Some football fans may remember Dhani Jones when he started at linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl XXXIV.
Others can go back to when Jones played next to Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson in the heyday of Michigan Wolverines football, winning a national title.
His penchant for being a champion and stand up professional extends beyond the gridiron, having eclectic interests in entrepreneurship, world-traveler, and as an advertising executive.
In CES 2015, nevertheless, Jones channels his Steve Jobs’ tech pitch, not in the education sector as he did a few months ago for the University of Cincinnati, but in a rival Apple competitor that’s already debuted its latest wearable device.
Sony intends to make a statement around their intelligent product line, which has increased in emphasis for them over the few years leading up to this CES. They are revealing way more wearable hardware, examining opportunities to grow its software and real life examples for its purpose outside of what’s out there at the moment.
Concurrently, Jones has been trying out Sony’s SmartWatch 3 for close to a month now and it didn’t take him long to get accustomed to it, as an extension akin to a personal coach.
In fact, Jones tells SportTechie, “Sony’s SmartWatch 3 doesn’t depend on a smartphone. It does everything from one’s wrist.”
Possessing one of the better and robust Android Wear in the wearable market, its usability becomes quite native that Jones can seamlessly transition as a user for the device. The functionality and response rate to voice command and notification feed performs in way desired by most users. This communication tool is enabled by a smartphone, but isn’t requisite to have alongside with a user and their daily activities.
“The untethered GPS allows me to focus on my training schedule, spending more time on what I need to do to personally get better, not watching my phone,” says Jones, where Sony’s SmartWatch 3 is the first and lone Android-powered wearable with the ability to work as such.
For a former football player like Jones, the previous bland design might as well be inconsequential. Sony went for a very safe aesthetic, when competitors have made bold attempts with their smartwatch design to catch the eyes of many. The one at CES has a subtle angle to it, where the stainless steel and link-based strap complements those who would wear this watch for casual settings, not just physical activity.
The SmartWatch 3, thus, comprises of the same features and specifications as the older version: the built-in GPS radio, IP68 water-resistance mark, microUSB port charging norm, and 1.6-inch square 320×320 display. It’s worth nothing that due to it being a modular product, anyone can choose their own strap after purchasing it.
Ultimately, the GPS offering alone makes the Sony SmartWatch 3 a competent choice for people that workout a lot–something can that the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers–Jones’ Super Bowl picks–could potentially use for their respective individual player training leading up–if they end up getting there–to the big game, Sony surely has at CES 2015.