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Control and Safety with the Apple Family Set Up

Apple family setup benefits

An Apple a day

Apple recently announced the Apple family setup feature for connecting families together.

It’s available from watchOS 7. With this feature parents can pair their phone to their kid’s Apple watch. Once connected parents can stay in contact with their kids. Location information, parental controls and limits can be supervised.

Set Limits and Stay in Control

  • Screen Time lets you see and set how much time you or the kids spend on apps or websites
  • You can set exceptions for certain apps, for example, those that help them to learn
  • If the kids need more time, they can ask for it and you decide to approve or decline it
  • Downtime allows you to block apps and notifications at a given time (great for kids or if you find it hard to put your phone down at night). 
  • Choose apps that are off-limits at times to suit you
  • Set a School time Schedule on their Apple Watch – a yellow ring appears on apps restricted during certain times (for studying)
  • Activate Do Not Disturb on their Apple Watch

Kids-only content

  • Kids can enjoy a safe version of the App Store
  • Curated specifically with child-friendly content
  • Each app is carefully reviewed
  • Use Restrictions to set age limits
  • Stay in control of their access to age-appropriate apps

Choose what the kids use

  • Restrict the installation of apps to their iPhone or Apple Watch
  • Enable the ‘Ask to Buy’ feature and approve or decline app purchase requests from your own device
  • Using Combined Limits means adding restrictions to multiple apps or sites into one convenient limit
  • Send notifications to their devices when they’re about to reach a set time limit

Online safety 

  • Setting Communication Limits means choosing who your kids can (and cannot) communicate with during the day and your set Downtime. They remain reachable to you. This can be applied to iPhones and Apple Watches.
  • Limit adult content or restrict chosen websites
  • Utilise kid-friendly browsers that only show what’s appropriate
  • Block anything you don’t want them to see; movies, TV shows, music, podcasts or books

Never lose a device or a family member

  • Using Find My means never losing a device again – even if it’s offline
  • Ping your iPhone from your Apple Watch
  • If your kids forget their iPhone, you can reach them on their Apple Watch (with cellular)
  • Close by devices can be found using Bluetooth
  • Using People (People tab) enables you to share your location
  • Send and receive location-based notifications
  • Know when your child is safely at school 
  • Peace of mine if an elderly family member goes for an unplanned walk

Stay Healthy and Fit

  • The Apple Watch series has a plethora of health and fitness tracking
  • Ensure your kids are active and healthy
  • See where you can make improvements to your kid’s health and fitness
  • Create competitions between family members to close their rings first
  • Use Night Shift to reduce blue light before going to sleep
  • Set up a bedtime notification on yours or your kids iPhone
  • Analyse sleep quality through sleep tracking

Stay safe on the go

  • If your teen is driving, Do Not Disturb stops notifications on iPhones and Apple Watches until they arrive (not Emergency calls, though)
  • Learn your kid’s location with the Find People app for Apple Watch
  • Receive notifications when they get to school or swimming practise

Emergency Settings

  • Use your iPhone and Apple Watch for quick access to Emergency SOS information
  • Ask Siri on either device to make an emergency call
  • Share your location with first responders using your iPhone
  • Kids can communicate with parents even without a phone
  • If your kids need some emergency funds, Apple Cash Family lets a parent use Apple Pay to load money and receive spending notifications
  • See the purchases in the Wallet app
  • Receive an Emergency SOS notification if your kids look at their Medical ID
  • View their health information via the Health app

Maintain your Privacy and Security

  • Your data is kept secure
  • If using Family Sharing, your family only see what you allow regarding your activities on your own devices
  • TouchID and Face ID keep your iPhones safe from prying eyes
  • Advanced privacy settings give parents control and peace of mind 

Hope you find this Apple Family article interesting. Download or share the visual above here.

Related information

New Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 40mm) - Blue Aluminum Case with Deep Navy Sport Band
New Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 40mm) - Blue Aluminum Case with Deep Navy Sport Band
  • GPS model lets you take calls and reply to texts from your wrist
  • Measure your blood oxygen with an all-new sensor and app
  • Check your heart rhythm with the ECG app
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Timex Metropolitan R Review

Timex Metropolitan R

Timex came along and introduced us to their Timex Smart range. This consists of four smartwatches (with touchscreen) in round and square cases. The round model is called the Timex Metropolitan R and the square is called the Metropolitan S. Both cost $179, have a touch screen and a two-week battery life. They’re iOS and Android compatible, too!

