Some interesting updates here:

http://ameinfo.com/luxury-lifestyle...tag-heuer-to-launch-1200-tag-wear-in-october/

- Launch in October
- Won't be called a "TAG Heuer"- will instead be branded "TAG Wear"
- Price Approx. $1200
- TAG Heuer planning to set up an R&D facility in Silicon Valley

 

Very interesting; the price is below what I expected, but we'll see if the market reacts positively.

 

The part of the TAG Heuer/ Google/ Intel deal that I don't understand is how the "TAG Wear" product will be different to Fossil watch, which also involves Google and Intel (Link)

So, will the insides of the two watches be basically the same? Perhaps a faster processor/ better battery in the TAG? Obviously you'd expect that the design and materials will be very different, but I'm interested to understand how the technical specs of what Google and Intel bring will be different for the two deals

 

Judging from your profile pic, you'd know!

 

Another important factoid from the same event: the planned battery time is 40 hours, radically better than the 18 hours of the Apple Watch.

Incidentally, I've been using the Apple Watch for the last week or so and the general feeling is one of disappointment:
- Beautifully designed and made
- Battery life better than expected...not an issue in daily use
- BUT, the watch ends up feeling like a glorified remote control for your iPhone. The camera and music apps on the watch for example simply activate and control those function on the phone. Now these are functions that I want or need on a watch, but I'd rather they weren't there at all instead of just being a remote

 

And this is why I think there is a good opportunity for TAG Heuer to get their Smartwatch right- if Apple had redefined the category (as they usually do), then it would be a very hard act to follow. But there are enough limitations there for other people to get it right before Apple does

 

I've still got a month to wait until my space black link bracelet apple watch arrives, one thing to keep in mind is that currently apps aren't native and don't have access to all the features like accelerometer, gyroscope, etc etc in the watch, later half of the year that's going to be changing.

 

Here's an interesting take on one person's opinion on changes needed to the Android Wear platform:

http://www.cnet.com/news/where-android-wear-should-go-from-here/

 

Theres another interesting player just released called Olio but I think its a bit mediocre on the watch front:

https://www.oliodevices.com/

Ultimately I think the Apple Watch & TAG Gear are going to be sort of in a class of their own on the finishing and detail front, had a play with an LG a week or so ago and jeez its a poorly made piece of crap, feels like something you see in the display cabinet and Mister Minit.

 

All eyes on Google I/O 2015, which will happen next week. Hopefully we'll see then what's in store for Android Ware.

 

Received my black Apple Watch sport band... but no watch shipping until June

In the mean time I'll play with my strap and imagine what could be...

At this rate the TAG Wear might be out before I receive my Space Black Apple Watch on link bracelet...

 

Man, I went in to the Apple Shop to buy that strap yesterday but they were sold out...now I know why! Instead I bought the Milanese Loop, which was A$229- the same price as the leather strap, which surprised me a bit.


Small point- the sales packaging for the watch, whether it's the strap or the watch itself is absolutely first rate.

 

It gets even better, have you seen the box for the Edition model? It has a plug on the back and turns into a docking station for the watch.

 

Yet another twist?

http://www.wareable.com/android-wea...-reveals-name-of-first-luxury-smartwatch-1191

- Article speculated that the watch will be called the "Carrera Wearable 01" based on the following comment from JCB:

"There is no other choice for Tag Heuer than to have all its DNA, all its watchmaking emotion and flair into the connected watch. Somehow, one should not see from a certain distance the difference between a Carrera Heuer 01 and a Carrera Wearable 01"'

Not clear whether this really is the name.

The big news in this article is the upgradable part- this is something I have heard direct from Biver, that the aim is to be able to offer buyers the chance to upgrade the electronic components.