“Hey Jayvs, nice watch!”
“Thanks!” I say. Then I go, “Did you know it can tell me if I have text?”
Then they tell me I’m bolero daw.
As someone who has been closely associated with gadgets for most of his adult life, to be told that a piece of technology you’re showcasing isn’t geeky is a rather strong statement. And that’s precisely what I love about the Cookoo Smart Watch.
Price: PHP 6,500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CookooPhilippines
Availability: Pormada Online Store
Welcome to the era of smart watches. Frankly, I’m relieved. At least it’s no longer just about phones. From Kickstarter promises to actual products, we’ve been seeing a lot of these smart watches from smaller LLC’s to the bigger manufacturers like Samsung (who have already launched the Samsung Galaxy Gear) and Apple (because Tim Cook has said that the ‘iWatch’ is a real product).
In the spectrum of smart watches being peddled in the market today, the Cookoo stands out as being an elegant time piece first, with subtle hints that it is actually a pretty nifty smart watch. Unlike other watches that come with its own operating system (and are basically mini-computers), Cookoo’s smart features limits itself to notifications via Bluetooth. It tells you if you’ve received SMS, missed a call, have a calendar event, or even a response on Twitter. In addition to this, the watch also allows you to drop virtual pins on a map assisted by your phone’s GPS and the command button can control your music player and the shutter button of your phone’s camera.
Also, a nifty feature: you can use the watch to locate your phone and vice versa. There are products that do this for a hefty dollar but this feature is built into the watch so that’s big savings already.
Why we love it
– Low energy consumption (standard CR2032 button-cell battery); battery lasts for 10 months to a year
– Does not scream “geek”
– Water resistant (you can use it while washing dishes)
– 4-button controls
– iOS compatible (iPhone 4s and iPhone 5) via Bluetooth
Verdict
For the price, you get an awesome watch. No really, the watch alone is ace and the nifty notification features buried beneath the back light are subtle and practical. This isn’t a watch that will distract you from your daily grind; it’s beauty with all the brains tucked inside remaining inconspicuous to the uninformed.
