The battle between smartwatches should be won by the ones that don’t rely on smartphones to place and answer calls. The Burg 12 watchphone would be one of the best contenders in that case.
In the future, we’ll all look like secret agents, talking into our wrists as if only our grandparents are worthy of using full-fledged smartphones for communication. Of course, that’ll only happen until we somehow get the speakers and the microphone into our own skin, fact that’ll do away with the lousy battery life of current wearables. Until then, we’ll have to do with smartwatches that can place and receive calls, as rare as these are. Frankly, I think there are more no-name Chinese brands than big players making such devices. With an office in Hong Kong and the other one in Guangzhou, China, it would seem like Burg fits in the first former category, but you couldn’t be farther from the truth. Founded by lifestyle designer Hermen van den Burg, this company wants to make itself known in the world of wearable tech, and so far has done so with the help of a few watchphones.
Burg 12 is not exactly the only watchphone around, as Samsung Gear S and Neptune Pine are also built in that manner. However, this one has an important advantage over both of those wearables: its $200 price tag. The dust- and waterproof circular case encompasses a square 240 x 240 pixel 1.5″ touchscreen display, and that could very well qualify as a differentiating factor, as well, since displays usually follow the shape of the case.
In terms of battery life, the Burg 12 is said to run up to three days on a single charge, and provides up to three hours of continuous talk time. I couldn’t possibly stand staying 3 hours with the wrist close to my mouth, which is why I assume that Bluetooth connectivity will also be available, thus enable people to use Bluetooth headsets for talking.
To sweeten the deal, Burg offers a $25 prepaid SIM card for this watchphone, so you can start phoning people right after buying the wearable, supposing that its battery is not empty. Even though it works on its own just fine, it’s also compatible with iOS and Android devices, should you wish to pair it with one.
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