Android Wear alert: Fossil’s first-class new smartwatches are ready to buy

Android Wear Watches

The Q Wander (on the right in the picture above) and Q Marshall Android Wear devices follow in the footsteps of the Q Founder, which was released towards the end of 2015 and offers smart features wrapped in a classic-looking watch body. Prices for both start at $295, depending on the strap you choose, and pre-orders begin on August 12, with release coming on August 29.

While the Q Founder was a pretty hefty device, the Q Wander and Q Marshal are aimed at those who want something a little more subtle. They both have 45mm cases, but the Q Wander has a more feminine look, depending on which color you choose, while the Q Marshal is more rugged.

Both watches are compatible with a wide range of Fossil straps, made from leather, silicone, or stainless steel. Once you’ve settled on your strap of choice, it’s easy to customize the Android Wear watch face to match the style and colors.

As far as functions go, the devices are very similar to the Q Founder. Using Android Wear, they track steps, distance, and calories. The Wander and Marshal both function pretty much the same as every other Android Wear watch on the market, so you’ll get notifications and be able to use your favorite apps on your wrist. Both watches feature an always-on display and voice control.

Find the Q Wander and Q Marshal at Fossil.com.

Smart Analog Movement

Fossil also teased what it calls “smarter analog watches,” as part of its Smart Analog Movement. They’re like the Q Grant, which means an analog movement, no touchscreen, and features like fitness tracking and notifications. We’re still waiting for these to be fully revealed, but when they do arrive, they’ll appeal to anyone who wants a regular watch that still has some of the major advantages of a smartwatch.

Much like the Withings Activité and the Runtastic Moment, these are watches first and smart trackers second.

Fitness Trackers

The watches are great, but what about devices for the fitness junkies among us? Fossil has a range of fitness tracking devices called Q Motion that will be disguised as attractive bracelets. They will start at $95, and offer water resistance, but best of all they don’t require charging, just to swap out the coin cell battery every six months or so.

We also wrote about it here: Fossil’s $95 Q Motion activity tracker can also track sleep

These fitness trackers also receive notifications and alert you with haptic feedback and LED pulses. You can even control music by tapping on the device a certain number of times.