Watches, the loyal wrist mainstays that have persisted for hundreds of years, are the latest objects to be reinterpreted through the lenses of modern consumer design and technology. Meta, previously known as MetaWatch, has been one of the few companies at the forefront of designing, announcing, and, crucially, shipping Bluetooth-enabled watches. When I reviewed the MetaWatch Strata last year, I called it an impressive and hardy first attempt at making a durable early-adopter smartwatch. The narrative seems to have changed this year, though: the new Meta M1 is an impressive and luxurious watch that just so happens to be smarter than usual. If Meta targeted early adopters and fervent smartwatch fans last year, they’ve completely shifted the focus and magnitude of their aimed audience. The M1 is meant for watch collectors and aficionados who seek a timepiece that bears technological sophistication, smarts, and, perhaps most successfully, restraint. When I interviewed CEO Bill Geiser last year, he was confident in his philosophy that technological watches should be used, glanced at, and worn like typical watches. Finally, it seems, that vision has been fulfilled.
The M1 is a calculated and thoughtful interpretation of the modern watch. Designed by Frank Nuovo, almost every aspect of the timepiece bears a certain sophistication and complexity. This is immediately evident upon opening up the packaging and observing the polished casing complete with six buttons (each with its own ornamentation), a set of rotating lugs, and glass screen under which the bezel and black-and-white display. This is a watch you’ll be proud to wear, and it really doesn’t conform to any design style I’ve seen yet. It’s at once a throwback to the first digital watches, a small microcosm of the luxury materials (styles range from rose gold and crocodile straps to a stunning brown leather combination), and an evolution of Nuovo’s previous work. Meta has radically changed nearly every element from their previous work. The pixels are no longer reflective, and are of a higher resolution. The available colour options are attractive and diverse. The metal casing is heavy and feels solid. The glass is flush with the bezel. Even the charging clip has been improved. I'm shocked at how much the watch has changed within a single year; most standard technology simply iterates year-over-year; last year’s MetaWatches are simply not comparable to this year’s model.
The Meta’s battery life is similarly spectacular. I might be idiosyncratic, but I tend to sync my watches with my phone once every few days, the leave the Bluetooth off. The M1 lasts between two and three weeks with this configuration, and gives about a day's worth of warning before it runs out of battery. The battery should last between three and five days for those using it with Bluetooth on a daily basis.
The M1 is compatible with iOS and Android, and the app is well-made. It is clear that Meta has put a lot of thought into the applications, and they allow for a seamless connection to be made between watch and phone (or tablet). One of my favourites features is how the watch vibrates to let you know when it has been disconnected.
The operating system behind the M1 is unlike anything I've ever seen on a watch, with perhaps the exception of the original MetaWatch. Unlike other smart watches, I haven't heard any plans for an app store, though developers are free to experiment with the watch as they please. Rather, Meta had focused on creating and curating their own selection of miniature 'programs' and watch faces. The watch faces range from replicating the rounds shape of a dress watch to displaying a digital read-out of the time with the silhouetted skyline of a city in the background. My favourite face was simply a readable, digital display rendered in a fantastic font. I'd love to see over-the-air updates include new watch faces (such as classic world skylines for the silhouette face, and some more minimalist time readouts). Speaking of updates, the Meta M1 app is able to deliver them to the watch wirelessly in a matter of minutes. This allows for iterative updates fixing bugs and adding new features to be easily transmitted, and I hope to see it used to good effect.
The M1 also has a small suite of mini-apps that allow for quick and generally practical functions of be accomplished. There is a Bluetooth music control program, and a small timer. There is a a weather app and a useful calendar app. Pleasantly, most of these apps can be modified to look or work differently, often containing an array of screens and functions. The Meta is easy to operate, and I found screens like the calendar view to be genuinely useful. The weather app images were also gorgeous, although I'd really prefer if it were able to display the temperature in degrees Celsius (I always get excited when I think that Canada is suddenly warmer than usual; the frequent snowfall outside brings me back to reality).The M1 notification system is also well thought-out. A notification on your phone or tablet yields small vibration and screen on the watch. It doesn't incessantly beep or bother you, but rather presents itself once, discreetly.
