Hands On: Sony's SmartBand Talk and SmartWatch 3

BERLIN-In addition to its new lineup of smartphones, Sony also announced two new wearable devices at IFA this year. The Sony SmartBand Talk and SmartWatch 3 are both sequels to devices released within the last year, the SmartBand SWR10 and the SmartWatch 2. And while it feels like wearables are starting to churn at breakneck speeds, my first impression is that Sony's latest devices are a significant step up from their predecessors.

Let's start with the SmartWatch 3, which is a dramatic departure from the SmartWatch 2, but an otherwise expected move forward for Sony. That's because Sony has abandoned its previous smartwatch UI in favor of using Android Wear from Google. From a hardware perspective, the watch itself features a 1.6-inch, 320-by-320 TFT LCD. The display is transflective, which makes for better visibility in bright sunlight, but I didn't get a chance to see that in action since I previewed the watch indoors at Messe Berlin. Still, it's a pretty nice looking timepiece, with a stainless steel back panel that gives it a high-quality feel. Like the new Xperia Z smartphone line, the watch is rated IP68, which makes it waterproof to 8 feet and 'dust tight.'

The SmartWatch 3 has 4GB of built-in memory, and works with Sony's Lifelog app. Lifelog lets you track your activity, set goals, and bookmark memorable moments, which helps differ the watch from similar Android Wear offerings from LG and Samsung. It will be available in black or lime to start, with pink and white straps available at some point after launch.

The SmartWatch 3 looks nice, but I'm more excited about the SmartBand Talk. I reviewed the original SmartBand back in June. It was an interesting take on the standard activity tracker, but it had more potential than actual utility. That's changed a bit with the SmartBand Talk, which comes with a built-in microphone and speaker, as well as a 1.4-inch e-paper display.

The microphone and speaker allow you to make calls through the band, which is helpful if your phone is out of reach. It also has support for HD Voice, so it might even sound decent (I didn't get to test that out, but in general I don't expect much in the way of sonic quality from an activity band). More useful is the low-power, e-paper display, which lets you view the time at a glance, as well as notifications and Lifelog activity. The screen itself is clear and easy to read, and makes the SmartBand feel like even more of a cross between a smartwatch and an activity tracker.

The SmartBand Talk also has a new built-in accelerometer and altimeter sensor to give you a more accurate overview of your physical activity, including walking, running, and climbing. You can view this information in a companion app, or right on the band's display. Like the SmartWatch, the SmartBand Talk is rated IP68, so you don't need to worry about getting it wet.

Lifelog itself is also seeing some improvements, including a Web-based interface coming later this year. Sony also plans to open the API for third parties to integrate services, which could make it a good deal more useful, since those 'life bookmarks' don't really do much for me.

The SmartWatch 3 and SmartBand Talk both look like significant improvements upon their predecessors. Both devices will be available this fall, though Sony didn't discuss prices. I'm more interested in the SmartBand Talk, only because I have yet to be wowed by Android Wear in general, but I'm excited to get both devices in for full reviews.