Garmin introduces new GPS smartwatch with music

Source: Garmin.
The vivoactive 3 Music. 

Garmin Singapore has announced vívoactive 3 Music, a GPS smartwatch with integrated music¹ and Garmin Pay² contactless payment support. Utilising their Garmin Pay wallet, users have the same rewards and benefits of the physical payment cards, but with the convenience of being able to use them right at the wrist for contactless payment.

"What Garmin is trying to do is to make our products part of daily life," Jimmy Chuang, Regional Product Manager, Garmin said. "We think music is going to be an important feature to have."

“Music can be a huge motivating component of any workout or activity, and we’re excited to give our customers the ability to ditch their phones and listen to their favourite songs right from their wrist,” said Engelhard Al Sundoro, MD, South East Asia, Garmin. “And with Garmin Pay, you can leave your wallet back at home, too, making it easier than ever to just get up and go.”

Featuring the same fitness, wellness and smart connectivity features first introduced on the vívoactive 3, the vívoactive 3 Music gives users on-device music storage of up to 500 songs, which can be transferred from a computer directly to the watch. Once the music is loaded, simply pair the vívoactive 3 Music with a set of compatible Bluetooth headphones (sold separately) and go.

With Elevate wrist-based heart rate³ monitoring and over 15 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps including yoga, running, strength training and more, the vívoactive 3 Music is packed with features. The always-on Garmin Chroma Display is easy to read even in direct sunlight.

Like all of Garmin’s wearables, it is safe for swimming and showering⁴ and has a battery life of up to seven days in smartwatch mode and five hours in GPS with music mode⁵.

Customisation has never been easier with thousands of watch faces, widgets, data fields and apps available to download from the Garmin Connect IQ store. Another useful feature is the AccuWeather MinuteCast app for weather forecasts.

The redesigned Garmin Connect tracks activity statistics. A day's totals can be easily compared to past results, with more detailed information a tap away. Activities and other stats are customised and filtered so that the user only sees what is most relevant to stated goals. Users can connect with others for mutual motivatation, join challenges, engage in competitions and score Garmin Connect badges when goals are reached.

Chuang positions the new smartwatch within the extended
Garmin vivo family.

Details:

The vívoactive 3 Music comes with a black silicone 20mm quick-release industry-standard band and has a suggested retail price of S$459. It is available at Advance Lap, Best Denki, Challenger, Courts, Gain City, Harvey Norman and all Garmin authorised retailers. In Singapore, Garmin already has a partnership with OCBC for contactless payments.

Accessory bands in different sizes are available for purchase separately.

Explore:

Watch the video introducing the Garmin vivoactive 3 Music

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about the new new Garmin fēnix 5 Plus series

¹ May require premium subscription by a third-party music provider

² Available for supported cards from participating banks; only available at contactless payment-enabled terminals. View current supported country payment network and issuing bank information

³ See Garmin.com/ataccuracy

⁴ See Garmin.com/waterrating

⁵ Under typical use; battery life may vary depending on selected performance mode and usage

New Apple Watch Hermès styles, strap colours

Source: Apple. The new Apple Watch Hermès will almost be flush with the wrist.

Together with Hermès, Apple introduced new Apple Watch Hermès styles and an expanded assortment of bands that incorporate Hermès' signature palette alongside a series of new colours. The collection pairs Apple Watch Series 2 with handcrafted leather bands in distinctive styles from Hermès. Exclusive watch face designs are inspired by the Clipper, Cape Cod and Espace Hermès models.

"Ours is a partnership born of parallel thinking and mutual regard — we share similar preoccupations, ever evolving and refining our design,” said Jonathan Ive, Apple’s Chief Design Officer.

“We are united by the same vision, the uncompromising pursuit of excellence and authenticity, and the creation of objects that remain as relevant and functional as they are beautiful. This is a new step of our attelage (Editor's note: partnership)," said Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermès’ Executive VP, in charge of artistic direction.

The expanded Apple Watch Hermès collection includes a new style — the Double Buckle Cuff in Swift and Epsom calfskin leathers, inspired by an archetypal Hermès sandal design by Pierre Hardy, Creative Director of Hermès shoes and jewellery, available in new colours including Rose Jaipur, Étoupe and Bleu Agate (shades of red, brown and blue respectively). The new Single Tour Deployment Buckle band pairs Hermès Barenia calfskin leather with a hidden deployment buckle, which opens with a click of two side buttons. The classic Double Tour and Single Tour styles will feature refreshed colours including Anemone (a shade of purple).