Design

The Metropolitan R has a slimline 42mm case with two buttons on the right. It has a textured aluminium case with a polished bezel and plastic underside. The bezel is sporty-looking with a chronograph style (note, it doesn’t rotate, though). It looks awesome when you opt for a black watch face. 

The sleek design is also lightweight, at only 39g. The AMOLED screen is 1.2inches and offers a bold and bright readability in most lighting. It does have an always-on function, which seems to be wildly popular at the moment, but you can turn it off if you need to save your battery life. In this case, you simply raise your wrist to wake the display.

The strap is pretty special. It’s a slim 20mm tan leather with a silicone underside, which is great for protecting the watch from sweat or general moisture and dirt. 

The upper button of the two is the wake button and the lower brings up the menu. 

Timex Metropolitan R AMOLED Smartwatch with GPS & Heart Rate 42mm – Rose Gold-Tone with Blush Silicone Strap
Timex Metropolitan R AMOLED Smartwatch with GPS & Heart Rate 42mm – Rose Gold-Tone with Blush Silicone Strap
  • 1.2” high-resolution AMOLED touch display (390 x 390); Up to 12 days Smart battery life
  • 24/7 Activity tracking (steps, distance, calories & sleep); On-wrist optical heart rate with HR zone...
  • Notifications (SMS, Facebook, WhatsApp, Email); Music Control; Phone Finder; Over 25 watch faces to...
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Inside the Timex Metropolitan R

Timex hasn’t used Wear OS on the Metro series. Instead, the operating system is proprietary. Something we’ve also recently seen on the new Zepp E smartwatch. There is a Timex app, which offers many faces to choose from. If it feels familiar, it’s because the company behind the Amazfit smartwatch series, Huami, also built this app (again, something you’ll find similar to the Zepp E, who also used Amazfit).

Technically speaking, the Metropolitan R is the twin of the Amazfit GTR 42mm. Ditto the Amazfit GTS is identical to the Metropolitan S. 

Function

You don’t miss Wear OS, because they run pretty similarly. You need to swipe left for your steps, distance and calories. Swipe another time and you’ll get your heart rate. Up takes you to the menu and you notifications, music control, alarms and workouts. Finally, down will show you your quick-access menu items.

The workout plans available include running, walking, swimming, cycling and even climbing and skiing. When you begin any activity, the GPS kicks in, which is cool. The device is water resistant to 30m which means it’ll be OK to swim in (handy, as it has a swimming mode).

The app is user-friendly and synching the watch is fast. Even updates take only a few moments. It’s much faster than all Wear OS devices as well as the Amazfit GTS. 

The app is where you data is stored. Fitness as well as sleep quality. It’ll present you with some nice graphs for the latter. 

Specification

Timex haven’t told us about the RAM inside the Metropolitan R, nor do we know the battery size. Marketing material claims you’ll get 12 days between charges; which is fantastic. The Metropolitan S has a marginally bigger battery and you’ll get 14 days out of it. 

There is GPS, but not NFC for payments. 

They both come in different materials and colours from black, brown, gunmetal and rose gold-tone. All models cost $179.

Timex Metropolitan R AMOLED Smartwatch with GPS & Heart Rate 42mm – Black with Brown Leather & Silicone...
Timex Metropolitan R AMOLED Smartwatch with GPS & Heart Rate 42mm – Black with Brown Leather & Silicone...
  • 1.2” high-resolution AMOLED touch display (390 x 390); Up to 12 days Smart battery life
  • 24/7 Activity tracking (steps, distance, calories & sleep); On-wrist optical heart rate with HR zone...
  • Notifications (SMS, Facebook, WhatsApp, Email); Music Control; Phone Finder; Over 20 watch faces to...
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Is the Timex Metropolitan R worth it?

Slimline compared to alternatives and certainly attractive. The long battery life on the Timex Metropolitan R is certainly a winning feature. GPS brings an edge of competitiveness as we see more devices with built in GPS as standard (consider the new Fitbit Versa 3). Fitness tracking is comprehensive, too.

