14 DAY TRIAL // There aren't all that many smartwatches out there yet, and those that are for sale have mostly failed to truly astonish anyone. However, the recent generation released at MWC 2014 might just break the ice, so to speak, and now the HeadWatch has been added to the list.
We would be tempted to liken the HeadWatch to the TalkBand B1 from Huawei, if the former was not so much more sophisticated than the latter.
The similarities do not run deep enough, as the HeadWatch is an actual smartwatch, but the TalkBand B1 is a wearable fitness tracker with the ability to double as headset, because the central segment can detach and hang off the ear.
And this is the one similarity between the HeadWatch and the TalkBand B1: both of them have detachable front sections.
That's right, you can pull out the HeadWatch's face, detach it from its strap as it were, and use it like a Bluetooth headset for hands-free calls.
Obviously, you'll need the watch to be paired with a smartphone in order for that functionality to be of any use.
Then again, smartwatches need a smartphone to do everything they're supposed to, even when not used for hands-free calls, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Unfortunately, we don't know yet what operating system the HeadWatch runs, but on the bright side, we already have assurance that iPhone, Android and Windows Phone devices are supported.
Furthermore, the item should be able to last for up to 2 days on a single battery charge, after which you'll have to find a USB port to replenish the energy.
For those who want more details about the hardware, the newcomer has a color LCD screen, a bunch of different sensors (luminosity, temperature, 3D accelerometer), and two customizable RGB strip lights (at the top and bottom, for notifications).
Finally, the HeadWatch is waterproof. Well, splash- and rain-proof anyhow. You'll not want to actually dunk it in water and leave it there to drown.
All in all, it's a shame that the HeadWatch is still unavailable. In fact, it might never actually become a selling product, since it's still in project stage, gathering funds on Indiegogo. And it hasn't even made two grand yet, although, granted, it's only just been posted, and it still has 58 days to get the funds.
So if you think you'll want one, you can pledge $169 / €169 now, or wait until it is launched in January 2015, but you'll have to pay $249 / €249 at that point.