New Apple Watch Hermès models pair with Apple Watch Series 2, which features GPS, water resistance to 50 m*, a two-times brighter display, a dual-core processor and watchOS 3, and include an exclusive Hermès Sport Band in signature orange. The water resistant Sport Band is uniquely etched with ‘Apple Watch Hermès.’

Interested?

Apple Watch Hermès is available in two different case sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm. The 38 mm Single Tour is US$1,149**; the 42 mm Single Tour is US$1,199**; the 38 mm Double Tour is US$1,299**; the 42 mm Single Tour Deployment Buckle is US$1,399**; and the 38 mm Double Buckle Cuff is US$1,499** from apple.com, Hermes.com, select Apple Stores, select Hermès stores, select specialty stores and department stores.

In Asia Pacific and Middle East Apple Watch Hermès will be available from September 23 in Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, and the UAE. Apple Watch Hermès Bands are sold separately and are available from September 16.*** The Single Tour Band is US$339**, Double Tour is US$489**, and the Double Buckle Cuff is US$689**. Apple Watch Series 2 requires iPhone 5 or later running iOS 10 or later. WatchOS 3 and iOS 10 will be available beginning September 13 as a free software update. Some features are not available in all regions or in all languages.

Every customer who buys Apple Watch Hermès will be offered free Personal Setup, in-store or online,**** to help set up and personalise their new Apple Watch with calendars, notifications, apps and more.

*Apple Watch Series 2 has a water resistance rating of 50 m under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that it may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. However, Apple Watch Series 2 should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth. Stainless steel and leather bands are not water resistant.
**Prices stated are for the US, and may vary in other countries.
***Apple Watch Hermès Bands will be available beginning September 23 in Macau.
****In most countries.

Razer now makes watches too

Source: Razer online store.

Razer, a provider of connected devices and software for gamers, has announced the Razer Nabu Watch. The digital timepiece includes a Nabu secondary screen that previews notifications streamed from a smartphone, as well as tracks fitness and sleep activity via an in-built accelerometer.

The Razer Nabu Watch includes features expected of top-tier digital watches - an illuminated backlit display, countdown timer, stopwatch, world time clocks and alarms -- as well as automatic phone time sync via Bluetooth to ensure the watch is always accurate. Most importantly, the Razer Nabu Watch digital chronograph component has a 12-month life on its coin cell replaceable battery.

A secondary screen outfitted in the Razer Nabu Watch delivers all the features of a Nabu wearable, including discreet notifications, fitness tracking and watch-to-watch communication.

Paired to a user's smartphone via Bluetooth, calls, texts, emails and app alerts all stream to the secondary screen for ease of viewing. An in-built accelerometer enables comprehensive fitness tracking - steps walked, distance traveled, calories burned and more. Finally, with its unique watch-to-watch communication capability, two Nabu Watch users can shake hands to exchange Facebook and Twitter info easily. This feature works interchangeably between any Nabu Watch, Nabu and/or Nabu X. The watch's secondary screen has seven days of rechargeable battery life via an included charging cable.

"We're bringing together the reliability and incredible functionality of a digital timepiece, with added smart features to empower the tech enthusiasts of today," says Razer CEO and co-founder, Min-Liang Tan. "We're also just really excited to create a digital watch that we're proud to call our own -- a natural intersection between our popular work in apparel and wearables. This was something our fans have asked for, and we're happy to deliver."

Interested?

The standard edition Razer Nabu Watch is designed with polycarbonate materials and with Razer green highlights. It will be available from late January 2016 and is priced at US$149.99. The Razer Nabu Watch Forged Edition has machined stainless steel buttons and a black finish. It is already available at RazerStore retail locations and at RazerStore.com, priced at US$199.99.

System requirements:
iPhone 5/5S/6/6 Plus/6S/6S Plus with iOS 8 (or higher)
Android 4.3 (or higher) device with Bluetooth Low Energy (BT 4.0 or higher) capability

Hashtag: #CES2016

LG G Watch R gets connectivity boost with Android Wear update

With the latest Android Wear update, LG's first-round smart watch, the G Watch R, will become Wi-Fi capable, the company has announced. The G Watch R is one of three LG Android Wear devices.

Source: LG.

LG's G Watch, G Watch R and Watch Urbane devices will be updated over the next few days as the firmware over-the-air (FOTA) update is rolled out around the world. 

In addition to G Watch R's new Wi-Fi capabilities, all three LG devices will now support interactive watch faces available for download from Google Play. Interactive watch faces allow users to tap on specific areas of the watch display in order to see additional related information.

