Smartwatches 2013

The Samsung smartphone-compatible Galaxy Gear watch has a stainless steel face and sensors in the straps. The watch, which is available on Sept. 25, displays push notifications from Galaxy phones and can even act as a phone itself with a built-in speaker.

The e-paper watch ($150) made huge waves after raising a record-breaking $10 million on Kickstarter (the goal was only $100K). The watch was so covetable that units hit shelves at Best Buy to help meet demand.

Pebble pairs to a smartphone via Bluetooth and, like most smartwatches, will receive text/email/call push notifications. It also works with activity apps like RunKeeper and FreeCaddie. The difference is that Pebble, which was one of our top picks for Father's Day, uses a battery-saving, black and white e-paper display that looks great in bright sunlight.

Sony's next generation "phone remote" went on display at IFA Berlin, Europe's biggest tech trade show, and is expected to hit shelves in late September ($250).

The water-resistant wearable tech is Android-only for now, as it pairs with devices using NFC (near field communications) technology. The Android companion uses your phone's data to read texts, tweet, listen to music, track workouts, and field calls. You can also trigger your phone's camera shutter remotely with the watch. As of June 2013, Sony claimed its second-gen SmartWatch was the first to implement NFC and has the longest lasting battery at seven days for low usage and three to four days for normal usage.

This week at IFA, San Diego-based chipmaker Qualcomm unveiled its the Toq smartwatch for Android phones with a Mirasol reflective color display (developed in house) that's not backlit, but still looks bright in sunlight. There aren't any buttons either — the Toq is always on and active.

Qualcomm's wearable tech keeps you connected, but doesn't need a physical connection itself. The device uses wireless charging technology. No prices have been announced yet, but the company announced that Toq will be available in black or white by the end of 2013.

The Bluetooth-enabled Sonostar ($170) is like a Pebble with different hardware. It has a black and white e-paper 1.73-inch display, is both Android and iOS compatible, and uses specialized apps.

The main difference is the curved touch screen on the watch's face. Sonostar's smartwatch isn't available yet, but the company expects a Q3 2013 launch.

A group of triathletes left their jobs at Nokia to develop Leikr, a smartwatch designed for athletes that syncs over WiFi to connect to mobile devices. Leikr has a large, colorful 2-inch display that shows essential stats like pace and distance, and can even guide runners or cyclists with preloaded maps.

The device had a successful Kickstarter campaign that ended in February 2013, and is accepting early adopters for 2,249 Danish krones (about $396).

Cookoo ($130) is yet another Kickstarter-funded smartwatch, but it's a bit more minimalist than the others. The watch connects to your smartphone, provides alerts, and does not need to be recharged, but Cookoo is limited to displaying notifications and making an audible tone.

It'll tell you when new Facebook posts or messages are received, calendar reminders, and when the phone's battery is low. Cookoo can be fully customized via its iPhone app.

Martian's G2G watch ($249) has the most classic watch look of the smartwatch bunch. The G2G recognizes voice commands for calls, text messages, and other information. The watch, which works with phones within a 30 foot radius, also has a built-in microphone for using as a speakerphone during a call. In camera mode, you can even trigger the phone's shutter from the watch.

Omate's water-resistant smartwatch still has 14 days left to go on Kickstarter, but it's already passed its $100K (as of this writing, the project's raised $583K).

TrueSmart, which runs a custom version of Android 4.2.2, stands to be a major player in the market because it's a stand-alone device that does not need a smartphone near it to run apps. Screenshots of the user interface look promising. The 3G-, Bluetooth-, and WiFi-enabled device also has a 5MP camera, built-in speaker/microphone, and an expandable microSD slot.

Omate hopes to ship the units to Kickstarter supporters in November.