A watch for all emergencies
7.2.2019
Translation: machine translated
No more pitying looks because a red button is dangling at chest level. The watch from Smartwatcher promises discretion and yet a functioning emergency call system. Sounds perfect, but it's not quite.
I sometimes imagine what it would be like to be a little older. I'd be constantly on the move and completing my list of travelled countries. Maybe I'd give yoga or my poorly circulated artistic streak a chance. Yes, my ideas require some savings and, above all, good health. But as you get older, you often suffer from minor and major ailments. Although you are often on the road, your path is more likely to take you to the nearest district hospital than to the South Seas. My grandfather, for example, got into trouble from time to time, all alone at home. With a paralysed leg, it was almost impossible for him to pick himself up after a fall. He had no choice but to wait until his carer came round. There is now a watch for just such cases: Smartwatcher.
Safety on the wrist
"The world's most elegant emergency call system" is the manufacturer's own headline. Smartwatcher Technologies AG is based in the building next door to Digitec Galaxus AG and has been committed to personal safety since 2015. However, not everyone should realise that the person concerned has an increased need for security. That's why Smartwatcher's solution comes in the form of either a sporty or elegant watch. I have tested whether it really works.
I chose the Sense model. This comes in neutral white with a black dial. It also comes with a magnetic charging station, a charging cable and a USB power adapter. The watch has a high-quality finish and no frills. There are just two small buttons on the right-hand side. The chrome-plated one switches the watch on and off, the red one activates the alarm. It weighs 53 grams and is designed for wrists between 15 and 19.5 centimetres.
When I put it on, it becomes clear that I would probably have preferred a smaller model. Even in the last hole, the strap is rather loose and the dial or LCD touchscreen looks clunky. Nevertheless, it feels pleasant on the skin. Just looking at it, I would never have guessed that the simple watch conceals an emergency call system. Smartwatcher has already kept this promise.
Nothing works without a plan
Before I can start using the watch, I first have to charge it completely. To do this, I place the back of the watch on the magnetic charging station and plug in the mini-USB port. After a good hour, the watch is charged and can be activated. To do this, the watch prompts me to visit the Smartwatcher registration page. There it also gives me the serial number and telephone number that I need for the next step. Smartwatcher has kindly taken this process off my hands and has already recorded my data and selected a plan for me. Yes, in order for the watch to fulfil its purpose, you have to choose one of six different subscriptions. These are available: Family and Friends, Family and Friends Plus, and Emergency Call Centre, which each offer a plan for Switzerland and one for Europe. I opted for Family and Friends Plus within Switzerland. For 20 francs a month, you can call your helpers at the touch of a button and be located via the website or app.
A modern cry for help
For this to work, I first have to register my helpers. To do this, I have to enter their phone number, name and relationship to me. Once this has been done, these people should be contacted by phone if I raise the alarm. After pressing the red button, I have about five seconds to cancel the alarm before I set the whole clan into a frenzy. If this threshold is exceeded, the phones start ringing off the hook. This works reliably for all stored numbers. If the call is not answered, the watch keeps calling at short intervals. If you do manage to get yourself out of trouble at some point, the watch gives you the option of cancelling the alarm by touching the screen. If the call is answered, you can communicate with your helpers via the microphone on the right under the LCD touchscreen. Everything worked smoothly for me, I was even able to reach my helpers in Austria.
When I put myself in the shoes of an older person, however, I notice two things that are unpleasant. The buttons are relatively small and feel exactly the same. It's easy to get them mixed up. In addition, the touchscreen instructions could be clearer. I had to press and try a few times to find the different commands. The font is also very small in places, but fortunately this doesn't affect the important functions such as the emergency call. However, the location of the Smartwatcher watch works reliably again.
Even my smartphone lasts longer
To do this, I log in to the manufacturer's website and go to "Map" in the navigation menu. There I can start the personal locator. After a few seconds, the Google Maps world map appears and my watch starts to vibrate. A moment later, the exact location of the watch is displayed to the house. This should make it easy to find the person wearing the watch. As long as the wearer is actually wearing the watch and has switched it on. If it is off, nothing works. And this can happen relatively easily, because the battery doesn't last very long. Smartwatcher itself states that the watch lasts one to two days in standby mode. I put the watch into operation around midday, tried out a few buttons and set an alarm three times. The first thing I received the next morning was a charging notification. That's really not long, and I'm not convinced by the almost two days of standby either. Even my smartphone lasts longer than that.
Conclusion
For an emergency call system, the watch looks really good. Gone are the days when a glowing red button hung around your neck so that even the last person in the neighbourhood would know. The system also works perfectly: calls go through, can be received and localisation also works without any problems. However, the Smartwatcher Sense is not yet perfect. In my opinion, the buttons should be a little bigger, the touchscreen functions clearer and the battery life much longer. The watch needs to be charged every day so that the (vital) emergency call function can do its job. I would find the price of the watch okay if it weren't for the 20 francs a month plan. Without this, you can only just tell the time, for which the watch isn't fancy enough.
Lottery
Would you like to try it out for yourself? Do you know someone who could use the emergency watch? Then click on "Take part" below and you'll be in the running for a Smartwatcher Sense in the colour of your choice. The closing date for entries is 18 February 2019. toi, toi, toi!
How to participate
Win an emergency watch from Smartwatcher
The competition has ended.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
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