Skagen’s first touchscreen smartwatch is the minimalist Falster
Danish watch brand Skagen is announcing its first touchscreen smartwatch at CES this week. The Falster runs Android Wear and joins Skagen's lineup of connected hybrid analog watches. It will be available starting at $275 later this month.
Skagen watches have long favored a minimalist, Scandinavian aesthetic, with very thin and lightweight designs. The Falster is not particularly thin — it's just as thick as any other Android Wear watch you can buy — but it does have a very simple presentation, with a 42mm case and a single push button on the side. It is designed to appeal to either men or women, but it will probably be a little large on smaller wrists. On my larger wrist, the watch sat comfortably and had good proportions.
Android Wear 2.0 runs on the fully circular touchscreen, and the Falster has a handful of custom watchfaces that the Skagen says are designed to simple and clean. The dark interface is also said to improve battery life, though the company isn't claiming any particular advancements over other touchscreen smartwatches. The watch will be able to run the assortment of apps and watchfaces available to any Android Wear watch through the included Google Play Store.
The technology and features built into the Falster are just as minimal as its design. It does not have NFC for mobile payments, nor does it have GPS tracking or a heart rate monitor for fitness activities. Its single button does not rotate either. It seems that the Falster is designed to be an everyday smartwatch, as opposed to one that will appeal to a techie or fitness-focused niche.
The Falster will be available in four different colorways, two of which have mesh bracelets (the others have black or brown leather straps). It is the first connected watch in Skagen's lineup available with the company's signature mesh bracelet. At just under $300, the Falster sits in the middle of the range of Android Wear watches available today, though with its lack of certain tech features, it may seem a bit under equipped compared to other smartwatches. But if you're looking for a smartwatch that doesn't shout its existence from your wrist, the Falster might the one you want.
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