All in all, considering it is faster than any Wear OS device and runs on proprietary software, Timex has produced a wonderful device for the price.

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Zepp E Smartwatch Review

Zepp E

Zepp has undergone something of a rebrand lately. They’ve released the new Zepp E Smartwatch that is a fitness-first device with a unique operating system. 

For a while now, Zepp has been making a specific fitness tracker aimed at monitoring a few given sports. Tennis to football, golf to baseball; Zepp has it covered. Now, the Zepp E smartwatch has come along and is making waves in an ocean otherwise dominated by Samsung, Apple and Fossil. Zepp says it’s finally added new sports modes and that the Zepp E is a refreshed attempt at what a 2020 smartwatch should be like. 

Design

Despite going rogue where operating systems are concerned, the Zepp E has had a lot of design attention. Some say the square version of the Zepp E is reminiscent of the Apple Watch 5, and the rounder version of the Samsung Galaxy Active Watch. For this review, we’re mostly looking at the former.

Zepp E Square Smart Watch Health and Fitness Tacker with Heart Rate, SpO2 and REM Sleep Monitoring, Stainless...
Zepp E Square Smart Watch Health and Fitness Tacker with Heart Rate, SpO2 and REM Sleep Monitoring, Stainless...
  • ULTRA-SLIM METAL BODY WITH 3D CURVED BEZEL-LESS DESIGN: Zepp E Circle is equipped with pure black 3D...
  • BLOOD OXYGEN SATURATION MEASUREMENT: SpO2 is an important indicator of health, especially in...
  • SLEEP QUALITY MONITORING: Monitor light sleep, deep sleep, rapid eye movement (REM), and awake time....
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One of the better things about the Samsung Galaxy Active Watch 2 is the curved bezels which make the screen feel bigger. It’s refreshing to see another brand using this tactic. Resulting in a modern feel rather than a barrier, compared to, say the TicWatch Pro.

The square version does seem to piggyback on Apple’s design a little too much, but fans of the look will love the lower price of the Zepp.

Both come with a stainless steel chassis with contrasting deep back bezels. You get one button on the right side that wakes the watch and takes you into the menu (or back out to the watch face). One long press presents you with a list of workouts, which you can customise.

The Zepp E Screen

The Zepp comes with an AMOLED screen, which is sensational. On the round version, the screen is 1.28 inches and has a 416 x 416 pixel resolution. It offers a wonderful brightness that makes reading in any lighting conditions a breeze.  If you’re using a watch face that has a black background, it makes the bezels really pop. 

Features and performance 

With it’s own operating system, the Zepp E has some compatibility development to do. There is no complementing app store for third party apps. It offers a few built in apps like the weather and music control. It doesn’t offer things like contactless payments or built in GPS, though. In compensation, there are a lot of watch faces to choose form. Dozens are free and very stylish. 

On the whole, the Zepp E is fluid because it’s not overloaded with features to slow it down. So you get a responsive device. Not every Wear OS device can say this.

Zepp E Fitness tracking 

The Zepp E leads heavily toward a fitness-conscious audience. It has a decent heart rate monitor on board which can be complemented with a MyZon MZ3 strap for improved accuracy. 

You can see your data in the new Zepp app, which you might know under it’s previous name of  Amazfit. Similarly to Google Fit, the Zepp app gives you points based on movement. It’ll monitor this over 7 days and provide a score, considering your age and fitness level. 

It’ll also monitor your sleep and provide data in the app. Again, it’ll give you a score out of 100, similar to the Fitbit app, but better than that, will tell you why your sleep was good or poor quality.

Battery 

Zepp claims the E will give you seven full days battery life between charges. This is really appealing in comparison to most smart and fitness watches. 

As with any device, this really depends on what you’re using on the device and for how long. Luckily, once your battery is dead, you only need an hour for a full charge.

Final verdict 

Should you buy the Zepp E?

