Who is behind the Chronowing Smart Watch from HP?
It seems the guys from The Verge have uncovered the secret of Chronowing smart watches, announced last month by Hewlett Packard. It turns out that the production of this stylish “toys for big boys” is not done at all by HP, but by the less well-known company Meta, founded by former Fossil employees.
Not so long ago, Meta released its own M1 smart watch, designed by former Vertu designer Frank Nuovo. Admittedly, “smart” in this watch by today's standards is quite a bit Yes, they communicate with a smartphone via Bluetooth, notify their owner about incoming messages by vibration and allow you to view scheduled meetings in the calendar. But a multifunctional gadget, like Asus ZenWatch, Moto 360 or SmartWatch 3, working on Android Wear, you will not call them. They do not play music, do not relay calls, are not equipped with a spy camera and do not respond to the classic “Okay, Google”. M1 is aimed at lovers of classic wristwatches, seeking to keep up with the times, but do not want to finally mutate into the gadget-geek.
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The same concept lies at the heart of the Chronowing project. Outwardly, they are more reminiscent of classic sports watches of the elite segment, such as models of the brand Tag Heuer, rather than a miniature “computer on hand”. As in the case of the M1, Chronowing designed the real VIP class mater - American Michael Bastian, recognized as the best designer of elite accessories for men in 2011 according to CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America).
The creators obviously did not try to make the device a high-tech "Swiss knife", limiting themselves to an electronic dial in a metal ring, alerts about incoming letters and messages, a convenient calendar, weather information and a vibrating alarm. The clock does not even support touch input, displaying all data on a monochrome LCD display with a resolution of 128x128 pixels. But the device looks impressive even in combination with an expensive suit, it is completed with stylish straps from genuine leather (including crocodile leather) and has a beautiful author's logo on the back surface.
By the way, it is the back of the watch that contains the main evidence that M1 and Chronowing were created in the same laboratory. First, this is evidenced by the semicircular shape of the four-pin connector designed for charging. Secondly, the watch has the same FCC ID - the identification number that the device receives at the Federal Communications Agency. The latter circumstance leaves no doubt that the manufacturer of both watches is the same.
In the case of Hewlett Packard, this “loud revelation” (which has long been an open secret) does not matter. Chronowing doesn’t claim to be a bestseller, as there are not that many people who want to spend $ 350 on a “smart watch” with very limited capabilities. But Meta has an obvious gesheft from this "stuffing". It’s not so easy for a young brand to get out of the shadow of the giant Fossil, who reliably occupied the elite segment of the watch market and makes hundreds of millions of dollars selling its products under the brands Michael Kors, Diesel, Burberry and Armani Exchange. However, having diluted the respectability of the classics with new-fashioned "chips", like a bundle with a smartphone and retransmission of alerts, Meta clearly sets a fresh trend in the watch world. Time will show whether Mete will be able to secure leadership in this new segment.
The first Chronowing has already arrived in Madrobots, so soon expect a more detailed story about the new product from us, and then the opportunity to order a watch from us.
Author: Andrey Gasilin
Source: The Verge
Not so long ago, Meta released its own M1 smart watch, designed by former Vertu designer Frank Nuovo. Admittedly, “smart” in this watch by today's standards is quite a bit Yes, they communicate with a smartphone via Bluetooth, notify their owner about incoming messages by vibration and allow you to view scheduled meetings in the calendar. But a multifunctional gadget, like Asus ZenWatch, Moto 360 or SmartWatch 3, working on Android Wear, you will not call them. They do not play music, do not relay calls, are not equipped with a spy camera and do not respond to the classic “Okay, Google”. M1 is aimed at lovers of classic wristwatches, seeking to keep up with the times, but do not want to finally mutate into the gadget-geek.
')
The same concept lies at the heart of the Chronowing project. Outwardly, they are more reminiscent of classic sports watches of the elite segment, such as models of the brand Tag Heuer, rather than a miniature “computer on hand”. As in the case of the M1, Chronowing designed the real VIP class mater - American Michael Bastian, recognized as the best designer of elite accessories for men in 2011 according to CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America).
The creators obviously did not try to make the device a high-tech "Swiss knife", limiting themselves to an electronic dial in a metal ring, alerts about incoming letters and messages, a convenient calendar, weather information and a vibrating alarm. The clock does not even support touch input, displaying all data on a monochrome LCD display with a resolution of 128x128 pixels. But the device looks impressive even in combination with an expensive suit, it is completed with stylish straps from genuine leather (including crocodile leather) and has a beautiful author's logo on the back surface.
By the way, it is the back of the watch that contains the main evidence that M1 and Chronowing were created in the same laboratory. First, this is evidenced by the semicircular shape of the four-pin connector designed for charging. Secondly, the watch has the same FCC ID - the identification number that the device receives at the Federal Communications Agency. The latter circumstance leaves no doubt that the manufacturer of both watches is the same.
In the case of Hewlett Packard, this “loud revelation” (which has long been an open secret) does not matter. Chronowing doesn’t claim to be a bestseller, as there are not that many people who want to spend $ 350 on a “smart watch” with very limited capabilities. But Meta has an obvious gesheft from this "stuffing". It’s not so easy for a young brand to get out of the shadow of the giant Fossil, who reliably occupied the elite segment of the watch market and makes hundreds of millions of dollars selling its products under the brands Michael Kors, Diesel, Burberry and Armani Exchange. However, having diluted the respectability of the classics with new-fashioned "chips", like a bundle with a smartphone and retransmission of alerts, Meta clearly sets a fresh trend in the watch world. Time will show whether Mete will be able to secure leadership in this new segment.
The first Chronowing has already arrived in Madrobots, so soon expect a more detailed story about the new product from us, and then the opportunity to order a watch from us.
Author: Andrey Gasilin
Source: The Verge
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/363815/
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