Kickstarter: Hot Watch Takes Aim At Pebble, iWatch And More

Pebble, Cookoo, and even Apple's anticipated "iWatch" have serious competition in the form of Hot Watch, a brand new smart watch presently available to back from $119 on Kickstarter. Featuring support for phone calls, SMS messages, email, and iOS notifications, Hot Watch has secured its funding goal of $150,000 with 32 days left to go. In many ways, the smart watch is much like its main competitor, Pebble, in that it provides users with notifications at the wrist, and displays text - such as SMS or iMessages, email, and Facebook notifications - on a small-size "e-paper" display. However, unlike Pebble, Hot Watch actually allows users to engage in private phone calls using their smart watch. You see, the product features a small, built-in microphone and speaker, which bounces sound waves off one's palm and picks up its user's voice. By raising a hand to the ear, as in the below image, Hot Watch owners can partake in calls without actually using their iPhone. As explained at the product's Kickstarter page:

The above illustration depicts sound being generated by a directional speaker that resides at the bottom of the wrist. It is then projected to the palm, which reflects and amplifies it to the user’s ear for a private, crystal-clear phone call. The microphone is located on the same module, opposite of the speaker, for echo-free, clear sound. Essentially your hand/palm acts like a phone receiver. This elegant, bio-mechanical solution empowers private calls like never before, imparting a similar experience to placing a phone to your ear. The beauty and potential of this patent pending idea, evolving how humans communicate, inspired us to make this watch a reality.

Additional features of Hot Watch include:

• Private calls amplified by the palm of your hand
• Speakerphone
• Voice activated calling and other phone control using your phone’s native voice recognition such as iPhone SIRI
• Receive and reply to Messages (SMS, Email, Facebook and Twitter)
• Music player remote control (for your phone’s native player)
• Multiple dial faces
• Automatic fast contacts sync
• Caller ID
• Audible and silent vibrating alarms and alerts
• Pedometer: Record running, walking, steps climbed, calories burned
• Fall detection with automatic text to emergency number (unless cancelled in 30 seconds)
• LED illumination
• Note capture: captures your handwriting on the watch face
• Tactile vibration feedback
• HOT Proximity Alerts: Never leave your phone behind and prevent theft
• Find your phone with remote beep
• Built-in LED Flashlight (ONLY in Curve)
• Water Resistant
• Multi-touch projected capacitive screen (Skim finger above glass to change screens)

Gestures allow users to unlock apps, perform tasks, and view notifications using Hot Watch's 1.26-inch screen, and what's more, the product aims to be available in five different versions: Edge, Classic, Basic, and Curve (pictured above). Hot Watch can be backed at Kickstarter from $119, and the estimated delivery for the product is presently December 2013. Check out the new product now, or for more of our recent news, see: It's Time To Connect Your IMAP Email Accounts To The Cookoo Watch's iOS App, China Investigating Two Apple Suppliers Amid Claims Of Pollution, and Cydia Tweak: Give Chrome For iOS A Bookmarks Bar With BMarks Bar - Chrome.

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