Zepp E Circle Smart Watch Health and Fitness Tacker with Heart Rate, SpO2 and REM Sleep Monitoring, Stainless...
Zepp E Circle Smart Watch Health and Fitness Tacker with Heart Rate, SpO2 and REM Sleep Monitoring, Stainless...
  • ULTRA-SLIM METAL BODY WITH 3D CURVED BEZEL-LESS DESIGN: Zepp E Circle is equipped with pure black 3D...
  • BLOOD OXYGEN SATURATION MEASUREMENT: SpO2 is an important indicator of health, especially in...
  • SLEEP QUALITY MONITORING: Monitor light sleep, deep sleep, rapid eye movement (REM), and awake time....
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The Zepp E absolutely nailed some things. The AMOLED screen is one of the best on offer this year in this price range. A seven day battery life out-ranks a lot of alternatives, too. 

It’s a solid smart and fitness watch hybrid offering. The features don’t stand up to the likes of the Apple Watch. However, it does stand up against devices in the same price bracket such as the Garmin Venu or Fitbit Versa 3. The Zepp E smartwatch is a great choice.

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Alpina AlpinerX Alive

Alpina AlpinerX Alive

If you are a fan of the great outdoors, then you need a watch that looks at home on your wrist in the wilderness. That is exactly what the Alpina AlpinerX Alive watch does! This Swiss-made smartwatch offers many great features and is sure to help you manage the elements no matter where you are in the world.

How Well Is the Alpina AlpinerX Alive Designed?

The AlpinerX Alive is designed by Alpina. A Swiss watchmaking company that utilized the power of Kickstarter to get this watch off the ground. The initial concept was to create a watch that offered great features for outdoor living, and a design that could withstand all the elements.

With a bright orange band and a chunky 45mm width, you can be confident that you will never forget that your watch is on your wrist. However, it is designed to be durable and tough. It certainly gives us the impression that it fits the bill. You can cut the strap to fit your wrist to end up with a snug fit, no matter how big or small your wrists are.

The screen is bordered with compass markings to help you navigate your route and these glow when the daylight begins to fade. The large screen has the four quarterly numbers marked out. Furthermore, there is a high resolution AMOLED screen that helps you enjoy the smart features that are on offer. The watch comes with a navigational crown that can be pressed to scroll through the menu options available.

What Features Does it Offer?

If you want a watch to take with you on your outdoor adventures, then this may be a perfect choice. The watch boasts a UV monitor, barometer, altimeter, and compass. So you can be confident that you will be able to navigate even the harshest terrain.

The watch does not need you to set the time. There is a link to your smartphone so that your clock is always accurate. The great part is that if you travel into a new time zone, as soon as you update your phone, your watch will update too!

When it comes to features other than the outdoorsy ones previously mentioned, this watch is a bit of a let-down. The link to your smartphone lacks the intuitive nature that we have all come to expect. You will need to go through a clunky process to get to what you need.

If you are looking for a device that can track your fitness, then this may be the device for you. Alpina have described it as a “personal trainer on your wrist” due to new features such as the ability to measure breathing, VO2 max and hydration.

Furthermore the AlpinerX Alive has been enhanced with weather information and a Dynamic Coach. The coach offers a range of exercises and provides feedback on your performance and sleep, making recommendations about how to improve your fitness and general well-being through the Alpina App.

Alpina Geneve AlpinerX AL-283LBO5AQ6 Smartwatch
Alpina Geneve AlpinerX AL-283LBO5AQ6 Smartwatch
  • MMT-283-1 ,Quarzwerk
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How Good Is the Alpina AlpinerX Alive Battery Life?

The AlpinerX Alive is now equipped with a rechargeable battery, boasting up to 7 days battery life. However, as with all watches, this is dependent on the amount of apps used.

The Pros and Cons Of the Alpina AlpinerX Alive

We have listed the main pros and cons below:

Pros
  • It comes with many great outdoor features ready for use.
  • Made in Switzerland and offers that Swiss quality that we want in a watch.
  • It is light on the wrist, making it comfy to wear even though it is larger than most smartwatches.
  • Heart rate monitor included, making it great for fitness fans to track their performance.
  • Up to 7 days battery life so you will not need to worry about recharging all the time.
  • Integrated GPS
Cons
  • The smart features do not always make things more comfortable to use. .
  • The watch is on the large side, making it hard to house inside a coat or shirt-cuff.

