CNET Update examines a different breed of Android:
The Android watch has been around since before Google ever existed. Android Watches USA has made traditional timepieces under the Android brand name since 1991. And it's only now that the Florida-based company is getting into wearable tech with the Android SmartWatch. But ironically, it doesn't run Google's Android operating system. It runs the timekeeper's own software.
The CEO of Android Watches USA, Wing Liang, (an iPhone owner) said that as the smartwatch craze heats up, his company is frequently fighting to protect the Android watch trademark from companies that use the Android label for techy wristwear.
To stand out in the sea of smartwatches, Liang's Android models break free from the typical rubber strap to put a focus on style with more than a dozen band designs, including ceramic and alligator skin options.
Tech-wise, the watch syncs with iPhones and Android phones. It can screen texts and answer phone calls Dick Tracy-style with the built-in speaker and microphone. It also can control music and comes with a calculator, alarm and voice memo. Liang said the battery lasts about 90 hours, or three days of moderate use.
The Android SmartWatch was one of many products on display at the Luxury Technology Show in New York City. This episode of Update also highlights some of the more lavish high-tech products showcased, including:
- The over-the-top Emperor LX workstation by MWE Lab.
- The iWallet fingerprint-reading electronic wallet equipped with an alarm.
- Peloton Cycle's exercise bike, which is only worth buying if you subscribe to the $40-a-month cycling classes.
- Stellé's wireless Bluetooth speaker disguised as a clutch purse.
- Prima Cinema's system for watching first-run movies in your home. The investment starts at $35,000 -- and that doesn't include the movies.
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