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Google smart watch heading for production, report says

Google Glass 2.0 is coming to a face near you, and reports say Google is close to putting a smart watch on your wrist too.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm
2 min read

Google Glass 2.0 is coming to a face near you, and reports say Google is in final talks to put an Android-powered smart watch on your wrist too. With a focus on battery life and useful information from Google Now, the rumoured Google watch could trump the Samsung Galaxy Gear and Sony SmartWatch 2 -- and maybe beat Apple's heavily rumoured iWatch.

The Wall Street Journal reports the smart watch is in the late stages of development, and Google is in discussions to begin mass production.

Like wearable rivals such as the Gear and SmartWatch 2, the rumoured Google watch will run on Android software. It's set to make use of Google Now, which draws on your email and calendar to give you information such as travel information, telling you what you need to know before you even knew you needed someone to tell you what you needed to know.

Previous rumours suggest the Google watch could be called the Google Gem. Other companies reported to be readying a watch include Nokia and Microsoft, which is also said to be working on a face-based rival to Google Glass.

Glass act 

Google already has wearable technology adorning early adopters' faces: Google Glass, which puts a camera, computer and tiny screen in a pair of spectacles. A second generation of the Big G's high-tech specs is on the way, and the good news for the first wave of Glass Explorers -- yes, really -- is that they're getting the new version when it's released, for nowt.

And although it's not on sale to the public yet, the new version of Glass will be available to a wider circle of people, with current owners able to invite up to three friends to buy the face-furnishing gadget.

I've asked Google for comment on both the smart watch and Glass. Google is yet to confirm whether people in the UK or Europe will be able to order Glass any time soon.

Specs for the new generation of Glass haven't been announced, but Google has revealed that for the first time you'll be able to wear Glass if you're already a speccy four-eyes like me (or at least like I was until I got lazors blasted into my eyeballz).

Would you wear a Google smart watch? Are you tempted by Glass? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.