Why We Need Smartwatches

Why We Need Smartwatches

The infamous calculator watch has been around since the 1970s, but smartwatches have finally reached the point that they're, well, smart. And now that the Apple Watch is out capturing the hearts and heartbeats of users around the world, the smartwatch is no longer an accessory associated primarily with tech geeks. 

From running apps, to displaying smartphone notifications, to monitoring your heart rate, the latest crop of smartwatches do a lot more than just tell time. But which one should you buy? We've rounded up our top-rated smartwatches to help you decide. It's also important to know what to look for, so keep the following advice in mind when shopping around.

Device Compatibility

Naturally, the first thing you'll want to consider when buying a smartwatch is compatibility. Many of the devices currently available use Android Wear, Google's operating system designed for wearables; the latest Android Wear update adds support for iOS, but these are still very much Android-centric devices. The Apple Watch, as you'd expect, connects strictly to iOS-powered devices, so it's iPhone-only. Other watches, like the Pebble family, work with both Android and iOS. Make sure to pick a watch that's compatible with the mobile device you own. Unfortunately, there aren't any watches we recommend that support BlackBerry or Windows Mobile devices.

Apps

What separates a smart watch from a dumb watch? Lots of things, but as smartphones have taught us, apps might be the most important. 

Most of the watches we like feature full-fledged app stores, bringing everything from Uber and Yelp to—yes, a calculator—to your wrist. Much like smartphones, app availability is a good way to determine which product to get, so make sure to check out the app selection for each watch before buying in.

And if you're looking for apps, right now Apple and Pebble are your best bets. The Apple Watch probably has the largest number of high-quality apps and big-name developers, but Pebble is no slouch. Last we checked, Pebble's app store was home to over 6,000 apps, with lots ofexcellent options. Android Wear also has it fair share, but developer interest definitely seems to be in Apple first, Pebble second, and Android Wear third. Samsung's homegrown Tizen OS doesn't seem to be on the radar for most developers, and the kid-friendly LG GizmoGadget is more about messaging than apps.

Fitness

Unless you want a gadget on both of your wrists (not the best look, in my opinion), you'll want a smartwatch that can do double-duty as afitness tracker—or any other wearable gadget you were thinking about getting. Most smartwatches are capable of tracking basic activity, like steps, but you need to pay close attention to any additional features. The Moto 360 Sport, for instance, feature built-in GPS, so it can track your runs without the help of a companion device. It also has a built-in heart rate sensor. So far there aren't any watches that can truly compete with a dedicated, top-of-the-line fitness tracker, but you should at least be able to find one that tracks most of the activities you want to monitor.

Battery Life

You don't want a smartwatch with good battery life, right? Good, because you're not going to get it. Watches with full-color, smartphone-like displays, like the Apple Watch and Android Wear watches, only last for about a day on a single charge. Like your phone, you're going to want to throw them on a charger every night before you go to bed. And most of the watches that fall into this category feature screens that turn off after just a few seconds. In order to check the time, you either need trigger the display with a physical button or a gesture like holding it up to your face.

Pebble wins the battery life wars, but it does so at the expense of display technology. All of the Pebble watches can last anywhere from a week up to 10 days, with a screen that's always on. The trade-off is that you're stuck with an e-paper screen, which looks something like anebook reader display. Even the Pebble Time, which features a color screen, has a low-tech quality about it that, while charming, fails to impress when compared with the LCD-equipped competition.

Price

Smartwatches can be very expensive, but that doesn't mean you need to spend a lot of money to get a good one. Yes, the 18-karat yellow gold Apple Watch is sure to draw a lot of attention, but at $17,000, you're paying nearly $1,000 per karat. Even the base Sport model costs $299, placing it among the more expensive smartwatches we recommend. 

If you're a first-time smartwatch buyer, you might want to think about going the less-expensive route, in case you wind up not wearing it all that much. Luckily, the original Pebble can be had for $100, which isn't chump change, but it's also not enough to send you into a tailspin of buyer's remorse. If you like it, you can buy 170 more as gifts for the same price as that golden Apple Watch.