Review : MetaWatch ( Black) Frame developers edition

[Kasper]

I always wanted to try a smartwatch but had to wait this long cause not one met my criteria.

- display always on
- display visibility in all circumstances without wristflicks or button pushes.
- passive information display as an aid to my mobile phone.
- battery that lasts more then a week.
- and looks like a descent metal watch, not miniaturization of a mobile phone.

i've kept my eyes open and saw : Kreyos Meteor Smartwatch, Sony Smartwatch 2, Androidly Smartwatch, Pebble Smartwatch, MetaWatch STRATA Smartwatch, G-Shock GB-6900 Smartwatch, I’m Watch Smartwatch, Cookoo Smartwatch,
Iris Smartwatch, ConnecteDevice Cogito Classic Smartwatch, Rock Smartwatch, BLOCKS Smartwatch, Omate TrueSmart Smartwatch, Neptune Pine Smartwatch, A.I. Smartwatch, Samsung Galaxy Gear etc etc

only 2 displays can handle a battery time more then 2 days....e-inkt and a newer type of display : Reflective mirror display (Polymer Network LCD technology). Good explanation here :

After checking all out only 2 watches could meet my criteria...the Pebbles and the Metawatch. The Pebbles is a successful kickstarters project and the Metawatch is an opensource startup from 4 years ago. Yes, years before the birth of Pebbles.

This review is about the first Metawatch (the developers edition), the real pioneer of the smartwatch. They recently released a few new models with better software and more memory. Check out the website!
You can find these really cheap on ebay cause you have to thinker yourself with it...update the firmware...etc...took me 2 days to wrap my head around it but i succeeded.
Installing special software that handles the connection with the texas instrument board, finding the correct software on the github (hosting service for software development projects), checking com ports etc etc.
And reading the metawatch forums.
But the reward is overwelming...much better then i was expecting. This (old-version) metawatch does everything i wanted it to do.

- high quality metal watch with hard glass front....like the pebble steel now but better.
- connection on bluetooth
- strong metal buttons on both sides of the watch.
- an incredible sexy vintage led light on top for night viewing.....i was sold immediately when i saw this
- vibrating motor
- a real watch lookalike
and more.

let me explain the pictures

This arrived...a box with just a watch and a usb cable thats clips on the watch for charging and programming. nothing more


First screen...the digital clock is always on top so no changing to different watchfaces (this is the only negative thing i could find on this watch...the new metawatches can do it)
3 days weather preview with the weather underground
missed calls/sms/emails/calender events/battery of my mobile phone ..you can change every icon you see..less icons..more icons etc


second page : same digital watch with day and date
calender event in more detail
+ weather of this day


thirt page : calender view + detail of the coming days



last page : extra phone and watchsettings
As some of you notice you can also change the display as an inverted view.
quickdial : dial 10 most used numbers from your watch
recent notifications : names of last calls + bluetooth connections etc etc
apps :like remote mediaplayer mediaplayer buttons, twitter, last FM, etc..here is a list what is possible..even playing space invaders https://sites.google.com/site/metawatchdev/software/hacks
extra phone setting like putting your mobile to silence etc


The display has a 96*96 pixel density...enough for me check the left under corner around the missed calls/sms icons for the pixelgrid


extra views of the strong metal buttons



and the incredible led torch...my absolute favorite


Mobile phone software :






This is really a marble before it's time. Battery life is still 4 to 7 days...to little but it's a start. But it has everything i wanted for a smartwatch...i just miss
the alarm sound (vibrates) and the different watchface but thats all compensated with the extra info i get on the screens.
And yes..i do like the new type of lcd
And i still discover new things...like popup screens with pictures of who is calling, playing my music on my phone, getting full email on my watch etc

But remember..this is not a finished consumer watch...you still have to take the time to set all things up.

Why buy a pebble ( )Jagmad, as you can have it all for 1/4 of the price

enjoy it, as always

[dutchsiberia]

Super cool! I just bought one :)

[AlmightyTallest]

Nice review Kasper, that display has some neat qualities to it, I like the retro mirror look, very similar to the DSM displays.

[jagmad]

Why buy a pebble ( )Jagmad, as you can have it all for 1/4 of the price

That's not really the question Kasper, is it
I never said that the Pebble was the best/cheapest.
The real Imo is you still bought a watch that needs charging.
The meta watch still needs charging around the same periods as the Pebble.
Which was yours/and others, main gripe with it.
I only said that THAT was a crap reason not to buy it.
As your recent purchase proves again.

My main reason for posting my thread: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=6950
More than a step in the right direction maybe.

Was to ask if people thought that the look of the pebble metal was just that!
Which by the way I think beats the meta watch on looks hands down.
With the Pebble not being anything outstanding doesn't bode well for the meta.
(Reasons why I would still buy the Pebble)
I like the fact that I have many different watch type/faces.
It's better looking/ not to big on the wrist like the Meta
Also I don't have the time or inclination to program the meta. Computers/programming and me don't get on
I'm afraid.I suffer with where shit like that is concerned.
I even had problems with the pebble making my SG Note talk to me all the time driving me nuts.
Which apparently is a fault with Samsung not Pebble.
It's easier to let the others who are better at that kind of shit do it. I'll just down load the app thanks>

If your happy with it my friend that's all that matters.
Believe me I'm happy for you, after all that's what it's all about. Imo.

A couple of Pics entitled "What's wrong with my buttons"?

pebble Blk L.jpg

pebble Blk R.jpg

Again I say each to their own it wouldn't do if we all liked the same, was good and crap at the same things.
Or had the same opinion.
Having said that.... Your previous comment:"5 to 7 days battery...nope. another thing i have to charge on a weekly base."
Then you go and buy a rechargable smart watch just makes me..
Which I thank you for from the bottom of my heart. After all it's what I live for? "The funny bits"!



One question Kasper. How much did your Meta watch cost and how long did you spend getting it sorted?

[Kasper]

I've paid 35 pounds for it...a real bargain
ebay : 121304673599

after testing it for more then a week..i still get fed up with the low battery life. It doesn't have enough advantages so i want to charge it every 3 to 4 days. I think it very nice when you driving or working in
an area with much noise so you cannot hear your mobile...like a lorry, a oldtimer without bluetooth speakers, a tractor etc. In that case you don't have to pull your mobile to see who is calling etc.

I must agree that i was surprised that having a watch on my wrist that give me a quick noticed about new incoming emails/calls/aganda + the details is handy indeed. I don't have to search for my mobile and fire it up to see it.
But the range of bluetooth is to short to keep this thing in contact with my phone. So after walking around at my place and losing bt connection..i have to reconnect myself by hand. This is done to preserve battery. It's is trying
to find the connection again but stops after a few times.

But some other members will agree with me...this thing is top quality...very well made..no plastics at all and it looks like a watch...did i mentioned the great led light on top?
Maybe when the battery last for a month and the screen is less pixelated, i will have another go at one.

[jagmad]

Hmm £35 nice but how long did you spend on it?

I couldn't agree more about the being very handy bit.
But that is what I said diddle I
I still think that the Pebble looks nicer on the wrist. Esp thinner ones like ours.

Look at my new watch face.

PebbleG757.jpg