A growing number of traditional watch manufacturers have joined smartphone and mobile device manufacturers in offering smartwatches. While most offer the typical activity tracking and notifications, California-based Nixon has taken a slightly different path. They have teamed up with SurfLine for the Nixon Ultratide watch. Not quite a full-blown smartwatch, Nixon bills the Ultratide as “the world’s smartest surf watch.”
Unlike a traditional, the Nixon Ultratide will not bring you notifications other than those related to surfing. Forget about activity tracking or installing new apps; this watch is all about the waves.
An evolution in surf watch technology, Nixon’s Ultratide is the product of extensive research, development and an exclusive partnership with Surfline — the world’s largest and most credible source for surf conditions reporting. Forget what you think you know about surf watches, the Ultratide is like nothing you’ve seen before; it’s the smartest and most revolutionary surf watch in the market today.
Pairing to your smartphone over Bluetooth, it will bring you a range of real time data, including wave height, swell direction, wind direction and speed, water and air temperatures, Surfline rating, and custom Surf Alerts. Some 3300 surfing spots are tracked. The Nixon Ultratide lets you pick your favourites and set up custom alerts to let you know when the conditions are just right.
Needless to say, it is waterproof to 100 meters (330 feet).
The Nixon Ultratide is battery powered and will not require nightly charging. Its battery will last between one and two years. And when it does need to be replaced, Nixon will do so for free for life.
Unfortunately, the Nixon Ultratide app is only compatible with iOS at this time. An Android version is coming soon.
A Blue/Gunmetal Etched version of the Nixon Ultratide is now available exclusively at Surfline.com and Nixon.com. Select retailers also carry a Red/Gunmetal and All Black version. All colours will be widely available starting on May 15th. It sells for US$300 (about CA$365).
Source : Nixon