Asus' stylish ZenWatch gets official with hefty price tag

[Shawn Knight]

Asus’ oft-teased ZenWatch has finally broken cover at IFA in Berlin. We’ve known for quite some time that the wearable didn’t feature a trendy circular watchface like its competitors but even still, Asus’ first smartwatch looks impressive.

It all starts with a 1.63-inch AMOLED touchscreen display operating at 320 x 320 embedded in a curved stainless steel chassis and coated with Gorilla Glass 3. Under the hood is the same 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC you’d find in the Samsung Gear Live, the LG G Watch and the LG G Watch R.

Elsewhere, we have 512MB of RAM, 4GB of onboard flash storage, Bluetooth 4.0, a microphone, bio sensor and a 1.4Wh battery. All of this comes with an IP55 rating so you won’t have to worry about the timepiece getting wet out in the rain.

Asus also throws in a genuine stitched-leather wrist strap with a quick-release clasp but you’re free to add your own 22mm band should you be so inclined.

The ZenWatch is powered by Android Wear although Asus has added some of its ZenUI elements into the mix. Some of the pre-loaded functionality includes “Tap Tap” which lets users toggle a pre-assigned function simply by double tapping the watchface. “Watch Unlock” allows the wearer to unlock their smartphone or tablet simply by touching the watchface while other features like “Remote Camera” and “Find My Phone” are self-explanatory.

Do note that you’ll need to install the ZenWatch Manager app on your mobile device to get the most out of the wearable.

I was unable to find official pricing from Asus although a couple of publications are citing a €199 (about $260) price point with availability scheduled within the next month or so. If true, that goes against CEO Jerry Shen’s promise that we’d see the ZenWatch debut under $200… or maybe he meant under 200 euros?

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https://www.techspot.com/news/57941-asus-stylish-zenwatch-gets-official-with-hefty-price-tag.html

 

[Guest]

If this only had a sim tray......

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Now is not the time to go ape about smartwatches and blow unnecessary bucks on them, they've yet to be properly refined and made more compelling. If they do become a fad then a few years down the line they may be worth a glance or two (figuratively speaking of course).

 

[OneSpeed]

Now, only if they can make something as solid as my Omega Titanium Speedmaster. These watches don't look like they can stand up for long, durability and style.

 

[seefizzle]

Now is not the time to go ape about smartwatches and blow unnecessary bucks on them, they've yet to be properly refined and made more compelling. If they do become a fad then a few years down the line they may be worth a glance or two (figuratively speaking of course).

I couldn't agree with you more. This technology is really in it's infancy right now. I'm still waiting to see something worth my money.

 

[mosu]

Far too powerful in processing power with Snapdragon 400, very low on RAM and too much graphic power for a 320 by 320 screen, resulting probably in a very poor battery life. The design looks elegant, but it seems there are no physical home button or else.

 

[Jad Chaar]

I really hope the iWatch is good. All the android smart watches aren't too impressive IMO .

 

[Marty LK]

Though nice looking and has an OLED, I wouldn't pay more than $200 for it. It's an Asus product...

 

[davislane1]

The problem with smartwatches is that they cannot hold their value over time. If you drop extra money on a Rolex, a Mont Blanc, or some other luxury time piece, you can at least sell it later on down the road for a similar or greater price. Five years down the road, you won't be able to offload a smartwatch for near what you paid for it.

I'll wait until they're $19.99 a pop.

 

[captaincranky]

I already have a $30.00 Timex "Iron Man", that I'm constantly misplacing. I do so wish I would run across it again, so that once again, I could feel like a tough guy. At least until the the batteries in my pacemaker go dead.

Oh, I'm kidding, I don't really own a watch..