Sony's SmartWatch 2 is now available for pre-order in the US

Though none of them have been wildly successful, Sony has been making smartwatches for some time now. Its latest model, the SmartWatch 2, was first shown off at Mobile Asia Expo in June and is just about to hit stores in the US.

The Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch created a real buzz when it came up for pre-order last month. Unfortunately for Samsung, that hype kind of hit a brick wall when the steep price was announced (US$300) along with the news that the gadget was only compatible with a single Samsung smartphone at launch (Galaxy Note 3).

Sony may be perfectly placed to take advantage of Samsung's mistake. The SmartWatch 2 is compatible with nearly any smartphone running Android 4.0 or later and is particularly easy to pair with NFC. It's also a full US$100 cheaper than the Gear, and is rated IP57 water resistant (certainly a worthwhile feature for a watch).

Sony's watch also features a 1.6-inch 220 x 176 LCD display that is designed to be readable outdoors, a fair number of compatible apps on Google Play, a replaceable stainless steel bracelet, and 3 to 4 days of battery life.

The SmartWatch 2 is available for pre-order now on Sony's website for US$199.99.

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