Is the Alpina AlpinerX Alive a Good Purchase?

To be fair, Alpina has taken a Kickstarter project and turned it into an attractive, outdoorsy watch for people to enjoy. They push hard for consumers to notice the Swiss-made technology. Furthermore, they offer a range of great features that will come in handy when you are braving the wilderness. The added features such as heart rate monitor and integrated GPS will prove popular with fitness fans and we love the fact that you can personalize the watch and enjoy the feeling of being part of an exclusive club filled with people that invested.

Overall, if a watch with great outdoor features and fitness capability is more important to you than checking your social media updates then this could be just what you are look for!

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Hublot Big Bang E

Hublot Big Bang E

When the Hublot Big Bang E was released, no one expected it to cost over $5000 to get hold of one. This premium product markets itself as a high-end product for discerning consumers. However, we are left wondering if it can justify the price tag! Check out our review to help you decide.

How Well Is the Hublot Big Bang E Designed?

With the choice of titanium or ceramic build, this watch oozes money. It offers Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 as its processor and a RAM capacity of 1GB. The watch is designed to hold as many apps as you want to run, and it utilizes Wear OS. This gives users a wide range of choices when it comes to personalisation.

The screen is incredibly clear to view. There is a real feel of luxury when you take a moment to appreciate how smoothly everything works. The diameter of the screen is 30.8mm, and it offers 327 dots per inch (dpi). The strap is made from rubber and feels incredibly comfortable on the wrist. You can wear it all day without it bothering you.

If you are keen to own a watch with a large amount of storage, then you are in luck. This device comes with 8GB storage as standard. It has an AMOLED display and claims to be scratch-proof so you can wear it wherever you are in the world, whatever you are doing. To navigate this device, you need to turn the crown or press the button that is built into the top of the crown – designed to be as simple as possible considering the wealth of features.

Hublot Big Bang Chronograph Automatic Mens Watch 301.SX.7170.LR
Hublot Big Bang Chronograph Automatic Mens Watch 301.SX.7170.LR
  • Model 301.SX.7170.LR
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How Long Is the Battery Life?

The battery is lithium-ion and takes around two and a half hours to charge from empty. The battery only lasts around one day before needing recharging. This makes it important to factor charging time into your day or night so you aren’t left without a working device when you need it most.

What Features Does The Hublot Big Bang E Offer?

Unfortunately, this device does not offer GPS, nor does it offer NFC, a pretty standard feature on most modern smartwatches. This lack of basic functionality is a bit of a disappointment. When you are paying over the odds for a new smartwatch, it can be off-putting when you compare it to the competition.

When it comes to other features, you can enjoy the perpetual calendar that offers a clear moon phase display, and it is water-resistant up to a depth of 30m, so you can shower and swim with total confidence. You can also personalise your watch with the Google Play store, and this means that you will have everything you need on your wrist at all times.

What Is Great About the Limited Edition Hublot Big Bang E?

When it comes to soccer, Hublot decided to appeal to fans all over the world by releasing a very special limited edition version in time for the UEFA Champions League. Not only did the release date coincide with the group stage draw at the start of October, but it boasts a genuine soccer theme and has team watch faces so that fans can show their support directly from their wrists.

Hublot
Credit: Hublot

To take it one step further, anyone who purchases this limited edition watch will be able to make use of an exclusive app that shares match stats and updates, and reminders about when matches are due to start. To draw more appeal, Hublot is also designing all the watches for the referees, which will be a Big Bang E Referee Edition made from ultra-light material that will not be sold anywhere else. The downside is that if you want to get hold of one of the UEFA editions, you will be expected to pay around $7000.

Hublot Big Bang Broderie Limited Edition Sugar Skull Steel Unisex Watch 343.SS.6599.NR.1233
Hublot Big Bang Broderie Limited Edition Sugar Skull Steel Unisex Watch 343.SS.6599.NR.1233
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The Pros and Cons Of the Hublot Big Bang E

To help you decide whether you want to purchase one of these luxury watches, take a look at our pros and cons to help you weigh up your options.

