We have only just begun to explore the full capabilities of wearable devices, particularly smartwatches. But as of today, most smartwatch devices are only designed primarily to display notifications and a few simple (albeit sometimes cool) functionalities. In other words, smartwatches can not quite replace smartphones yet, at least in terms of usability and general capabilities.
That has not stopped Omate from trying anyway. The company has already introduced several other smartwatch offerings in the past in an effort to sell a wearable device that can do the things that only smartphones can do, such as make calls, send text messages, and send emails via a wireless connection.
This time around, Omate is announcing its newest smartwatch, the TrueSmart+. This second generation offering is a follow up to the original TrueSmart wearable device, which managed to raise more than a million dollars in funding via Kickstarter a couple of years ago. Like the original, the TrueSmart+ can make and take calls and even surf the web (without having to rely on a smartphone), made possible by its SIM card compatibility. However, it is not clear yet if Omate’s newest smartwatch supports LTE or 3G only. Moreover, the wearable device also comes with built in GPS and Bluetooth connectivity, basically allowing mobile users to navigate by way of very step by step directions, and even wirelessly stream musical tracks to other devices.
In so many ways, the TrueSmart+ can actually be already considered a mini smartphone, thanks to its impressive hardware specifications. Indeed, it sports a 1 GigaHertz twin core chip, 1 gigabyte of random access memory (RAM), and 8 gigabytes of internal memory, plus a 600 mAh battery. For good measure, the wearable device also features sensors for purposes of fitness monitoring and step count tracking. Appearance wise, the TrueSmart+ is equipped with a 1.54 inch curved touchscreen that boasts a resolution of 320 by 320 resolution, equivalent to about 294 pixels per inch.
Instead of running on Android Wear, the TrueSmart+ is powered by Android 5.1 Lollipop seamlessly integrated with Omate’s own User Interface 3.0. There is no Google Play store installed, likely because of the fact that Google prefers wearable devices from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to run on Android Wear. Mobile users can instead take advantage of Omate’s own app store to acquire apps and other software goodies.
Interestingly, Omate is also selling an entry level cousin of the True Smart+ called the TrueSmart-i. It is powered by Android 4.4, possesses a 240 by 240 resolution screen, plus a 5 megapixel camera that is also capable of taking HD videos in 720p at 30 fps. Omate’s TrueSmart+ and TrueSmart-i smartwatches can now be preordered until Halloween at $169 and $149 respectively. Shipments are set to commence by November of this year.
