The loose categorization of "wearable technology" portends to bridge the gap between our physical selves and the quantified versions we store in pixels, whether it's using gyroscopes to calculate how many calories were burned during a run, or capturing photos of what we see from a little computer affixed to our eyebrows. Manufacturers like Google, Apple, and Samsung are embarking on a new technology arms race, of sorts, for gadgets you can strap to your body. In this instance, it's literally a race for your arm.
Samsung's Galaxy Gear is the Korean manufacturer's first stab at a smartwatch, for which the Kickstarter-backed Pebble demonstrated a clear demand. When synced with a Samsung phone or tabet, the Gear lets you take calls, send texts, and even snap photos right from your wrist.
Here's what the web's top technology reviewers are saying about it:
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CNET's Andrew Hoyle says that from a hardware perspective it's very sleek:
Christina Bonnington at Wired says for its diminutive connotations, it's actually a bit bulky:
The big consideration, says Vlad Savov at The Verge, is that it's only compatible with two Samsung devices at launch, although the company promises to add more to the lineup by year's end:
The interface is a "pretty basic touch driven interface," says Brian Klug at AnandTech, but it has some smart motion-driven features:
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You can also verbally issue commands, notes Wired's Bonnington, using S Voice (Samsung's voice dictation software):
And talking into it is pretty fun, says CNET's Hoyle:
Somewhat surprisingly, the camera is actually quite delightful, says The Verge's Savov:
Overall, the Gear is a nice idea, says Wired's Bonnington, but it still lacks polish:
The Verge's Savov thinks it a bit confused:
AnandTech's Klug, on the other hand, thinks it has potential:
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Chris Gayomali is the science and technology editor for TheWeek.com. Previously, he was a tech reporter at TIME. His work has also appeared in Men's Journal, Esquire, and The Atlantic, among other places. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.