First, a few facts
* The display is an E Ink screen and compared what built the Amazon in its Kindle, as opposed to the Pebble the entire screen is therefore rebuilt even with a change in the indicator - which is unsuitable for displaying, for example animations, but for a smart band a good choice because only the display changes consumes power and the display is easy to read both in low light as well in direct sunlight. But you need at least somewhat passive light - in total darkness you can see the display does not
* The clock does not have a touch screen - similar to the Pebbles interpreted the smart band a "knock" on the clock as an input because the internal accelerometer then responds. With this in mind, but the interaction is working very well.
* The clock is extensible which you load on apps with Hilfer the Smart Tape Talk Android app from the Android Play gates on the clock. It is changed with the function button between apps - the order can also be changed via the Smart Tape Talk Android App
* If you want to can be summed up with the Lifelog App all data collected by the clock (steps-minute, run-minutes sleep time) at a central point and hold for the "eternity"
* With the Smart Volume Talk Android app you can specify which alerts should be routed to the clock continues - each installed on the mobile phone app can select a source while
* Since the latest update the sleep data be collected and analyzed, you get an overview of leichte- and deep sleep in the Lifelog App
* If you want to come into the enjoyment of the full range of functions (such as the sleep phase evaluation) need the Lifelog App and, consequently, a Sony account. If there is already a Sony account, for example, for the Playstation, so you can use this
* Smart tape does not work with the iPhone, currently only Android devices are supported
* It does not require Sony Xperia Android phone to connect with the clock on the Smart Tape Talk app or the App Lifelog produce - with my Moto X everything works fine
What I personally after a few days like a practical test on Smart Volume
+ The speakerphone works really well - both the microphone and the speakers are loud enough to make phone calls in the car (with the corresponding ambient noise). The audio quality has this surprised me very positively - and also my opponent was up to now always understand me very well
+ The battery life is compared to Android devices Wear really good. About 3 days to get through without charge, only the handsfree function consumes quite the battery - with frequent use the term decreases accordingly
+ The Bluetooth connection to my Moto X (1st generation, Android 4.4) is very stable - so far no disconnections
+ The app concept is promising - there are already some very useful components such as calendar, weather forecast, voice memo - but I hope that Sony still continues to work to the full potential of the bands auszureizen
+ Display is in absolutely any angle and in any light condition (except complete darkness) very well readable
+ The Smart tape works even if no Bluetooth connection to the phone is (what makes sense for example, at night). The collected data can be easily stored on the clock and transmitted to the mobile phone once a connection is established
+ The smart alarm clock (wake by vibration in a certain time window at a time where you can just easily sleeps) also works without an active connection with the phone
+ You can define a time window for the "Rest" by no Notifications are to be forwarded from your phone to the clock or signaled by vibration
which is not so great:
- The e-ink will not allow apps like the Pebble, because the structure of the e-ink screens takes a split second and therefore no animations and frequent updates (eg every second.) Sensible display - that's only a wild flickering
- If you use the theme with the dark background, you can see on some pages footsteps of previous displays - similar to the "image persistence", the one or the other still knows of CRT monitors. This is also a characteristic of the e-ink display (see photo). I therefore used the "light" theme - since the effect is much less pronounced
- The software is not yet mature 100% - for example, it has happened that has not stopped working after using the kit of the pedometer - has on / off switching of the clock helped
- Although the clock comes with two different length ribbons - but each of the bands has its own very small clip with which it is mounted on the clock - you lose the clip you have to buy a new tape. But is not really a rough criticism, because you will select a rule at the beginning once the band of the correct length and this remains.
In summary, I think that's smart band very successful - but the software is still room for improvement.
So 4 stars out of 5
If I had a pure fitness solution sought would Jawbone been 24 Up the gadget of my choice - but after I did not want to renounce Notifications I landed the band Talk Smart - and satisfied so far
Whether the price is reasonable must each decide for themselves - I personally find it quite acceptable, especially as the Garmin Vivo Smart (probably one of the main competitors) plays in the same league
---------- -------------- Update 26/12/2014
I have a smart band now but already some time in daily use, thereby following things struck me:
* Altimeter - supposedly has the clock according to Sony datasheet an altimeter that jetztige firmware or the current apps seem but still in any way to make use of it
* Volume Keys - Feedback: There are pressing the Volume keys no feedback whether already maximum or minimum is reached or which volume is ever being adjusted (eg by a bar)
* Volume Keys - Control: Actually, the clock is being controlled through 2 actions: tap the clock and the function key. It would nevertheless offer the Volume Keys in certain situations to use as a navigation tool. For example, / e-mail, only the first few characters or lines appear in an incoming message - it would be great if you could read even further by further classified with the Volume Keys down to scroll up.
* Voice control - To use voice control must be installed the appropriate app. That is so far still no criticism, but the app is not really useful usable in its current state - commands to simply not recognized sufficiently reliable to use this feature productively.
* If you have missed a notification (approximately 30 seconds underway shows), then there is no way they subsequently to look again
Any point above would, but can be corrected by software updates, and the product is still relatively young.
