
Hybrid smartwatches, often designer, offer an easy transition from traditional timepieces, but that doesn't mean they come cheap. Startup Stark could be set to defy the trend, though, with its minimalist hybrid watch managing to smash through its initial Kickstarter target by offering the device for an affordable $50 - a nice chunk off its eventual retail price of $80.
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The device offers a water resistant, stainless steel casing, with an accelerometer housed underneath to help track your daily activity. This means that you'll be able to keep tabs on your steps, burnt calories, sleep and distance, while also being able to sync through the stats to Apple Health.
Reminders are also involved to help prompt you into activity, and fitness goals can be set through the device's companion app.
More general notifications from your Android or iOS smartphone are also available, with texts and calls presumably coming through the LEDs on the watch face.
And like with many hybrid devices, it's also able to offer an impressive battery life. The watch will come with two separate batteries — one to power the movement that lasts two years, and a Bluetooth smart module that last around four months.
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Of course, while all this is promised through the campaign, just whether its current backers will be receiving the device by the June 2017 shipping date remains to be seen. Another concern is the quality of the device and whether its activity tracking is worthy of a spot in your daily life. After all, those looking for heart rate monitoring will have to look elsewhere.
We'll try to catch up with the project and find out its plans for the post-crowdfunding life.
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