Computer on hand: review of the best smartwatches

Cogito Classic

The first in our list for today is the "Cogito Classic" smartwatch. In appearance, they resemble an ordinary watch, but this is only externally. In fact, the model is a follower of the popular watch COOKOO Watch , where the main idea was to save an analogue clock with the addition of an excellent set of smart functions.

A simple and intuitive interface allows you to manage calls, call the smartphone camera, control music, or simply detect the phone, which can often be a very requested function. The connection to the phone is carried out via the Bluetooth 4.0 interface. Special attention should be paid to the functions of the fitness tracker, which allow the user to track biorhythms throughout the day.

The display has notification indicators: e-mail message, SMS/MMS, incoming/missed call, messages from social networks, calendar events, low battery, etc. Settings are managed via the Connected Watch App for iOS and Android (the app is available for free download in the respective stores).

The main requirement for working with Android devices is Android version 4.3 or higher, for iOS devices — the operating system iOS7 or higher. Note that the watch has 2 batteries installed at once — one for the display, the other for the analogue clock.

Among the advantages, it is also worth highlighting water resistance up to 100 m, as well as protection from shock and dust, which makes the device useful for people leading an active lifestyle.

The elegant design by the French designer Xavier Houy allows both boys and girls to wear watches by simply choosing the right colour. Interchangeable straps of different types will help you choose your own style. The watch can be worn both on the right and on the left hand — for this purpose, a rotary display has been developed, which can be adjusted to a user-friendly hand.

Among the disadvantages, users on the network primarily note the considerable dimensions of the device. Many people would like to see this gadget in a lightweight form and smaller in size. It is noted that sometimes there are problems with the first connection — it takes a long time to establish a connection between the phone and the watch, but this is rather a one-time problem. It should also be noted that the rubber strap of the watch is very branded.

Pebble Watch

The Pebble brand is known all over the world mainly because of the record fees of $ 10 million on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform, which they collected just for the development of these watches.

The model looks like a youth, bright colours and a thick plastic case remind many of an ordinary Chinese children's watch. On the contrary, other users like this design, so it's purely a matter of taste.

Among the other participants in our review, the watch is distinguished by a monochrome e-paper screen with a size of 1.26" with a resolution of 144x168 pixels. This technology outperforms traditional LCD in terms of power consumption and refresh time, which allows you to create beautiful and smooth animations. The watch is powered by a single battery sealed in the case, which makes it airtight and allows it to withstand pressure up to 5 atmospheres. The charge lasts on average for 6-8 days, and recharging takes about an hour.

They are supported by devices with Android 4.0 and higher (although there are rumors on the network that they can be successfully connected to Android 2.X devices), as well as devices of the iOS family. The connection is made using Bluetooth 4.0 technology.

As for the functionality. Firstly, the function of the clock itself is implemented — time display. There is also an alarm clock, but due to the lack of a speaker, the watch can only vibrate. It is possible to control the music playlist on a smartphone — the track name, artist and album name are displayed on the display, but you cannot change the volume or rewind the track.

Like any other smartwatch, the device can display notifications from a smartphone — we are talking about SMS/MMS messages and messages from social networks. Missing a phone from a pocket or bag, the user can answer an incoming call if a headset is connected.

The ability to install third-party applications allows you to significantly expand the functionality of the device and customize it for yourself. But the problem for the Russian-speaking may be the absence of Cyrillic in the proprietary firmware.

Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit

From the name, you can immediately understand that this watch is primarily aimed at active people, but it can also be a very useful acquisition for an ordinary user.

This is the world's first wearable gadget with a curved screen. It is equipped with a 1.84" colour touch screen with a resolution of 432x128 pixels. Protection against water, saw and moisture is provided according to the IP67 standard. A wide selection of themes and wallpapers for the background of the display will allow you to change the design of the device for yourself, the removable strap also contributes to this. Depending on the intensity of use, the battery lasts from 3 to 5 days.

The technical characteristics of the device deserve special attention. In fact, we have practically a mini-computer on hand — a 2-core processor with a frequency of 1 GHz, 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory. Given the possibility of installing third-party applications, all this provides the user with a fairly wide field for experimentation.

Immediately it is worth noting the main disadvantage — Samsung Gear Fit is only compatible with Samsung Galaxy line devices. This does not mean that having any other smartphone with Android 4.3 you will not be able to connect them. Connection is possible, but developers cannot guarantee correct operation. But for the happy owners of the iPhone, the gadget is not suitable at all.

Traditional notifications about new SMS/MMS, incoming calls, calendar events, social media messages or e-mail are implemented. Notification occurs by vibration. It is worth paying attention to the built-in modules of the heart rate monitor, gyroscope and accelerometer, which gives a good opportunity to track your biorhythms when doing sports or active recreation. The usual functions of media content management or phone search are implemented.

At the same time, users on the network note that the heart rate monitor does not always work correctly, it often lies. And with a plentiful flow of incoming messages, all this is mixed up on the screen into a poorly distinguishable mosaic.

LG G Watch

The first thing that distinguishes LG G Watch from other participants in our review is its own OS. Specially developed OS "Android Wear" allows both to work with standard functions (pedometer, timer, accelerometer, alarm clock, timer, reminders, etc.) and to install a lot of third-party applications from the market. But at the same time, the owners of "apple" devices were unlucky again — the devices are incompatible.

As for the technical side, a powerful 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with a clock speed of 1.2 GHz is installed inside the case. Frankly speaking, not all smartphones can boast of such computing capabilities, as well as not all watches need it. A 1.65" capacitive screen with an IPS matrix produces a 280x280 pixel colour image. There is 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory.

One of the main disadvantages of the device is the battery life. Due to the large screen with an IPS matrix, the model consumes a lot of energy, so on average the watch needs to be charged once a day. In other words, this is another device that will have to be charged every night, which may not appeal to all users. But at the same time, charging is carried out through a special docking station, which is more convenient.

The case is made of plastic and is devoid of any buttons. The control is done using the touch screen. The watch is light in weight and almost does not feel on the hand. The IP67 degree of protection means that the device is not afraid of moisture, dust and water. This model already has a microphone through which the owner can give voice commands — Internet search, routing, etc.

Motorola Moto 360

Our review concludes with one of the most interesting smartwatches — the Motorola Moto 360. The first thing that catches your eye is the classic style of execution and the round dial, thanks to which the device can be mistaken for an ordinary mechanical watch. But in fact, there are a lot of interesting things hidden inside the case.

The model boasts a colour touch screen with a resolution of 320x290 pixels and an excellent IPS matrix. The diagonal of the screen is 1.56". The watch is protected from external factors according to the IP67 standard. The hardware is based on a fairly powerful OMAP 3 processor, 512 MB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory. I work on the OS "Android Wear", as well as the previous model of our review. iOS support has not been officially announced.

The package includes a leather strap and a charger. Due to the rough surface of the strap, not all users liked it.

Of the standard features of a smartwatch, there is a heart rate monitor and pedometer, as well as classic notifications of new SMS messages and incoming calls. Thanks to its OS, it is possible to install various third-party applications that expand the functionality of the watch. And this is already the weather forecast, news, social networks, maps and many other things. There are also many themes for desktop design.

As for the disadvantages, the main thing is the short operating time without recharging. On average, there are enough hours for 1 working day (although an induction charging method is implemented). Many third-party programs are poorly adapted to the round display, which often causes incorrect information display. But despite the disadvantages, this watch is an excellent image accessory with its own design.