Rumor has it that Microsoft is working on touch-enabled smartwatch. They’ve apparently just entered the prototype phase after having worked on the device for about a year. Microsoft already released smartwatches back in 2004 under the Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT) brand, though they discontinued them in 2008 when smartphones started becoming popular.
There isn’t very much information on the device as of yet. What we know so far is that it’s supposed to have a 1.5-inch touchscreen as well as a removable band. One of the test designed supposedly had a magnetic connector, similar to Apple’s MagSafe, which can transmit data and power to the smartwatch. However, this was only in a prototype and it may be omitted from the final product.
It’s also been rumored that Apple has an iWatch in the works and Google and Samsung are developing their own smartwatches. As cool as this all sounds, what exactly can a smartwatch do that a smartphone can’t? Well… nothing really. One of the reasons smartphones are so popular is that they’re a convenient, all-in-one device. Nothing else is needed.
At least that how it looks at first glance. The more you think on it, though, the more appealing a smartwatch begins to sound. You’ll have the obvious features like being able to check the time, date, weather, stocks, and news at a glance but what about the doors that smartwatches open for the future?
Imagine being able to securely store all of your personal information and important files on a small device; a device that you can’t lose and can’t be stolen because it’s snugly fastened onto your wrist. Insurance information can be quickly transferred to a hospital in the case of an emergency, even if you’re not conscious. Hunting permit, fishing permit, driver license, gun permit, passport, credit card information; all of this can be stored on a single device to be used whenever you need it.
As with all modern technology, though, questions are always raised as to how private the device is. It’s already almost impossible to keep your personal information private. Smartphones, tablet computers, the internet; odds are, if you use any of these things then your information is being sold to third-parties or being given to authorities nearly without question. Will a smartwatch be any different?
