Gwatch out for wearable gadgets(2)

According to a 2012 report released by UK electronics consultancy IMS Research, an estimated 170 million wearable devices will be shipped around the world in 2016.

In the future, with the support of mature multi-screen interactive technology, wearable devices are expected to break through the limitations of a physical screen. A user will be able to cast videos and pictures to flat surfaces like glass simply by touching the gadget, which will revolutionize user-experience, said Wang.

But technologies are far from ready for this. Major hardware and software developers are only just making special products for mobile devices like smartphones, which has hindered big companies from taking further action, said Wang, pointing to Apple's iWatch as an example, which was disclosed three years ago but has yet to come online.

Still, Wang remains confident in wearable technology, believing that smartphones and tablets will inevitably be ousted by smart shoes, smart glasses and smart watches.

"We know clearly where to go and how to get there, so the technological breakthrough and hardware improvement will happen sooner or later," he said.

Pebble E-Paper Watch

The device features a 144 x 168 pixel display and 4 buttons. It connects with iPhone or Android devices by Bluetooth 2.1. The selling price is $150. The US venture company has sold 85,000 units of the product to date, according to its official website. "Pebble's watch is simple but sells well due to the company's well-established marketing strategy," said Yingqu Technology's CEO Wang Xiaobin.

Sony's SmartWatch

The watch features an aluminum alloy body that encases a 1.3 inch 128×128 panel with no storage. It plays music and receives messages and phone call notifications after connecting with Android devices via Bluetooth 3. 0. Its battery power is enough to carry users through a full day of heavy usage and a week in low usage. It sells on amazon.com for 658 yuan. But the gadget is not compatible with iOS and its display screen is unreadable in sunlight. Technology information provider cnet.com recently concluded that the device "enters the realm of usability thanks to recent software updates, but it's still more of a smartphone accessory than a solid standalone timepiece."

Google Glass

WiFi-installed, the sporty glasses displaying augmented reality runs on Android 4.0.4 and is said to go for $1,500. It can record 720p of high definition video and take photos. The storage capacity reaches 16 GB Flash total. But it has yet to be available to the public. According to developers' experiences, its battery endurance is lacking and its functionality may need some tweaking as it may be ruder to say "OK Glass, take a picture" amid a conversation as opposed to lifting up a mobile phone. "Google Glass surely has some issues, but has enough there to change the industry as a forward-looking product," Cao Ming, a Google Glass tester, told the Global Times.