So far, there hasn’t been one particular smartwatch that has inspired universal admiration at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, but with so many new wearable devices to choose from there’s sure to be one for every taste.
Guess Connect
Fashion line Guess has partnered with Martian Watches to create what is touted by today’s press release as a “multi-function, fashion chic smartwatch line.” One of the more interesting features of the Guess Connect is that the Martian technology is updatable and replaceable. On one hand, this means that it will be easy to replace an outdated module with a newer, more advanced piece of technology. It also means that you’ll be paying for that updated technology as long as you keep the watch.
The water-resistant Guess Connect case contains a Martian module with microphone and clear audio speaker. Martian’s dual-mode functionality offers voice command functions via Classic Bluetooth while at the same time using Bluetooth LE for hands-free and eyes-free notifications from iOS or Android apps.
The Guess Connect, which comes in styles for men or women, is certainly one of the more attractive and fashionable of the new batch of smartwatches.
Lenovo VIBE Band VB10
At $89, the new Lenovo VIBE VB10 is a good value for a wearable device that does most of the things you want a wearable device to do, but it’s not very innovative or interesting. The VIBE’s e-ink display shows notifications from calls, messages or social media and works with either iOS or Android. You also get the usual fitness and activity tracking with battery life of up to a week.
Garmin Epix
The Epix is one of two wearable devices that are being introduced at CES 2015 by GPS experts Garmin and one of the more expensive smartwatches of this year’s selection. Garmin calls the Epix a “first-of-its-kind hands-free navigation device designed for outdoor enthusiasts.” Presumably, that means outdoor enthusiasts who are prone to getting lost frequently and are willing to spend some serious cash to avoid this in the future.
The Garmin Epix comes equipped with a 1.4” hi-res touchscreen and 8GB of internal storage for saving maps. Also included are an “omni-directional EXO steel antenna with GPS and GLONASS support” plus a shaded relief basemap of the world.
In addition to its GPS features, the Epix has the usual fitness tracking capabilities and heart rate monitor. You may need that monitor after you see the price for the Garmin Epix: $549.99.
Garmin Fēnix 3
The second new wearable from Garmin is the Fēnix 3, described at a “next generation multisport GS watch.” This smartwatch is ready for outdoor fun with a hi-res display that is easily readable outdoors, 20 hours of battery life in GPS mode and water resistance to 100 meters.
Prices for the Fēnix 3 start at $499.99 for the basic gray model and go up to $599.99 for the version with a more durable premium sapphire lens.
CES will be going on all week so there will be more smartwatches and wearables coming.