Little details about the M1 indicate how much attention has gone into the watch. This is absolutely a product for those looking for a smartwatch that is closer to a timepiece than a miniature computer. The build quality is equivalent to that of many similar-priced watches, and far beyond most smartphones and other gadgets.
Seemingly minuscule features like the glaze-like polish of the case, and the manipulable lugs elevate the style and finesse of the M1 far past most other watches - smart or not! - in the price category. Frank Nuovo's refined style coupled with Bill Geiser's prescient vision results in a watch which, in my opinion, will eventually be seen as the first smartwatch worth collecting as a 'vintage', and allows a glimpse of what tomorrow's personalized technology sector will be able to offer. The M1 is one of my favourite daily-wear watches; when I reviewed the Strata, I said I was excited for what came next. With the M1, my feelings have changed. I don't know what's next for Meta, but that's ok: I'm delighted with what they have available right now. The Meta M1 is the first classic smartwatch.
يتطور سوق الأجهزة القابلة للإرتداء والساعات الذكية على الخصوص يوما بعد يوم مع دخول شركات تصنيع أخرى السوق إلى جانب بيبل، سامسونج، إل جي وموتورولا وغيرهم. وإذا كنت تبحث عن ساعة ذكية متميزة وتقدم العديد من الميزات الفريدة، اليوم نلقى نظرة على ساعة Meta M1 الذكية من شركة MetaWatch والمتوفرة للطلب المسبق الآن على أن يبدأ الشحن في سبتمبر المقبل.
وتبدأ الأسعار من 249 دولار، وتصل إلى 449 دولار اعتمادا…
Hoy en día existen infinidad de smartwatches en el mercado, cada uno con una peculiaridad y para todos los gustos, unos con Android Wear, otros con Tizen, el Pebble o incluso el futuro iWatch, pero hoy vamos a hablar de uno totalmente distinto y que ya está disponible para reservar.
Este smartwatch recibe el nombre de Meta M1 y ha sido diseñado por el respetado diseñador de Nokia y Vertu, Frank Nuovo. Este dispositivo, al ser para llevar encima, lleva la elegancia a un nuevo nivel, incluyendo una gran variedad de correas y materiales para que el usuario siempre este a la moda. El modelo básico tiene un precio de 249 $ (186 €), mientras que el modelo más elegante, que es de acero inoxidable, ronda los 449 $ (335 €).
El Meta M1 está disponible en un total de ocho variantes diferentes, que cubren varios materiales, como el caucho, el cuero, el acero inoxidable y cinco colores diferentes (negro, blanco, rojo, plata y oro). La pantalla es rectangular, y utiliza una tecnología parecida a la e-ink, que podemos ver en modelos como el Pebble, las ventajas de este tipo de pantallas, es que su visibilidad a plena luz del sol es perfecta, además este smartwatch, es compatible tanto con Android como con iOS y dispone de su propia aplicacion oficial, para configurar las distintas notificaciones de nuestro smartphone.
En cuanto a la batería, el Meta M1 nos ofrece según los diseñadores, una autonomía de 5 a 7 días y podrá ser cargado por completo en tan sólo 2 horas. Entre otras características, nos encontramos con que es resistente al agua y cuenta con iluminación para poder visualizar la pantalla por la noche.
Según los diseñadores, el Meta M1 fue diseñado principalmente para ser un reloj y el resto de funciones “inteligentes” están en segundo lugar. Si os habéis animado en hacer una reserva, los relojes empezarán a mandarse en el mes de septiembre.
¿Qué os parece el Meta M1?
[Fuente]
Meta M1, el smartwatch que lleva la elegancia a otro nivel #Noticias #Smartwatch Hoy en día existen infinidad de smartwatches en el mercado, cada uno con una peculiaridad y para todos los gustos, unos con Android Wear, otros con Tizen, el Pebble o incluso el futuro iWatch, pero hoy vamos a hablar de uno totalmente distinto y que ya está disponible para reservar.
