The LG Urbane: A Really Good-Looking Do-It-All Smartwatch
LG is taking your smartphone out of your pocket and putting it on your wrist with its new LG Urbane LTE smartwatch.
The Urbane LTE, as its name implies, packs its own built-in LTE wireless data connection, which means it doesn’t have to be connected to your smartphone in order for you to do things like receive app updates or check your email
The watch even lets you make and receive calls and messages like some kind of modern day Dick Tracey knock-off.
On the outside, the LG Urbane LTE is an absolute stunner. Its circular, polished metal body is bulky, yes, but its size and weight actually give it the feel of a sturdy luxury item. The watch comes in two colors, rose-gold and silver, and both are equally attractive.
Unfortunately, LG outfitted the Urbane LTE with a stiff, plastic wristband that’s seems out of place considering how good looking the rest of the watch is.
Unlike LG’s other smartwatches, the Urbane LTE runs on the company’s own software rather than Google’s Android Wear operating system.
Beyond its data connection, the Urbane LTE also packs an NFC chip that allows you to make mobile payments from your wrist. You can also cycle through your previous purchases on the watch’s app screen, and store and save loyalty cards and coupons.
Like most smartwatches on the market, the Urbane LTE comes with a built-in heart rate monitor and can survive in up to 3 feet of water for 30 minutes.
While being able to make calls and receive messages and emails from your wrist is interesting, the fact that the Urbane comes with its own LTE connection means that the watch will also need a wireless data plan. Competing smartwatches connect to your phone, and thus use the phone’s data plan.
LG has yet to announce any U.S. carrier partners for the watch.
The watch’s LTE connection is also likely to put a beating on the Urbane’s battery life. LG says that the watch will come with a 700 mAh battery, which should last you a day.
LG hasn’t announced a price for the Urbane LTE just yet, but with its NFC and LTE connections, not to mention its looks, you can bet it will cost a decent chunk of change.
Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley or on Google+ here.
