The Finnish company Polar presented on Wednesday the Polar M600, a new Android Wear smartwatch. The wearable is the newest addition to the Android Wear family, which includes LG, Moto, Casio, and Huawei. According to the Group Director of Product Management, Marco Suvilaakso, the watch is not a generic device, but a “class-leading” and a “sport optimized” activity tracker, specially designed for fitness lovers.
The device is waterproof, perfect for tracking swimming distances and exercises. It comes with a MediaTek MT2601 processor, GPS with GLONASS and an altimeter. Its 500mAh battery lasts up to 48 hours when paired to an Android device. It comes with six LEDs in the optical heart rate monitor, to provide more reliable results. The screen only works when users are training. It is not an all-day tracker.
The M600 features a 1.2-inch 240 x 240 TFT touchscreen covered by Gorilla Glass. The silicone straps are removable and washable. It has 4GB of onboard storage. Music can be sync using Google Play and it can be paired with Bluetooth headphones.
The M600 is very easy to use, a central button below the screen opens up the “training mode,” which can be customized through the app Polar Flow. On the left, there is another button that allows users to navigate through the Android Wear interface, which can be commanded using a built-in a microphone.
The M600 will also warn users if they have been sitting for long periods. It helps users train for races, through its unique software Smart Coaching and Activity Prompts. Since the device is thought for people who exercise, the design is pretty simple. It is bulky and made of silicone, but the silicone straps can be exchanged for different straps.
Alternatives
The Samsung Gear S2 has received a lot of praise. It has a 1.2-inch 360 x 360 Super AMOLED display, a Dual-core 1.0GHz processor, and its battery lasts 36 hours. It also features 4GB of onboard storage, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
The Apple Watch is the most expensive of the lot but has an onboard storage of 8GB, a 1.53-inch OLED display, and an S1 System-in-Package processor. Its only downside is the battery, which only lasts eighteen hours.
A more affordable option could be the Asus ZenWatch 2, with 4GB of onboard storage, a battery that last two days, a 1.63-inch AMOLED display and a Quad-core 1.2GHz processor.
A great alternative for fitness lovers is the Microsoft Band 2, which comes with a 320 x 128 AMOLED display and Bluetooth. The device features skin temperature sensors, gyroscope, UV sensor, ambient light sensor and measures the altitude of the hills and stairs climbed by users.
Source: Engadget