A couple of years ago, musician Will.i.am decided to hop on board the wearables bandwagon by taking the wraps off the Puls. This is a smartwatch/bangle which as you have probably figured out by now, never really caught on. However the musician is undeterred and has decided to make a return with a new wearable called the Dial, which you can see in the photo to the right.
The device will feature a screen that will display notifications, and will also be able to send emails, text messages, track their fitness, and even take photos thanks to its 2MP front-facing camera. It also comes with 4G connectivity thanks to a SIM card that has been built into the device. Interestingly enough unlike many other smartwatches, the Dial does not need to be tethered to a phone.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Will.i.am said that this was done on purpose. “The reason we built the platform this way is that it is for areas you are truly mobile – in the gym, in a car, on a bike, on a hike, areas where the phone really isn’t meant for. The phone isn’t really meant for a bike in New York. It certainly isn’t meant for a gym where, you have a phone in your pocket, wires everywhere, as you are jump roping.”
It even sports its own voice assistant named AneedA, which according to him sounds like Anita, although we think it actually sounds more like “I need a,” which makes sense when you’re trying to get it to do something, like “I need a restaurant recommendation”, or “I need a definition for this word,” and etc. Either way the Dial is expected to go on sale in the UK in April where it is expected to be priced at £20 a month on a two-year contract with Three as its carrier.
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