Ticwatch 2 Review
Ticwatch 2 is a new smartwatch that claims to be the world’s “most interactive smartwatch”. The watch launched on July 26, 2016 on Kickstarter. Here are the early details we know about the watch thus far.
What Is The Ticwatch 2?
The Ticwatch 2 is a new smartwatch powered by Mobvoi.
The smartwatch was launched on Kickstarter on July 26. However, you can sign up for an exclusive discount by subscribing to the Tic mailing list at TicWear.com.
The Ticwatch 2 claims to be the most interactive smartwatch ever released. It gives users more ways to use the watch in the hopes that they’ll use it for more than just staring at notifications and checking the time.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the Ticwatch 2’s features.
Ticwatch 2 Features
The core features of the Ticwatch 2 are its interaction methods. Namely, the watch has four different ways users can interact with it, including all of the following:
-Touch: Swipe up, down, left, right, or long press to seamlessly transition through content.
-Voice Activation: You can activate your smartwatch anytime you say, “Ok, Tico”. Then, you can check the weather, browse local restaurants, call a taxi, and do all of the other things you do with voice commands.
-Gesture Control: Ticwatch 2 has a number of gestures that promise to make it easy to control your watch in more ways than ever before. For example, you can flip your wrist to answer calls, activate Tico voice search, or switch between cards on your watch.
-Tickle: The “Tickle” control promises to help you interact with the watch without ever covering the screen. You can use Tickle to zoom in on maps, adjust volume, scroll through menus, and adjust work goals, according to Tic. You can Tickle your device using a small strip on the side of the watch. You rub that strip to get one extra command button on your device.
Like all smartwatches, Tic comes with the features you expect, including the ability to receive phone calls through the watch, schedule reminders, view calendar info, and check the news.
It also comes with health and fitness features, including the ability to track daily activities with Ticwatch’s built-in GPS and heart rate monitor.
Ticwatch 2 Styles
At launch, four different styles are available, each of which comes with a different strap material and color:
-Onyx: Black stainless steel.
-Oak: Brown oak leather strap with a stainless steel frame.
-Snow: Soft white silicone with a lightweight silver aluminum frame.
-Charcoal: Black aluminum frame with charcoal silicone finish.
Watches also come with multiple watch faces – including everything from a minimalistic watch face with just dashes around the outside edge to more complex digital and flowery designs.
Tech Specs for the Ticwatch 2
All of the above sounds good so far. But what does the Ticwatch 2 actually pack beneath its hood? The Ticwatch 2 comes with all of the following tech specs:
-Display: Round OLED Display 1.4 inches / 36mm with 287 ppi
-Processor: 1.2GHz Dual-Core MT2601
-Memory: 512MB RAM + 4GB Onboard Storage
-Bluetooth: Bluetooth v4.1
-WLAN: 802.11 b/g/n
-Sensors: Dynamic optical heart rate sensor, acceleration sensor, gyroscope, Glonass sensors, and GPS
-Built-in Hardware: Linear motors, anti-noise microphone, speakers
-Waterproofing: IP65
-Strap: 20mm
-Battery: 200 mAh with TiCharge, which is Tic’s proprietary wireless charge technology
-Tickle Strip: Hidden under the shell
All of the above is pretty self-explanatory. However, you may not have seen the “IP65” waterproofing rating very often. Typically, we see modern electronics with IP67 and IP68 waterproofing. So what does this IP65 rating mean?
IP stands for Ingress Protection. The first number indicates a device’s protection against solid particle ingress (like dust entering the device). The second number indicates a device’s protection against liquid ingress (like water entering the device).
The “6” at the front of IP65 is good, as that’s the highest rating a device can receive. It means the device is completely sealed against the ingress of dust and has complete protection against contact.
The “5”, on the other hand, is a bit lower than we would like to see. It indicates the Ticwatch 2 is protected against water jets, which is defined as “water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction” with no harmful effects. That’s still pretty good, but a lot of other electronics have a rating of 6 or higher. Still, unless you’re taking your watch swimming or in the shower, this is unlikely to affect you (you should still be able to shower with the watch on).
Who Created The Ticwatch 2?
The Ticwatch 2 was created by award winning Scandinavian designer Mika. The official Ticwatch 2 page claims that Mike created the watch “by drawing on his three main principles of design: simplicity, craftsmanship, and celebrating the materials.”
However, the watch itself is manufactured by a Chinese company named Mobvoi – which is quickly making a name for itself outside of China. They’re well-known in China and have recently started to branch into the United States, Europe, and other markets.
Mobvoi introduced their first smartwatch, the Mobvoi Ticwatch, back in October 2015. Now, they’re releasing the Ticwatch 2 for summer 2016.
They’re also developing a mobile payment platform called Ticpay, which is a payment system that will only work in China at launch but may expand in the future.
Ticwatch 2 Pricing
The international version of the original Ticwatch is priced at around $200.
Final pricing details for the Ticwatch 2 have not yet been released, although it’s expected to be priced slightly higher than the original. As usual on Kickstarter, you can enjoy early access deals to get a discount on the watch.
Stay tuned for more information about the Ticwatch 2 as it heads towards launch!
