As reported on TechCrunch.
by Matt Burns
Sony introduced the SmartBand SWR10 at CES 2014. The diminutive wearable is part of Sony’s push into an ever-connected experience centered around its Xperia products. Sony was mum about the release schedule back at CES, but today, at Mobile World Congress, the company announced that the device will be available in 60 markets next month.
The SmartBand sports the standard affair of fitness tracking. But Sony is positioning this device as much more than a fitness tracker. According to the press release, it’s “a new user experience based around three core pillars – Lifelogging, ‘Wearing smart’ and ‘Life tools’.”
Besides Lifelogging, the other two items are needless branding for standard functions found on wearables. This includes sleep monitoring, vibrating notification alerts, and remote control of media playback. Sony loves to brand things.
The Lifelogging is a bit convoluted. From the sound of it, this function uses the SmartBand as a sort of life-tracking tool that somehow relates media to a location. Here’s what the presser has to say about it.
Lifelog application – Communication and entertainment, staying on top of the things that matter to you Sony’s innovative new Lifelog application binds the SmartWear Experience together, enabling you to discover your past, enjoy your present and helping inspire your future. Together with SmartBand, the Android app enables you to effortlessly capture life and entertainment – places visited, music listened to, games played, books read – and presents it a beautifully visual interface.
You can see how active you were, where you went, what pictures you took and how you have been communicating with your world. Lifelog will also help you set activity goals, monitor your progress and make recommendations to help inform future decisions.
So there’s that.
The SmartBand only works with Android devices, and from the press release, it seems some of the so-called Lifelogging functions require specific applications. At CES Sony stated the device would cost 99 euros. This release communiqué doesn’t state the price, meaning Sony is going to hold true to its aforementioned pricing or it could switch things up prior to the release.