"Wearables" in the form of smartwatches were the rage in tech shows. The crowd-funded PEBBLE was first off the mark, backed by 69,000 people pledging $10 million. It sold about 100,000 smartwatches.
And then Samsung launched the GALAXY GEAR. This watch runs apps, handles voice calls and text messages, and takes pictures and videos, working as a companion to a few Galaxy smartphones. That's limiting, but it's still the first smartwatch from a big brand, and Samsung quickly claimed 800,000 shipments (many were returned).
It's very early days. This gear is expensive at Rs.23,000, has poor battery life, glitchy software, and very few apps. It's in many "flops of 2013" lists, but it's too early for that. Just wait for the Gear 2, expected next March, and many more.
