Smartwatch war: Samsung, Qualcomm enter the fray [Photos]
Samsung and Qualcomm both announced smartwatches, intensifying the war over wearable gadgets.
Although Samsung and Qualcomm are now the two biggest players to enter the fray, a handful of small companies have already been battling it out in the emerging smartwatch market.
And in the next few months, it promises to get even more crowded and intense, as the likes of Apple, Microsoft and Google look to chime in with their own wrist gear.
For now, here are some of the smartwatches already on the market or coming soon.
Samsung Galaxy GearSamsung’s smartwatch appears to be able to do it all. The device can make calls, show email alerts, respond to voice commands, run apps and even take pictures. It also has a nice design and a 1.63-inch touchscreen. It connects with some Samsung devices, and it rolls out in the U.S. in October. Samsung has not said how much it would cost.
Qualcomm Toq
The Toq (which is pronounced “talk”) is the chipmaker’s entry into the market. The Toq also features a touchscreen and displays incoming calls, messages and other alerts. The device’s battery is capable of lasting for days, and a special version of the Toq can connect wireless with stereo headphones that can be used to listen to music.
The Toq works with devices with Android 4.0.3 and above, and it will launch later this year. No price has been given.
Pebble
Up until now, Pebble has been the most well-known smartwatch. That’s because last year it broke the record for most money raised on the crowd-sourcing site Kickstarter, accumulating more than $10 million. Since then, the Pebble has launched and is even available at Best Buy stores.
This watch shows alerts, lets users control the music on their phone and runs apps. It sells for $150.
Martian
The Martian doesn’t have a big screen like its rivals -- instead it looks like a regular watch. But this device is all about voice commands. Android and iPhone users can connect their device with a Martian watch, then use it to make calls, dictate messages or set reminders, among other actions. Martian watches also have a small display that shows messages.
There are a number of Martian watches, starting at $300.
Cookoo
The Cookoo watch is one of the cheapest available smartwatches, starting at $129. Its face is a mix of a regular watch -- with hour, minute and second hands -- and a display, which it uses to show alerts.
The Cookoo buzzes when you have a message, reminder or if you forgot your iPhone or iPad. You can also use the device to perform a number of other actions, such as trigger the camera on your smartphone or check in on Facebook.
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