CoWatch Smartwatch Puts Amazon Echo And Alexa Services On Your Wrist
“Speak, and CoWatch shall listen. Integrating Amazon Alexa, ask questions, order an Uber, organize your life - all with the power of your voice,” states IMCO, the company behind the CoWatch.
Unfortunately, it’s not stated how this Alexa integration will work. It’s possible that it would be an always-on feature where simply asking a question would invoke Alexa, but that would be taxing on the already meager battery life of modern smartwatches. It’s more likely, however, that you would press a button which would then allow the CoWatch’s microphone to activate and listen to your voice query (like the new Amazon Tap portable speaker).
The CoWatch runs the Android-based Cronologics operating system, which was developed by a team of veteran Google and Android engineers. Cronologics OS is claimed to be cloud native and developer friendly for those that want to get their apps onto as many smartwatch platforms as possible — even a nascent one like this.
Under the hood you’ll find an unnamed 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, a 400x400 Super AMOLED display along with a stainless steel and zirconia ceramic body. Also onboard are a heart rate sensor, vibration motor, gyrometer and accelerometer magnetometer. The CoWatch is water/splash resistant, can last up to 32 hours on a charge in Always-On display mode, and is compatible with both iOS (v9.0 and above) and Android (v5.0 and above).
If you want some Alexa-fueled jewelry on your wrist, the Super Early Rise package will get you a CoWatch (in Mineral Silver or Carbon Black) with a stainless steel band, a magnetic charging cradle, USB adapter and a clasp adjust for $159. If you’d like to double your pleasure (and your fun) with two smartwatches, the Super Early Riser Bundle will cost you $310.
IMCO is looking to raise $80,000 with the Indiegogo campaign and already has 800 watches in production. If the funding push goes off without a hitch, early backers should begin receiving their smartwatches in June.
Smartwatches, while intriguing, have not yet reached the level of usefulness or ubiquity in today’s society as smartphones despite with the folks from Pebble, Google, and Apple would have you believe. It remains to be seen if the CoWatch will do anything to move the needle forward, but’s its introduction of Alexa to the fray is a welcome development in the evolution of smartwatches.
