KEY FEATURES
- Activity tracking
- Smartphone notifications
- Smart button
- Coin-cell battery
- Manufacturer: Skagen
- Review Price: £185.00
HANDS-ON: THE SKAGEN HAGEN CONNECTED IS ONE SUPER-STYLISH SMARTWATCH
Skagen is describing its Hagen Connected wearable as a "Hybrid Smartwatch", and that’s as apt a description as any. It’s also incredibly fun to say "Skagen Hagen". For those who are interested, "Hagen" apparently means “harbour” in Danish.
There’s a standard, non-smartwatch Skagen Hagen, too, but it’s the Skagen Hagen Connected we’re interested in. (OK, I'll stop writing "Skagen Hagen" now.) The Hagen Connected packs in activity tracking and a rather innovative way of integrating notifications.
Taking a Withings-style approach to design, the Hagen Connected first and foremost looks like a standard timepiece. Skagen’s watches are pretty famous for their thin, low-profile designs, and while the Hagen Connected isn’t as paper-thin as its dumbwatch cousins, it’s still pretty svelte and definitely very nice to look at.
Skagen is launching four different models and it had black, blue and white watch-face designs on display at the IFA tech show. A leather strap comes as standard, but this can also be swapped out for steel-mesh or silicone options.
When it comes to style, I actually prefer the design of the Hagen Connected over the newly announced Withings Steel HR; it looks a little slicker to my eyes.
Like the Withings Steel HR and Withings Activité range, there’s a sub-dial placed off to the side that tracks your steps throughout the day. The tech powering the activity tracking is actually provided by Misfit, another company now owned by Skagen’s parent company, Fossil. This should hopefully mean some effective and accurate activity and sleep tracking. You can monitor and set your goals through the Link companion app.
Without the digital display of the Steel HR, the Hagen Connected uses a rather clever way of providing rudimentary smartphone notifications. There’s a vibration motor inside, so this will buzz as expected to let you know that an email, text message or call has come in.
But where things get more interesting is that you can also program the watch dials to behave in a custom way through the app. This means that the hands can point to a specific combination of numbers for emails or even if you receive a message or call from a certain contact. The sub-dial has A, B, C, D markings to add another layer of notification marking.
It’s all quite stealthy, and is likely to appeal to people who don’t like messages popping up on their smartwatch at the dinner table for all to read. I think it's a clever way of sidestepping the lack of a proper display, while also avoiding information overload for those who just want a gentle nudge that something on their phone might be worthy of attention.
Other smart functionality comes in the form of the buttons along the side of the watch. A smart button can be used to take photos remotely, control your music, start fitness activity tracking or just ring your phone so you can find it – although your smartphone will need to be within Bluetooth range.
Another simple, but useful, addition is automatic time and date adjustment. If you’re a frequent traveller then you’ll appreciate the fact that the watch will update itself accordingly as you move between time zones. You can even jump between custom time zones by pressing a button on the side.
The Hagen Connected uses a standard watch cell, so you won’t need to charge it all the time. Skagen told me it should be good for six months of standard usage.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The Skagen Hagen Connected is a seriously handsome smartwatch. It’s the type of device that I'd happily wear all day, regardless of occasion. I'm a huge fan of its discreet handling of notifications as well.
While the fitness credentials of the Withings Steel HR have it beat thanks to its heart rate monitor, there’s a great deal to like about the Skagen Hagen Connected if you simply have basic activity tracking needs and want at-a-glance notifications.
The only minor sticking point is price. The Hagen Connected will start at £185, which is a little pricey when up against the Steel HR. But when it comes to watches, design and materials do need to be factored in.
The Skagen Hagen Connected will be released in September. Check back for a full review as soon as I can get one around my wrist.
0 comments: