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By now, I’m sure most of us have heard all about the various smart watches such as Samsung’s Gear, Sony’s SmartView, and the soon to be released Android Wear range, with Motorola and LG leading the charge with their Moto 360 and G Watch offerings. There are others out there though, and one of these is produced by MOTA, a company that sells a variety of niche devices, ranging from drones, portable power banks, 3D printers and even a Google Glass competitor called Smart Glass. They have just launched the MOTA SmartWatch G2, a follow up to their G1 smart watch. At first glance, it looks a little like a mash-up of a smart watch and a fitness band.
MOTA’s SmartWatch G2 is both iOS and Android compatible, offering the ‘ability to seamlessly integrate with Siri as well as Google Now’, being able to check emails and setup appointments. The G2 can also be used to answer phone calls, displaying the contacts name or number on its display, thus negating the need to check your smart phone to check who is calling, which means your smart phone can stay in your pocket undisturbed. MOTA says that sound is delivered by Premium quality speakers, and that the display is of the OLED type.
Standby time is around 72 hours, with talk time limited to 3 hours. 3 hours talk time doesn’t sound like much at all, but then again, just how long do you need to chat via your smart watch? It depends if you are going to use your smart watch as your primary or secondary communications device. After 2-3 hours attached to the supplied USB charger, the G2 is fully charged and ready to go again. The 3 hour talk time isn’t helped by the fact that for some reason, MOTA chose to eschew Bluetooth 4.0 LE, only supporting up to Bluetooth standard 3.0. A strange choice indeed, especially when considering that the later, more efficient version of Bluetooth is widely supported amongst today’s smart phones.
The SmartWatch G2 is available to fit both 7 and 7.5 inch wrist sizes, and can be had in Black or white. Its available from June 20 for $79.99 (£47). This isn’t really going to compete with the Android Wear range, but then again, it’s selling for a much lower price. Expect to see the MOTA SmartWatch G2, and other devices like it, being given as presents by less knowledgeable parents and grandparents, much like what happens with those cheap tablets that are sold on the late-night shopping channels on tv. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or at our Google Plus page.
