We got a chance to catch up with Alcatel at the company’s CES booth, and one of the first things we wanted to check out was their brand new smart watch. It isn’t Android Wear, so drop those expectations right now. It’s the company’s own proprietary platform that can be used with any Android or iOS device.
As neat as that sounds, our initial look at the thing left a lot to be desired. If the clunky and odd user interface wasn’t enough of a deterrent, the model we finagled was quite unstable — it froze on something as simple as checking notifications. But as with any device at CES, the software likely isn’t final and that can be improved by the time it reaches market.
One thing we can say is nice about this smart watch is its looks. Alcatel did a good job designing the thing, and we wouldn’t mind wearing it on our wrists as a fashion piece. But fashion is only one aspect of a smart watch, and we’ll need to see if the functionality will be enough to make us choose this over something that’s both flashy and stable like a Moto 360. Be sure to check it out above.