Although smartwatches offer all sorts of conveniences, the problem with them is that most people already own watches and most of the time, they like their own watches more than whatever Apple, Google, or Pebble is offering.
The team behind the Trivoly recognizes that watches are timeless and well-designed in and of themselves, so it decided to smarten them up rather than make a watch that tried to compete. The Trivoly is a thin disc that adds connected capabilities to any watch. It’s small enough to fit under pretty much any timepiece, offering users vibration alerts for notifications, fitness tracking capabilities, tap-controlled music control, a camera function, and a general interface with which to stay connected with apps like Uber.
Customized vibration patterns let users know the difference between a calendar alert or a Seamless order, so personalization is at the forefront of Trivoly’s functions. While there are a wide assortment of early bird deals, $149 is the final retail price for the device, with an expected ship date of Feburary 2016. The Trivoly campaign needs $100,000 by December 2nd, 2015 to undergo manufacturing.
Making any watch smart is a novel idea that skirts the behemoth challenge of making one that has mass appeal. Even though the Tivoly is only 3 mm thick, it is certainly noticeable in profile, but less conspicuous than a flashing screen. It may not offer the apps of an Apple Watch, but its claimed four-day battery life and outdoor visibility is a lot better than many what many smartwatches can offer.