Top 10 wearables for Christmas: Moto 360, LG G Watch and Samsung Gear S
Apple Watch to miss out on frenzy for smartwatches and fitness bands this yuletide
Christmas is fast approaching (the John Lewis advert is out, so it's official) and many will be hoping to find a shiny wearable under the tree this year.
However, the Apple Watch will not be among the choices facing buyers, as it is unlikely to appear until spring 2015.
So anyone after a wearable for a loved-one, or a treat for themselves in the sales, will have to look beyond Apple and consider one of the other vendors competing for a slice of this nascent market.
There is no shortage of options, as all the major hardware players, even Microsoft, are offering some variation of the smartwatch and fitness band form factor.
So, in classic Friday afternoon style, V3 has put together a top 10 of the wearables we think could prove popular this Christmas.
10. Jawbone UP3
Available just in time for Christmas, the Jawbone UP3 is the latest evolution of the company's Up range of fitness bands and will cost a moderate £150.
The UP3 is also water-resistant and can capture much more data than the firm's previous efforts, Jawbone claims, including advanced sleep details, body temperature and 24-hour heart rate monitoring. It can also detect the wearer's activity, such as cycling or jogging, which could prove ideal for new year resolution fitness promises.
It also comes in two colours - grey or black. Hardly much choice, or particularly cheery, but there you go. Jawbone also claims the UP3 can last for a week on a single charge.
Top 10 wearables for Christmas: Moto 360, LG G Watch and Samsung Gear S
Apple Watch to miss out on frenzy for smartwatches and fitness bands this yuletide
9. The Misfit Shine While we here at V3 enjoy all the productivity benefits of a smartwatch, many still view them as an annoyance that makes it even more difficult to switch off after a hard day's work, but are still interested in the health and sleep-tracking features.
For these people the Misfit Shine is one of the finest bespoke and subtle health trackers on the market. Boasting a wonderfully understated, screen free, metal design, the Shine can be worn as a bracelet, ankle ornament or medallion and is compatible with iOS and Android devices.
With the Misfit app installed the Shine can be used to track everything from your work out patterns and progress to your sleep habits. Add to this the fact the Shine is powered by a watch battery that can survive months at a time without needing to be charged, and we can't help but think of it as the perfect companion for any fitness conscious individual.
8. Asus Zenwatch
The Asus Zenwatch was a surprise addition from the Taiwanese firm at the IFA conference in September. While the Zenwatch may not have a circular display or custom operating system, there is still plenty to like about the Taiwanese firm's smartwatch.
Power by Android Wear, the curved screen smartwatch features customisable themes and smart alert services. The customisable themes mean you can tweak Android Wear's native clock home screen to meet your needs, letting you do things like pick what push updates appear on the home screen.
The smart alert feature makes it easier to screen incoming calls or alerts and lets you silence the smartwatch, and attached smartphone, simply by placing your hand over the Zenwatch's screen.
7. Sony Smartwatch 3
Sony's Smartwatch 3 is, as the name would suggest, the third version of its smartwatch and is a significant step up from its predecessor. Now sporting a higher resolution screen and sleeker design, the smartwatch comes with Google's Android Wear operating system.
To keep the Smartwatch 3 ticking along, an ARM A7 1.2GHz processor sits alongside 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage.
Like a digital butler for your phone, the Smartwatch 3 works as a middleman between an Android smartphone and your eyes thanks to Bluetooth connectivity. As such, the smartwatch is more of an accessory than a standalone device, which helps avoid reliance on a Wi-Fi connection.
Available for £189.99, the Smartwatch 3 still offers plenty of standalone features, including a built-in microphone, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and GPS sensor technologies.
The smartwatch's features allow for 'life-logging' data to be recorded and used with Sony's Lifelog health tracking application, which could come in useful after the binge eating over Christmas.
Top 10 wearables for Christmas: Moto 360, LG G Watch and Samsung Gear S
Apple Watch to miss out on frenzy for smartwatches and fitness bands this yuletide
6. Intel's Basis Peak fitness band
The Intel Basis Peak band is the first move by the chip giant into the wearable space, after it bought the company in March this year.
The device will cost $199 when released on 20 November in the US, and the website for the Basis Peak lists it as coming to the UK in 'holiday 2014' - what we Brits traditionally call Christmas - for £169.99.