Pros
  • It offers real visual elegance and would look great on your wrist.
  • The 30.8mm screen is easy to read and does not look out of place.
  • The strap is comfy, and you will not notice you are wearing the watch when you are not actively using it.
  • There are two standard versions to choose from and a limited edition version.
  • The watch comes with a huge capacity for apps, allowing you to personalize it significantly.
  • If you are a soccer fan, there is a real draw to getting hold of the UEFA version.
  • It exudes luxury and is sure to leave everyone feeling envious.
  • The display is clear and easy to read.
  • The crown and in-built button work with ease.
Cons
  • The battery life is only one day, so it will need regular charging to keep it going.
  • The watch is incredibly expensive, making it impossible for regular consumers to consider.
  • There is no in-built GPS, making it impossible for fitness fans to track their sessions.
  • There is no NFC compatibly, so contactless payment apps are not an option.

Is the Hublot Big Bang E Worth Spending My Money On?

When it comes down to it, if you have money to burn and want a stunning smartwatch that gives you a sense of exclusivity, then the Hublot Big Bang E is a great choice. With two different standard versions and a limited UEFA edition, you will be truly spoilt for choice.

However, when a watch misses the opportunity to use GPS or NFC, it makes us wonder if it is worth spending your money on, and it leaves us pretty certain that while this watch is beautiful, we don’t think we’d spend out for it.

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Fossil new Gen 5E (2020)

Fossil Gen 5E

The new Fossil Gen 5E smartwatch is smaller, sleeker and cheaper than ever

Design

Fossil launched the new Gen 5E smartwatch. It comes on four new 42mm case sizes (aimed at women) and the usual 44mm size for bigger wrists. Its predecessor, the Julianna, came only in a 44mm case. 

There are actually four 42mm styles. While the case may be smaller, the AMOLED screen is still 1.19 inches and the case remains 12mm thick. So the display appears bigger, brighter and bolder. 

The case is attached to a smooth or decorated bezel, depending on the design you go for. Either way, it’s attached to an 18mm strap. You can pick this up in a gold or rose gold finish or two-tone stainless steel. 

For the band, you can get either a stainless steel mesh band or link bracelet or if you’re more sporty, the silicone strap may be preferable. 

New Fossil Women's 42MM Gen 5E Stainless Steel Mesh Touchscreen Smart Watch, Color: Rose Gold (Model: FTW6068)
New Fossil Women's 42MM Gen 5E Stainless Steel Mesh Touchscreen Smart Watch, Color: Rose Gold (Model: FTW6068)
  • Use the WearOS by Google app on your phone with Android 6.0+ (excluding Go edition) or iOS 12.0+
  • Battery: 24 Hr + multi-day Extended Battery Mode **Varies based on usage and after updates...
  • Lifestyle: This is one smart watch with always-On Display with thousands of watch faces to...
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Materials

Firstly, if you’re a die-hard fan of the 44mm then you won’t be disappointed. This version comes in black with a stainless steel bracelet band, or matching black with black silicone band. Classier tastes may prefer the gunmetal grey with brown leather strap. Bands and straps are 22mm. 

Secondly, note the newer Gen 5 design differs from previous models. No buttons can be found on the case with the exception of a single crown found between button guards. The bezel is textured. 

Software 

The Gen 5E has Fossil’s new Wellness software which came with a recent update. A new fitness app is included and works in such a way that it preserves battery life. Finally, you get reliable sleep tracking with this device. It even offers an enhanced battery saving mode.

Whilst the look is new, what’s under the hood stays much the same as before. You’ll find a Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor. There is now a Snapdragon Wear 4100, but it’s only just started to arrive. The best part is the Gen 5 has 1GM of RAM which really helps maintain its speed for every day use.

Price and release date

The Fossil Gen 5E is available now for pre-order and shipping will commence on November 3.

You can pre-order it now on Amazon for $249.

New Fossil Men's 44MM Gen 5E Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smart Watch, Color: Black (Model: FTW4056)
New Fossil Men's 44MM Gen 5E Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smart Watch, Color: Black (Model: FTW4056)
  • Use the WearOS by Google app on your phone with Android 6.0+ (excluding Go edition) or iOS 12.0+
  • 24 Hr + multi-day Extended Battery Mode **Varies based on usage and after updates install**. USB...
  • Lifestyle: This is one smart watch with always-On Display with thousands of watch faces to...
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