The best watches of CES 2014 – The Verge

The electric grand prix: the world’s first Formula E car packs a punch

2014-01-07T20:01:15-05:00

Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E (STOCK)

Electric cars have a bad reputation as ugly, expensive, slow cars with limited range. Cars like the Tesla Model S have gone a long way towards reversing public opinion, but what if there was a Formula 1 for electric cars? Come this September, there will be: it's called Formula E, and we've just seen the series' very first race car here at CES. It's called the Spark-Renault SRT_01E, and it has been made in conjunction with legendary motorsport companies like McLaren, Williams, and Dallara.

There's nothing slow about this electric car: it maxes out at roughly 140mph and accelerates from 0 - 62mph in just 3 seconds. But unlike its motorsport c …

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A quick look at MetaWatch’s new premium smartwatch

2014-01-07T19:50:26-05:00

Gallery Photo: MetaWatch Meta hands-on photos

MetaWatch's new Meta smartwatches are looking to be the answer to the plastic, nerdy-looking smartwatches that have flooded the market of late. Featuring a design by former Vertu designer Frank Nuovo, the new Meta watches give aesthetics and comfort as much priority as the watch's actual smart functionality.

Though MetaWatch doesn't expect to launch the Meta until later this year, we were able to take a brief look an early prototype device. This particular unit had an aluminum chassis and leather wrist strap, but MetaWatch intends to produce versions with a variety of different materials and finishes.

The signature feature of …

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Intel debuts a self-sufficient Smart Watch prototype

2014-01-06T21:55:00-05:00

intel smart watch

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich has announced that Intel is developing its own Smart Watch, looking to compete with the likes of Pebble and Samsung in the wearable space. Unlike its competitors, the device needn't be tethered to a smartphone to function since it has its own connectivity. It also features geofencing, allowing it to give the wearer notifications based on location.

Intel is paying greater attention to smaller devices this year, unveiling a range of wearable reference devices at the keynote. "Wearables are not everywhere today because they aren't yet solving real problems and they aren't yet integrated with our lifestyles," said Krzan …

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The striking Pebble Steel could change your mind about smartwatches

2014-01-06T14:00:02-05:00

Gallery Photo: Pebble Steel hands-on pictures

CES 2013 was the big coming-out party for the original Pebble smartwatch and now, a year later, CES 2014 is hosting the launch of the startup's second device, the Pebble Steel. It costs $100 more than the original - which will continue to be available as the entry-level Pebble - and adds a touch of classic watch design, underpinned by the use of higher-end materials.

Sprouting as a Kickstarter success from the remains of the unfruitful inPulse smartwatch project, Pebble is a company familiar with both the ups and downs of the tech industry. It's now riding the crest of a great wave of popularity that's only been gaining momentum through the …

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A premium smartwatch? MetaWatch launches new brand with former Vertu designer

2014-01-06T00:00:05-05:00

MetaWatch Meta

MetaWatch, the smartwatch company born from ex-Fossil engineers, is launching a new brand of devices called Meta. Meta watches differ from the company's earlier efforts in that they have as much of a focus on design and aesthetics as they do on functionality.

One of the biggest criticisms leveraged against smartwatches is that they are just ugly and not something that most people care to wear on their wrists. MetaWatch's earlier models, the Strata and Frame, were more about utility than aesthetics, and aren't designs that appeal to fashion-conscious consumers (though the Frame is arguably still one of the better-looking smartwatches on the …

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