You have your reasons for not owning a smartwatch, one of which is you happen to like the timepiece presently on your wrist. What if you could make your primitive wristwatch a little smart?
Chronos is like slapping a brain on the back of your favorite timepiece. It is an ulna-thin disc with 36 hours of battery life that brings curated notifications and health tracking to a watch of any age.
The disc is just under 3 mm thick and attaches to the back of the watch with some sort of “micro-suction” technology. Connected to a free iOS or Android app on your smartphone via Bluetooth, a Chronos wearer can control the phone with taps and gestures, such as skipping a music track or sending an incoming call straight to voicemail.
Smartwatch makers, led by Apple and the Apple Watch, are trying to convince the public such timepieces are must-have gadgets. While Apple is enthusiastic about its watch sales this year, only a small percentage of people in the U.S. own a
smartwatch.
Photo: Chronos
The Chronos may help attract some of the people who are unconvinced they need a smartwatch.
Haptic vibrations and an LED light around the perimeter of the Chronos disc indicates the type of notification coming in, including the arrival of your Uber ride, and an accelerometer sends fitness activity information to the app.
The Chronos has eight different vibration patterns and seven different LED colors, giving a wearer 56 combinations, according to the website.
The disc is waterproof, made from stainless steel and a polycarbonate window for light notifications.
San Francisco-based Chronos began accepting pre-orders for the watch wearable today for an introductory offer of $99. It will eventually retail for $129
