Hands on: Sony SmartWatch 2 review
We're currently putting the Sony SmartWatch 2 through its paces in our in-depth review, so check back here soon for the full review!
With all the hoo-ha surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Gear, we've take another close look at the other smartwatch - and one with a more obvious name too.
The Sony Smartwatch 2 doesn't attempt to do as much as the recently-announced Galaxy Gear, but it's a sleeker and more focused beast as a result.
Shorn of the need to speak to your wrist, the Smartwatch 2 instead becomes a companion to smartphones running Android 4.0 and above, offering more basic functionality.
The Smartwatch 2 is decently designed - there are metal and rubber watch straps to choose from, and without the camera that adorns the Gear you've got far more flexibility, as most standard straps fit the watch.
It looks far more like a watch than the Samsung version for one simple reason: it doesn't have to turn off. The power key on the side is there for when you want to fire the display up a notch, but in general standby mode the display will revert to a low-power clock face.
It's a little tricky to hit that side button, but it's chunky and easy to find without twisting your wrist in a rather unnatural way to see where you're pressing.
Otherwise, the design of the Smartwatch 2 ticks all the boxes we could have hoped for, in that it's sleek, light enough to be unobtrusive and looks premium. Most importantly of all, it doesn't look like a geeky smartwatch. It's more something like a fashion house of Diesel's nature might come up with.
The main draw of the Smartwatch 2 (Sony is keen to point out this is actually the third or fourth iteration of its wrist-based gadgetry, but the naming convention took precedence here) is the fact it's not only touchscreen based but runs a heavily cut-down version of its Android overlay.
It's a very simple system to cycle through, with homescre ens expanding as you download more apps for your watch. These are increasing all the time, and while there's no specific number to crow about, privately Sony is pretty chirpy about how far ahead of its South Korean watch-rival it is in terms of app numbers.
The screen is 1.6-inches with 220 x 176 resolution, which is smaller and lower res than the Galaxy Gear. It's not high resolution either, and feels like a companion device when flicking through the apps rather than giving the 'headliner' feel that you get with the Gear.
That said, at least Sony's Smartwatch 2 is water resistant, coming in with an IP57 rating to make it something you can keep on the wrist when washing up.
It's also got a much longer battery life, with 6-7 days apparently easy to manage if you only use it to get text notifications and call updates on the arm.
And the final kicker? It's only going to cost around £170. The Gear will be nearly double that.
Early verdict
The Sony Smartwatch 2 is the ideal companion for your Android Ice Cream Sandwich or above smartphone, making it an almost universally appealing device.
It's got sleek lines, a lower price and a decent range of apps available at launch, making it a toy you can legitimately ask for at Christmas and then spend all day playing with.
The Smartwatch 2 doesn't suffer from the lag we've seen with so many other smartwatches, and a long battery life makes it a much better proposition for the charging-naysayer than the Galaxy Gear.
Technologically speaking, it doesn't have the specs to match the Gear, nor does it have the functionality.
But for those looking for a simple device that quietly alerts them to texts, calls and Facebook updates, this could be an ideal candidate to replace the Timex.
Hands on gallery
Official gallery
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