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SAMSUNG HAS STOLEN a march its biggest competitor by becoming one of the first big tech companies to unveil a smartwatch.
At a highly anticipated event in Berlin tonight, the mobile giant showed off the Galaxy Gear watch, which comes complete with most of the capabilities of the average smartphone. However the watch is more of a companion than a replacement – it has to connect to a phone via Bluetooth to work.
Users will be able to make hands-free calls and check notifications for emails, text messages and alerts without having to look at their phone. The watch also has a 1.9 megapixel camera, and there are around 70 apps compatible with the device.
Samsung Mobile said that users will be able to “draft messages, create new calendar entries, set alarms and check the weather” on the watch.
The technical specifications of the watch are impressive: it has an 800 MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal storage. It also has a microphone built in for making calls over a Bluetooth smartphone connection.
However – and there was always going to be a ‘but’ with a product as new as this – the watch will only work with Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 phone. It looks likely that it will in the future work with other Samsung phones – including the popular Galaxy S III and S4 – but it does not look like it will work with other phones.
The battery of the watch is believed to last for about one day’s worth of use. It takes a charge from a dock via a micro-USB.
The watch, which is available in six colours, will be launched on 25 September around the world but the price is not yet known (although Bloomberg has estimated that it will be $300 – around €227).
People watch the unveiling of the smartwatch in Berlin this evening. (All pics: AP Photo/Gero Breloer)
So that’s what it looks like and what it does – what do you think? Would you get one?
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Poor Wales. It must be the worst Wales team in the history of rugby. . Not a great opener for the season. Dupont is a master of rugby. He could win the grand slam on his own.
@anne leyden: France won’t win a Grand Slam. They just can’t shake the needless indiscipline from their game, very frustrating.
I thought that the ref was poor, and very home town focused. Yes, Wales werent great but give them the 50/50s at least….and why do we need a southern hemisphere ref to ref to ref hemisphere games….
@Des O: “to ref northern hemisphere ganes”
@Des O: very much agreed. I thought Wales gave as good as they could and played to the end. That was despite the superiority of the team in front of them and having to play the 16th man.
Why only 8 subs? Why not 15.? Change the whole team! We have red cards which are really just deep yellow. Crooked line out throws can be ok. Tries from forward passes are grand. Put into the scrum the 2nd row.
@Me Me: Putting the ball in to the second row has been endemic for years now…I just don’t understand why the rule isn’t enforced of a straight put in…you’ll never again here the phrase ‘heel against the head’.
As a former forward it was a great chance to steal the opposition put in with a well time push as the hooker only had one foot on the ground.
The physical aspect has been watered down too much.
A penalty awarded for a ‘croc roll’ tonight when there was absolutely no danger whatsoever to the player being tackled…he was just caught around the waist and turned over…it’s getting like fn soccer now
@Pat O Dwyer: It’s almost like every scrum is non contested. I remember playing rugby in the 90s where you had a decent chance of winning opposition ball in the scrum if your scrum was strong enough, it seems futile these days.
@Me Me: new rules. Crooked line outs are acceptable …… if not challenged by the opposing team
@Me Me: scrum half stays where he is and waits for his team to move forward so that 2nd row is now in front of him and then puts ball in.
@Nerb: I know the new rule, and it’s rubbish.
@Nerb: And ‘waits for his team to move forward’?? Put in should be at the scrum position between the 2 front rows. Hookers are called that fir a reason.
Are we going to accept blatant forward passes this 6 nations, yes we are it seems.
As an Ireland fan, I’m not actually feeling too bad after that. France were of course going to win by 35+ points but their bench was actually quite substandard and lacked the energy and physicality of the starting 15. Le Garrec was particularly poor with his service from the base of the ruck and his goal kicking. If they bring that same bench out against us, we’ve got a decent chance of winning. Granted, France do have a few injuries but if that’s the best they can put out and perform against Wales in the second-half with the current crop that they have, our bench definitely has the edge. If aren’t able to keep the focus against the worst team in the Six Nations, I doubt they’ll be able to do it against us at the Aviva Stadium. However, we have to win tomorrow first before any of that.
@William Jennings: they didn’t keep hammering to the end because the game was over as a contest at half time and they just saved themselves for next weekend which will be a different intensity. A wounded England at home will want to avenge the 50 points drubbing from 2 years ago. And most of the bench came on in one go before the 50th min, that’s unusual nowadays at that level.
Although you’re right, Le Garrec brought the speed down a few gears when he came on
Welsh Rugby has been poor for years. Swansea and Cardiff have been promoting soccer in the heart lands of rugby for years
@Peter Byrne: Love to see it.
Wales never had a chance but the ref lifting his arm twice even before a non try was scored, not blowing or checking for forward passes? I love the French camera work. They never do a replay of a French infringement.
@Marius van Niekerk: one of the tries definitely looked like it came from a forward pass and yet no TMO check…very unusual to be fair.
@Marius van Niekerk: to be fair, the Irish replays are also very good at hiding Irish infringements, or feet in touch before a try is scored… Par for the course I guess
That was just a starter the main meal is today.
Worst Wales team in there history
have your say