For many, the usefulness of the smartwatch is still starkly up for debate: aside from their convenient wearability, useful features, and compatibility with other gadgets, what assistance can wrist-worn technology really offer users over a smartphone?
Those in favor of wrist-worn technology argue that the benefits are many, and claim that once you join the smartwatch club, you’ll soon find yourself addicted to the convenience of miniaturized tech. One common misconception which haunts the smartwatch’s reputation is having an unattractive appearance, potentially stemming from early prototypes such as the Samsung Galaxy Gear and the Google Android Wear.
Both of these sported an unrefined ‘childlike’ aesthetic with spherical screens and colorful, rubberized wrist straps. However, the smartwatch revolution has also developed into the higher style sector; for instance, premium Swiss watch specialists TAG Heuer getting in on the act with an upmarket smartwatch of their own – the Connected Modular 45. The fact that specialist luxury watch sites list the smartwatch among their finest items is especially telling: it shows the wide appeal of wearable tech. -Although conventional luxury watches are still preferred by many as they’re already hybrid which means that the analog display with smart features is combined. Such robust hybrid watches are available on spotthewatch.com if you want more details.
NerdsMagazine set out to compile a list of the benefits that makes a smartwatch worth having in instances we think these tiny gadgets come out on top over phones or tablets instead.
Discretion
If you’ve ever stuck in a long meeting at work while waiting on an important message or email, you may have felt bound by the etiquette which dictates you shouldn’t be seen to be checking your phone every other minute. Discretion is one edge the smartwatch has over larger tech; with it being on your wrist you can perform basic banking tasks, follow map directions without looking like a tourist or remotely adjust the central heating at home – all with minimal attention to yourself.
The Scatterbrain’s Friend
Naturally, a smartwatch functions best when paired with a phone or computer, but the beauty of this setup is that when you lose either of these, you can use the smartwatch to make your lost cellphone ring at the touch of a button (the service is built-in to all newer Google Wear devices as standard). Better still, you can also sync your watch to your car’s onboard system, for keyless engine start. The perfect solution for someone who always loses their keys!
Micro Fun
Smartwatch gaming was originally an outlet to indulge in the retro charm of Nokia 3210 ‘Snake’-esque graphics but in recent years, smart gaming designers have been coming up with clever ideas to sidestep the limitations of the reduced processors, screen size and battery. The result is a plethora of addictive wrist gaming, such as the impressively sophisticated RPG, Runeblade. Classic titles such as Doom and Super Mario Run (an endless scroll version of the Nintendo favorite) also enjoy smartwatch-sized versions of the originals, heralding a sign of good things to come from the smartwatch gaming industry. These are some of the best and the most affordable premium watch brands for the new collectors out there. So, if you are one of them then don’t wait and get your hands on these watches to shine up your collection.
Size Matters
Perhaps the most obvious incentive to embrace the smartwatch, in our opinion, is the size. Voice command technology is smartwatches’ biggest trump card as it eliminates the need for pulling out phones and unlocking screens, in order to access quick-win services such as calling a contact or performing a Google search. If you wear a fitness tracker, consider the smartwatch an advanced extension of this, in terms of size, but with all the added features of a smartphone. Sure, the smartwatch is an accompanying piece to a larger, more necessary device, but once you realize the benefits of having tech (literally, almost) at your fingertips, we think you’ll be hooked too.