphones Connect app offers fresh firmware that is necessary for the enhancement. The multipoint update for the LinkBuds family should be available by November, while the WF-1000XM4 should follow suit this winter.
The WF-1000XM4 upgrade is fairly unexpected, as The Verge noted. Midway through 2021, when Sony first began to market that device, it had not even hinted at a multipoint update. The news won’t help you much if you have cheap headphones like the WF-C500, but at least you won’t feel left out if you spent a lot on wireless audio last year.
Sony now has a competitive advantage over some of its rivals, at least. While competitors like Apple’s AirPods offer smooth audio switching, you’re typically constrained to a single brand’s environment. If you don’t want to be restricted to specific platforms or goods merely to avoid slogging through Bluetooth device menus, Sony’s multipoint functionality might make more sense.
If you’ve had your eye on the brand-new Galaxy Watch 5 from Samsung but were awaiting a discount, one is now available. The 40mm model in three hues (Grey, Pink Gold, and Silver) is available for $250 on Amazon’s Woot site, saving you $30 or 11% off the list price.
In our previous review, the Galaxy Watch 5 received a strong 85 points, and we once again dubbed it “the greatest non-Apple smartwatch.” Over the Watch 4, Samsung concentrated more on improving it, giving it a longer battery life (up to 80 hours), stronger Sapphire Crystal glass, and an inactive temperature sensor.
The design and features are otherwise unchanged, which is a good thing. With a touch-sensitive ring surrounding the screen and a snappy 5-nanometer Exynos processor, it runs Wear OS and employs Samsung’s bezel-based navigation. This offers you access to a variety of apps, sleep tracking and coaching, health and fitness tracking, and countless other features. The body-impedance analysis tool allows you to take ECG scans, reply to messages, control music playing, and more. It also allows you to acquire a reading of your body composition.
The sensors are kept in contact with your wrist by the slightly curved underside, which is rated IP68, 5ATM, and MIL-STD-810H for durability (water, dust and pressure resistance). The biggest drawback is that, in comparison to the Apple Watch 7, battery life is significantly reduced with the always-on display. Even so, it’s the greatest Android smartwatch currently on the market, and discounts on such a brand-new product are uncommon. Remember that Woot’s offers have a shorter expiration date and a different return policy than its parent company, Amazon.
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