Skip to main content
The VergeThe Verge logo.The Verge homepage
The VergeThe Verge logo.

Will.i.am doesn't take the hint, makes another smartwatch

Will.i.am doesn't take the hint, makes another smartwatch

/

No more please

By Micah Singleton / @MicahSingleton

Via Engadget | Source The Telegraph

Share this story

Will.i.am, a man with immense musical talents and a history of making fantastically awful tech products, is releasing his second smartwatch called the Dial, instead of another Black Eyed Peas album. The successor to the Puls, which has made a strong case for the worst smartwatch ever made, the Dial is a voice-activated smartwatch that runs on an operating system called "AneedA," which is also the voice assistant.

The Dial's design resembles its predecessor, with a cuff band, but with a slightly wider screen. Features include a 2MP front-facing camera, the usual slate of fitness functions, and the ability to text, make calls, and play music. Why a voice-activated smartwatch? Will.i.am believes it's no longer awkward for people to talk into their wrists. "They are already talking in public out loud, hands free," Will.i.am told The Telegraph. "And I’ve seen people with their speakerphone on as they speak to other people."

"I’ve seen people with their speakerphone on as they speak to other people."

The Dial, which will be a UK exclusive when it is released in April, comes with a SIM card slot as well, allowing it to operate without needing to be tethered to a smartphone. The smartwatch will be sold by mobile carrier Three on a two-year contract, where it will thankfully remain on that side of the Atlantic Ocean.

More from Tech