The latest update also will allow LG's Android Wear devices to support apps that perform specific functions*, such as displaying a four-day weather forecast or performing translations in foreign languages right on the watch itself. As there's no need to pull out and turn on a phone, Android Wear apps deliver convenience and save time for users.

Interested?

Read Google's blog post on the Android Wear blog

*Some features require a connection via Bluetooth to a compatible device with a data network connection.

Plantronics headsets to be controlled from Apple Watches and Android Wear wearables

Plantronics, an audio and wearable technology specialist, announced that the latest version of its Plantronics Hub for iOS and Android now supports the Apple Watch and Android Wear, broadening the company’s reach to include other devices within the growing mobile device ecosystem.

With the new smart watch extension, people can now manage the headset experience directly from their wrist. Plantronics Hub v3.5 for iOS and Android lets users manage, customise, and control premium Plantronics Bluetooth headsets, including Voyager Legend, Voyager Edge, and Voyager Focus UC. The controls include muting and unmuting the headset, volume control, battery status, and ending calls. 

Interested?

Plantronics Hub v3.5 for iOS and Android with smart watch support is free and available* now..

*Plantronics Hub for iOS requires iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6, 6 Plus and iOS 8.3; Plantronics for Android requires OS v2.3.3 and later

Security gaps found in smartwatches: HP

HP Fortify has discovered that a full 100% of tested smartwatches exhibit security flaws. As part of an ongoing series looking at Internet of Things (IoT) security, HP today unveiled results of an assessment confirming that smartwatches with network and communication functionality represent a new and open frontier for cyberattack.

As they become more mainstream, smartwatches will increasingly store more sensitive information such as health data, and through connectivity with mobile apps may soon enable physical access functions including unlocking cars and homes.

“Smartwatches have only just started to become a part of our lives, but they deliver a new level of functionality that could potentially open the door to new threats to sensitive information and activities,” said Jeffrey Neo, Regional Director, Southeast Asia, HP Enterprise Security Products. “As the adoption of smartwatches accelerates, the platform will become vastly more attractive to those who would abuse that access, making it critical that we take precautions when transmitting personal data or connecting smartwatches into corporate networks.”

The study*, conducted by HP Fortify, questions whether smartwatches should store and protect sensitive data. HP leveraged HP Fortify on Demand to assess 10 smartwatches, along with their Android and iOS cloud and mobile application components, uncovering numerous security concerns**:

Insufficient user authentication/authorisation
Every smartwatch tested made it easy for third parties to gain access. For example, the watches did not support two-factor authentication, such as using a PIN from a separate device, and did not lock out accounts after three to five failed password attempts.

Lack of strong transport encryption
Data was sent in scrambled form as it is moved in the cloud, preventing it from being read easily, but 40% of the connections are open to attack.

Insecure interfaces
Thirty percent of the tested smartwatches used cloud-based web interfaces, all of which exhibited account enumeration concerns. In a separate test, 30% also exhibited account enumeration concerns with their mobile applications. Account enumeration refers to the practice of telling a user that the account name is correct but the password is wrong, allowing a list of valid user names to be harvested, and of confirming that an email address for resetting passwords is valid.

Insecure software/firmware
Seven in 10 of the smartwatches were found to have concerns with protection of firmware updates, including transmitting firmware updates without encryption and without encrypting the update files.

Privacy concerns
All smartwatches collected some form of personal information, such as name, address, date of birth, weight, gender, heart rate and other health information. Given the account enumeration issues and use of weak passwords on some products, exposure of this personal information is a concern.

As manufacturers work to incorporate necessary security measures into smartwatches, consumers are urged to consider security when choosing to use a smartwatch. It is recommended that users do not enable sensitive access control functions such as car or home access unless strong authorisation is offered. In addition, enabling passcode functionality, ensuring strong passwords and instituting two-factor authentication will help prevent unauthorised access to data. These security measures are not only important to protecting personal data, but are critical as smartwatches are introduced to the workplace and connected to corporate networks.

Interested?

Additional guidelines for secure smartwatch use are in the full report

*Conducted by HP Fortify, the HP Smartwatch Security Study used the HP Fortify on Demand IoT testing methodology which combined manual testing along with the use of automated tools. Devices and their components were assessed based on the OWASP Internet of Things Top 10 and the specific vulnerabilities associated with each top 10 category.

All data and percentages for this study were drawn from the 10 smartwatches tested during this study. While there are certainly a fair number of smartwatch devices already on the market, and that number continues to grow, HP believes the similarity in results of the 10 smartwatches provides a good indicator of the current security posture of smartwatch devices.

**HP Internet of Things Security Report: Smartwatches, HP, July 2015