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Sony's SmartWatch 2: A better high-tech ticker (pictures)

At $199 the new Sony SmartWatch 2 pushes e-mails, texts, calls, and other critical phone info straight to your wrist.

Brian Bennett
Brian Bennett is a former senior writer for the home and outdoor section at CNET.
Brian Bennett
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1 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Simple, effective watch faces

The Sony SmartWatch 2 only comes equipped with five watch faces out of the box, but they're all simple and easy to read.
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2 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Merge phone and watch

Using an Android-compatible operating system, the Sony SmartWatch 2 links phones running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and up via a companion app.
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3 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Familiar Xperia style

If the Sony SmartWatch 2's styling and design language look familiar, that's because it's made to complement Sony's Xperia smartphones. Square and flat, the device has a big, circular power button on its right side.
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4 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

A silicone strap

The Sony SmartWatch 2 comes standard with a black silicone strap. The watch can accept regular watch bands, though, and Sony sells multiple color and leather options at $19.99 a pop.
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5 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Analog or digital?

Sony's SmartWatch 2 comes with a few analog-style watch faces as well.
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6 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Add your own clocks

While the Sony SmartWatch 2 has a limited number of watch faces preloaded, you can add your own from third-party developers. Sadly, the device treats them as apps, so they'll stop running if other software or events takes precedence.
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7 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Check your schedule

Download calendar apps through the Google Play store to use on the Sony SmartWatch 2.
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8 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Button up the hatches

On the Sony SmartWatch 2's left side is a Micro-USB port for charging the device's battery. It's hidden under a soft plug so that the gizmo can meet its water resistant IP57 durability rating.
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9 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Flexible and comfy to wear

The Sony SmartWatch 2's strap buckles like a regular timepiece and is comfortable enough to wear all day.
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10 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Reply with a text

When calls hit your phone, the Sony SmartWatch 2 alerts you and also provides the option to respond with a text message.
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11 of 11 Sarah Tew/CNET

Music control

The Sony SmartWatch 2 has a music player app that is designed to command your phone's audio software. It can be quirky at times, either using the standard Android music player or launching the Google Play Music app seemingly at random.

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