The Basis Peak is another device aimed at the idea that we’re all fitness fans by offering the ability to track metrics such as sleep quality and calories burned.
It also has a Gorilla Glass 3 touchscreen and battery life said to last an impressive 96 hours. It has built-in Bluetooth for syncing the device with a computer, phone or tablet so you can store and track your information.
5. Samsung Gear S
Running on Samsung's Tizen operating system the Gear S is one of 2014's most interesting wearables. While many buyers have all but forgotten Samsung's Tizen operating system, the OS does have a number of perks and positives for Samsung Galaxy smartphone users.
For example, Tizen has a menu and application system which is more like that of a mobile operating system than a wearable as it requires users to swipe left or right to switch between applications and services.
This is a radical departure from Android Wear. Tizen applications' individual interfaces are also far more varied than those seen on Android Wear, which have a uniform card-like design similar to that seen on Google Now.
Add to this the stylish and powerful curved Amoled screen and metallic design, and we can't help but think the smartwatch is a great choice for a Galaxy smartphone owners in the market for a wearable.
However, with a retail price of £329, it's definitely one of the more expensive wearables on the market.
Top 10 wearables for Christmas: Moto 360, LG G Watch and Samsung Gear S
Apple Watch to miss out on frenzy for smartwatches and fitness bands this yuletide
4. Microsoft Band
It's not clear whether the Microsoft Band will be available in the UK for Christmas, but it is on sale in the US and it could well be the case that it arrives before Santa over here. Many will be hoping so as Microsoft's first foray into the wearable world looks like a decent effort.
The $199 device offers fitness tracking as well as email, voice communications using Cortana, Windows 8.1 and messaging capabilities.
Fitness is the main selling point of the device, though, as it's able to track and assess movement and sleep patterns, and link with a smartphone or computer to analyse and display the data.
An accompanying app is available for Windows Phone, Android and iOS, and the Band works with social networking sites like Facebook.
3. Pebble Smartwatch
As one of the first smartwatches to gain the attention of wearable technology aficionados, the Kickstarter-funded Pebble watch has received critical acclaim for its design and functionality.
Sporting a bright e-paper screen, similar to those found on e-readers, texts and notifications can be viewed in direct sunlight, and a simple flick of the wrist brings the screen to life.
The Pebble smartwatch has no qualms about Apple or Android smartphones, and plays nicely with both operating systems thanks to a Bluetooth connection.
Coming in a choice of five colours - white, red, black, grey and orange - the Pebble also offers a choice of hundreds of digital watch faces sure to keep people with short attention spans amused, all for under £100.
For those looking for a smartwatch that is a little more watch-like, the Pebble Steel comes with an all-metal casing and leather or metal link straps - although the smarter appearance hikes the price up to £150.
Top 10 wearables for Christmas: Moto 360, LG G Watch and Samsung Gear S
Apple Watch to miss out on frenzy for smartwatches and fitness bands this yuletide
2. LG G Watch and G Watch R
LG was one of the first hardware firms to release a smartwatch running Android Wear, launching the G Watch in August.
Having a definite geek-chic, the square-faced G Watch is one of the most unassuming smartwatches currently available and is one of the best choices for buyers who don't want to advertise the fact that they're wearing a £160 device.
For those looking for a more stylish option LG has released a circular G Watch R. Featuring a 320x320, P-OLED display and digital interface mimicking a traditional watch, the G Watch R is one of the sleekest looking Android Wear smartwatches on the market.
1. Moto 360
Still setting the bar in the wearable world is the Moto 360. In fact, many commented that Apple should have mimicked the Moto 360 more closely when the firm unveiled the Apple Watch.
Its circular display, shunning the square screens found on the majority of wearables, has definitely caught the attention of many.
Motorola has kitted the Moto 360 with a 1.5in 320x290 round display, toughened with Gorilla Glass which should protect it from shattering. Adding to the watch's rugged smarts, the Moto 360 comes with IP67 certification, making it resistant to water and dust.
The Moto 360 runs Google's Android Wear operating system, equipping it with the likes of voice control and Google Maps, and boasts a built-in heart rate monitor, 4GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM, Bluetooth 4.0 and a 320mAh battery which promises a full day of use.
At £199 it's not the cheapest device on offer, but it's not the most expensive either. Overall, for a mix of function, form and cost, the Moto 360 is definitely top of the pile.