Samsung gives the Gear S some bling with a Swarovski crystal-encrusted band

By Malarie Gokey Published September 2, 2014

Samsung introduced the standalone Gear S smartwatch last week, but now it’s adding a fashionable element to its latest wearable. On Monday, Samsung introduced a new Swarovski crystal band for the curved device.

The 2-inch Super AMOLED Gear S screen rests in a standard white band, which is covered in Swarovski crystals, set in a fine gold mesh. Nearly the entire surface of the band is covered with them. Samsung hopes that the addition of more personalized and fashionable bands like this one from Swarovski will attract buyers who normally wouldn’t consider buying a smartwatch.

Recommended Videos

Related: The Samsung Gear S is real and it’s a smartwtach that is also a phone

Underneath all the glitz, it’s still the same Gear S. The curved, 2-inch screen has a 360 x 480 pixel resolution and is powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor. The Gear S comes with 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, and a 300mAh battery, which Samsung says should get you through 2 to 3 days on a single charge. The wearable runs Tizen and can even make calls. The Gear S functions without connecting to your smartphone, but can sync with it over Bluetooth if you want it to.

The Swarovski crystal band for the Gear S will be available for purchase in October, but it’s not immediately clear how much it will cost. The price of the Gear S itself remains unknown too. Samsung says it will offer Swarovski crystal-encrusted cases for the Galaxy Note 4, its upcoming flagship smartphone, as well.

The price of the Note 4 case is also a mystery, but we expect to find out more at Samsung’s Tuesday press event.

Former Mobile Editor

As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…

Topics

Wearables

OASIS Smart ring hides a trackpad and it lets you whisper-control your computer

OASIS 1 pairs private AI dictation with a tiny trackpad built into the ring itself

OASIS Smart ring Featured on hand

For decades, we've interacted with computers using keyboards, mice, and touchscreens. OASIS thinks it's time for something different. The startup has unveiled the OASIS 1, a smart ring designed for private AI dictation, letting users whisper naturally while a built-in microphone transcribes their words. And when the AI inevitably gets something wrong? There's a tiny trackpad built into the ring to fix it.

A microphone on your finger, a trackpad in the same ring

Wearables

Samsung has a new Galaxy Ring coming and it could pull off some new health trick

Samsung is working on a new ring as it pushes AI-powered health alerts that could matter most when users feel fine.

Galaxy Ring in gold colorway.

Samsung is working on a new Galaxy Ring, and the most important upgrade may come from what happens after the ring collects health signals in the background.

Hon Pak, who leads Samsung's digital health team, told Forbes that a next generation ring is in development. Samsung hasn't announced the name, launch timing, price, regions, or specs, so Galaxy Ring 2 remains a useful shorthand rather than a confirmed product name.

Wearables

Xreal Aura glasses reservations are finally live, and it sort of sticks to its $1,500 promise

Snap Specs for over $2,000 now looks a little too expensive

Person wearing Xreal Project Aura smart glasses.

After one final teaser earlier this month, Xreal has just opened up the reservations for its new Aura smart glasses. The company had promised to try to keep the pricing under $1,500 for the new AR wearables. And now, it has officially been listed for reservations for exactly that amount.

The new Android XR-powered spatial computing glasses will retail for $1,500 for the base model, though this is before tax. It is expected to be released in the fall of 2026. While this isn't a humble price tag by any means, it still undercuts the competition, which is Snap's new Specs that are priced just under $2,200.