NEW YORK, Nov 3 ― If you were hoping that the Michael Bastian-designed HP smartwatch would offer the perfect blend of classical chronometric form and high-tech function, you might be disappointed.
The MB Chronowing will officially go on sale exclusively through Gilt on November 7 for US$649 (RM2,153), but the Wall Street Journal has managed to get a sneak peek at the intelligent timepiece ahead of its official launch.
And the first thing to note is that it uses a monochrome LCD display to extend battery life (HP claims seven days' use between charges), however the display will not respond to taps, swipes or gestures. No, all interaction is via one of three buttons mounted on the right-hand side of the bezel.
Unlike Android Wear watches and the upcoming Apple Watch, there's no motion or vital-statistics tracking, as there are no accelerometers or heart rate sensors and there's no microphone for voice commands.
So, for US$649, what can the watch do? It can display the time and incoming messages, the weather forecast and stock prices. Using the Android or iOS app will let users choose other information to display instead.
Bastian told the Wall Street Journal that he's "not so much of a tech guy" and that the watch is "intended to make you more polite," the point of the HP MB Chronowing being to stop people endlessly glancing at their phones every time there's an alert, while in others' company, by allowing them to glance at their wrist instead.
As well as the premium US$649 edition which boasts a sapphire glass crystal and an alligator skin strap, a more affordable version with a choice of interchangeable leather, nylon or rubber strap will also be available for US$349, which puts it on a par with Apple's upcoming Apple Watch and makes it US$100 more than the stylish and more tech-focused Moto 360 which is already on general sale.. ― AFP-Relaxnews
