Look, we get it. Fitness trackers. Smart watches. Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Android Wear. A hundred different names for as many products. While nearly every aspect of fitness has been covered in this arena, wearables still have a long way to go in terms of style. If you’re a fan of traditional watch brands but want the fitness tracking aspect, you’re options are limited. Either succumb to wearing two devices at once or miss out on recording activity in your day.
Popular watchmaker Victronix and Acer have a plan to solve this quandary with the new Swiss Army INOX Cyber Tool. This small “smart accessory” clips on to an INOX watch and converts it to a fitness tracker and smartphone companion. To our surprise, the execution in early mock-ups looks spot on. Head below for a full gallery and more details.
Admittedly, I was skeptical about this product when it first came across my desk. Part of the attraction to these Swiss watches is the design and materials. Why cover it up with something just for the sake of fitness tracking? Hats off to Victronix for actually executing this idea while still maintaining a strong sense of design here.
So how does it work? There are two pieces, a rear and front, that snap together around a steel INOX watch. The add-on weighs in at 24 grams and is made from TPU, like most cases and accessories. Data is displayed on the circular black band that encompasses the watch face. The middle of the attachment is clear and made from Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3, allowing users to still be able to view the time as usual. Aside from the small display at the top of the circle, there are indicator lights on the right of the screen for phone functions like calls, messages, and calendar notifications. A 60mAh battery is said to provide around a week of battery life on a single charge.
Additional features include IPX7 certification (like the Apple Watch) and a built-in accelerometer for recording movement. The INOX Cyber Tool also communicates with your device’s GPS radio to track your happenings and more accurately estimate calories burned. There is no touchscreen functionality as Victronix opted for traditional push buttons for inputs. The free iOS and Android app will allow users to manually set actions to each button, if needed.
https://youtu.be/UrC9IJd3tlU
While the Cyber Tool isn’t the most technically advanced piece of technology we’ve seen in this category, it’s not without merit. The ability to add function to form without sacrificing design is worth noting. The plan is to release additional details within the next month. Official pricing has yet to be released, but ABlogToWatch reports that it should be “within the $150-$225 range.” Shop the entire lineup of INOX watches here.
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Source: ABlogToWatch
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