The IronMan One GPS+ also promises to keep you from being eaten by bears
So far, smartwatches have
existed fundamentally as extensions of your phone — their primary value
is in alleviating the need to pull your phone out of your pocket every
time anything happens. But Timex's new IronMan One GPS+ is designed to
let you forget your phone at home: with a 3G radio inside and a number
of built-in communication tools, it's a fully independent device.
The $399.95 One GPS+ looks a
lot like Timex just strapped a chunky, ugly computer on your wrist. It
has an always-on Mirasol display just like the Qualcomm Toq,
and an icon-based homescreen. Timex says it's every bit as rugged and
water-resistant (up to 50m) as its other IronMan models. In every other
way, though, it's nothing like anything Timex has done before. It has a
3G radio built in, and can handle basic messaging right from your wrist.
It comes with a year of free data from AT&T, after which you'll
have to sign up for an as-yet-unannounced plan. With GPS, it can
activate a "Find Me" mode with one tap if you get lost, or can
live-track you as you run a marathon or just disappear into the
wilderness. (Timex's example for its SOS mode in its own marketing materials
suggests you could send loved ones "help! I am being chased by a
bear.") Timex says it'll get eight hours of battery with GPS enabled,
and three days of more regular use.
Timex has a different vision for smartwatches
Like any IronMan watch, the One
GPS+ is made mostly for athletes. (Like, for instance, people who do
IronMan competitions.) It can track speed and distance, and can upload
your workout data to any of a number of online services — again, without
needing your phone. There's even 4GB of storage and a Bluetooth radio,
so your smartwatch can double as an iPod on your wrist.
Timex has a 160-year history of
making watches, which led it to a decidedly different vision for a
smartwatch. The One GPS+ doesn't get notifications from your smartphone,
doesn't tell you what's next on your calendar. It's a connected
wearable intended to help athletes and adventurers be safer, smarter,
and just a little bit more connected. It's not complicated, it doesn't
require anything else to work. It's not quite like anything we've seen
before.
Josh Lowensohn contributed to this report.
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