With Apple's 'iWatch' around the corner, Wellograph releases sapphire smartwatch
Sapphire is a key component of at least one smartwatch that will make its way into consumers' hands this fall, as startup Wellograph on Tuesday officially announced the availability of its fashion-conscious, fitness-tracking wrist-worn device.
Wellograph's eponymous device features a metal construction that appears somewhat more sleek than competitive smartwatches from companies like LG and Samsung. The face is covered in sapphire crystal, a traditional covering for watch faces -- Wellograph calls it a "luxe material" -- that has become en vogue in the consumer electronics space in recent months.
The smartwatch will track wearers' heart rate, displaying the pulse in beats per minute and tracking high, average, and resting heart rate. Wearers can also see a breakdown of their daily activity that includes an up-to-the-minute breakdown of how much time they were active as well as calories burned.
In addition, a weekly view will show the frequency, intensity, and time of the wearer's activity for that week.
Like most other wrist-worn devices, Wellograph will also function as a pedometer and sports a stopwatch feature. Built-in historical comparison functionality will let wearers compare their walking activity against the previous day as well as a self-defined step goal.
The company says Wellograph will operate independently of a smartphone or tablet, and can store as much as four months of activity on its internal memory before it needs to be offloaded to an iOS, Android, or Windows Phone device. The built-in battery is said to be good for up to seven days of operation.
Wellograph is available for $349 in black chrome or brown from Amazon and directly from Wellograph's website. Additional straps can be purcahsed for $49 each.
Those who have already pre-ordered a Wellograph will receive their devices by Sept. 12, and it will go on sale in Microsoft stores in "mid-September."
Wellograph's eponymous device features a metal construction that appears somewhat more sleek than competitive smartwatches from companies like LG and Samsung. The face is covered in sapphire crystal, a traditional covering for watch faces -- Wellograph calls it a "luxe material" -- that has become en vogue in the consumer electronics space in recent months.
The smartwatch will track wearers' heart rate, displaying the pulse in beats per minute and tracking high, average, and resting heart rate. Wearers can also see a breakdown of their daily activity that includes an up-to-the-minute breakdown of how much time they were active as well as calories burned.
In addition, a weekly view will show the frequency, intensity, and time of the wearer's activity for that week.
Like most other wrist-worn devices, Wellograph will also function as a pedometer and sports a stopwatch feature. Built-in historical comparison functionality will let wearers compare their walking activity against the previous day as well as a self-defined step goal.
The company says Wellograph will operate independently of a smartphone or tablet, and can store as much as four months of activity on its internal memory before it needs to be offloaded to an iOS, Android, or Windows Phone device. The built-in battery is said to be good for up to seven days of operation.
Wellograph is available for $349 in black chrome or brown from Amazon and directly from Wellograph's website. Additional straps can be purcahsed for $49 each.
Those who have already pre-ordered a Wellograph will receive their devices by Sept. 12, and it will go on sale in Microsoft stores in "mid-September."
Comments
I'd hate to release a watch like this now, especially if Apple actually does announce something on the 9th.
That’s pretty, I guess. Really, REALLY thick, but it’s a neat design.
The software, on the other hand…
An homage to the NeXT cube maybe. Needs to be about 3 times thicker though.
Looks fine on a wrist, but ugly on its own. That would never pass Apple's standards.
Fortunately for them, they won't have any problem producing enough sapphire to make the 15 Wellographs they'll sell this year.
Pass
so it is an overpriced fitbit that will make getting your hand through a jacket sleeve or into your pocket impossible. $350 for that?
Pass
Sounds great! /s
That is one ugly watch. I would like a modern smart watch type device for lack of a better term but I also don't want to wear plastic or leather bands. The design of a watch is even more important than a phone since it is so visible on your wrist. You can hide an ugly phone in a case or your pocket if you wanted but on your wrist it will make a far bigger fashion statement. I want something I won't be embarrassed to wear. My Breitling that I bought nearly 25 years ago is just as stylish today as it was then. I hope they consider the band along with just the face and software. Plastic or leather won't cut it for me. Even better would be a band that would allow you to swap out a new iWatch face later on but keep the band. The iWatch part will likely get dated quickly but no reason why a high quality band couldn't be used for decades.
Big, square, protruding monochrome brick. Thanks, but I'll wait to see if any other company brings a competitor to market.
Really hoping to see what watch Apple turns out. I predict:
It will be oval, thin and curved slightly, with the thumb button and other utility items located in the ends of the oval, leaving a rectangular or square viewing area.
Hoping for a neat slap-on wristband that self sizes. Don't know what they would make the band out of, but I've seen plastic bracelets like that. Lots of customization possibilities from the fashion gurus they hired.
Oh well, that's why I don't work at Apple huh.
Seven days of battery? That's pretty good.
That thing is hideously ugly. Whoever designed that should be fired from his or her job.
Again- who wants to wear or needs these things???
Depends on what it looks like, what it is capable of, and how much it costs.
As far as "need" that would be no one. You only need three things: Food, water, and shelter.
That thing is hideously ugly. Whoever designed that should be fired from his or her job.
I doubt by looking at it was designed per se....
more like - great, circuit board is working fine, software is almost done, now someone find a nice small enclosure for the pcb, oh, and don't forget it needs a strap, oh- and sapphire glass or something so it doesn't get scratched. And hurry up, I hear apple might try to do their version soon....
Seriously--companies have been running WAY too hard chasing Apple rumors! (Probably nearly unrelated to any actual Apple product!) Apple set a trend without even DOING anything!