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This article ponders the question "Will 2013 be the year of the smartwatch?" It begins by describing some of the failed attempts by companies at wearable tech. In 2004, Microsoft created the SPOT watch which used FM radio waves to display information such as stock quotations, weather forecasts, and news. At launch this device was $800 which was a huge turnoff for many consumers, and was proven when the device died in 2008. In 2009, Samsung also had an attempt at wearable technology with their S9910 which debuted in Europe. At a 450 Euro price tag, this was also too expensive for consumers, and along with limited functionality this device was destined to be a flop. Now with more functionality possibilities and low cost production, companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, LG, and Samsung are able to create modern, functional smartwatches. It is also encouraging that Pebble recently funded over $10 million for their smartwatch on Kickstarter. So will 2013 be the year of the smartwatch?

Smartwatches are like the gateway to the future. With Samsung's first version of "Gear", customers were able to wear an Android powered watch which is able to hook up to your phone and provide you various services like to take quick pictures, text or call a contact using the voice control software and even access your media through the features installed in it. This time however in the new release of "Gear 2", instead of using Android, Samsung has decided to power the smartwatch on Tizen servers, making a clear message of wanting to be more independent of Android and ultimately Google. As Samsung has previously always been linked with Android, switching to Tizen is like a big change. Even though customers with untrained eyes may never see the difference between Gear (Android) and Gear 2 (Tizen) - myself included, having Tizen as an alternative to Android might be good for the company because now they are more in control of their future actions. Whether or not the software is different, the Gear 2 seems like a very useful piece of technology for someone who is in a rush and needs to take or leave quick messages. It is also efficient and not easy to lose because you are wearing it. With just a flick of the wrist, Samsung's smartwatch allows one to do many activities in a small amount of time.

The article I'm about to review is called "Apple 'experimenting' with the curved glass smartwatch". This article briefly describes how the company Apple is experimenting with the curved glass smartwatch.  This curved glass technology, or as Apple calls it the iWatch, has begun developing around February 10, 2013. The iWatch will wrap around your wrist, and will act as a curved glass iPod.  The watch will connect via Bluetooth, and alert users for incoming messages. The iWatch also features a range of applications to use, including a whole range of applications that are targeted at cyclist. For example, the iWatch can be used to track the speed of which your bike is going, act as a GPS and record distance and pace data. In conclusion, this curved glass smart watch, or more simplistically, the iWatch, is hopefully the next big hit for Apple.

This article is about the Pebble e-paper watch, it is the newer version of the inPulse Smartwatch. The price of the watch  is $149 but it isn't out yet to buy. This watch can receive emails, calls, and other devices from Bluetooth. The watch is 1.26 inches and comes in three different colours: white, black, and red. I can last for more than seven days without charging it. You can play music on it as well and use it when you're doing various activities. 

Apple is heading towards making a smart IWatch. Federico Ciccarese has developed a wearable device called the "ISiri Smartwatch" which is connected to the iPhone via Bluetooth. The ISiri Smart watch is connected to a wristband or ear buds and users can get the same experience as if they were using an iphone. This can be used for anything!  including directions to scores for a hockey game or what time your movie starts. This could be a huge game changer in the electronic industries because yo no longer need apps or even a phone to access directions or scores. Downsides might be that although it is great concept you will need some sort of data plan for this to work.

The future is now, and that future is wearable tech. Yet another big player has announced its release date of its 'smart watch', and this time its time for the gaming crowd to be excited. Sony has just announced the release time of their new wearable tech, the SmartBand SWR10, and (in a rare instance), both athletes and smartphone geeks have something to look forward to. The SmartBand is a sleek wrist bracelet that offers features for athletes, Xperia users, and pretty much everyone else with its three major features. The band acts as notifier for phone activity, as well as having non-tech applications, namely various kinds of health monitoring, and something called Lifelog (basically just a facebook feed of your phone... which you can already do with facebook) .While it is good to see a new player enter the smartwatch arena, nothing in this release is new, I would argue the main selling point may be its selling point; price that is. All of the bands features have been done before or can be accomplished by separate 3rd party applications, and you gain nothing by collapsing them to one item. Save its rumoured cheap price of $150, the SmartBand is nothing special, nothing new.

For week three's bookmark I have chosen this article about the moto 360, which is supposedly the "future" of android wear. I found this article to be interesting because it showcased a unique smart watch unlike others. While samsung's "galaxy gear" has a bulky square format, the Moto 360 has a round face and looks like a more traditional classy watch. This to me is the future of wearable technology. It is not something like google glass that will attract unwanted attention, but it provides a useful way to view your technological information while still looking classy. It also has interchangeable bands and has "a large battery life" according to it's creator. Personally this could be the first piece of wearable technology that I would consider buying, and that is why I have shared this article.