If you’re attached to your regular wristwatch, but really like the idea of a smartwatch, then take a look at this new Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign. It’s called the T-Band and it’s being made by a firm called Kairos. The idea is simple, it’s a high-tech watch band to convert your dumb watch into a smartwatch.
The adjustable rubber strap comes with a special adaptor to fits watches with a strap between 18mm and 24mm, and adds all the usual smart features seen on hardware from Samsung, LG, and Motorola. There are three different models, so you can choose how much functionality you want to bestow on your watch.
Kairos’ starter T-Band ND works more like a fitness band than a smartwatch, measuring activity, sleep, and even the temperature of your skin. A set of LEDs and a vibrate function provide basic notifications provided the strap is connected with Bluetooth to your phone. Next is the T-Band HD, which adds a simple touchscreen to the strap for displaying alerts. Cleverly, it stays hidden until a notification arrives, maintaining the clean looks of the standard ND version.
At the top of the list is the T-Band OD. It has a curved, Plastic-OLED color touchscreen on the strap, and will show more detailed notifications, along with additional functions from auto-start for cars, and hands-free calling using the microphone and speaker. All three bands are powered by an ARM Cortex M4 processor, are water and dust resistant to IP67 standards, and the battery inside should last for up to three days.
Kairos has developed its own operating system for the T-Band, and the straps will be compatible with iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices. Additionally, the company will also sell you specially designed watch bodies to complement the T-Band straps, if you don’t feel your own matches the style.
Backers who manage to grab one of the early bird offers will pay $130 for the T-Band ND, $160 for the T-Band HD, and $180 for the T-Band OD. If you’d like to pair the T-Band up with a Kairos watch body, prices range between $500 and $1150. The campaign has only just begun, and should it reach the $50,000 goal, deliveries will take place between April and June next year, depending on your choice of model.
