While Tag Heuer has previously released Android device that cater to the ultra-wealthy, it is yet to have a smartwatch that runs on Google’s Android Wear. That is, until now with the announcement of the Connected Watch.

The luxury brand’s Android Wear offering sports a 46mm LCD panel with a sapphire crystal protection. The resolution of the screen is 360 x 360 pixels while the innards is composed of an Intel Atom Processor, 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage.

The battery, which is rated at 410mAh is said to last for 25 hours on average use. There’s also a number of sensors on the device including a gyroscope, GPS, tilt detection sensor, a microphone and a haptic engine.

The Connected will have Wi-Fi connectivity, IP67 certification and will be offered with a number of colored wristbands. The price of the Connected, as to be expected from a luxury watchmaker is in Apple Collection territory at a base price of $1500.

Tag Heuer will only produce 1000 of this watches and will be available soon initially in New York and Europe.

Connect with The Techie Lifestyle on your favorite social networking sites
    

If there’s any chance for other smartwatch brands to keep Apple’s watch at bay, a feature that can’t go missing in their device would have to be a heart rate monitor. Fortunately, Garmin’s new wearable – the Forerunner 225 has just that.

The watch features a 1-inch coloured display with a resolution of 180 x 180 pixels and shows three different user stats including distance, pace and heart rate. It also comes with a built-in accelerometer, a sleep tracker and a slew of pre-programmed features including advanced workouts, pace alerts, interval training and customizable screens.

Battery according to Garmin can last up to four weeks of basic training or around 7-10 hours if you’re constantly using the GPS and heart rate tracker. The device can be submerged up to 50 meters and connects to a smartphone using Bluetooth.

The Garmin Forerunner 225 will be available in the next couple of months for around $299.99

Connect with The Techie Lifestyle on your favorite social networking sites
    

Apple’s Spring Forward event was the venue where the Cupertino-based company laid down all the cards with regards to its long-awaited smartwatch.

Basically, the specs of the watch have barely changed since its initial announcement back in September. It still has that laminated display, the LED and infrared sensors at the back, the touchscreen display, the digital crown and that special mechanism for swapping bands.

What’s discussed at the event was the pricing for the watch. The Apple Watch Sport is the most affordable of the bunch starting at $349 for the 38mm version and $399 for the 42mm variant. This collection has an anodized aluminum finish (in either space gray or silver) and is protected by an ion-treated durable glass.

The Apple Watch covers the middle ground and serves as the base model for the entire collection. It also offers the most band selection among the three models featuring not only rubber straps but also leather and steel. And unlike the Sport, the base model has a shiny polished look and comes with sapphire crystal protection.

Prices for the 38mm model will range from $549 to $1049 depending on the type of band, and $599 to $1099 for the 42mm model.

Finally there’s the Apple Watch Edition, which is the collection’s most expensive model. This model uses the same sapphire crystal panel for its display but uses 18k gold in its construction as well as in the accents for its bands. This cranks up the price of the device to over $10,000.

All three models will be available for pre-order starting April 10 and will be shipped starting April 24^th.

Connect with The Techie Lifestyle on your favorite social networking sites
    

Pebble is going back to its roots by returning to Kickstarter for the release of its second-generation smartwatch – the Pebble Time.

The device deviates from its predecessors by sporting a colored always-on, backlit e-paper display. The Pebble Time bears the same smart functions as the Pebble smartwatch and Pebble steel including access to different user information.

The UI is controlled using three buttons. The upper button allows users to access information related to things you’ve done in the past including messages and previous workout data. The central button tells the present like the current time and tasks, while the lower button shows information about a user’s upcoming activities.

Fortunately, the device will have full backwards compatibility in terms of apps, so users will still be able to use the apps they’ve downloaded if they upgraded from the original Pebble watch. Moreover, the watch can be fitted with a standard 22mm band and will come with a water-resistant body as well as a battery that can last up to 7 days.

It will also have a built-in microphone that comes really handy as the Time supports voice typing for several popular messaging apps including Google Hangouts, Gmail, Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp.

The Pebble Time is now available on Kickstarter for $179 for early adopters. It will hit retail stores for $199 starting in May.

Connect with The Techie Lifestyle on your favorite social networking sites
     

If the Withings Activite is a bit too much for your budget but you still want to get a smartwatch that you can still pair with a suit or something a little less formal, then you might want to try out the Activite Pop.

For just $149.95, the Activite Pop looks like a typical mechanical watch. But lurking inside the watch is a fitness tracker that allows users to track their steps, sleeping habits and other basic functions. The watch uses a PVD-coated body combined with a silicone strap.

The Activite Pop is water resistant and can last up to 8 months on a single charge. And just like its bigger and more expensive sibling, it connects to smartphones using Bluetooth. Moreover, users can also share their stats with their friends using a companion app.

Connect with The Techie Lifestyle on your favorite social networking sites
     

At last year’s CES, GPS equipment manufacturer Garmin announced its first ever wearable – the Vivofit fitness band. This year, the company has announced three new fitness trackers, namely: the Epix, the Fenix 3 and the Vivoactive.

The Garmin Vivoactive provides users with various notifications including social media-related notifications, emails and missed calls to name a few. It connects to smart devices using Bluetooth and uses its built-in GPS system to keep track of a user’s activities. The watch is waterproof and according to Garmin, can last up to three weeks on a single charge.

For those who are looking for a more durable smartwatch, Garmin’s Fenix 3 can go up to 100 meters underwater as compared to the Vivoactive’s 10. It also provides various notifications to users and track different activities and stats like counting steps and sleep hours to name a few. The Fenix 3 also comes with an axis electronic compass, a barometer and an auto-calibrating altimeter.

There’s also the Garmin Epix that features similar specs as the Fenix 3 but comes with a few bells and whistles including GLONASS and preloaded maps.

All three watches will be offered in three versions – a base version and a upgraded version with a heart rate monitor. There will also be a companion app for all three phones called the ConnectQi to help users manage their personal data more efficiently. The Vivoactive will sell starting at $250 for the base version ($300 with the heart rate monitor bundle), while the Fenix 3 and Epix will start $500 and $550 respectively.

Connect with The Techie Lifestyle on your favorite social networking sites
     

The era of the iPod might have already ended, but that doesn’t mean that we’re going to say goodbye to audio-centric smart devices altogether. Sony for instance has just announced a new Walkman model at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – the Walkman ZX2.

The ZX2 is sporting a 4-inch FWVGA (480 x 854) display with Sony’s Triluminos display technology. The device connects to other devices using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and micro-USB. The new Walkman runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with access to Google Play enabling users to install different apps.

The new Walkman NWZ-ZX2 will be marketed as a device for audiophiles offering high-quality audio in different formats. As such, the device is capable of playing a multitude of formats including Apple’s Lossless and aiff format. Other notable features of the ZX2 include ClearAudio+, Clear Bass, DSEE HX, and VPT to name a few.

The new Walkman has a very specific target niche and consequently comes with a hefty price tag - $1200 to be exact. Surprisingly, it doesn’t come with bundled headphones, so if you’re planning to get one, you should also consider in your budget getting complimentary performance headsets.

The Smartwatch 3 has also received some goodies this week. On one hand, there’s now a stainless steel edition. The watch will have identical features as the ordinary Smartwatch 3 albeit the metallic strap. On the other hand, Sony also unveiled a holder for the smartwatch that will be available in the first half of the year.

Connect with The Techie Lifestyle on your favorite social networking sites