Sony SmartWatch 2 Review

Introduction

The last time I wore a watch was when my parents gave me one for my 21st birthday... oh so long ago (nearly 10 years to the day). I wore it for around a year, then stopped wearing it. I've never been much of a watch person, but I thought I'd give it another go with a wearable tech device, Sony's SmartWatch 2.

Sony released the predecessor to the SmartWatch 2 in 2012, but it didn't quite take off as much as Sony hoped. The SmartWatch 2, on the other hand, is a much better device and has been getting some good talk from consumers and reviewers alike.

The beauty of the Sony SmartWatch 2 when compared against something like Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch is that it can be used with any Android device (Android 4.0 and above). The Galaxy Gear, on the other hand, requires a specific Galaxy-branded smartphone--it doesn't just work with any Android device.

This opens up the SmartWatch 2 to countless smartphones as most of the decent smartphones on the market now are running Android 4.0 and above.

Specifications

Sony used some decent internals on the SmartWatch 2, but where Sony's wearable really shines is in its design and display. Starting with the screen, we have a 1.6-inch LCD with a resolution of 220x176--it's not like you need 4K displays on these things, right?

The SmartWatch 2's body is made from aluminum, and it features a silicon wristband with a choice of purchasing a metal stainless steel model. The one we had provided for review was the silicon version.

Sony is a big pusher of water-resistant technology with most of its Xperia line of smartphones and tablets being waterproof. The SmartWatch 2 is no exception as it features water-resistant IP57, and the screen is scratch-resistant, too.

We have Bluetooth 3.0 support, microUSB for charging, and NFC technology so that you can simply tap the SmartWatch 2 to the back of your NFC-capable smartphone, and voila, it is connected and ready to go.

First Impressions

Taking it out of the package, I plugged it into charge and let it get to maximum charge, which took around an hour. After that, you simply follow the instructions included in the box to get it synced up to your smartphone.

If you have an NFC-enabled smartphone--which I did: my Nexus 5--all it takes is a simple tap to the back of your device and you're synced up. From here, you can begin using the Sony SmartWatch 2.

The feel of the SmartWatch 2 is quite good; it strapped to my wrist like any watch would. It didn't feel too heavy or cumbersome, and I didn't feel like it got in the way of my usual daily tasks. I was nervous that it would annoy me when typing, which I do quite a lot of every day, but it didn't pose a threat to my uber speed typing skills, thankfully.