I’m not against smartwatches but personally I prefer wearing a conventional wristwatch. This is one of the reasons why these devices are tough to sell to some people, particularly those who are very picky about the watch brand they wear. But what if it was possible to have the features of a smartwatch without actually having to give up your existing wristwatch? Glance makes that possible.
Its billed as the world’s first “smart accessory” that can turn an existing watch into a smartwatch. This lightweight device is crafted out of aluminium and it fits on the wristband of a watch. There’s a small OLED display, an LED notifier as well as 3D motion detection and Bluetooth 4.0 for connecting with an Android or iOS smartphone. Support is promised for even BlackBerry and Windows Phone down the line.
Waterproof up to five ATM like majority of the wristwatches these days, Glance is available in three sizes that can fit different strap widths including 18mm, 22mm and 26mm. Most watches are within this range so compatibility won’t be a big issue.
On the small OLED display Glance can show you caller ID, read incoming messages with Spritz power reading and even allows you to respond to messages quickly by the touch of a button. Another touch can help locate a paired phone. Its even possible to use it as a controller for a smart TV. According to the team behind Glance its battery is good for a week on a single charge.
Like many other similar products Glance too is a project seeking crowdfunding. Kiwi Wearables aims to raise $150,000 CAD through a Kickstarter campaign to start production. Pledging $70 CAD now makes you eligible for one Glance unit that’s estimated to be delivered by October 2014.
Filed in . Read more about Crowdfunding, Kickstarter, Smartwatches and Wearable Tech.